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Comment by renma | Hacker News Reader

I have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. I have been prescribed Adderall. I am reluctant to take the medication without trying out a natural way or becoming dependent on it.

I have a deep inclination to go the entrepreneurial/freelance consultant route. Right now, I am working full time but I am a pain in the rear for the management and my boss. There is no way I can work for someone in the long term. No idea if working for myself will alleviate the symptoms of ADHD/ADD.

The only silver lining is the insane creativity that ADHD/ADD brings.

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As far as I know, Adderal forces dopamine out of the parts of your brain where it comes from. You get overloaded on it and become happy. You basically enjoy what you are doing no matter what it is. This could hypothetically get you focused on things that don't deserve your focus.

It is really not a good drug. It's heavy stuff. You can become addicted to it, and it could take you months to re learn how to work without it.

I don't recommend it at all. There's much more to it, but this is a glimpse from my perspective.

Staying focused can be hard for a lot of people. Maybe try a few holistic approaches.

While medication for behavior issues is sometimes justified, I suspect it is often the easy way out (for both you and your therapist/doctor). Sometimes it can be a short term help to push you into developing new habits, then you can stop or taper off. I am of your view though, I would be hesitant to turn to medication as a first attempt or with the view of it being a long-term solution. I don't think we understand well the long term consequences of very many of these medications (IANAMD).

Yeah I identify with much of this. My hunch is that starting your own company (if the product is something you care about that solves a need) is such an all-in endeavor that you would have no problem staying engaged. Let me know what you find out, if you try.

Also look into some of the non-stimulants that are available now as ADD medication – has anybody had experience with them?

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