Went through the list. I'd say at least 50% matches me completely, but some items are situational or are not even close.
- Keeping still? As a kid, I had always a problem keeping my leg still.
- Excessive talking? Nope, I was the quite kid. Also never interrupted anyone and still don't.
- Acting without thinking? The polar opposite. I didn't act because of all the thinking. That problem remains to this very day.
- Not caring about details? Painfully correct, why did I end up as SWE where details are all that matters?
- Appearing forgetful? 100%. I can't remember most of my childhood and have a bad memory in general. But I never misplace things. Can't remember work stuff if I don't write it down. Onenote saves me daily.
- Listening to instructions? Well, I'm very good at listening to people in bilateral situations. But during meetings? My mind goes places. And reading docs and instructions is almost impossible. Even if I can force myself to go through everything, I still miss details!
- Difficulty organizing? Absolutely, although I get it done if I'm forced to do it. But I hate it.
- Short attention span? Well, depends on the situation. In gaming, I can stay focused all day long. I can read a book for hours. No problem staying focused doing physical activities (sport). Staying focused on coding is really difficult and I constantly zone out.
- Taking risks? Ha, no. I don't take risks, at all. It's actually a problem.
- Impatience? Yes and no, depending on the situation. But I'm mostly quite patient. Maybe because I'm in my head most of the time?
- Mood swings? Not at all. At least not within one day. But during the week? There a bad days and good days.
- Not completing tasks? Not really, I tend to finish what I've started, if it is manageable, can be done in one go. But complex tasks, that may not be well defined? Personal hell.
- Inability to deal with stress? I'm a Jedi. I don't get stressed easily and if the situation becomes stressful, I get more focused. But I need a lot of downtime to keep my sanity.
That I went through these lists in a not so orderly fashion is also not the best sign, isn't it?
Not everyone has all the symptoms. For example, I don't really display hyperactivity nor mood swings, nor do I have trouble dealing with most kinds of stress.
> - Short attention span? Well, depends on the situation. In gaming, I can stay focused all day long. I can read a book for hours. No problem staying focused doing physical activities (sport). Staying focused on coding is really difficult and I constantly zone out.
> Hyperfocus is the experience of deep and intense concentration in some people with ADHD. ADHD is not necessarily a deficit of attention, but rather a problem with regulating one’s attention span to desired tasks. So, while mundane tasks may be difficult to focus on, others may be completely absorbing. An individual with ADHD who may not be able to complete homework assignments or work projects may instead be able to focus for hours on video games, sports, or reading.
The good side about the common ADHD medications (various stimulants) is that they mostly help within half an hour, if they help at all.
So apart from the hassle of getting a diagnosis and prescription, at least you won't have to endure months of side effects before you know whether you can get any better.
(I'm contrasting that with eg anti-depressants here.)
That sounds promising. On a side note, today I've tried Nicotin for the first time. I've heard that it helps people with ADHD and as this has been on my mind for a couple of months by now, I figured that this might be an easy way to check myself. Your post was the last push and I have a shop right next to my door.
Well, it seemed to work. Maybe placebo, but I'd say that I had high concentration burst in 30-45 minutes intervals (after inhaling). I kind of forgot that I've taken it a couple of minutes in, because I was so focused on the code. I heard that Nicotin works as neuroenhancer in general, so nothing is proven. But no matter why, it seemed to help.
I really don't want to get addicted to Nicotin, so I'll see how I can find a doctor to verify/falsify this.
- Keeping still? As a kid, I had always a problem keeping my leg still.
- Excessive talking? Nope, I was the quite kid. Also never interrupted anyone and still don't.
- Acting without thinking? The polar opposite. I didn't act because of all the thinking. That problem remains to this very day.
- Not caring about details? Painfully correct, why did I end up as SWE where details are all that matters?
- Appearing forgetful? 100%. I can't remember most of my childhood and have a bad memory in general. But I never misplace things. Can't remember work stuff if I don't write it down. Onenote saves me daily.
- Listening to instructions? Well, I'm very good at listening to people in bilateral situations. But during meetings? My mind goes places. And reading docs and instructions is almost impossible. Even if I can force myself to go through everything, I still miss details!
- Difficulty organizing? Absolutely, although I get it done if I'm forced to do it. But I hate it.
- Short attention span? Well, depends on the situation. In gaming, I can stay focused all day long. I can read a book for hours. No problem staying focused doing physical activities (sport). Staying focused on coding is really difficult and I constantly zone out.
- Taking risks? Ha, no. I don't take risks, at all. It's actually a problem.
- Impatience? Yes and no, depending on the situation. But I'm mostly quite patient. Maybe because I'm in my head most of the time?
- Mood swings? Not at all. At least not within one day. But during the week? There a bad days and good days.
- Not completing tasks? Not really, I tend to finish what I've started, if it is manageable, can be done in one go. But complex tasks, that may not be well defined? Personal hell.
- Inability to deal with stress? I'm a Jedi. I don't get stressed easily and if the situation becomes stressful, I get more focused. But I need a lot of downtime to keep my sanity.
That I went through these lists in a not so orderly fashion is also not the best sign, isn't it?