Ask HN: Wanna be programmer struggling with ADHD
5 comments
I am ADD as well, and an accomplished research scientist.
Learn about hyper-focus; how to engage it, and how to keep it going.
Get some good headphones, and a play-list of music you like that is familiar (a small list that you play on repeat).
Ritalin (or other add meds) will help.
Don't learn by repetition; if you are like me, repetition is toxic to you. Learn how to make reusable components so you only have to write once.
Choose difficult tasks; things that require you to invent, and use your whole brain. Things that you have to stumble through are a lot easier remembered than things you read in a book.
If you can, turn the lights off.
Learn about hyper-focus; how to engage it, and how to keep it going.
Get some good headphones, and a play-list of music you like that is familiar (a small list that you play on repeat).
Ritalin (or other add meds) will help.
Don't learn by repetition; if you are like me, repetition is toxic to you. Learn how to make reusable components so you only have to write once.
Choose difficult tasks; things that require you to invent, and use your whole brain. Things that you have to stumble through are a lot easier remembered than things you read in a book.
If you can, turn the lights off.
David,
I've read your rent and I must say that I can recognize myself some years ago in your story. Studying without the ability to concentrate is hard, and even though while you are intelligent enough it seems like you keep on failing on your goals.
Yet, you are who you are and you're going to have to live with it. It is really easy to see your ADHD as a glass ceiling and blame your current failure as a student on it. Still it wont solve your issue.
Try to focus on the aspects of yourself that you can influence rather than the ADHD where you just will have to learn to live with.
A book that I would like you to recommend reading is called "the 7 habbits of highly effective people" by Stephen Covey. It was a real eye opener for me to focus on the right things and totally changed my negative attitude.
I hope this can be of any help.
Best regards
Dmitry
I've read your rent and I must say that I can recognize myself some years ago in your story. Studying without the ability to concentrate is hard, and even though while you are intelligent enough it seems like you keep on failing on your goals.
Yet, you are who you are and you're going to have to live with it. It is really easy to see your ADHD as a glass ceiling and blame your current failure as a student on it. Still it wont solve your issue.
Try to focus on the aspects of yourself that you can influence rather than the ADHD where you just will have to learn to live with.
A book that I would like you to recommend reading is called "the 7 habbits of highly effective people" by Stephen Covey. It was a real eye opener for me to focus on the right things and totally changed my negative attitude.
I hope this can be of any help.
Best regards
Dmitry
i am not really blaming anyone thats not how i do things,
but i do look at things with a realistic perspective and things dont look very bright here
there must be a different way to absorb content, a different way of presenting it and i am determinate to find it and if there is none i will create one (i am planing to get a Major in Psychology)
As someone who is ADHD (though not sure to what extent i.e. mild vs severe), I completed my Computer Science degree and was less determined than you were. In that respect, you will be fine. Everyone goes through this and feels overwhelmed by the workload, but you will make it through. I developed non-medicated ways to cope (e.g. will make sure I have a lot of alone time for my brain to recharge, put EVERYTHING on a to do list right when I think about it so I don't forget, do small tasks immediately also so you don't forget, etc). You will find a way that works for you in time, so don't worry about that. Overall, I found that my interest in CS was overshadowed by other interests given what is probably a shared tendency to come up with lots of ideas, be creative, etc. I feel like there is a lot of pressure for people capable of completing engineering coursework to study engineering and take engineering jobs (especially since coding is hot right now), but I encourage you to really take a look at what your strengths are and what you love to do. Maybe you'll find that it's CS, but if it's not that's okay too. College is primarily a time to learn about yourself and what works for you. It may seem tough in the short run, but you'll make it through a stronger person. Good luck!
I keep on saying the same but i dont know if im kidding myself or what,
iv'e been trying for such a long time and seen close to zero results no matter how i am doing it
i am now in the CP102 after getting a 'C' on CP 101, i will admit that i gave up back then since the teacher was extremely inconsiderate with my situation
so now with the new teacher, a new beginning i promised myself to not give up no matter how hard it might seem,
but here i am again feeling completely overwhelmed and on the verge of giving up
but giving up again is not really an option
Not to sound incosiderate, but isn't computer programmer one of the worse jobs for a person with ADHD? Programming for a living requires hours of near constant focus, every day.
Have you considered an alternative career, where your condition is less of a drawback, or can perhaps even be turned into an advantage?
Have you considered an alternative career, where your condition is less of a drawback, or can perhaps even be turned into an advantage?
55yo progammer here - ADHD on Dexedrine as a kid.
There are lots of ADHD type folks in programming. Even though you are more distractible, you can also learn to hyper-concentrate. As you age you have to take care of your concentration and explicitly protect it.
Things to checkout: 1. Coffee or other caffeine sources. ADHD brains are usually calmed by stimulants (up to a point).
2. Keto (http://reddit.com/r/keto). Brains run much better on ketones, often ADHD symptoms decrease. Also, many programmers are fat from poor eating habits.
3. Foam earplugs or a set of shooter's earphones - while music can block out distractions; it can also keep you from obviating problems instead reducing you to merely solving them. Silence is your friend. (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3D...)
4. Study or work environment free from visual distraction.
5. Learn about flow. Your hyper-concentrating ADHD brain will achieve it. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology))
best of luck, steve
There are lots of ADHD type folks in programming. Even though you are more distractible, you can also learn to hyper-concentrate. As you age you have to take care of your concentration and explicitly protect it.
Things to checkout: 1. Coffee or other caffeine sources. ADHD brains are usually calmed by stimulants (up to a point).
2. Keto (http://reddit.com/r/keto). Brains run much better on ketones, often ADHD symptoms decrease. Also, many programmers are fat from poor eating habits.
3. Foam earplugs or a set of shooter's earphones - while music can block out distractions; it can also keep you from obviating problems instead reducing you to merely solving them. Silence is your friend. (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3D...)
4. Study or work environment free from visual distraction.
5. Learn about flow. Your hyper-concentrating ADHD brain will achieve it. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology))
best of luck, steve
Thanks so much for reading this rent and if you have any ideas suggestions please let me know ---David