Quite a few:
- Suddenly I didn’t need to rely on last minute panic to get boring stuff done: I could just think “this needs to get done”…and do it. I could clear my whole chore list without taking a break every 10 minutes to hype myself up, then go play games for the rest of the day
- I could write a to-do list and actually remember where I put it, and I could even manage to read it!
- My reading speed tripled since I wouldn’t keep losing my place every 15 seconds.
- I wouldn’t fall asleep just from sitting still for too long.
Corny as it sounds, after taking a long hiatus from treatment and then starting up again, I felt like I turned into Superman.
I’ve accepted that I’m a high performer generally but occasionally just get stuck in a lull where I can’t do anything. My super power is realizing it’s better to just take a nap or go for a stroll when I’m not going to be productive anyways.
I’m still working on this one
I’ve gotten a lot better at it but damn do I have room for improvement (I need to dodge “nap mode” more often IMO)
I’d say I’m about 60% successful at it currently
As someone with ADHD who has been a developer, a manager, an architect, and a tech lead… I give you permission. It’ll actually make you more productive and make work suck less.
I totally agree that it takes effort to train yourself out of the “Don’t be lazy” shame from growing up though.
I was actually really disappointed when I got my prescription, because I went home and tried it, and I felt nothing. From how other people describe it, I thought the clouds were gonna clear, the angels were gonna sing, and I would be reborn a new person. I genuinely thought the medicine wasn’t doing anything.
Anyways I then proceeded to play a colony sim for 12 hours straight without getting up or getting distracted even once so I think the medicine did something lmao
Ah yes, I remember the equivalent moment for me: I was 8, and Mom asked me if I felt different after taking the pills. I told her “I don’t think so?” And then 3 months went by and I noticed I wasn’t getting yelled at by my teacher for not paying attention anymore, and I wasn’t getting in trouble at home for “ignoring” my parents (it took them a while to realize I was genuinely forgetting things they asked me to do 5 seconds ago).
Looking back, it’s wild that it took me so long to notice such a big difference. But I think that’s a real testament to how helpful those treatments are: when leveraged correctly, basic behaviors that you would normally struggle with just “click” naturally.
I then proceeded to play a colony sim for 12 hours straight without getting up or getting distracted even once
That sounds like ADHD hyperfocus to me
The ability to start and finish a task is pretty cool
The ability walk out of a room to grab something and remember what I was planning to grab is also pretty cool
Yes. Understanding what an asshole I’d been to a lottttta people, & the power to observe myself about to do it & then stop myself before I had Reactions To Things
Right there with you on this one. It has not been easy.
So WORTH it tho right? Never felt better about my life than now
One trillion percent. I would never go back. And I did unlock significant super powers.
I can have conversations without people assuming I’ve finished speaking and moving on when I’m pausing to try and collect my thoughts. That’s pretty nice lmao
This one is amazing. Also super-gratifying because, once again, I had thought this was just me.
