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flysand7 4 days ago [-]
Opening up devtools during ADHD test is so ADHD, almost as if he didn't even need the psychiatrist to explain the results :D
schlauerfox 3 hours ago [-]
That was my first thought. I only wish my type was to put in the work for a blog post instead of just thinking on it and getting overwhelmed with all I need to get done.
nullpt_rs 2 hours ago [-]
Trust, this blog post was in the works for weeks and was actually supposed to have a YouTube video accompanying it that I never finished T_T
nullpt_rs 3 hours ago [-]
I didn't think of this until after haha
izzylan 4 days ago [-]
I took a similar ADHD test. It seemed so easy and simple that I always wondered how it was actually supposed to catch me.
Good to know that neurotypical people mostly likely test differently than I did.
_fw 3 days ago [-]
I found myself trying to come up with a system that used the position of my hands to “solve” the problem for me.
But then I worried if my system worked, I would be misdiagnosed.
It didn’t work. I was 98th percentile.
Thanks for sharing this!
nullpt_rs 3 hours ago [-]
this sounds interesting! would love to hear more about this
nullpt_rs 3 hours ago [-]
hi! author here, please let me know if you have any questions :-)
mrbenjihao 24 minutes ago [-]
Would you mind sharing the test platform?
BearOso 3 hours ago [-]
Following through on the top comment, surely you realized when you decided to forgo the back half of the test that, had the program compensated for it, you were consciously leaning into the ADHD diagnosis, right?
nullpt_rs 2 hours ago [-]
Sure! However, I think at that point I just felt trapped and overwhelmed that I no longer cared about the test or its results.
doawoo 3 hours ago [-]
This is basically what I did to every online based quiz in school. Big respect lol.
nullpt_rs 3 hours ago [-]
this method works more often than not :P
sbiru93 3 hours ago [-]
Ahahah the end got me laughing
pixel_popping 3 hours ago [-]
Great article!
ADHD is way more complex than just an attention issue, I mean just the amount of average daydreaming and "rumination" and the constant multi-threading of thoughts... is just next level, I believe it's not properly explained to outsiders that might just think that X guy just have a hard time going in the flow but in reality it's much more catastrophic than this and will create many more mental health issues if left unmanaged.
Most ADHD people that have jumped on some sort of strong treatment (stimulants in general) are discovering a new world in pretty much 1 hour, the first time the mind goes "quiet" is incredible. I advise everyone to read more on this website https://www.adxs.org/en - it's also friendly to scrape to be used with LLMs.
ADHD isn't a good thing to have imo, it's a serious dysfunction and it's sad to see that it's being romanticized lately in social media or plainly discredited by some people/media, and while treated ADHD can make you productive "all the time", you end up addicted and pretty much permanently require drugs to function well.
LocalPCGuy 3 hours ago [-]
I agree that ADHD is a serious condition for many people, and that it's overly romanticized and that isn't good when it comes to getting help for those that do need it.
To that point, I'm going push back on this language just a bit:
> you end up addicted and pretty much permanently require drugs to function well
That is negatively framing medication, which if taken properly as prescribed is no different than any other medication someone might take to help with a chronic health condition. It slightly encourages and leans into the idea that ADHD is "fixable" without medication and so taking medication is a problem (or due to a weakness, etc).
I'm not discounting the value of other forms of non-medical treatment, but in many case medication IS appropriate as part of the overall treatment that a person requires to manage their ADHD. We should not use language that stigmatizes treatment that should be between a person and their doctor.
nullpt_rs 3 hours ago [-]
Agree with original commenter but +1 to reframing the language. I was very afraid to begin medication because I would always hear about how addicting this medication can be. But like you say, you wouldn't tell someone with diabetes that they're addicted to insulin.
paimapi 2 hours ago [-]
fully agreed with this. it's the same stigma that I see get applied to SSRIs - that you become 'dependent' on medication, it's not 'natural', etc
in reality, if the side effects are minimal and you function better on it, it's a sip of water and a pill a day and that's largely it for health outcomes. most drug interventions are generally extremely well-studied with very large sample sizes. there's a reason why clinical research is considered gold-standard - the regulatory requirements to even get a drug to market is monumental and some of the most rigorously audited and vetted processes in the world
the ironic thing is that most of the big pharma detractors are also ingesting dozens of supplements, the vast majority of which have little to no good empirical evidence backing them (and very small effect sizes to boot) along with even less regulatory oversight for issues like contamination, formulation, or if it even contains the active ingredient. which isn't to say that 'big pharma' doesn't often pursue avenues for profitability reasons instead of the public good but that's not the typical critique that an anti-empiricist brings most times
hackingonempty 2 hours ago [-]
> > you end up addicted and pretty much permanently require drugs to function well
> That is negatively framing medication, which if taken properly as prescribed is no different than any other medication someone might take to help with a chronic health condition.
The medication is an actual addictive substance that is much more controlled than regular medications. You are not allowed to get an advance supply and your doctor has to sign off on all refills. In every interaction involving these substances, doctors are more concerned with losing their DEA license than the health of any patient.
There are plenty of reports online of people going into withdrawal because a paperwork snafu meant they couldn't get their refill on time that month, or they left their pills on a trip and their doctor won't help them get more. The system treats you as a drug seeking addict or dealer supplementing their income by diverting medication.
Good to know that neurotypical people mostly likely test differently than I did.
But then I worried if my system worked, I would be misdiagnosed.
It didn’t work. I was 98th percentile.
Thanks for sharing this!
ADHD is way more complex than just an attention issue, I mean just the amount of average daydreaming and "rumination" and the constant multi-threading of thoughts... is just next level, I believe it's not properly explained to outsiders that might just think that X guy just have a hard time going in the flow but in reality it's much more catastrophic than this and will create many more mental health issues if left unmanaged.
Most ADHD people that have jumped on some sort of strong treatment (stimulants in general) are discovering a new world in pretty much 1 hour, the first time the mind goes "quiet" is incredible. I advise everyone to read more on this website https://www.adxs.org/en - it's also friendly to scrape to be used with LLMs.
ADHD isn't a good thing to have imo, it's a serious dysfunction and it's sad to see that it's being romanticized lately in social media or plainly discredited by some people/media, and while treated ADHD can make you productive "all the time", you end up addicted and pretty much permanently require drugs to function well.
To that point, I'm going push back on this language just a bit:
> you end up addicted and pretty much permanently require drugs to function well
That is negatively framing medication, which if taken properly as prescribed is no different than any other medication someone might take to help with a chronic health condition. It slightly encourages and leans into the idea that ADHD is "fixable" without medication and so taking medication is a problem (or due to a weakness, etc).
I'm not discounting the value of other forms of non-medical treatment, but in many case medication IS appropriate as part of the overall treatment that a person requires to manage their ADHD. We should not use language that stigmatizes treatment that should be between a person and their doctor.
in reality, if the side effects are minimal and you function better on it, it's a sip of water and a pill a day and that's largely it for health outcomes. most drug interventions are generally extremely well-studied with very large sample sizes. there's a reason why clinical research is considered gold-standard - the regulatory requirements to even get a drug to market is monumental and some of the most rigorously audited and vetted processes in the world
the ironic thing is that most of the big pharma detractors are also ingesting dozens of supplements, the vast majority of which have little to no good empirical evidence backing them (and very small effect sizes to boot) along with even less regulatory oversight for issues like contamination, formulation, or if it even contains the active ingredient. which isn't to say that 'big pharma' doesn't often pursue avenues for profitability reasons instead of the public good but that's not the typical critique that an anti-empiricist brings most times
> That is negatively framing medication, which if taken properly as prescribed is no different than any other medication someone might take to help with a chronic health condition.
The medication is an actual addictive substance that is much more controlled than regular medications. You are not allowed to get an advance supply and your doctor has to sign off on all refills. In every interaction involving these substances, doctors are more concerned with losing their DEA license than the health of any patient.
There are plenty of reports online of people going into withdrawal because a paperwork snafu meant they couldn't get their refill on time that month, or they left their pills on a trip and their doctor won't help them get more. The system treats you as a drug seeking addict or dealer supplementing their income by diverting medication.
No? First, even when I was taking it almost every day for three years, I kept forgetting to take it. Today, my last refill was in February this year.
I recommend against raw-dogging reality with ADHD without meds. At least so you have baseline "this is what normal feels like"