ADD – Page 2

You Might Have ADHD If…

Jeff Foxworthy has long done a stand-up comedy bit where he goes through a list of things that, if true about you, might make you a redneck. My personal favorite is, “If your mother does not take the Marlboro out of her lips before telling the state trooper that he can kiss her ass… you might be a redneck.”

My dad’s, who grew up on a farm, favorite is “If you have ever unloaded a pickup truck by driving backwards really fast and slamming on the breaks… you might be a redneck.” After all, my dad says, “That that is the fastest way to unload a pickup truck.”

I’ve often thought of doing a set of these for ADHD.

I went to the store this morning. I did not forget the groceries in the back of the car (Score!), but I did have to go to the bathroom as soon as I got them all into the house. After finishing my restroom business, I went about my day, only to come back a half an hour later to be surprised that all the groceries were still on the counter.

Without further ado, here is my ADHD joke list.

You Might Have ADD / ADHD If…

If you have ever forgotten the rest of your tweet before you could type it…you might have ADHD.
If you have ever gone to get the mail and fixed the sprinklers instead…you might have ADHD.
If you’ve ever been to the fridge to get something you just bought at the store and been unable to find it, because it was still on the counter… you might have ADD.
If you remember that you haven’t eaten lunch yet… at dinnertime… you might have ADD.
If you have ever called someone that you already had on hold… you might have ADHD.
If you have ever checked the blind spot, but then couldn’t remember if you did or did not see a car there… you might have ADD.
If you have ever looked down at your grocery cart praying to see all your stuff in shopping bags because you suddenly couldn’t remember if you had checked out yet… you might have ADD.
If you’ve ever been to the grocery store and then left all the groceries in the back of the car when you got home… you might have ADHD.
If you have ever answered your own question because you thought of the answer right after asking… you might have ADD.
If you have ever gotten stuff out of the pantry to make for dinner, only to find out that something is already cooking on the stove… you might have ADD.
If you have ever searched the house for your cell phone, while talking on it… you might have ADHD.
If you have ever searched your pants for your keys, found them, and then tried to open the door without taking them out… you might have ADD.
If you forgot what you were going to tweet, while pulling out your phone… you might have ADD.
If you check your watch but can’t remember what time it said… you might have ADHD.
If you have to look up at the number box on the check to remember what you write on the line… you might have ADD.
If you have ever sent a follow up email, only to find the original, unsent, email still open on your computer… you might have ADD.
If you have ever gotten up to pee, and then had to go twice as bad ten minutes later because you came back with a cup of coffee instead… you might have ADD.
If you have ever been startled by a wall or other inanimate object because you were thinking about something else… you might have ADHD.
If you’ve ever gotten up to get the space heater from the basement and put in a load of laundry instead… you might have ADD.
If you’ve ever installed a cool extension or app only to be baffled later that it is on your computer… you might have ADHD.
If you’ve ever had thoughts about what needs to happen next while you are entering a complex password resulting it epic failure… you might have ADHD.
If you forgot the clever ending to your “You Might Have ADD If…” post… you might have an ADD blog 🙂

I should have a bunch more, but unfortunately, I often forget them before I can compile any sort of list. I figured that if I started chronicling them here as I came up with them, then I might get my list of funny ADHD traits together faster. Ironically, I had a really great one yesterday that is currently playing hide and seek with my mind. I’m sure it will come to me, again, when I’m somewhere that remembering it will be totally useless to me, like in the shower, or in the car, or while giving a presentation.

Progressive Procrastination and ADD

Written by ADDer 2 Comments

ADD and procrastination go hand in hand. It isn’t hard to see why. Procrastination is the art of putting something off, often because there are more interesting things to do, or because the required task seems boring, long, or unwieldy. All of this plays right into the sweet spot of ADHD. How easy is it find something better to be doing when virtually everything is a stimulus to an alternate train of thought? And, before a long, boring, task even begins, the ADD mind is looking for something that will provide more promising stimulus.

Everyone gets distracted, but what makes ADD different than normal distraction is both the level and the frequency of the distraction. A person without ADHD may clean out the basement without ever even noticing what is on the boxes he is using for organizing a pile of clutter. A person with ADD might not only notice, but be reminded not only of whence the box came, and perhaps, other “important” tasks or thoughts that are related, however tangentially, to what is on that box.

If you’ve ever picked up an empty storage box, seen the old writing from your time in the college dorms on the side, remembered that the alumni association was having some sort of event that you were meaning to go to because an old classmate said they would be there the last time you talked on the phone, and then left before filling a single box because you remembered that your cell phone needed charging, and never came back because while you were upstairs, you noticed that crack in the wall you’d been meaning to fix, you know what I’m talking about.

Procrastination Getting Worse

The catch to procrastination is that it often grows upon itself. I call this progressive procrastination, although there may already be a scientific term for it that I am unaware of.

Progressive procrastination happens in two ways. First, with each task that is procrastinated, the list of projects that require attention grows. Life never stops and just because you didn’t finish cleaning out the basement doesn’t mean that your small business taxes won’t come due until you are done. Rather, your taxes and basement are now both on the list and procrastinating on either one simply moves it further down (or up, depending on how you think about things) an ever growing list.

At a certain point, the list becomes unmanageable. Shortly thereafter, it becomes a fantasy. A list with thirty long-term, do them now, tasks is simply not reasonable. At this point, the average ADDer takes one of three roads:

Keep adding to the list. — All of the tasks are real and need to be done, so there is no need to remove them from the list.
Start over — If a list isn’t realistic, then it makes sense to make one that is.
Try to “do better” — The list is a personal failure that can be fixed by self-improvement or improving how things are done. At this point, yours truly invents a new organizational system, or better yet, spends hours online researching all possible organizational methods including trying to find special ADD calendars, ADHD organizers, or other ADD management systems.

The problem with all three of these methods is that they set up the ADDer for more failure in the future.

Method one ensures that the list will never be done and that one will never feel the satisfaction of completing the list. Without the reward feedback of the feeling of accomplishment on a job well done, the mind not only fails to construct motivational pathways that may lead to success in the future, it lets those that sit unused wither away.

Method two may lead to the completion of the list, but it might be nothing more than a hollow victory. Most people with ADD are introspective from years of asking questions about why things seem to work differently in themselves than in others. They are not easily fooled into taking pride in accomplishing a “dumbed down” list of tasks. Furthermore, the tasks that were dropped from the list are further embedded in the psyche as “unimportant” or “delay-able”. After all, if they were dropped from the list in the first place, how important can they really be?

Method three is, of course, simply more procrastination. No organizational system in the world makes a list of necessary functions smaller. In fact, the time spent creating, developing, or finding the perfect ADD organizer may add to the growing list of procrastinated tasks because that time is not being used to complete other items before they fall onto the “to-do list”. In other words, if your list is long because you forgot you needed to do those things, then by all means, find a better organizational system to suit your ADD. On the other hand, if you can recite that list backwards and forwards because certain things have been on it for so long, you don’t need a new system, you need to do some of the things on the list.

I wish I had a great solution, but I suffer from progressive procrastination myself.

I’ll offer two tidbits in hopes that they may bring enough boost that we can make progress.

You always overestimate your willingness to do something later. — This is that “I don’t really feel up to it, so I’ll do it when I feel better about it,” excuse. It is a lie. If you have a killer headache and don’t want to do something noisy, that makes sense. To see if you are fooling yourself however, go do one of the quiet things on your list. If you won’t do that either, then the problem isn’t your headache. What can be helpful here is knowing, in advance, that you are lying to yourself. That way when you hear it in your head, you know it is a lie. Don’t let that pass. Be offended, just like you would be if someone else lied to you. That indignation may be just enough to keep yourself from believing that you will feel like doing it later, because you and I and your brain know that you won’t.
Procrastination is a pretty girl (or boy) lying because they can get away with it. — Have you ever noticed how sweet the little voice in your head is when it wants to procrastinate? “Oh, don’t worry. You work fast. You can get it done later. You always do.” Now see that pretty little voice batting its eyes at you with its bald faced flattery. Picture that smug little smile that says, “it worked before and it will work again. You are nothing but putty in my hands.” Procrastination always gets its way by being sweet and manipulative. “I know you have that big project due, but it won’t take long to help me with this video game. Come on. You know you want to.” — Trust me. If you picture that pretty girl or pretty boy who always got away with everything just because they were pretty and always sweetly lying their way into getting what they wanted, you’ll despise that little procrastination voice in your head and do the opposite just to spite it. The trick is making yourself see it, because when you don’t want to, the voice will sound a lot more like the truth. Good flattery always does.

What are your tricks for avoiding progressive procrastination? How long do they usually work for you before you have to regroup?

Vyvanse Side Effects in Plain English

Written by ADDer 53 Comments

As you know, I started taking Vyvanse a few days ago instead of my usual Adderall (generic) prescription for ADD/ADHD. I am already hitting some of the Vyvanse side effects.

The generic name of Vyvanse is lisdexamfetamine, but the company still has a few years left on its patent, so there is no Vyvanse generic yet. The most common dosages are Vyvanse 30 mg, and Vyvanse 40 mg, but there are 70 mg capsules for those who are prescribed more. Obviously, you can also take two pills to achieve higher-doses of Vyvanse.

Curiously, Vyvanse is also used to treat Binge Eating Disorder, or BED. This is a side-effect of Vyvanse where it reduces your appetite. The theory is that if you are not hungry, then you won’t binge eat. I suppose that depends a lot on what triggers your binge eating… whether it is just hunger, or another stimulus like stress.

Vyvanse Side Effects In Male Adults

As an adult male with ADD, I like to know exactly what I am putting in my body. I don’t just take the recommendation of a doctor or therapist who may, or may not, have the same beliefs and concerns as I do regarding things like medication and their effects on my body. Therefore, I have been reading up on Vyvanse, including all of the government sanctioned warnings, and the company’s legal disclaimers and comments. Buried in all of this legalize is a list of vyvanse side effects.

Fortunately, complex analysis and reading detailed technical documents is what I do for a living, so I am able to wade through this mumbo-jumbo.

Unfortunately, not everyone is able or willing to do this. To help out parents of kids with ADHD, and adults who have ADHD themselves, I have put together a non-scientific, non-technical jargon filled, summary of what the various parts of medical information sheets and side effect warnings typically mean. Note that in the official materials there are no separate notices for the vyvanse side effects in females versus the vyvanse side effects in males. There are some different vyvanse side effect in child though, mostly the warnings that it may increase suicide in kids under 18-years old.

One piece of good news is that you don’t have to take Vyvanse with food, so you can just pop it in your mouth when you first wake up.

You can also check out my review of how Vyvanse works for adult ADD here.

Understanding Prescription Information and Medical Jargon

See your Medication Guide or talk to your doctor or pharmacist about any warnings or drug interaction precautions.

Vyvanse Side Effects in Females

As is often the case with ADHD medication, there are no studies that separately account for how Vyvanse side effects in women will differ from those in men, other than referencing some women only issues regarding reproductive biology.

Vyvanse Side Effect Summary – Understandable Version

The information presented here is NOT medical advice.

This summary is intended to be used in conjunction with a doctor’s advice. Discuss all information with your doctor prior to making any changes in your medications or care.

Vyvanse is derived from some of the same components as Adderall. Just like Adderall, Vyvanse is a nervous system stimulant. As such, many of the Vyvanse side effects are similar to those of Adderall.

The most common side effects of Vyvanse are dry mouth, trouble sleeping, decreased appetite and nausea.

For some people Vyvanse causes weight loss, although like Adderall weight loss, Vyvanse weight loss isn’t really caused by the drug; it is caused by the decreased appetite side effect.

Vyvanse can make it so you don’t feel hungry, and therefore do not eat as often, or as much as you would normally.

Not eating so much is what makes you lose weight, not taking Vyvanse. In other words, if you eat just as much as you normally would while taking Vyvanse, you will not lose weight. Vyvanse does not speed up your metabolism.

The other common side effects listed on the medical information sheet are dizziness, diarrhea, irritability, and upper belly pain. These side effects are probably actually telling you something else, rather than being straight side effects.

Belly pain is probably a symptom that your stomach doesn’t handle medication well. Chances are you are also one of the unlucky people whose stomach is upset by aspirin or Tylenol. If that is the case, your only choice is to put up with it, or try something else.

Vyvanse makes you poop more for many people. Having to poop more often, or urgently, comes from stimulating the muscles that control your bowels.

For many people, the upset stomach comes from too much acid. You can try taking your medication with more water than usual, or perhaps with some milk, or with food, unless your doctor or pharmacist says otherwise.

Do not take your ADD-ADHD meds with orange juice. Orange juice speeds up the absorption of some medications including Vyvanse and Adderall making their distribution into your system uneven. You don’t want a sudden rush of Vyvanse pumped into yoru system.

Maybe You Don’t Have ADD ADHD

As always, consult with your doctor or other practitioner before making any decisions.

If your Vyvanse (or Adderall, or Ritalin) prescription makes you dizzy, lightheaded, buzzy, jumpy, agitated, or skittish, then perhaps your dosage is too high. Talk with your doctor, psychiatrist, or therapist about trying a lower dose.

If you are already taking a very lose dose, or even the minimum possible dose, there is another possibility you should consider. Maybe you don’t have ADD after all. Here is how to tell if you don’t have ADD ADHD.

ADHD Rabbit Holes

Written by ADDer 3 Comments

Being distracted easily is the number one symptom of ADHD. The, “Squirrel!” ADHD meme takes the easy distraction concept to its absurd end. However, it turns out that not just us ADD-ers get distracted online and fall into a never ending series of clicks, and opens, and reading.

My wife has started using the expression, “down that rabbit hole,” as a way to say, getting sidetracked by something that and taking a long amount of time to get all the way to the end of the path your original distraction sent you on. One of the keys to managing ADHD is seeing ADD rabbit holes before you venture too far down the path.

ADD Rabbit Holes

Examples are often better than descriptions. This particular article is actually one of my ADD rabbit holes (I’m supposed to be writing about IOT security). I figured I would minimize this particular distraction by trying to quickly document the rabbit holes my ADHD mind tries to send me on as I work.

Writing an article about ADHD rabbit holes
- I prefer ADD to ADHD, but ADHD is the official acronym and ADD can be confused with add — like in math– so I should really just embrace the whole ADHD thing
- Do I really not have an ADD vs ADHD article on this website to link to? — You know what I should write?
- (OK, I’m back. I started a draft, wrote 383 words, and picked stock photography before I was able to pull myself back to THIS article, which is already a rabbit hole!)
I bet I could make better stock photography for rabbit holes…
Figuring out if my SSL WordPress plugin is really doing what it is supposed to
Figuring out why my AMP plugin throws off so many errors
- Is it the Genesis WordPress theme?
- If so, should I find a new WordPress theme
- What about that webhost that does WordPress specifically…
Did I remember to hit publish on my Stash vs Acorns review article.
Are my free SSL certificates still working
- Does it matter
I like this song. Maybe I would like this band… the Banners… or is it just this song? “Someone To You” — I should Sticky Note the name and listen to them later… or I could add them to a playlist…
Why does my PC STILL have Runtime Broker using up so much memory all the time… does it actually matter now that I’ve upgrade to SSD and my computer is plenty fast enough…
How to save an email to OneNote — just copy and paste it. You already know how to do that, and you can keep going…
I should add an ADHD Life category to this website…
I wonder if my opening a 529 article needs updated for the new year…
- Geez. Nerdwallet really crushes the search rankings for finance terms… I should check out their site and see what they are doing…
WAIT! Where is that list of rabbit holes I was logging?

ADHD Distraction Rabbit Holes Continue!

How about this tweet from 3 days later?

When your ‘What Is Bitcoin’ article was written in 2015, and sorely needs updated, but that isn’t what you are doing today. NO DISTRACTIONS! (Wait, capital or not… let’s check the AP Stylebook…) -> What Is Bitcoin Is It Worth It? https://financegourmet.com/blog/personal-finance/bitcoin-worth/
twitter.com/ArcticLlama

Or how about Microsoft Edge asking for an update. A quick click and its done, except…

There are new themes you can use for Microsoft Edge. It won’t hurt to look at them… I wonder how they get put together… could I make make my own Microsoft Edge theme?…

Yeah, it’s been 25 minutes. That’s not even a bad rabbit hole for me.

You can bet that I’ll come back and add more to this list of rabbit holes… probably when I’m on an important deadline and am supposed to be working on paying projects for a freelance client.

What are your rabbit holes? Do you have a better term for those distractions where the bottom seems to fall away from you?

(This article really needs a how to snap out of ADHD rabbit holes section, but I just snapped out of this rabbit hole after seeing the clock and panicking… I’ll be back…)

Interesting update for me: I recently got a Fitbit. It has this slightly irritating feature where 10 minutes before the hour it reminds you of how many steps you still need during that particular hour in order to reach 250 steps. It turns out this helps when you are down a rabbit hole. The buzzing on your wrist reminds you that there are only 10 minutes left in the hour, and you realize, you aren’t using the hour for the productive task you meant to be using the hour for.

I wonder if setting additional buzzers would work. The danger, as always, is that the ADHD mind will begin to ignore “usual” stimulus in favor of new stimulus…. BTW, learning how to set new buzzers and setting them up would be another rabbit hole, but fortunately, I saw that one coming.

Quick ADD Distraction Rabbit Holes Can Be the Most Dangerous

Back to work.

Except, I’m supposed to be writing an article about claiming the Education Credit on your taxes, but I noticed my WordPress theme needs updated.

I’ve been hacking the theme function with one change on every update.
I could do that again in minutes, but…
I’m really supposed to be doing a child theme…
I could do that in 30 minutes, but…
I could just redo what I have if I learned Elementor better…
Or I could wait for Gutenberg updates that are supposed to allow for similar functionality…
Wasn’t I going to try and join in the open source by chasing down some bugs in order to build skills, reputation, and maybe connect better with the WordPress community
Ahhhhhggggghhhhhhggghhh! (How do other people type the sound of falling for a long time… Ack! Another rabbit hole….)

Choosing a playlist for Spotify to block out the side of spouse’s zoom calls.
Switching to whitenoise generator… picking exact white noise I want….

More Rabbit Holes!

Oh, yes. With my ADD I fall into plenty of rabbit holes. The extra trouble I get in as an adult with ADHD is that sometimes the rabbit holes happen when I’m in “hyperfocus mode”. When you fall into a rabbit hole during hyper-focus with ADHD, it is tough to climb back up, mostly because you don’t even realize you’ve fallen. You are just focusing on the rabbit hole now.

Microsoft Clarity – it’s a new webmaster tool from Microsoft. It does some intriguing things like heatmaps and recordings of user sessions. I set it up for one website a few weeks ago and an email prompted me to check it out. I not only rabbit-holed looking at all the new data, I continued to rabbit hole by traipsing off to set it up on my other websites. — I’m SUPPOSED to be answering emails during this “brief break” in my online training. Gah! — Oh, and by the way, guess what would make a great article for my computing/business/marketing website? Microsoft Clarity! Into the notebook it goes.

A new one! Aggh!

Build Brian Had Cancer instead of writing a review for Best Hubris, which bumped a review I was supposed to write for this very ADHD blog. Oh the irony!

And, on some other day…

I get Facebook posts from CSU (Colorado State University) Surplus, but it’s all the way up in Ft. Collins.
What if CU (University of Colorado) has a surplus website.
Near as I can tell, they don’t have the same kind of thing, but they do apparently have auctions
Which are done either through GovDeals.com…
or dickensheet.com
Scrolling through dickensheet.com I don’t see any CU auctions but…
there are some coins up for auction…
do I still collect coins…
is there any chance you could buy these below their actual value…
Why is the high bid $100 for this particular lot…
Wait! I’m supposed to be working — Gah!!!!