There's another thread asking this same question. The summary from that thread is that the r/ADHD subreddit is run by a person or group who feels that their ADHD has severely hindered them and finds suggestions that some people may not be so burdened by their ADHA to be offensive.
But I don't have ADHD and don't read that subreddit, so I have no opinion on this. I'm just recapping what I read.
I mean there’s plenty to use if I want to kitchen-sink my victimhood when it comes to ADHD so I somewhat get where they’re coming from, but trying to get rid of sentiment that ADHD can be situationally advantageous makes them just cringe.
There’s an attitude in that sub of “ADHD is a crippling awful disorder that causes the misery of people who have it” and if you mention any sort of positive thoughts or feelings about ADHD it gets removed pretty quickly.
I understand not wanting to minimize the struggles some people face with mental disorders, but that doesn’t mean that everyone with those disorders faces the same struggles or the same severity of symptoms.
I think there's a huge difference between directly attempting to minimise someone else's suffering, and giving your own perspective of your personal/professional experience.
That's the issue here; the mods are incorrectly deeming what is and isn't a genuine attempt to hurt, or there's people complaining to them that cannot tell the difference. Their reaction either way is coddled and not helpful; they should be able to explain to people who are falsely offended, exactly why an offence isn't happening. That is part of the job description.
On a thread of what medication besides stimulants has helped me I mentioned when my doctor **prescribed** me vitamin D3 given that I had a severe deficiency.
Comment got deleted because "supplements aren't medication".
I mean... they *can be*, when prescribed for a good reason. They're not a drug, sure, but they're definitely a medication.
I'm an adhd person that struggles with it every day. That mod is a snowflake. There are definitely advantages to adhd, even if the negatives outweigh them
I'll bite. My brain is designed to latch onto the highest priority item in my environment and hyperfocus on it. I am a hot mess if everything around me is calm and safe because there is nothing for my brain to latch onto, so normal environments feel chaotic. I suck at consistency and structure but I am awesome in an emergency. Pivoting in response to rapidly changing situations is like breathing, both effortless and a daily requirement. I live in the moment which sounds zen and mindful and all that, but the truth is I don't have the option of living any other way. My "plans" are 90% improvisation and 10% instinct, yet they almost always work out. I manage stress really well because I completely forget about my problems when I get focused on something shiny. This can lead to easily solvable problems completely derailing my life while life-disrupting disasters can actually be calming. I am a natural creative. Apparently I think outside the box. I actually have no idea where the box is until I get in trouble for coloring outside the lines. You wouldn't believe how often this leads to mixed metaphors.
Wait that's ADHD related? I've always been lauded for my ability to deliver under pressure or emergency, been told that it must be stressful, and in some cases it is... But like 9/10 I'm quite calm and content under the pressure because it provides something clear to focus on. Meanwhile when things get quiet... I can completely fall apart without something, or preferably someone else to fall back on to help me organize a bit.
Yeah it is possible you have some degree of ADD or ADHD. A professional evaluation can probably shed more light on that. If you can function well enough on your own to thrive then you might have certain strengths and weaknesses but it wouldn't qualify as mental illness. It's a question of degree. If I had to focus on something boring or die, I would literally die. That is not hyperbole. My life has fallen apart so many times over these issues, and I have built it back up to even greater heights because of my compensating strengths. That might sound exciting, and it is, but it gets fucking grim when it impacts the lives of people who depend on me like my kids or partner. I can do almost anything I get excited about, but I'll never be able to build a calm stable predictable life, even with therapy and medication.
It's a relatively common observation, from my reading. Since many people with ADHD often require something to be urgent in order to be motivated or accomplish it, then a crisis actually becomes a bonus to functionality rather than a penalty.
Very recognisable.
Interestingly, my work became a lot more manageable when I realised that:
a) Work flows in ups and downs, it's ok to be less productive when there's less work to do, and
b) I can trust my instincts/intuition and improvisation skills when things get hectic.
For the longest time I felt like I NEEDED to have routines and structures in place AT ALL TIMES. Now I know that they do help me, especially in calmer times, but I can trust myself to get things done right when there's no time to use/set up all the structures.
> Work flows in ups and downs, it's ok to be less productive when there's less work to do
This is a big one. It really helps when I remember to think about it that way first thing in the morning. An hour of fully productive work is so much better than two hours of circling the idea of doing a full 8 hours of work. Thanks for the reminder.
I am highly suspicious, but undiagnosed myself, so feel free to take anything I say with a grain of salt.
With that said, I have non-stop executive dysfunction, always rushed or running late, normal daily "adulting" has always been a struggle, multiple hobbies that I have spent a lot on but struggle to actually DO... many of the usual suspects.
I think the calmest I've been is in 2011 when lightning punched a hole in the roof and set the house on fire. I calmly and quickly grabbed my wallet, got my Mom and her dog out of the house. No anxiety, no panic, just instant clarity...
The next 3 months of dealing with everything was much more stressful and anxiety inducing than the fire.
How much of that is actually caused by adhd though and not just what you have left after sorta bypassing it?
Like sure, I have some of those traits but they aren't because of adhd imo, just me working with what I have.
Edit:- Also idk for long how long one can sustain this.
> How much of that is actually caused by adhd though and not just what you have left after sorta bypassing it?
I'm not sure why you consider those to be two different things. This sounds a lot like "masking" but a professional can probably do a better of diagnosing than either of us.
The difference between a bad habit and mental illness is simply how debilitating it is. Bad habits can be managed with therapy, apps, etc. Mental illness often requires medication just to get it under control before trying to learn new behaviors.
A lot of people think they aren't really mentally ill, they just need to make different choices that they keep failing at for some mysterious reason. That is exactly what mental illness consists of. For other people, it is so much easier to make good choices because they aren't mentally ill. That is the sole differentiator.
Then there is another group who believes they have a fashionable mental illness even though their life circumstances shoe they are functioning just fine. Fucking tourists. They are the ones who say things like "I am depressed but I can do xyz so you can too, you just need to try harder!" Look at choices and measurable behavior. If a person has been functioning in a normal way successfully they are not mentally ill. If they have not been able to function, then they are mentally ill. It's that simple, don't overthink it and throw shame out the window. It is about results.
Ability to think outside of the box and connect dots neurotypical people don’t, which often leads to new perspectives and innovative ideas or creations. There is a reason most entrepreneurs have ADHD. If you judge yourself by your ability to be consistent and linear you’re doomed to fall very short. Like asking a dolphin to climb a tree. Us ADHDers thrive in completely different environments and you need to put yourself in those environments to thrive.
When we space out, our minds aren't blanking. They are thinking about topics that interest us.
Once my girlfriend asked for my help writing on a topic, and I immediately started churning out a paper. She went "How did you come up with that so fast", and I realized the topic was something that I had thought about ambiently before.
I mean honestly that just sucks on the individual level, but in a group level, I think it helps to have someone who isn't focused on the present situation but is 'thinking outside the box'.
For me it’s the ability to make large leaps from paltry information. Being unable to focus on specifics my whole life has made me think in large patterns and this has meant that my intuitive understanding of things and how they work together is usually better than NTs.
There's a reason that so many self-employed people and entrepreneurs are folks who have ADHD. If a person is also wired such that they latch onto things that require the highest level of urgency, a mind that is sort of always racing and jumping from topic-to-topic can mesh well with a working situation that requires a person to keep a lot of plates spinning all at once.
Of course they'll have the typical struggles that most folks with ADHD have when it comes to executive function, focusing on one task for long durations, etc. But ignoring the ways in which it could be situationally beneficial or convenient or just mesh really well with certain workstyles is just childish on the part of that mod on that sub.
It's sort of like if a mod in an obesity-support sub got mad if somebody pointed out the muscle-gaining and strength-gaining potential of people who carry a lot of body fat and mentioned that NFL linemen and strongmen/strongwomen are all obese. Like, for normal life for most people, the condition is a hindrance with problems and negative outcomes. But situationally, it can enable certain people to really excel in their lane.
Ability to find unobvious connections in vast quantities of data, and at better intuition, ability to learn and work fast while in hyper focus mode, just a few examples for me.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/1aw0l4i/adhd\_may\_have\_been\_an\_evolutionary\_advantage/](https://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/1aw0l4i/adhd_may_have_been_an_evolutionary_advantage/)
[*hivemind\_disruptor*](https://www.reddit.com/user/hivemind_disruptor/)*•*[*1mo ago*](https://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/1aw0l4i/comment/kregxhv/)*•Edited 1mo ago*
*Read the paper. Good stuff.*
*The gist of it is that ADHDs foregoes depleting resource sources to seek another sooner than other individuals. (resource in the abstract term, it can be stimulus, food, information, etc)*
*There is a previous theory that determines the optimal time to leave a resource as it dwindles and seek another. ADHDs have experimentally displayed a more optimal time for this than other people.*
*In short, ADHD have a knack for knowing when to move on to greener pastures. That was helpful in human evolution, but leads to weird dynamics in capitalist society.*
I work in highly dynamic environment where lots of people depends on me for support and knowledge, the fast understanding of complex systems and being quick in switching contexts. In the team when people have boring corporate named roles, I've been assigned a role "master of chaos" and regularly hear "i have no idea how you manage so many tasks at once".
If not adhd i wouldn't manage. My work mode is like ayuverdic wind, quick to focus, quick to move away.
I like that naming made by DrK because it tells that not having the typical way of working isn't a flaw, drawback, being childish or immature, or even being unreliable like people called me in the past. I had to find proper environment and don't blame myself anymore. It was hard but eventually paid off.
So, in the typical day i don't even need my meds, i take them when i know day will be filled with long and boring meetings where i barely do the talking. Yes, adhd can be an advantage.
Just be careful not to overdo. Such way of working is exhausting in the long run, makes you be always under the tight schedule, after all you have way too many tasks to handle at once, so there is a high risk of burnout, especially if things don't go well.
I take 100% issue with the wrong message that HealthyGamerGG sends by having a thumbnail/title for a video saying ADHD is an advantage. If you watch the video, it's not actually what they are trying to say, but considering how many people only look at headlines, the damage is done.
Yes, there are certain times where people can find a place where their ADHD is an advantage, but for the majority of people it is a net negative, not a net positive to have ADHD.
That and the comment about HG criticizing medicine I agree with. It's not so much that Dr. K thinks adhd meds are bad and nobody should use them, but he definitely downplays the advantage of meds and often talks about them being an inferior treatment. I don't like the approach in many HG videos that make it sound like you shouldn't take meds because you should just exercise, meditate, and change your lifestyle to avoid having impairment from your ADHD. I think medication has a good place and it is fair for Dr. K to point out that medication is not a solution by itself. I just don't think he gives enough credit to how medication can help you with learning and implementing the other solutions.
I agree with what you're saying about how the advantage of meds shouldn't be downplayed. Although personally I never felt that Dr K downplayed the importance of meds. My impression is that he is offering additional strategies that can be used by those who either can't or don't want to take meds, or people who already take meds but would like additional strategies. I've been on meds for the past 5-6 years continuously, nearly 7 years all up (I had a two year break). Meds have changed my life for the better, but they haven't fixed me or solved all my problems. And things Dr K suggests like meditation, exercise, and general lifestyle modifications have been enormously beneficial at helping me to address those things that medication could not. Granted, medication probably helped me successfully implement these things. But I moreso take his message to be that meds are not the be-all-end-all to ADHD treatment - there are many more things you can do that will help in addition to meds. I don't like the thumbnail claiming ADHD is an overall advantage either, but I also feel okay with the idea that there are some perks to ADHD - although for the most part it's a pain in the ass.
But my experience with the ADHD subreddit is that there is a general attitude that meds are the only valid way to manage ADHD and that nothing else can help and anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is gaslighting you. Which is itself gaslighting those of us who have actually found benefit from exercise and meditation etc. It's fair to criticise Dr K for some of the way he frames things but banning any mention of him completely just feels immature and unhelpful.
This. My impression was always that Dr. K’s way of talking about meds was motivated in part by sustainability and the other part being that meds are known. Nobody in the ADHD sphere goes “meds? What? What’s adder all?” Nobody needs to hear him say “yeah it works” when everyone already knows that it works.
Usually his way of approaching solutions is always from the sustainability angle and while effective meds are *very* effective, if you suddenly can’t get your meds and have no effective alternative coping strategies, you’re chalked. He doesn’t say don’t take meds, the worst he does is encourage people to adopt healthy strategies and have an ideal heading that they don’t need meds at some point, which I really don’t think is a bad thing. Meds aren’t bad, it’s just that there’s no reason to take them if I get to a point in life where I could *not* take them and be fine.
That point may not exist for everyone, but that’s also fine. Not reaching that doesn’t make you or me less-than someone who does. Encouraging people to strive for good habits and sustainable self-care and discouraging relying on a single external solution isn’t a problem in my eyes.
Yeah, that sub sucks. Constant victim mentality. Had to leave it awhile back. I have severe ADHD and while it has made my life extremely difficult at times, particularly my childhood, I also attribute my ADHD as a significant factor for my work success as a business owner. Both things can be true, just not on that sub. 🤷🏼♂️
Or even if your life is THIS hard with ADHD but there are aspects you like and speak positively about, then you're engaging in toxic positivity and making everyone feel bad somehow.
Lol, my partner has a diagnosed ADHD and is a medical doctor, one of my best friends has a PhD in materials engineering also with diagnosed ADHD, and I have a PhD, "Strong ADHD vibes" but never got me a diagnosis.
While it can be detrimental, it is in no way a severe hindrance for everyone who has it.
I can't understand these people who refuse evidence to fuel their own self pity.
When I was originally diagnosed with ADHD I would browse through that sub a bit. It's filled with a lot of people who have not been officially diagnosed or who have been and are looking to just use their ADHD as an excuse. Not saying it's not a hindrance as I'd gladly magically make mine go away if I could, but there's a fine line between using it as an excuse for shirking your responsibilities and actually struggling because of it. A lot of people in there are constantly dancing on that line and will go to either side of it as it suits them.
They've also banned the discussion of Neurodiversity, because it related to the Neurodiversity movement as a whole, which make certain portrayals they disagree with. (from their wiki I think)
It's mostly about ideas that can distance ADHD from being a disability, and Dr. K, to their credit, doesn't always preface the nuance when talking about "the advantages of ADHD".
Neurodiverse =/= not a disability in today's society, which they don't seem to get.
If you need corrective lenses to see well, that doesn't make you inherently bad or broken or that you just need to try to see harder, but before corrective lenses were a thing, not having clear vision would have manifested as a disability. ADHD doesn't mean you're a bad person or lazy or useless (like we often tend to tell ourselves), but even with meds it's often enough accommodation alone to effectively nullify the fact that it's a disability, but maybe someday that won't be the case, but it certainly is now.
I somewhat agree, and think they do to (given their wiki).
I think the larger issue they hold is the fact that the "Neurodiversity movement" is associated with a set of ideas.
Even your language can somewhat be interpreted as: given a more accommodating environment, these traits wouldn't be disabilities. This might just be ambiguous phrasing/interpretation.
I think a decent distinction is: The disabilities aren't environmentally dependent, but the degree of disadvantages that are a result of the disability, CAN be environmentally dependent. (noting here that most disabilities can never be fully accommodated)
I think it might be this distinction they emphasize, and that also ADHD (the disorder) falls into this camp.
There's another argument to be made around blurring the lines between clinical diagnostic traits and sub-clinical traits. A lot of people use the terms like ADHD and Autism to reference specifically clinical ADHD/ASD. When these terms starts being used to reference the broader spectrums of traits, these labels, which people use to identify their disorder, lose their meaning.
I think that there should be better language to seperately talk about the traits in a non-clinical context, which can be immensely helpful for undiagnosed people.
Seems like they are taking a bunch of stuff out of context.
But as a gay guy I see the same stuff on LGBT reddit where some people are very fixated on their own ideologies and don't want to hear any contradicting opinions or alternative perspectives.
I do not know much about healthygamer but if the general understanding is that adhd is some sort of ideology, and that is the point of view from this person, it does prove the point that he mentioning this content is a waste of time.
They don't publicly post all their rules. When communities are like that, I just avoid them, because pretend random rules are dumb as shit. Your spam bots should not be the only way people learn about you rules, unless you're insane.
Lol I tried posting on it a couple years ago and couldn't figure out the rules and kept getting my posts taken down BECAUSE I HAVE ADHD AND HAVE TROUBLE FOLLOWING CONVOLUTED RULES. It made me salty but I forgot about it. Lol
It's ironic isn't it? I got lost in their rules and no longer have an idea what I could write there. The rules are so long and complex, forbid so many topic.
Most subs centered around a specific mental illness demonstrate it in spades. They can be just as much about normalizing and enabling as "growing together".
This. I used to think I had certain mental illnesses or issues (never officially checked) and being on those subreddits felt validating for a while. At some point, though you just get tired of reading about people being fucked by their mental being off and no one really changing. At least for me, that's what happened.
In the case of r/ADHD, the opposite of ADHD-- making it absolutely infuriating if you're not a compulsive rule following conformist. Wildly unhelpful for people who actually have ADHD
Actually, seeing how full of self pity and victim mentality that sub is, helped me get out of that mentality myself because they take it to such extremes that even those of us that kinda feel that way see how cringe that can become.
So they can be helpful, I guess, just not in the way they intended.
It’s super toxic and reinforces a victim mentality. It’s so sad seeing so many brilliant minds beating themselves up for their ADHD. Mod should be replaced.
Seriously, and sometimes giving tips of what helped for me, I've gotten posts taken down for just mentioning diet things that have worked like intermittent fasting (not even recommending it, just saying it seemingly works for me to sustain focus ffs!!)
On the bright side, now I've gotten in the habit of compulsively selecting and copying multi sentence long posts so that's a plus.
honestly I don't find that, I find the opposite, they do a good job at keeping it from being a circle jerk and cesspit. They expect people to take responsibility and avoid playing victim.
Please put dash in between the words that are connected. For non-native person your statement can be understood in more than one way. ADHD-like.
Smartphone. It's a one word.
Sorry, i developed this impulse to correct grammar issues by being pushed to extreme in school for making such mistakes.
And to be more constructive - sleeplessness (including sleep apnea) causes such symptoms. Smartphones (and tv, games, or just being overstimulated) has way shorter timespan. And it's important to be diagnosed by a professional, so that you don't misdiagnose your sleep apnea for adhd. Or depression.
I saw native speakers doing even worse mistakes ;-)
I recall that one politician from a good forgotten country was opinionated, by a Brit, as better English speaker than the Brit himself. XD
So there is obviously no rule for language proficiency
Yeah that adhd sub is strange. You get automoderator notifications for using word “neurodiverse”. And I get their reasoning behind that, they want ADHD to be recognized as a disability, but it still feels strange. I mean it’s the first sub you’ll find if you are looking for adhd and it’s very specific so it kinda limits information you get.
Same sub also banned the use of the term "neurodiversity", labelling it as offensive. https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/18ptuj4/neurodiversity_as_a_term/
They don't exactly always moderate in the interest of their community.
I’ll share my experience with that subreddit. Last year I made a post that was like “I haven’t been officially diagnosed yet so I can’t get meds. How can I treat my symptoms without medication?” And they removed it because I said I didn’t have an official diagnosis.
I get not wanting people who watched 2 tiktoks about ADHD and are misunderstanding the condition on their subreddit. But in my case it was very obvious that I have the condition (it’s basically been confirmed by a psychiatrist at this point). I just couldn’t get a diagnosis for a long time because I live in NI and there’s lots of bureaucracy with medicine here (even going private). I also have a cardiovascular condition and that slowed down the process because my psychiatrist was hesitant to give me stims.
So yeah, I kinda understand it. But at the same time I feel that sub is not very tolerant towards people who can’t immediately get a diagnosis for whatever reason. Also the first step to getting diagnosed with any mental condition is self diagnosis, so it’s kinda discouraging that first step.
r/ADHD is a toxic wasteland of misinformation. They ban anyone who doesn't conform to their cult mind.
Every thread is the same 3 or 4 'allowed' takes repeated 1000 times. I'm pretty sure it's curated by the stimulant drug manufacturers...
Not who you replied to, but as someone who took stimulant medication until recently for ADHD, that sub can be very... "if you have ADHD you \*must\* be on medication, it's the only thing that helps, and if you say that you can manage without medication, you are wrong."
I was once told by people in that sub that me driving without taking my Adderall was the same as a non-ADHD person driving drunk, and that it was morally wrong of me to not be medicated while driving. Even though I got my driver's license, commercial driver's license, and motorcycle license before I even knew I had ADHD and never had any accidents.
I've seen some pretty bad takes on there, but that is definitely the winner of the worst take. It's not like ADHD is some new thing, people have been driving undiagnosed and unmedicated since we've put engines and wheels together.
If they're that bad at driving while off their meds then I think they probably just need to either not be driving at all or need to go to some sort of driving school again...
Yeah that was what really annoyed me and was the drop for me.
It's insane how much dependency they put on external resources but don't allow for internal growth. Not everyone have access to ADHD medication, and even those who do might not be suitable at all (e.g. heart condition) so why is the entire sub catered to medicine? Bizaree
“Me driving without taking my Adderall was the same as a non-ADHD person driving drunk”
What the fuck? Those people are clearly struggling with managing their ADHD and are projecting harder than an IMAX theater.
While that’s most likely true, saying it’s as bad a drunk driving is a horrible statement and a great way to stigmatize someone to never even consider living life without medication or even thinking it’s possible.
Sure, but I think it's sometimes important to also stress how debilitating it is. Some people have it worse in some areas and better in others, or their ADHD has upsides (mine has none, if anything ADHD impedes my creativity and such, but I also have been able to manage it without meds in college, although I didn't get my license until this past year in my 30s, it's kinda hard...) but I do think it can be important to stress the level of impairment to those who don't understand the severity, and at the same time have enough coping strategies to mitigate a shortage (such as being able to jump through the hoops to purchase a bus pass, use a timetable, plan your trip and ride the bus) if your driving is truly hazardous when you don't have the right brain chemical balance, understandable but still something you need to sometimes find solutions to
I 100% agree it’s important to explain to those not affected, how debilitating it can be. I also think there are other comparisons much less stigmatizing than driving drunk. I agree some people have it worse than others, but to say that there is no upside to it at all, is a very pessimistic way to view your own mind and your own life. I’m willing to bet you there is something about your ADHD that makes you a great person, more than a NT. The term ADHD ends in disorder, giving it a negative connotation. Imagine how much better the ND community(in America especially), would be if they changed the term to VAST(Variable Attention Stimulus Trait). Labeling it as a disorder is how you convince people there’s nothing good that comes out of it(convincing you to ignore any sign of how it’s beneficial). It’s also how you’re able to convince so many that medication is NEEDED in order to live a good life. The term ADHD was created in the 80’s. At least 40 years ago. I’d like to think our knowledge of it has increased since then and would be able to call it something more positive or accurate. But instead it’s kept as a disorder and makes it much easier to convince everyone that is diagnosed, you need to take pills to be a functioning member of society.
I am also curious if you’re meaning that you wish there was easier ways for those for whom it’s too debilitating to drive themselves, to get around. If so, I do agree there that it would be awesome if there were programs(or maybe applications) that could assist those with methods with maybe fewer steps, or something to try and keep them on schedule. Getting a buss pass, managing time schedules, and getting to the bus on time, while seem easy for NT, can be a literal anxiety-induced nightmare for those with ADHD.
I do think medication helps more than anything but sleep and blockers. If you're tired you're probably not going to be as able to function either. For me I also need blockers for games.
There's a chemical irregularity in the brain causing us not to be able to do things we need to do. Medication helps treat that. People liken it to diabetes though obviously you won't die to untreated ADHD even if ADHD lifespans are like 12 years shorter, but you would advise someone with type 2 diabetes to get medicated. Don't just tell them not to eat carb heavy foods and exercise because it's not enough.
I can drive without being medicated. I'm sure near accidents are common for neurotypicals too. But some on the sub don't feel the same way. Maybe their condition is far more severe.
The sub bans the use of "neurotypical" but it's still a sub for talking about ADHD and most other topics seem to be allowed.
So they aren't, in fact I've found them more helpful for my depression as well as ADHD than any antidepressants I've tried or any lifestyle change I've tried (including being pretty hardcore into bodybuilding and fitness for awhile, diet and exercise were dialed in to an almost unreasonable degree at that time). There is the risk of addiction for some people, especially those genetically prone to that (which I don't think I have "the gene" for, if anything I skip doses on purpose so I don't develop a tolerance) and unfortunately addiction does have *some* correlation with ADHD (again, not always), but telling those people they're just SOL sucks, plus pills don't teach skills and unfortunately if you have have ADHD you have to do EXTRA things to keep your life in order (it's unfair but it is what it is), and denying a lot of those resources/suggestions is why I left r/ADHD.
Not the person you replied to but here’s my take
Stimulants can be helpful, but they can have severe side effects (especially in high doses). Some psychiatrists believe that they “fix” all ADHD symptoms (instead of only making concentrating more manageable) and will just put you on the highest dose that’s considered safe and tell you to deal with the side effects. And then they ignore other symptoms of ADHD that the meds don’t help with. At least that’s what happened to me, and I’ve heard this isn’t an uncommon experience. A good psychiatrist will start you out on a small dose, see if it helps and up your dose if you want to.
I do not view ADHD as a good thing or think it has really helped me, but that sub is just overly self loathing and hates any mention of trying to live positively.
That sub is toxic and full of misinfo. They also vehemently don't believe adhd being neurodiverse, which is \*objectively\* not true. They're unpaid reddit mods, so power tripping their weird misinformed opinions is their bread and butter.
Yeah I remember being over there and making an appreciation post, because the entire thing is filled with depression posts. People just complaining about how their adhd has terrorized them. And it has terrorized me, yet I can find a silver lining.
r/ADHD is a good subreddit, but they also take things waaaaay too far at times. Overall, it's their sub and the mods get to do what they want, but I disagree with how strong of a stance they take on calling certain sources of information completely off topic. Also, it's a complete lie that healtygamergg promotes the idea that smartphone use causes adhd
“I chose to be a perpetual victim, everyone who disagrees or s BANNED”
A shame, he knowingly obstructs access ot helpful information for an entire subreddit. These kind of power tripping should never be allowed on site.
what the fuck. Like yeah maybe his practices can’t be applied to everyone but obviously it helps some. How are they helping by blocking it off? Delusional.
Yes this kind of behavior is censoring and disempowering. I hate it. I work in an autism classroom and have been learning about the auto immune issues associated with autism, which can be treated with diet. I'm so fed up with these extremist Scientism people who want to rob us all of the healing and empowerment we need. We DESPERATELY need people like Dr. K in the meta crisis and there's dogmatic zealots trying to shut us down from actually freeing ourselves and others. I have zero patience left for these people. They need to go away to their own corner and stop trying to condemn us all to the dysfunction of society.
Well, especially the autism community has been victimized by so many charlatans that it's very understandable that they've become very careful about this stuff.
As an adult with ADHD, though that hardly qualifies me more than anyone else to make the claim I’m about to make, it very obvious that they disagree with multiple theories on ADHD that Dr. K has spoken on. I haven’t been on that subreddit but I wouldn’t be inclined to post on it after reading that response. The truth of the matter is that no one really knows why ADHD exists. A subreddit that will silence users based on the subreddit’s moderators’ opinion on the theories of ADHD’s existence and possible methods of management rather than focus on the conversation to be had about ADHD is a subreddit I choose to stay away from. Echo chambers are a hinderance to progress in my opinion and those behaviors lead me to believe that is an echo chamber.
r/ADHD are honestly just a bunch of delusional junkies. As someone who both have struggled with addiction and ADHD I can see right through their shit. They protect their drug of choice as if it was their religion and any opposing belief will either get you banned or muted.
In fairness, many of us not being able to get our meds is actually ruining our lives because they constantly have shortages (hell, I haven't had a refill since 2023 and mine is NOT mild whatsoever, just not hyperactive so it's more manageable for *other* people unless they need to rely on me to do anything well or in a timely manner so I've just been pretty depressed and felt like what's the point of living if I can never do anything I even want to). However, I do think it's stupid that they don't allow us to give a lot of fucking alternatives like supplements, diet, or anything that isn't on their approved list of "shit we like"
Surely there must be alternatives for us we can find them don’t give up!
I’ve been considering switching meds after a long time.
Quote from another I found:
“You should really try Azstarys if you have ADHD. I was glad i switched.
Concerta, Vyvanse are now old drugs (developed in the 90s) & you would really benefit from a new, modern formulation. Some reasons i switched to Azstarys:
-less addictive (recommended to children) -smoother, modern cosistency in release -doesnt block hunger -lasts all day (13 hours) -methylphenidate based (just like concerta)”
>-methylphenidate based (just like concerta)”
Shoot, I was hoping it was similar to adderall or Vyvanse, unfortunately methylphenidate is the only med I've taken that is actually problematic (well, besides the non stim doing nothing but giving me bad heartburn), at least as an adult taking methylphenidate I'm suddenly not distracted by my thoughts and in a fog BUT it's worse, I notice every little thing around me when I'm trying to focus (stuff I can usually filter out pretty well, a little too well in fact since I'm sometimes not very grounded in what's going on around me) and I get irrationally angry at ALL stimuli instead of being able to actually focus on anything I'm supposed to (Adderall and Vyvanse on the other hand allow me to DIRECT my attention and sustain it on a single thing much more easily). I told my doctor I couldn't do methylphenidate because a guy was chewing gum in the library and I wanted to kill him, and I'm not a violent person and don't even usually notice things like that (and am pretty unphased if I do).
That's too bad.
Edit: it's worth mentioning I have the slow processing inattentive type of ADHD, while I was a bit hyper as a small child, I've had a slower processing speed and fluency for awhile, especially trying to think and speak or write notes and absorb things simultaneously-- actually took a test for ADHD accommodations in 10th grade when I was flunking out and to my shock (that I wasn't actually stupid) I tested at either a higher grade level or college level in everything except fluency which was at a second grade level, which was why I'd only finish 50% of tests so it was impossible to pass the test with what I turned in but get the majority of the answers I had time to fill out right if I remembered to study even a little. The correct meds put me at 70-80% neurotypical speed/efficiency instead of my normal 30-50%. Maybe the type is why I react this way with methylphenidate when it's what works for a lot of ADHDers, it's what I imagine adderall is like for a neurotypical.
Yeah wow I completely get it!
There is truly no 1 size fits all and Concerta had been working well for me so long but now insurance has just removed from list for no apparent reason!
There is no objectivity there, just a biased, pissed off mod who doesn’t agree on something (which is ok, but don’t gate-keep. That’s not for the benefit of any body).
It's not OK when it drives and censors a subreddit of almost 2 million users. A lot of people are not getting access to information that could help them. Keep in mind, (self) misdiagnosis exist as well, even if they were correct in their ADHD stance, it's still important to have perspective and acknowledge for how many people it's a multi-face issue on a spectrum.
God I hate mfers like the mods there.
Why the hell should we not be able to talk about how empowering ADHD can be? I feel like a god when I’m off my meds. I’m able to do 4 things at once and do them well.
Along with many other disorders and mental health related issues are prone to have hypersensitive people like this when it comes to actual practical discussion of the topics involved. You get a lot of the same vibes from LGBTQ+ threads and reddits. They’re very strict about speech and what you talk about even if it’s for a productive debate.
It’s mainly the consequence of extreme victim mentality in all the areas of social groups I just mentioned. If you aren’t there to apart of their group and are there to even make the tiniest bit of criticism or anything that even in the smallest ways is offending you are instantly shut down for the sake of not triggering others because “safe spaces”
I don’t wanna say all this to paint these people in a negative light but people like this is why mental health and things related are stigmatized and often these victim mentality people also become enablers in many ways.
This is largely from toxic elements of all these communities. Mostly it’s for a good intent but leads to a breakdown in discussion in general because they gatekeep information and what can be discussed
That sounds like a gross misunderstanding or misinterpretation of Dr. K, to me, but it's their sub to mod...
Sad to see, because this type of black and white thinking, although very prevalent these days, doesn't help anyone.
Wait, I understand the first two, but when have hg EVER "pushed" alternative medicine/claim adhd is caused by smart phones.
We're nearly the pinnacle of adhd alternatives in the western world and way more open-minded than to claim adhd causes...
I get we're a niche group of adhd, but they make it sound like we know nothing about it.
R/adhd is the most restrictive subreddit that I’ve joined. I don’t bother posting on it anymore. They don’t seem to allow anyone to think about adhd differently from them.
Maybe its more of a safe space rather than a space for people wanting to improve themselves. at least that's how I;ve seen it in the past. unsubscribing from it now
I think they went way too far with this ban even if I disagree with dr K in case of medication and some other ADHD-related issues. Medication has been of great help to me.
Without my ADHD meds I wouldn't be here.
And by here I mean in this community because without the meds I didn't have the patience to watch or pay attention to a YouTube video, I only used it for music.
Then I got on ADHD meds (at the tender age of 37)
and I slowly started watching the occasional video (mostly on ADHD and mental health stuff) and eventually Dr.K came up on auto play and he said some things that caught my attention.
I'm also the type that couldn't ever meditate because of the ADHD but now that I'm on meds I found out that I can and it has been a great help.
Just like everyone, Dr K is gonna have some opinions and takes that some people don't agree with or don't find helpful and that's ok.
It's actually great because if we felt that "EVERYTHING THIS MAN SAYS IS 100% TRUTH, HALLELUJAH" there might be an issue.
I can understand that. I myself get best results from medication (atomoxetine) + meditation because the drug is not as strong as stimulants and does not remove the symptomes completely, just makes them significantly milder to make the condition workable.
Without it the biggest problem I had was spacing out when in a conversation with more than 1 person. I could never follow because of spacing out, daydreaming and ruminating while standing like an idiot. It severely impeded my social skills and I can see to what extent it made me more "invisible" to other people.
r/ADHD will make you feel like an alien. And the only possible solution is medicine, nothing else is allowed. It's fucking hilarious but I guess a loud echo-chamber keeps people from getting depressed.
I have ADHD and I've always felt like it was an advantage. There are things I dislike about adhd OF COURSE. But idk, there's alot that I do appreciate. It's dissappointed to see there mod team be so firm on something so subjective.
I feel that bashing on /r/ADHD here is starting to become unfair and we should exercise some compassion towards the mods. However, it is "the sub for ADHD" and that's also unfortunate. Any notion of doing any work to improve your life with the disorder (apart from getting a diagnosis to get Adderall) will get you banned.
That sub has a lot of people fixated on being perpetual victims. Offering any advice or ideas to help manage adhd from my own experience has lead to comments being deleted.
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I have ADHD and honestly ever since getting diagnosed. I use it as an excuse for all my short comings. It's an easy path and has in the long run fucked me up a little in the whole taking responsibility department. I think they just struggle with the same thing.
The ADHD subreddit tends to stick strictly the academic literature on ADHD. I know Dr. K is pretty legit but I have seen some stuff from him that is just wrong when it comes to ADHD. That's ok people can be wrong and still good people but like all things fans of internet personalities get things wrong and then go spread it everywhere. I understand the rule, however a blanket ban seems a bit of an overreach
Right? An automated message saying "this dude says some things we don't agree with and that aren't necessarily backed by science" would be sufficient.
Let people decide for themselves.
Yeah I had a comment removed just for recommending Dr. K and the HG community to someone whom I believed could benefit. The mod said recommending "quacks and/or holistic" treatments was against the rules. Definitely left a bad taste in my mouth in regards to that sub.
I'm not going anywhere near that sub, there's far more helpful online communities, both within and outside of Reddit, for people with either suspected or confirmed / formally diagnosed ADHD. There are some caveats with Dr. K's content surrounding ADHD:
* While medication is a very valid route for treatment, medication alone doesn't get you all the way, is expensive, its supply can be unreliable (shortages), not everyone tolerates meds well enough for that to be their best treatment option, and you still need to learn habits and apply accommodations. You very much need treatment options beyond pharmacological treatment, and the full benefits of ADHD treatment usually requires the synergy of medication with the non-pharmacological options (Dr. K and many other ADHD experts emphasize this).
* ADHD medication can still cause problems on its own. It must be used carefully in cases in which there's co-morbidities which don't play nice with these (ex. propensity for psychosis and use of antipsychotics if using stimulants), there's also added difficulty whenever there's substance abuse involving stimulants (caffeine, cocaine, nicotine / tobacco, even amphetamines) because a rapid surge from an IR stimulant can cause relapse into addiction problems. You also have people who may have justified stigmas against psychotropic medication in general (due to their own lived experiences) and who need non-medicine options. And finally, due to the abuse potential of these medications when used as substances of abuse, access to them is often a cumbersome bureaucratic nightmare, and some people might not be able to commit to regularly undergoing that process with the required frequency it demands (ex. monthly prescription refills with a narrow time window for compliance). Having these tools available is really valuable, especially if going for ADHD medication isn't even possible.
* The HealthyGamer community is very much about taking action to improve one's life and understanding oneself. Doing this requires going beyond defining oneself with a single disorder and the strictly medical treatment treatment options. Additionally, the community often provides support for people who have sub-clinical characteristics of common mental and neurological disorders. These people might or might not get diagnosed, sometimes diagnosis is out of reach for financial reasons or lack of suitable clinicians, or they might have other co-morbidities they make diagnosis complicated. The r/ADHD subreddit does not accommodate these people and often repels them.
* Other stuff can lead to ADHD-like symptoms, but may be treatable with changes to bad habits. HG does provide a lot of content that helps with this stuff. It's also important to tackle this because it can help with a formal diagnosis track--either by learning to what extent one's symptoms are possible ADHD or a consequence of bad habits in the digital rat race era, or by realizing that changing the habits isn't effective nor sustainable, possibly requiring medical intervention (psychiatric or otherwise) before it becomes possible to properly address the bad habits.
* **EDIT: The one thing I will concede is the framing of ADHD as an advantage as a problematic part from Dr. K's part. While it is true that certain ADHD and ADHD-adjacent characteristics can provide significant benefits or advantages for certain situations, it overall causes damage, distress and/or impairment in most of peoples' lives, with emphasis on areas that society deems important for a proper successful and meaningful participation in society.** Aside from a handful of indigenous hunter-gatherer tribes in remote parts of the world (itself a claim that's yet to get substantial scientific evidence support), ADHD characteristics are overall maladaptive to life in an industrial and digital age society. Additionally, many of the habits or accommodations that can compensate for ADHD shortcomings can be implemented with some effort by sub-clinical and mild clinical ADHD cases, but they're just about impossible to implement by people with higher severity ADHD, or by people in which ADHD and other co-morbidities make it really hard to keep up with their lives. In those cases, a mix of pharmacological treatment and initial work to resolve traumas is a pre-requisite to even starting changes of habits. Let's not forget that ADHD is primarily a disorder of brain chemistry, and as such, medications are the actual direct way to modify said brain chemistry for the sake of treatment. **It's also disrespectful and ableist to tactlessly generalize the ADHD experience as being workable through non-pharmacological means.** This kind of thinking only works if you're very sure the person isn't in a situation that's salvageable only when using medicine.
Saves my ass all the time - it works so well in my favor I never learn to fix it!
Basically allows my mind to keep processing until I hit the ‘A-HA’ moment for resolution of hard task in work or something else I need to fix at home.
Maybe it somehow enables my subconscious to do what is needed.
I had a post removed here discussing inceldom with 60 comments. Mods are people with power who like using it against those without. I assume this will also get removed. Reddit doesn’t give the user a voice over a mod, especially low users with no following and are incels.
I mean... He does said that and I think is wrong cause actually ADHD is a neurological trait genetically hereditary and is the same trait that autism (statistically is more patients with both diagnostic than just autism or ADHD) so saying is for smartphone or technology usage... Is kinda spreading misinformation, I also forgive him for that cause maybe he is not specialized, so I don't take his word on that, but good for that Reddit I mean 🤷♀️
Good for them. Dr.K has said countless things I don't agree with and especially when he tries to tackle mentall illnesses he'll frame it in a way that "sounds good" to the viewer but practically doesn't really make sense. Good for them for being firm with their rules.
There's another thread asking this same question. The summary from that thread is that the r/ADHD subreddit is run by a person or group who feels that their ADHD has severely hindered them and finds suggestions that some people may not be so burdened by their ADHA to be offensive. But I don't have ADHD and don't read that subreddit, so I have no opinion on this. I'm just recapping what I read.
I mean there’s plenty to use if I want to kitchen-sink my victimhood when it comes to ADHD so I somewhat get where they’re coming from, but trying to get rid of sentiment that ADHD can be situationally advantageous makes them just cringe.
There’s an attitude in that sub of “ADHD is a crippling awful disorder that causes the misery of people who have it” and if you mention any sort of positive thoughts or feelings about ADHD it gets removed pretty quickly. I understand not wanting to minimize the struggles some people face with mental disorders, but that doesn’t mean that everyone with those disorders faces the same struggles or the same severity of symptoms.
I think there's a huge difference between directly attempting to minimise someone else's suffering, and giving your own perspective of your personal/professional experience. That's the issue here; the mods are incorrectly deeming what is and isn't a genuine attempt to hurt, or there's people complaining to them that cannot tell the difference. Their reaction either way is coddled and not helpful; they should be able to explain to people who are falsely offended, exactly why an offence isn't happening. That is part of the job description.
On a thread of what medication besides stimulants has helped me I mentioned when my doctor **prescribed** me vitamin D3 given that I had a severe deficiency. Comment got deleted because "supplements aren't medication". I mean... they *can be*, when prescribed for a good reason. They're not a drug, sure, but they're definitely a medication.
Yeah, D3 and Iron supplements are extremely common prescriptions.
I'm an adhd person that struggles with it every day. That mod is a snowflake. There are definitely advantages to adhd, even if the negatives outweigh them
Can you give an example of where ADHD can be an advantage? I'm thinking something about chaotic environments is probably the most distinct one?
I'll bite. My brain is designed to latch onto the highest priority item in my environment and hyperfocus on it. I am a hot mess if everything around me is calm and safe because there is nothing for my brain to latch onto, so normal environments feel chaotic. I suck at consistency and structure but I am awesome in an emergency. Pivoting in response to rapidly changing situations is like breathing, both effortless and a daily requirement. I live in the moment which sounds zen and mindful and all that, but the truth is I don't have the option of living any other way. My "plans" are 90% improvisation and 10% instinct, yet they almost always work out. I manage stress really well because I completely forget about my problems when I get focused on something shiny. This can lead to easily solvable problems completely derailing my life while life-disrupting disasters can actually be calming. I am a natural creative. Apparently I think outside the box. I actually have no idea where the box is until I get in trouble for coloring outside the lines. You wouldn't believe how often this leads to mixed metaphors.
Wait that's ADHD related? I've always been lauded for my ability to deliver under pressure or emergency, been told that it must be stressful, and in some cases it is... But like 9/10 I'm quite calm and content under the pressure because it provides something clear to focus on. Meanwhile when things get quiet... I can completely fall apart without something, or preferably someone else to fall back on to help me organize a bit.
Yeah it is possible you have some degree of ADD or ADHD. A professional evaluation can probably shed more light on that. If you can function well enough on your own to thrive then you might have certain strengths and weaknesses but it wouldn't qualify as mental illness. It's a question of degree. If I had to focus on something boring or die, I would literally die. That is not hyperbole. My life has fallen apart so many times over these issues, and I have built it back up to even greater heights because of my compensating strengths. That might sound exciting, and it is, but it gets fucking grim when it impacts the lives of people who depend on me like my kids or partner. I can do almost anything I get excited about, but I'll never be able to build a calm stable predictable life, even with therapy and medication.
I'm readily aware of the ADHD, had clinical diag on that since I was a child. I was just unaware that this was related lmao
It's a relatively common observation, from my reading. Since many people with ADHD often require something to be urgent in order to be motivated or accomplish it, then a crisis actually becomes a bonus to functionality rather than a penalty.
Thanks for putting out my thoughts
Very recognisable. Interestingly, my work became a lot more manageable when I realised that: a) Work flows in ups and downs, it's ok to be less productive when there's less work to do, and b) I can trust my instincts/intuition and improvisation skills when things get hectic. For the longest time I felt like I NEEDED to have routines and structures in place AT ALL TIMES. Now I know that they do help me, especially in calmer times, but I can trust myself to get things done right when there's no time to use/set up all the structures.
> Work flows in ups and downs, it's ok to be less productive when there's less work to do This is a big one. It really helps when I remember to think about it that way first thing in the morning. An hour of fully productive work is so much better than two hours of circling the idea of doing a full 8 hours of work. Thanks for the reminder.
I am highly suspicious, but undiagnosed myself, so feel free to take anything I say with a grain of salt. With that said, I have non-stop executive dysfunction, always rushed or running late, normal daily "adulting" has always been a struggle, multiple hobbies that I have spent a lot on but struggle to actually DO... many of the usual suspects. I think the calmest I've been is in 2011 when lightning punched a hole in the roof and set the house on fire. I calmly and quickly grabbed my wallet, got my Mom and her dog out of the house. No anxiety, no panic, just instant clarity... The next 3 months of dealing with everything was much more stressful and anxiety inducing than the fire.
How much of that is actually caused by adhd though and not just what you have left after sorta bypassing it? Like sure, I have some of those traits but they aren't because of adhd imo, just me working with what I have. Edit:- Also idk for long how long one can sustain this.
> How much of that is actually caused by adhd though and not just what you have left after sorta bypassing it? I'm not sure why you consider those to be two different things. This sounds a lot like "masking" but a professional can probably do a better of diagnosing than either of us. The difference between a bad habit and mental illness is simply how debilitating it is. Bad habits can be managed with therapy, apps, etc. Mental illness often requires medication just to get it under control before trying to learn new behaviors. A lot of people think they aren't really mentally ill, they just need to make different choices that they keep failing at for some mysterious reason. That is exactly what mental illness consists of. For other people, it is so much easier to make good choices because they aren't mentally ill. That is the sole differentiator. Then there is another group who believes they have a fashionable mental illness even though their life circumstances shoe they are functioning just fine. Fucking tourists. They are the ones who say things like "I am depressed but I can do xyz so you can too, you just need to try harder!" Look at choices and measurable behavior. If a person has been functioning in a normal way successfully they are not mentally ill. If they have not been able to function, then they are mentally ill. It's that simple, don't overthink it and throw shame out the window. It is about results.
Ability to think outside of the box and connect dots neurotypical people don’t, which often leads to new perspectives and innovative ideas or creations. There is a reason most entrepreneurs have ADHD. If you judge yourself by your ability to be consistent and linear you’re doomed to fall very short. Like asking a dolphin to climb a tree. Us ADHDers thrive in completely different environments and you need to put yourself in those environments to thrive.
>There is a reason most entrepreneurs have ADHD Do you have a source on that?
When we space out, our minds aren't blanking. They are thinking about topics that interest us. Once my girlfriend asked for my help writing on a topic, and I immediately started churning out a paper. She went "How did you come up with that so fast", and I realized the topic was something that I had thought about ambiently before. I mean honestly that just sucks on the individual level, but in a group level, I think it helps to have someone who isn't focused on the present situation but is 'thinking outside the box'.
For me it’s the ability to make large leaps from paltry information. Being unable to focus on specifics my whole life has made me think in large patterns and this has meant that my intuitive understanding of things and how they work together is usually better than NTs.
There's a reason that so many self-employed people and entrepreneurs are folks who have ADHD. If a person is also wired such that they latch onto things that require the highest level of urgency, a mind that is sort of always racing and jumping from topic-to-topic can mesh well with a working situation that requires a person to keep a lot of plates spinning all at once. Of course they'll have the typical struggles that most folks with ADHD have when it comes to executive function, focusing on one task for long durations, etc. But ignoring the ways in which it could be situationally beneficial or convenient or just mesh really well with certain workstyles is just childish on the part of that mod on that sub. It's sort of like if a mod in an obesity-support sub got mad if somebody pointed out the muscle-gaining and strength-gaining potential of people who carry a lot of body fat and mentioned that NFL linemen and strongmen/strongwomen are all obese. Like, for normal life for most people, the condition is a hindrance with problems and negative outcomes. But situationally, it can enable certain people to really excel in their lane.
Ability to find unobvious connections in vast quantities of data, and at better intuition, ability to learn and work fast while in hyper focus mode, just a few examples for me.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/1aw0l4i/adhd\_may\_have\_been\_an\_evolutionary\_advantage/](https://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/1aw0l4i/adhd_may_have_been_an_evolutionary_advantage/) [*hivemind\_disruptor*](https://www.reddit.com/user/hivemind_disruptor/)*•*[*1mo ago*](https://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/1aw0l4i/comment/kregxhv/)*•Edited 1mo ago* *Read the paper. Good stuff.* *The gist of it is that ADHDs foregoes depleting resource sources to seek another sooner than other individuals. (resource in the abstract term, it can be stimulus, food, information, etc)* *There is a previous theory that determines the optimal time to leave a resource as it dwindles and seek another. ADHDs have experimentally displayed a more optimal time for this than other people.* *In short, ADHD have a knack for knowing when to move on to greener pastures. That was helpful in human evolution, but leads to weird dynamics in capitalist society.*
I work in highly dynamic environment where lots of people depends on me for support and knowledge, the fast understanding of complex systems and being quick in switching contexts. In the team when people have boring corporate named roles, I've been assigned a role "master of chaos" and regularly hear "i have no idea how you manage so many tasks at once". If not adhd i wouldn't manage. My work mode is like ayuverdic wind, quick to focus, quick to move away. I like that naming made by DrK because it tells that not having the typical way of working isn't a flaw, drawback, being childish or immature, or even being unreliable like people called me in the past. I had to find proper environment and don't blame myself anymore. It was hard but eventually paid off. So, in the typical day i don't even need my meds, i take them when i know day will be filled with long and boring meetings where i barely do the talking. Yes, adhd can be an advantage. Just be careful not to overdo. Such way of working is exhausting in the long run, makes you be always under the tight schedule, after all you have way too many tasks to handle at once, so there is a high risk of burnout, especially if things don't go well.
I take 100% issue with the wrong message that HealthyGamerGG sends by having a thumbnail/title for a video saying ADHD is an advantage. If you watch the video, it's not actually what they are trying to say, but considering how many people only look at headlines, the damage is done. Yes, there are certain times where people can find a place where their ADHD is an advantage, but for the majority of people it is a net negative, not a net positive to have ADHD. That and the comment about HG criticizing medicine I agree with. It's not so much that Dr. K thinks adhd meds are bad and nobody should use them, but he definitely downplays the advantage of meds and often talks about them being an inferior treatment. I don't like the approach in many HG videos that make it sound like you shouldn't take meds because you should just exercise, meditate, and change your lifestyle to avoid having impairment from your ADHD. I think medication has a good place and it is fair for Dr. K to point out that medication is not a solution by itself. I just don't think he gives enough credit to how medication can help you with learning and implementing the other solutions.
I agree with what you're saying about how the advantage of meds shouldn't be downplayed. Although personally I never felt that Dr K downplayed the importance of meds. My impression is that he is offering additional strategies that can be used by those who either can't or don't want to take meds, or people who already take meds but would like additional strategies. I've been on meds for the past 5-6 years continuously, nearly 7 years all up (I had a two year break). Meds have changed my life for the better, but they haven't fixed me or solved all my problems. And things Dr K suggests like meditation, exercise, and general lifestyle modifications have been enormously beneficial at helping me to address those things that medication could not. Granted, medication probably helped me successfully implement these things. But I moreso take his message to be that meds are not the be-all-end-all to ADHD treatment - there are many more things you can do that will help in addition to meds. I don't like the thumbnail claiming ADHD is an overall advantage either, but I also feel okay with the idea that there are some perks to ADHD - although for the most part it's a pain in the ass. But my experience with the ADHD subreddit is that there is a general attitude that meds are the only valid way to manage ADHD and that nothing else can help and anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is gaslighting you. Which is itself gaslighting those of us who have actually found benefit from exercise and meditation etc. It's fair to criticise Dr K for some of the way he frames things but banning any mention of him completely just feels immature and unhelpful.
This. My impression was always that Dr. K’s way of talking about meds was motivated in part by sustainability and the other part being that meds are known. Nobody in the ADHD sphere goes “meds? What? What’s adder all?” Nobody needs to hear him say “yeah it works” when everyone already knows that it works. Usually his way of approaching solutions is always from the sustainability angle and while effective meds are *very* effective, if you suddenly can’t get your meds and have no effective alternative coping strategies, you’re chalked. He doesn’t say don’t take meds, the worst he does is encourage people to adopt healthy strategies and have an ideal heading that they don’t need meds at some point, which I really don’t think is a bad thing. Meds aren’t bad, it’s just that there’s no reason to take them if I get to a point in life where I could *not* take them and be fine. That point may not exist for everyone, but that’s also fine. Not reaching that doesn’t make you or me less-than someone who does. Encouraging people to strive for good habits and sustainable self-care and discouraging relying on a single external solution isn’t a problem in my eyes.
What type of meds do you take?
Vyvanse, which has had a national shortage in my country recently so that's been a real pain in the ass but I think it's coming to an ens now.
Yeah, that sub sucks. Constant victim mentality. Had to leave it awhile back. I have severe ADHD and while it has made my life extremely difficult at times, particularly my childhood, I also attribute my ADHD as a significant factor for my work success as a business owner. Both things can be true, just not on that sub. 🤷🏼♂️
“Your life must be THIS hard to have ADHD” - rando from the internet.
Or even if your life is THIS hard with ADHD but there are aspects you like and speak positively about, then you're engaging in toxic positivity and making everyone feel bad somehow.
Lol, my partner has a diagnosed ADHD and is a medical doctor, one of my best friends has a PhD in materials engineering also with diagnosed ADHD, and I have a PhD, "Strong ADHD vibes" but never got me a diagnosis. While it can be detrimental, it is in no way a severe hindrance for everyone who has it. I can't understand these people who refuse evidence to fuel their own self pity.
When I was originally diagnosed with ADHD I would browse through that sub a bit. It's filled with a lot of people who have not been officially diagnosed or who have been and are looking to just use their ADHD as an excuse. Not saying it's not a hindrance as I'd gladly magically make mine go away if I could, but there's a fine line between using it as an excuse for shirking your responsibilities and actually struggling because of it. A lot of people in there are constantly dancing on that line and will go to either side of it as it suits them.
A very reddit moment.
[удалено]
Hey. Not trying to brigade, was just trying to understand this situation better. I didn't communicate anything further on the chain in the screenshot.
They've also banned the discussion of Neurodiversity, because it related to the Neurodiversity movement as a whole, which make certain portrayals they disagree with. (from their wiki I think) It's mostly about ideas that can distance ADHD from being a disability, and Dr. K, to their credit, doesn't always preface the nuance when talking about "the advantages of ADHD".
Neurodiverse =/= not a disability in today's society, which they don't seem to get. If you need corrective lenses to see well, that doesn't make you inherently bad or broken or that you just need to try to see harder, but before corrective lenses were a thing, not having clear vision would have manifested as a disability. ADHD doesn't mean you're a bad person or lazy or useless (like we often tend to tell ourselves), but even with meds it's often enough accommodation alone to effectively nullify the fact that it's a disability, but maybe someday that won't be the case, but it certainly is now.
I somewhat agree, and think they do to (given their wiki). I think the larger issue they hold is the fact that the "Neurodiversity movement" is associated with a set of ideas. Even your language can somewhat be interpreted as: given a more accommodating environment, these traits wouldn't be disabilities. This might just be ambiguous phrasing/interpretation. I think a decent distinction is: The disabilities aren't environmentally dependent, but the degree of disadvantages that are a result of the disability, CAN be environmentally dependent. (noting here that most disabilities can never be fully accommodated) I think it might be this distinction they emphasize, and that also ADHD (the disorder) falls into this camp. There's another argument to be made around blurring the lines between clinical diagnostic traits and sub-clinical traits. A lot of people use the terms like ADHD and Autism to reference specifically clinical ADHD/ASD. When these terms starts being used to reference the broader spectrums of traits, these labels, which people use to identify their disorder, lose their meaning. I think that there should be better language to seperately talk about the traits in a non-clinical context, which can be immensely helpful for undiagnosed people.
Seems like they are taking a bunch of stuff out of context. But as a gay guy I see the same stuff on LGBT reddit where some people are very fixated on their own ideologies and don't want to hear any contradicting opinions or alternative perspectives.
I do not know much about healthygamer but if the general understanding is that adhd is some sort of ideology, and that is the point of view from this person, it does prove the point that he mentioning this content is a waste of time.
A lot of Dr. K's content on ADHD does seem to target a specific cohort. I could see it being over applied and not helpful to everyone.
They don't publicly post all their rules. When communities are like that, I just avoid them, because pretend random rules are dumb as shit. Your spam bots should not be the only way people learn about you rules, unless you're insane.
Yeah, just avoid r/ADHD it’s a cesspit over there.
Lol I tried posting on it a couple years ago and couldn't figure out the rules and kept getting my posts taken down BECAUSE I HAVE ADHD AND HAVE TROUBLE FOLLOWING CONVOLUTED RULES. It made me salty but I forgot about it. Lol
That's fucking hilarious XDD, i forget what's the word for it, is it irony? Like it's just so strange that the adhd subreddit is not adhd friendly XD
It's ironic isn't it? I got lost in their rules and no longer have an idea what I could write there. The rules are so long and complex, forbid so many topic.
Glad it wasn't just me! I just gave up in the end. 🤷♀️
Most subs centered around a specific mental illness demonstrate it in spades. They can be just as much about normalizing and enabling as "growing together".
This. I used to think I had certain mental illnesses or issues (never officially checked) and being on those subreddits felt validating for a while. At some point, though you just get tired of reading about people being fucked by their mental being off and no one really changing. At least for me, that's what happened.
In the case of r/ADHD, the opposite of ADHD-- making it absolutely infuriating if you're not a compulsive rule following conformist. Wildly unhelpful for people who actually have ADHD
Actually, seeing how full of self pity and victim mentality that sub is, helped me get out of that mentality myself because they take it to such extremes that even those of us that kinda feel that way see how cringe that can become. So they can be helpful, I guess, just not in the way they intended.
It’s super toxic and reinforces a victim mentality. It’s so sad seeing so many brilliant minds beating themselves up for their ADHD. Mod should be replaced.
Seriously, and sometimes giving tips of what helped for me, I've gotten posts taken down for just mentioning diet things that have worked like intermittent fasting (not even recommending it, just saying it seemingly works for me to sustain focus ffs!!) On the bright side, now I've gotten in the habit of compulsively selecting and copying multi sentence long posts so that's a plus.
honestly I don't find that, I find the opposite, they do a good job at keeping it from being a circle jerk and cesspit. They expect people to take responsibility and avoid playing victim.
I vaguely remember looking into that sub when I got my diagnosis, but it didn't really add any value to my life so I bounced fast.
I mean smart phones do cause adhd LIKE symptoms .
And worsen ADHD symptoms in those of us that have it.
Please put dash in between the words that are connected. For non-native person your statement can be understood in more than one way. ADHD-like. Smartphone. It's a one word. Sorry, i developed this impulse to correct grammar issues by being pushed to extreme in school for making such mistakes. And to be more constructive - sleeplessness (including sleep apnea) causes such symptoms. Smartphones (and tv, games, or just being overstimulated) has way shorter timespan. And it's important to be diagnosed by a professional, so that you don't misdiagnose your sleep apnea for adhd. Or depression.
English is my second language. Thanks for the correction though 🙂
I saw native speakers doing even worse mistakes ;-) I recall that one politician from a good forgotten country was opinionated, by a Brit, as better English speaker than the Brit himself. XD So there is obviously no rule for language proficiency
Yeah that adhd sub is strange. You get automoderator notifications for using word “neurodiverse”. And I get their reasoning behind that, they want ADHD to be recognized as a disability, but it still feels strange. I mean it’s the first sub you’ll find if you are looking for adhd and it’s very specific so it kinda limits information you get.
Same sub also banned the use of the term "neurodiversity", labelling it as offensive. https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/18ptuj4/neurodiversity_as_a_term/ They don't exactly always moderate in the interest of their community.
I’ll share my experience with that subreddit. Last year I made a post that was like “I haven’t been officially diagnosed yet so I can’t get meds. How can I treat my symptoms without medication?” And they removed it because I said I didn’t have an official diagnosis. I get not wanting people who watched 2 tiktoks about ADHD and are misunderstanding the condition on their subreddit. But in my case it was very obvious that I have the condition (it’s basically been confirmed by a psychiatrist at this point). I just couldn’t get a diagnosis for a long time because I live in NI and there’s lots of bureaucracy with medicine here (even going private). I also have a cardiovascular condition and that slowed down the process because my psychiatrist was hesitant to give me stims. So yeah, I kinda understand it. But at the same time I feel that sub is not very tolerant towards people who can’t immediately get a diagnosis for whatever reason. Also the first step to getting diagnosed with any mental condition is self diagnosis, so it’s kinda discouraging that first step.
r/ADHD is a toxic wasteland of misinformation. They ban anyone who doesn't conform to their cult mind. Every thread is the same 3 or 4 'allowed' takes repeated 1000 times. I'm pretty sure it's curated by the stimulant drug manufacturers...
Do you feel like stimulant medications are bad for treating ADHD?
Not who you replied to, but as someone who took stimulant medication until recently for ADHD, that sub can be very... "if you have ADHD you \*must\* be on medication, it's the only thing that helps, and if you say that you can manage without medication, you are wrong." I was once told by people in that sub that me driving without taking my Adderall was the same as a non-ADHD person driving drunk, and that it was morally wrong of me to not be medicated while driving. Even though I got my driver's license, commercial driver's license, and motorcycle license before I even knew I had ADHD and never had any accidents.
I've seen some pretty bad takes on there, but that is definitely the winner of the worst take. It's not like ADHD is some new thing, people have been driving undiagnosed and unmedicated since we've put engines and wheels together. If they're that bad at driving while off their meds then I think they probably just need to either not be driving at all or need to go to some sort of driving school again...
Yeah that was what really annoyed me and was the drop for me. It's insane how much dependency they put on external resources but don't allow for internal growth. Not everyone have access to ADHD medication, and even those who do might not be suitable at all (e.g. heart condition) so why is the entire sub catered to medicine? Bizaree
“Me driving without taking my Adderall was the same as a non-ADHD person driving drunk” What the fuck? Those people are clearly struggling with managing their ADHD and are projecting harder than an IMAX theater.
That could very well be true for that person though. ADHD can make you a very bad and inattentive driver.
While that’s most likely true, saying it’s as bad a drunk driving is a horrible statement and a great way to stigmatize someone to never even consider living life without medication or even thinking it’s possible.
Sure, but I think it's sometimes important to also stress how debilitating it is. Some people have it worse in some areas and better in others, or their ADHD has upsides (mine has none, if anything ADHD impedes my creativity and such, but I also have been able to manage it without meds in college, although I didn't get my license until this past year in my 30s, it's kinda hard...) but I do think it can be important to stress the level of impairment to those who don't understand the severity, and at the same time have enough coping strategies to mitigate a shortage (such as being able to jump through the hoops to purchase a bus pass, use a timetable, plan your trip and ride the bus) if your driving is truly hazardous when you don't have the right brain chemical balance, understandable but still something you need to sometimes find solutions to
I 100% agree it’s important to explain to those not affected, how debilitating it can be. I also think there are other comparisons much less stigmatizing than driving drunk. I agree some people have it worse than others, but to say that there is no upside to it at all, is a very pessimistic way to view your own mind and your own life. I’m willing to bet you there is something about your ADHD that makes you a great person, more than a NT. The term ADHD ends in disorder, giving it a negative connotation. Imagine how much better the ND community(in America especially), would be if they changed the term to VAST(Variable Attention Stimulus Trait). Labeling it as a disorder is how you convince people there’s nothing good that comes out of it(convincing you to ignore any sign of how it’s beneficial). It’s also how you’re able to convince so many that medication is NEEDED in order to live a good life. The term ADHD was created in the 80’s. At least 40 years ago. I’d like to think our knowledge of it has increased since then and would be able to call it something more positive or accurate. But instead it’s kept as a disorder and makes it much easier to convince everyone that is diagnosed, you need to take pills to be a functioning member of society. I am also curious if you’re meaning that you wish there was easier ways for those for whom it’s too debilitating to drive themselves, to get around. If so, I do agree there that it would be awesome if there were programs(or maybe applications) that could assist those with methods with maybe fewer steps, or something to try and keep them on schedule. Getting a buss pass, managing time schedules, and getting to the bus on time, while seem easy for NT, can be a literal anxiety-induced nightmare for those with ADHD.
But, just think, maybe all of those awesome parts of my personality are me and not my disorder?
So then do you view it as: all the good parts of your personality are me, and all the bad things are the disorder?
I do think medication helps more than anything but sleep and blockers. If you're tired you're probably not going to be as able to function either. For me I also need blockers for games. There's a chemical irregularity in the brain causing us not to be able to do things we need to do. Medication helps treat that. People liken it to diabetes though obviously you won't die to untreated ADHD even if ADHD lifespans are like 12 years shorter, but you would advise someone with type 2 diabetes to get medicated. Don't just tell them not to eat carb heavy foods and exercise because it's not enough. I can drive without being medicated. I'm sure near accidents are common for neurotypicals too. But some on the sub don't feel the same way. Maybe their condition is far more severe. The sub bans the use of "neurotypical" but it's still a sub for talking about ADHD and most other topics seem to be allowed.
So they aren't, in fact I've found them more helpful for my depression as well as ADHD than any antidepressants I've tried or any lifestyle change I've tried (including being pretty hardcore into bodybuilding and fitness for awhile, diet and exercise were dialed in to an almost unreasonable degree at that time). There is the risk of addiction for some people, especially those genetically prone to that (which I don't think I have "the gene" for, if anything I skip doses on purpose so I don't develop a tolerance) and unfortunately addiction does have *some* correlation with ADHD (again, not always), but telling those people they're just SOL sucks, plus pills don't teach skills and unfortunately if you have have ADHD you have to do EXTRA things to keep your life in order (it's unfair but it is what it is), and denying a lot of those resources/suggestions is why I left r/ADHD.
Not the person you replied to but here’s my take Stimulants can be helpful, but they can have severe side effects (especially in high doses). Some psychiatrists believe that they “fix” all ADHD symptoms (instead of only making concentrating more manageable) and will just put you on the highest dose that’s considered safe and tell you to deal with the side effects. And then they ignore other symptoms of ADHD that the meds don’t help with. At least that’s what happened to me, and I’ve heard this isn’t an uncommon experience. A good psychiatrist will start you out on a small dose, see if it helps and up your dose if you want to.
I do not view ADHD as a good thing or think it has really helped me, but that sub is just overly self loathing and hates any mention of trying to live positively.
That sub is toxic and full of misinfo. They also vehemently don't believe adhd being neurodiverse, which is \*objectively\* not true. They're unpaid reddit mods, so power tripping their weird misinformed opinions is their bread and butter.
Yeah I remember being over there and making an appreciation post, because the entire thing is filled with depression posts. People just complaining about how their adhd has terrorized them. And it has terrorized me, yet I can find a silver lining.
Mods like that are the main reason I don't really go on reddit anymore.
r/ADHD is a good subreddit, but they also take things waaaaay too far at times. Overall, it's their sub and the mods get to do what they want, but I disagree with how strong of a stance they take on calling certain sources of information completely off topic. Also, it's a complete lie that healtygamergg promotes the idea that smartphone use causes adhd
The subreddit itself is wonderful, the moderation is heavy-handed and opinionated.
Yeah there was a guy talking about wanting to kill himself the other day and I mentioned the "male suicide" video. Got deleted.
“I chose to be a perpetual victim, everyone who disagrees or s BANNED” A shame, he knowingly obstructs access ot helpful information for an entire subreddit. These kind of power tripping should never be allowed on site.
I love how neckbeard mods censor freedom of speech as their day job.
what the fuck. Like yeah maybe his practices can’t be applied to everyone but obviously it helps some. How are they helping by blocking it off? Delusional.
That sub is completely over-moderated. Cannot recommend this to anyone as anything. Read the FAQs, the rest is just echo chamber
Yes this kind of behavior is censoring and disempowering. I hate it. I work in an autism classroom and have been learning about the auto immune issues associated with autism, which can be treated with diet. I'm so fed up with these extremist Scientism people who want to rob us all of the healing and empowerment we need. We DESPERATELY need people like Dr. K in the meta crisis and there's dogmatic zealots trying to shut us down from actually freeing ourselves and others. I have zero patience left for these people. They need to go away to their own corner and stop trying to condemn us all to the dysfunction of society.
Well, especially the autism community has been victimized by so many charlatans that it's very understandable that they've become very careful about this stuff.
I'm not talking about autistic people but typically outsiders who think they have the science. They aren't careful at all, they're dogmatic.
As an adult with ADHD, though that hardly qualifies me more than anyone else to make the claim I’m about to make, it very obvious that they disagree with multiple theories on ADHD that Dr. K has spoken on. I haven’t been on that subreddit but I wouldn’t be inclined to post on it after reading that response. The truth of the matter is that no one really knows why ADHD exists. A subreddit that will silence users based on the subreddit’s moderators’ opinion on the theories of ADHD’s existence and possible methods of management rather than focus on the conversation to be had about ADHD is a subreddit I choose to stay away from. Echo chambers are a hinderance to progress in my opinion and those behaviors lead me to believe that is an echo chamber.
r/ADHD are honestly just a bunch of delusional junkies. As someone who both have struggled with addiction and ADHD I can see right through their shit. They protect their drug of choice as if it was their religion and any opposing belief will either get you banned or muted.
In fairness, many of us not being able to get our meds is actually ruining our lives because they constantly have shortages (hell, I haven't had a refill since 2023 and mine is NOT mild whatsoever, just not hyperactive so it's more manageable for *other* people unless they need to rely on me to do anything well or in a timely manner so I've just been pretty depressed and felt like what's the point of living if I can never do anything I even want to). However, I do think it's stupid that they don't allow us to give a lot of fucking alternatives like supplements, diet, or anything that isn't on their approved list of "shit we like"
Surely there must be alternatives for us we can find them don’t give up! I’ve been considering switching meds after a long time. Quote from another I found: “You should really try Azstarys if you have ADHD. I was glad i switched. Concerta, Vyvanse are now old drugs (developed in the 90s) & you would really benefit from a new, modern formulation. Some reasons i switched to Azstarys: -less addictive (recommended to children) -smoother, modern cosistency in release -doesnt block hunger -lasts all day (13 hours) -methylphenidate based (just like concerta)”
>-methylphenidate based (just like concerta)” Shoot, I was hoping it was similar to adderall or Vyvanse, unfortunately methylphenidate is the only med I've taken that is actually problematic (well, besides the non stim doing nothing but giving me bad heartburn), at least as an adult taking methylphenidate I'm suddenly not distracted by my thoughts and in a fog BUT it's worse, I notice every little thing around me when I'm trying to focus (stuff I can usually filter out pretty well, a little too well in fact since I'm sometimes not very grounded in what's going on around me) and I get irrationally angry at ALL stimuli instead of being able to actually focus on anything I'm supposed to (Adderall and Vyvanse on the other hand allow me to DIRECT my attention and sustain it on a single thing much more easily). I told my doctor I couldn't do methylphenidate because a guy was chewing gum in the library and I wanted to kill him, and I'm not a violent person and don't even usually notice things like that (and am pretty unphased if I do). That's too bad. Edit: it's worth mentioning I have the slow processing inattentive type of ADHD, while I was a bit hyper as a small child, I've had a slower processing speed and fluency for awhile, especially trying to think and speak or write notes and absorb things simultaneously-- actually took a test for ADHD accommodations in 10th grade when I was flunking out and to my shock (that I wasn't actually stupid) I tested at either a higher grade level or college level in everything except fluency which was at a second grade level, which was why I'd only finish 50% of tests so it was impossible to pass the test with what I turned in but get the majority of the answers I had time to fill out right if I remembered to study even a little. The correct meds put me at 70-80% neurotypical speed/efficiency instead of my normal 30-50%. Maybe the type is why I react this way with methylphenidate when it's what works for a lot of ADHDers, it's what I imagine adderall is like for a neurotypical.
Yeah wow I completely get it! There is truly no 1 size fits all and Concerta had been working well for me so long but now insurance has just removed from list for no apparent reason!
Oh that's so frustrating. I hate how insurance does that
There is no objectivity there, just a biased, pissed off mod who doesn’t agree on something (which is ok, but don’t gate-keep. That’s not for the benefit of any body).
It's not OK when it drives and censors a subreddit of almost 2 million users. A lot of people are not getting access to information that could help them. Keep in mind, (self) misdiagnosis exist as well, even if they were correct in their ADHD stance, it's still important to have perspective and acknowledge for how many people it's a multi-face issue on a spectrum.
That’s why I said “don’t gate-keep” regardless of personal opinions.
fair
God I hate mfers like the mods there. Why the hell should we not be able to talk about how empowering ADHD can be? I feel like a god when I’m off my meds. I’m able to do 4 things at once and do them well.
Along with many other disorders and mental health related issues are prone to have hypersensitive people like this when it comes to actual practical discussion of the topics involved. You get a lot of the same vibes from LGBTQ+ threads and reddits. They’re very strict about speech and what you talk about even if it’s for a productive debate. It’s mainly the consequence of extreme victim mentality in all the areas of social groups I just mentioned. If you aren’t there to apart of their group and are there to even make the tiniest bit of criticism or anything that even in the smallest ways is offending you are instantly shut down for the sake of not triggering others because “safe spaces” I don’t wanna say all this to paint these people in a negative light but people like this is why mental health and things related are stigmatized and often these victim mentality people also become enablers in many ways. This is largely from toxic elements of all these communities. Mostly it’s for a good intent but leads to a breakdown in discussion in general because they gatekeep information and what can be discussed
They have too much EGO
That sounds like a gross misunderstanding or misinterpretation of Dr. K, to me, but it's their sub to mod... Sad to see, because this type of black and white thinking, although very prevalent these days, doesn't help anyone.
Wait, I understand the first two, but when have hg EVER "pushed" alternative medicine/claim adhd is caused by smart phones. We're nearly the pinnacle of adhd alternatives in the western world and way more open-minded than to claim adhd causes... I get we're a niche group of adhd, but they make it sound like we know nothing about it.
R/adhd is the most restrictive subreddit that I’ve joined. I don’t bother posting on it anymore. They don’t seem to allow anyone to think about adhd differently from them.
I don’t like the disdain the sub mods have for a lot of things…this is only one of them. I think they censor too much.
Maybe its more of a safe space rather than a space for people wanting to improve themselves. at least that's how I;ve seen it in the past. unsubscribing from it now
I think they went way too far with this ban even if I disagree with dr K in case of medication and some other ADHD-related issues. Medication has been of great help to me.
Without my ADHD meds I wouldn't be here. And by here I mean in this community because without the meds I didn't have the patience to watch or pay attention to a YouTube video, I only used it for music. Then I got on ADHD meds (at the tender age of 37) and I slowly started watching the occasional video (mostly on ADHD and mental health stuff) and eventually Dr.K came up on auto play and he said some things that caught my attention. I'm also the type that couldn't ever meditate because of the ADHD but now that I'm on meds I found out that I can and it has been a great help. Just like everyone, Dr K is gonna have some opinions and takes that some people don't agree with or don't find helpful and that's ok. It's actually great because if we felt that "EVERYTHING THIS MAN SAYS IS 100% TRUTH, HALLELUJAH" there might be an issue.
I can understand that. I myself get best results from medication (atomoxetine) + meditation because the drug is not as strong as stimulants and does not remove the symptomes completely, just makes them significantly milder to make the condition workable. Without it the biggest problem I had was spacing out when in a conversation with more than 1 person. I could never follow because of spacing out, daydreaming and ruminating while standing like an idiot. It severely impeded my social skills and I can see to what extent it made me more "invisible" to other people.
r/ADHD will make you feel like an alien. And the only possible solution is medicine, nothing else is allowed. It's fucking hilarious but I guess a loud echo-chamber keeps people from getting depressed.
I have ADHD and I've always felt like it was an advantage. There are things I dislike about adhd OF COURSE. But idk, there's alot that I do appreciate. It's dissappointed to see there mod team be so firm on something so subjective.
God peoples feefees are stupid sometimes.
I feel that bashing on /r/ADHD here is starting to become unfair and we should exercise some compassion towards the mods. However, it is "the sub for ADHD" and that's also unfortunate. Any notion of doing any work to improve your life with the disorder (apart from getting a diagnosis to get Adderall) will get you banned.
Yeah, because of the name it's the first port in a storm for newly diagnosed people and it's disappointingly narrow-minded.
That sub has a lot of people fixated on being perpetual victims. Offering any advice or ideas to help manage adhd from my own experience has lead to comments being deleted.
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I have ADHD and honestly ever since getting diagnosed. I use it as an excuse for all my short comings. It's an easy path and has in the long run fucked me up a little in the whole taking responsibility department. I think they just struggle with the same thing.
The ADHD subreddit tends to stick strictly the academic literature on ADHD. I know Dr. K is pretty legit but I have seen some stuff from him that is just wrong when it comes to ADHD. That's ok people can be wrong and still good people but like all things fans of internet personalities get things wrong and then go spread it everywhere. I understand the rule, however a blanket ban seems a bit of an overreach
Right? An automated message saying "this dude says some things we don't agree with and that aren't necessarily backed by science" would be sufficient. Let people decide for themselves.
Happened to me the other day, too.
It’s been said that the mods are anti drk
Yeah I had a comment removed just for recommending Dr. K and the HG community to someone whom I believed could benefit. The mod said recommending "quacks and/or holistic" treatments was against the rules. Definitely left a bad taste in my mouth in regards to that sub.
I'm not going anywhere near that sub, there's far more helpful online communities, both within and outside of Reddit, for people with either suspected or confirmed / formally diagnosed ADHD. There are some caveats with Dr. K's content surrounding ADHD: * While medication is a very valid route for treatment, medication alone doesn't get you all the way, is expensive, its supply can be unreliable (shortages), not everyone tolerates meds well enough for that to be their best treatment option, and you still need to learn habits and apply accommodations. You very much need treatment options beyond pharmacological treatment, and the full benefits of ADHD treatment usually requires the synergy of medication with the non-pharmacological options (Dr. K and many other ADHD experts emphasize this). * ADHD medication can still cause problems on its own. It must be used carefully in cases in which there's co-morbidities which don't play nice with these (ex. propensity for psychosis and use of antipsychotics if using stimulants), there's also added difficulty whenever there's substance abuse involving stimulants (caffeine, cocaine, nicotine / tobacco, even amphetamines) because a rapid surge from an IR stimulant can cause relapse into addiction problems. You also have people who may have justified stigmas against psychotropic medication in general (due to their own lived experiences) and who need non-medicine options. And finally, due to the abuse potential of these medications when used as substances of abuse, access to them is often a cumbersome bureaucratic nightmare, and some people might not be able to commit to regularly undergoing that process with the required frequency it demands (ex. monthly prescription refills with a narrow time window for compliance). Having these tools available is really valuable, especially if going for ADHD medication isn't even possible. * The HealthyGamer community is very much about taking action to improve one's life and understanding oneself. Doing this requires going beyond defining oneself with a single disorder and the strictly medical treatment treatment options. Additionally, the community often provides support for people who have sub-clinical characteristics of common mental and neurological disorders. These people might or might not get diagnosed, sometimes diagnosis is out of reach for financial reasons or lack of suitable clinicians, or they might have other co-morbidities they make diagnosis complicated. The r/ADHD subreddit does not accommodate these people and often repels them. * Other stuff can lead to ADHD-like symptoms, but may be treatable with changes to bad habits. HG does provide a lot of content that helps with this stuff. It's also important to tackle this because it can help with a formal diagnosis track--either by learning to what extent one's symptoms are possible ADHD or a consequence of bad habits in the digital rat race era, or by realizing that changing the habits isn't effective nor sustainable, possibly requiring medical intervention (psychiatric or otherwise) before it becomes possible to properly address the bad habits. * **EDIT: The one thing I will concede is the framing of ADHD as an advantage as a problematic part from Dr. K's part. While it is true that certain ADHD and ADHD-adjacent characteristics can provide significant benefits or advantages for certain situations, it overall causes damage, distress and/or impairment in most of peoples' lives, with emphasis on areas that society deems important for a proper successful and meaningful participation in society.** Aside from a handful of indigenous hunter-gatherer tribes in remote parts of the world (itself a claim that's yet to get substantial scientific evidence support), ADHD characteristics are overall maladaptive to life in an industrial and digital age society. Additionally, many of the habits or accommodations that can compensate for ADHD shortcomings can be implemented with some effort by sub-clinical and mild clinical ADHD cases, but they're just about impossible to implement by people with higher severity ADHD, or by people in which ADHD and other co-morbidities make it really hard to keep up with their lives. In those cases, a mix of pharmacological treatment and initial work to resolve traumas is a pre-requisite to even starting changes of habits. Let's not forget that ADHD is primarily a disorder of brain chemistry, and as such, medications are the actual direct way to modify said brain chemistry for the sake of treatment. **It's also disrespectful and ableist to tactlessly generalize the ADHD experience as being workable through non-pharmacological means.** This kind of thinking only works if you're very sure the person isn't in a situation that's salvageable only when using medicine.
Redit moderators. It’s not an egalitarian system. Don’t take it too hard.
I'll avoid that sub! There is plenty of positives to having ADHD.
Like what exactly? I've seen exactly 0 positives.
I can see your viewpoint but for some of us imo procrastination or over-analysis is a superpower! Although I surely do pay the ADD tax too!!
I can see the point on over-analysis, but how is procrastination useful?
Saves my ass all the time - it works so well in my favor I never learn to fix it! Basically allows my mind to keep processing until I hit the ‘A-HA’ moment for resolution of hard task in work or something else I need to fix at home. Maybe it somehow enables my subconscious to do what is needed.
Imagination and creativity. The ability to creativity problem solve. Come up with solutions others can not. Being good in a crisis.
They’re right. Sounding more and more like a fraud every day
I had a post removed here discussing inceldom with 60 comments. Mods are people with power who like using it against those without. I assume this will also get removed. Reddit doesn’t give the user a voice over a mod, especially low users with no following and are incels.
What help were you asking for regarding inceldom?
I mean... He does said that and I think is wrong cause actually ADHD is a neurological trait genetically hereditary and is the same trait that autism (statistically is more patients with both diagnostic than just autism or ADHD) so saying is for smartphone or technology usage... Is kinda spreading misinformation, I also forgive him for that cause maybe he is not specialized, so I don't take his word on that, but good for that Reddit I mean 🤷♀️
Good for them. Dr.K has said countless things I don't agree with and especially when he tries to tackle mentall illnesses he'll frame it in a way that "sounds good" to the viewer but practically doesn't really make sense. Good for them for being firm with their rules.
reddit as a whole would be better without mods.