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Surprising ADHD research finds greater life demands linked to reduced
symptoms
https://www.psypost.org/surprising-adhd-research-finds-greater-life-d...
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|u/kheret - 2 hours
|
|Anecdotally, I’ve had multiple friends with PhDs diagnosed recently,
|they masked really well during the chaos of grad school and it helped
|that their research was their “special interest.” Only settling into the
|normal job routine did they identify the problem.


  |u/SarryK - 2 hours
  |
  |My anecdote is similar:  I didn‘t pursue a PhD, but I fell apart after
  |getting my Master‘s and got diagnosed as a consequence.  I feel like
  |adhd makes me experience Newton‘s first law of motion a lot more
  |intensely. The more I do, the more I can do. Juggling that with the
  |threat of burnout is the tough part.


    |u/Zerothian - 2 hours
    |
    |The sense of urgency is something I've come to realise really
    |alleviates, or maybe rather works around my symptoms. If I have for
    |example some meeting presentations or notes I need to have ready one
    |week from now; I will bounce off the task constantly for 6 days and
    |absolutely laser focus grind it out on the last day.   Essentially
    |if a task isn't urgently required to be complete then my mind
    |doesn't just shift it down in priority vs other things, it
    |completely deprioritises it all together until it doesn't exist.


      |u/SarryK - 1 hour
      |
      |Absolutely. I ended up creating stress and emergencies
      |unconsciously because it was the only way I‘d somewhat function.
      |It‘s no way to live.


        |u/aitorbk - 1 hour
        |
        |It is how I live.  I have found some ways around it, but never a
        |truly good way of fixing myself.  I hope you are doing better.
        |Smaller, closer tasks helps me, as it creates that urgency.


      |u/GimmeSomeSugar - 1 hour
      |
      |Before diagnosis I was looking into a lot of things around
      |procrastination.       A key thing I picked up is "concrete vs
      |abstract". A great skill to develop is when I think "I'm going to
      |do this thing" to quickly push to "Do what? And how? By taking
      |what steps? And by when?"         Of course, the problem is, that
      |me setting my own deadlines for the "when" is meaningless. That
      |pressure has to be external.


        |u/SllortEvac - 1 hour
        |
        |I totally agree, anecdotally. Without a hard deadline set by
        |someone else, I waffle all attempts at self-structuring. In
        |times of crisis at work though I am the person who gets the
        |workload


      |u/ilski - 1 hour
      |
      |I agree with the urgency and I have it very similar. 


    |u/GimmeSomeSugar - 1 hour
    |
    |>Juggling that with the threat of burnout is the tough part.  This
    |is it.  My personal, and therefore very anecdotal, experience is
    |cyclical. Get a handle on symptoms, perhaps aligning with ADHD
    |motivators, see progress for a time. That's the peak. Then comes the
    |trough when I effectively burn out for a while. But, of course,
    |telling your manager "I need to take it easy for a while" doesn't
    |really go over all that well in the workplace.  The thing I look for
    |in these types of studies is how to differentiate between
    |masking+management, and genuine remission (to repeat the word used
    |in the article). I searched the article, I don't think masking is
    |mentioned once.


    |u/domesticbland - 1 hour
    |
    |I refer to myself that exact way. If I stop it’s game over. Since
    |working from home I’ve found it easier to get around, but the moment
    |I’m free I put my shoes on. Game changer right there.


      |u/rGuile - 1 hour
      |
      |I just discovered this myself, when I’m trying to be productive at
      |home, putting my shoes on tends to be a fantastic incentive to get
      |me started.


    |u/shannah-kay - 1 hour
    |
    |Yep did perfectly fine even through university and then hit the wall
    |hard when I had less demands. Now I basically have a schedule where
    |I'm constantly moving 24/7 and honestly it's helped me so much. Less
    |brain fog and I feel so much more fulfilled


    |u/Johnnygunnz - 2 hours
    |
    |So now that you're diagnosed, what have been the steps to help you?
    |Medication or therapy or something?


      |u/SarryK - 1 hour
      |
      |All of the above help tremendously. Even just the fact of knowing
      |helps alleviate the internalised shame.  Knowing that my failures
      |are not just due to my laziness, stupidity, etc. Percentages vary
      |across sources, but the risk of comorbid depression appears
      |undisputed. Understandably, in my opinion.


  |u/Laprasy - 1 hour
  |
  |Yeah, this is me. Had it my whole life, never diagnosed or medicated.
  |Was able to manage and sometimes even thrive until chaos reached an
  |apex recently…now it feels like I’m falling apart. The structure of
  |classes helped, the dissertation was tough though because it’s a
  |lonely process and I was the only limiting step, but somehow I got
  |through it. I wrote two of three papers in the three months before I
  |defended my PhD with superhuman efficiency brought about by last
  |minute panic..such is ADHD


  |u/sofaking_scientific - 1 hour
  |
  |Phd here and got diagnosed as an adult. I kept busy, followed my
  |interests and leaned into tactics that worked for me. Still thriving


  |u/burkieim - 33 minutes
  |
  |This is called being twice exceptional. It basically means that their
  |level of intelligence has been able to “outperform “ the adhd. There
  |is usually a point where stuff just kinda falls apart. They made it
  |really far in brain power alone.   If they look back over their life
  |there are probably clear signs, but because they were so smart they
  |slipped through the cracks


  |u/lem0nhe4d - 1 hour
  |
  |And this is why I'm working on my third college degree in a third
  |unrelated field.   Never need to settle down if I'm constantly working
  |on a new course.


  |u/Newfaceofrev - 54 minutes
  |
  |Mine went craaaazy while I was on furlough from work.


  |u/iridescent-shimmer - 1 minute
  |
  |I didn't get a phd, but this was my exact situation from graduating
  |undergrad into the workforce. Finally got on medication and I've been
  |able to be successful since then (just got promoted.) But, when work
  |travel stopped during covid, it became really obvious.


  |u/MediocrePotato44 - 39 minutes
  |
  |I’m a grad student with ADHD, this is absolutely not the case for some
  |of us. 


|u/nokeyblue - 2 hours
|
|Im nor sure if I have ADHD but I definitely function better when there's
|outside pressure and *stuff* to do that I understand *needs doing.* As
|soon as that is over, I go floppy and useless.


  |u/ilski - 1 hour
  |
  |Wow.   That's it.  Feeling of urgency is gone and putting away tasks
  |start. 


  |u/YouCanCallMeJR - 12 minutes
  |
  |I’m the same. When there’s nothing at stake? Meh.   This is serious?
  |Time sensitive? Undivided attention.


  |u/SixicusTheSixth - 2 minutes
  |
  |I've always been like that. Not sure I have ADHD either. But I'm
  |definitely an "action" human.


|u/TA2556 - 2 hours
|
|Higher life demands = more stress  Stress response = Release of dopamine
|I'm a first responder and the overwhelming majority of our department (a
|large, county-based 911 EMS system) has, or has at one time been told,
|they have ADHD.   A high-demand, high-stress environment is where a lot
|of us thrive because of this. A life with greater demands causing a
|decrease in symptoms doesn't surprise me!


  |u/HappilySisyphus_ - 1 hour
  |
  |Yeah, I am an ER doc with ADHD and it’s a cliché that all of us have
  |it.


  |u/axisleft - 1 hour
  |
  |I spent a year deployed to a very kinetic area of E. Afghanistan in
  |2009. Combat was one of the only few times in my life where I really
  |was able to think clearly. The other times were when my wife was
  |having seizures. I can think super clearly in a crisis. Absolutely not
  |the context of my regular humdrum existence. I have suspected that I
  |subconsciously create a ton of chaos in my personal life because
  |that’s really the only state where I truly feel like myself.


  |u/MediocrePotato44 - 38 minutes
  |
  |Not all people with ADHD have low dopamine, that’s why there’s a
  |segment of us who don’t tolerate stimulants well. 


    |u/TA2556 - 35 minutes
    |
    |Not all, but a large majority. Some don't tolerate stimulants well
    |because they have a combination of disorders. For instance, my ADHD
    |gets better with Stimulant use, but my OCD symptoms become
    |significantly worse.


      |u/angrybirdseller - 19 minutes
      |
      |Yep, I qustioning study for this reason?


  |u/KarenTheCockpitPilot - 2 hours
  |
  |doesn't trauma link to Adhd symptoms even though im pretty sure adhd
  |is not something you develop? if you're flooded with high stress
  |circumstances during crucial brain development it's gonna act as ADHD
  |later. so idk how it's distinguished


    |u/rGuile - 1 hour
    |
    |ADHD is genetic, but traumatic experiences and a troubled childhood
    |can certainly bring on it’s onset and exacerbate symptoms.


    |u/Chuggerbomb - 1 hour
    |
    |The trauma that's linked to ADHD isn't emotional trauma, it's
    |referring to traumatic brain injuries.


      |u/KarenTheCockpitPilot - 1 hour
      |
      |by link i mean more the symptoms are almost exactly the same and
      |indistinguishable except by many many years of trial and error and
      |therapy it seems?


        |u/Chuggerbomb - 1 hour
        |
        |I wouldn't say that's the case necessarily.  The problem is that
        |"childhood trauma" can present in so many different ways for so
        |many different people, but if it's causing serious problems
        |later in life then that would be more under the umbrella of post
        |traumatic stress disorder.  One of the diagnostic criteria for
        |ADHD is that it's been going on since childhood (i.e. if you
        |developed it later in life it's probably not ADHD) and that the
        |symptoms are not due to any other condition (i.e. not if
        |everything you're experiencing could more accurately be
        |explained by PTSD)  It's not a trial and error thing or a
        |therapy thing, it's something that is decided via assessment
        |with a psychiatrist.


          |u/KarenTheCockpitPilot - 1 hour
          |
          |the thing im going through right now is if I have cptsd, or
          |had high stress during childhood, then ADHD symptoms I had
          |during childhood could be ADHD or PTSD. although i certainly
          |have trauma, it doesn't mean it's not ADHD. i think the
          |conclusion that both my psychiatrist and therapist have rn is
          |that for rn I'm just going to initally treat it as ADHD until
          |gradually proven otherwise. So there's no real purpose of a
          |distinction in my mind, it's more just playing along with what
          |symptoms improve based on what we do.    So although the
          |definitions are pretty set in stone (in a lot of psychiatry)
          |it seems in actuality it's more like we are just modelling
          |things into more black and white ways than is actually true
          |and changing the model as we understand them.      which is
          |confusing to me as a non psychologist. it feels very
          |unstructured in how to untangle it besides just waiting it out


            |u/Chuggerbomb - 1 hour
            |
            |That's one of the dirty little secrets of medicine. There
            |isn't always a right answer, and there's more than one way
            |to skin a cat. It comes down to the professional judgment of
            |your psychiatrist.  Some trial and error can have a place in
            |that, but if you have concurrent diagnosis of PTSD you'd be
            |a more complex case.  Talk to your psychiatrist about it,
            |ask them to explain their current reasoning. They should be
            |happy to walk you through their thoughts.


|u/proudream1 - 1 hour
|
|Hmm yea that works for a short time, but it’s very stressful and leads
|to burn out in the long run. It’s not a solution… I know from experience


  |u/MediocrePotato44 - 35 minutes
  |
  |Thank you for finally bringing this comment and I’m surprised it’s not
  |higher. I have AdHD, am in grad school, work almost full time and gave
  |children. I’m so burnt out it’s not even funny. More to do has been an
  |absolutely horrible thing for my ADHD. Because I’m constantly late
  |with everything and having something constantly hanging over my head,
  |constantly feeling like a failure, my anxiety is so sky high and
  |constant. It must be lovely to be one of those ADHDers who do better
  |with things like meds or a rigorous schedule. 


    |u/ZeeHedgehog - 5 minutes
    |
    |You are not a failure. You are just a mediocre potato, and that's
    |okay. Just do the best you can, and don't be afraid to ask for help
    |if you are feeling burned out.


  |u/Media-consumer101 - 8 minutes
  |
  |This. According to my psychiatrist I was very high functioning for
  |someone with so many severe ADHD symptomes. I just shrugged when they
  |said that during my diagnoses.   I then ramped up the stress some more
  |because 'That's when I do my best work'. And then within a year I was
  |completely run down. I suffered from headaches, anxiety, daily panic
  |attacks, all sorts of terrible stress related health issues like
  |infections and trouble breathing. I had a mental breakdown so bad I
  |lay in a dark room for weeks while my parents took care of me. I
  |couldn't tolerate sound or light. All I could do was cry and sleep.
  |Turns out, I was straight up living on stress for years and it
  |completely ruined my body and mind. I am literally building my life
  |from scratch now and being confronted with all the harm I've done by
  |using stress as my main coping mechanism is... honestly horrifying.


  |u/katheb - 1 hour
  |
  |Surprised your comment is not higher.


|u/mvea - 2 hours
|
|I’ve linked to the news release in the post above. In this comment, for
|those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:
|https://www.psychiatrist.com/jcp/fluctuating-adhd-multimodal-treatment-
|of-adhd-mta-study/  From the linked article:   Surprising ADHD research
|finds greater life demands linked to reduced symptoms  A long-term study
|has shed new light on how attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
|(ADHD) changes over time, finding that most individuals experience
|alternating periods of symptom remission and recurrence rather than a
|static course of persistent symptoms. The research, published in the
|Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, suggests that ADHD is not a simple
|condition that either resolves or persists but one that often fluctuates
|depending on life circumstances and other factors.  The study also shed
|light on the role of environmental demands in shaping ADHD symptoms.
|Participants were more likely to experience remission during periods of
|higher environmental demands, such as taking on significant
|responsibilities at work, school, or home. This counterintuitive finding
|suggests that structured, demanding environments may help some
|individuals with ADHD manage their symptoms more effectively, possibly
|by providing external motivation or structure.


  |u/Wwwwwwhhhhhhhj - 1 hour
  |
  |Also as someone’s comment pointed out:  “The initial publication I
  |read showed the authors stating that they can't know if this means
  |people with less severe ADHD are more likely to achieve greater
  |demands, or if greater demands lessen symptoms.   They also followed
  |children diagnosed with ADHD-C, which isn't the only presentation.
  |Other studies have also shown that about 1/3 or children experience
  |remission of symptoms in adulthood, which is another compounding
  |factor.“  I keep seeing this study on here too and it’s always with a
  |dumb title that implies correlation equals causation.


|u/Blammo25 - 2 hours
|
|That's interesting because every time I've had a vacation or a few days
|off I would just get stuck in procrastination hell.


|u/UnidentifiedBlobject - 1 hour
|
|Yeah for me but I also get much higher stress and anxiety and I hate
|it. 


  |u/bluesharpies - 1 hour
  |
  |It’s a bummer that the version of myself that can fly through a list
  |of tasks is “gated” behind feeling almost but not quite overwhelmed :/


|u/kingawsume - 2 hours
|
|Anecdotally, it's a lot easier to kick yourself in the rear when you can
|feel the compactor starting to squeeze you. When I finally moved out I
|realized I didn't know what I was going to do when I woke uo every
|morning. I managed myself a lot better when I was still taking classes.


|u/Kjaamor - 2 hours
|
|Sometimes I feel like ADHD swallowed a previous diagnosis called ADHD.
|My ADHD patients back in the day didn't improve in such circumstances,
|but many of the people I meet in public these days with ADHD or
|"undiagnosed ADHD" seem to experience exactly what is described here.
|Trying to slow the popularisation of modern ADHD is a fool's game, but I
|think we need to create a new diagnosis for all those people with old
|ADHD who might be left behind by these definitions.


  |u/luciferin - 2 hours
  |
  |I think this is the 3rd time I've seen the study reported on. Every
  |time it seems to less of an explanation in the article. The initial
  |publication I read showed the authors stating that they can't know if
  |this means people with less severe ADHD are more likely to achieve
  |greater demands, or if greater demands lessen symptoms.    They also
  |followed children diagnosed with ADHD-C, which isn't the only
  |presentation. Other studies have also shown that about 1/3 or children
  |experience remission of symptoms in adulthood, which is another
  |compounding factor.    If anyone reads this and thinks "this person
  |with ADHD doesn't need medication, therapy, etc. They're just not
  |doing enough" then it would be a really damaging interpretation.


    |u/ChronoPsyche - 1 hour
    |
    |I have ADHD inattentive type and this article really resonates with
    |me. I work at a tech startup and last year I had a boss that was
    |very demanding and gave us so much work I constantly had to work 60
    |hours a week to not fall behind. During this time, I was extremely
    |productive and felt like my symptoms were practically zero.
    |Eventually he was replaced with a more sane manager who would ensure
    |we never had to work more than 40 hours a week and as a result I am
    |now struggling to even work 30, as my symptoms are flaring.  The key
    |thing to note is that during this whole time I have been taking ADHD
    |medication. If I was not on ADHD medication, the more demanding work
    |would not have helped my symptoms as I would never have been capable
    |of starting in the first place.  So the way I interpreted this
    |article is this is a potential way to help further alleviate
    |symptoms if you are already using established methods and they are
    |not getting you 100% of the way there. Definitely, I don't think
    |anyone is suggesting that lots of hard work alone is a treatment.
    |But I can see how someone without ADHD could misinterpret this to
    |think "oh they just need to work more, they don't need medication".
    |I agree, that would be damaging, especially since it aligns with a
    |popular misconception of ADHD people being lazy.


      |u/luciferin - 1 hour
      |
      |I also have inattentive type, but I only started medication a few
      |days ago. I've never experienced the lack of symptoms medication
      |has given me before in my life.  And the worst time in my life was
      |when I was attending college and working two full time jobs, with
      |a 2 hour commute throughout the day.


        |u/ChronoPsyche - 1 hour
        |
        |Yes, exactly. I never experienced the lack of symptoms either
        |prior to taking medication. I did not even know the level of
        |focus I got from medication was even possible, let alone
        |something most experienced regularly. Over a few years the
        |effectiveness gradually reduced to the point where it still is
        |very effective compared to no medicine, but not 100% anymore.
        |That's where keeping busy with work that feels important to me
        |really helps. But that's just me. Not everyone is going to
        |experience things the same.


  |u/Theboat13 - 2 hours
  |
  |That’s interesting. What would you say the differences are in your
  |opinion?


  |u/ChronoPsyche - 2 hours
  |
  |ADD used to be used to describe those with inattentive symptoms but
  |now ADHD is used to describe both, with a hyperactive type, an
  |inattentive type, and a mixed type. You speak as if you are a doctor
  |so it's surprising you don't know this.  I am ADHD inattentive type,
  |and this article describes me perfectly. It sounds like you are
  |thinking of the hyperactive type. "Back in the day" I would have been
  |diagnosed with ADD.   They put all the types under the same umbrella
  |term "ADHD" with the new understanding that inattentive vs hyperactive
  |are just different manifestations of the same underlying disease.


  |u/Loeffellux - 42 minutes
  |
  |isn't that just a matter of severity?   For example: the aspect of
  |your symptoms vanishing when you experience "urgency" is just your
  |executive disorder being bad enough that you don't function properly
  |under normal conditions but not bad enough that it fails to at the
  |very least register the urgency from increased stakes.  This means
  |that there will also be people who have such a severe case of ADHD
  |that not only does their executive dysfunction become apparent under
  |normal conditions but that not even high-stakes situations manage to
  |properly "register".  This would also explain the difference between
  |"old" and "new" adhd. Because when the condition was less recognised
  |it makes sense that the vast majority of people who do end up with a
  |diagnosis are the kinds of people who have very severe and "obvious"
  |cases. Especially since it's been thought of as a problem that becomes
  |apparent in school and people who have "mild" adhd are better at
  |getting by because cramming at the last second is a decent enought
  |approach to getting decent enough results.  And nowadays, people are
  |able to recognise the symptoms and get a proper diagnosis despite not
  |having such extreme symptoms. Also it would follow that the super
  |severe cases are rarer than those of people whose quality of life does
  |get affected but just not as much as these other more severe cases.
  |Though that's just a guess. Would be interesting to hear your
  |perspective on this


|u/Boundish91 - 1 hour
|
|Is it possible to have adhd without the hyperactivity?  I see almost all
|the other symptoms in myself except that.


  |u/sorped - 1 hour
  |
  |ADD, Attention Deficit Disorder. Nowadays ADHD is used as a bit of an
  |umbrella term for both ADHD and ADD and their variants.


|u/AnxietyJello - 2 hours
|
|That's really interesting.  I do wonder if it could sometimes also just
|could go the other way? I mean that a temporary reduction in the
|severity of symptoms allows for successful higher environmental demands?
|Either way I'm sure that other people with ADHD also aren't surprised
|that we (sometimes/often) perform better under pressure or demand then
|without it. Especially if it's related to a topic that just naturally
|interests us in some way.


|u/thekazooyoublew - 1 hour
|
|Thriving in unsustainable conditions was indeed a confusing memory, as i
|reappraised my moments from the reality of total burnout.


|u/Harm101 - 1 hour
|
|I don't know if the phrase, "greater life demands", is the best
|interpretation of this. It sounds like we need to be in a perpetual
|struggle in life in order to function better, rather than the more
|prudent point of being well-suited for temporary busy or challenging
|situations. That is to say, for example, I'm good at dealing with
|certain stressful situations where decision-making needs to be made
|quickly, but not so much when there's a overhanging burden - for the
|lack of a better word - over long periods of time. For such situations,
|there's no extra dopamine to be had and quite possibly a thing that will
|contribute to the symptoms.


|u/turquoisebee - 1 hour
|
|I think an additional question js whether they’re accomplishing their
|actual goals, or if midlife is just being piled on them?


|u/Loose_Perception_928 - 2 hours
|
|Yeah this checks our for me. I don't really resonate with a lot of
|comments I see from people here with some obviously common  ADHD
|behaviours. I've had a lot of responsibilities my whole life, and
|failure was not a luxury I could ever afford. So I've always just gotten
|it done. Despite my problems of which I have many, my life has turned
|out pretty good. I've made a great career and have a beautiful wife and
|kids. I'm supposed to start meds for the first time in the next month or
|so. I'm over 40.


|u/KarenTheCockpitPilot - 2 hours
|
|YES. idk if i have adhd but i have recently diagnosed as it symptoms
|wise. and it's rn a struggle to sometimes to find exactly HOW to add
|something in a 'just enough' way where it has to be actually
|*overstimulating* enough to be mentally engrossing but not pass the
|cutoff that suddenly makes it require too much energy for how much
|dopamine it needs for my body to actually do it. it makes me feel like a
|sensitive baby to myself i really hate it atm   but maybe everyone goes
|through this in life? idk


|u/meloncholyofswole - 1 hour
|
|i have been saying this my entire life. unlimited freetime and no
|obligations is the fastest path to insanity(uncontrollable adhd) and
|usually when everything falls apart for me.


|u/H_Industries - 1 hour
|
|Russell Barkley talks about this as well but my experience is that with
|ADHD all problems fall into 2 categories. stuff that needs to be done
|right now and stuff that needs to be done “someday”.   In my experience
|the more systems and habits I can introduce to trick my brain into
|making tasks “right now” I SEEM like a highly organized person. But
|relevant to the article all it takes is a a couple small changes and all
|those systems and coping mechanisms fall apart sometimes for long
|extended periods of time.  As an example whenever I move my life falls
|apart for a few weeks because I have to build all new routines and
|habits.   And issues can feedback both positively and negatively as
|well. Getting off my routine can  mean I don’t sleep well, which makes
|me tired, which makes my sleep worse, which means my symptoms are worse,
|which makes me exercise less, procrastinate my end of day tasks etc,
|which makes me sleep worse etc


|u/babar001 - 1 hour
|
|It's in the eye of the storm that they feel the most calm.


|u/DoctorLinguarum - 1 hour
|
|This tracks. adhd people sometimes function better with high demands,
|busy schedules, etc. At least, it is true for many I know (anecdotally,
|of course).


|u/Faust_8 - 1 hour
|
|It makes some sense to me, I have a perfectly normal amount of
|motivation to do things that MUST be done today.   It’s just that
|whenever that’s not the case…it won’t get done.   I never want to
|disappoint others and urgency will actually kick my Motivation Drive
|into action, so yeah, if you put deadlines on me or are depending on me,
|I’ll do it.   I just feel no motivation to do anything that’s not Fun or
|Urgent if the only person it will affect is me.


|u/passytroca - 59 minutes
|
|Two Important Points:  1. Stress and Neurotransmitter Levels in ADHD:
|Greater demands can increase stress, leading to elevated levels of
|dopamine and noradrenaline. Given ADHD symptoms are due to a lack of
|dopamine this can temporarily reduce ADHD symptoms. However, if the
|stress becomes overwhelming and there is an excess of these
|neurotransmitters in the prefrontal cortex, it can impair executive
|function, causing a return of symptoms.  2. ADHD and Intelligence:    In
|less obvious cases of ADHD, a higher IQ can lead to more sophisticated
|and efficient compensation strategies. This makes it more challenging
|for both the individual with ADHD and psychiatrists to recognize
|neurodivergence. The term “masking” is often inaccurate because many
|individuals with ADHD are unaware of these compensatory strategies,
|assuming that others use similar approaches.


|u/FreyrPrime - 55 minutes
|
|Huh.. that’s interesting. I’ve always said to myself that doing more
|things makes doing more things easier..  Like, if your only real
|responsibility is getting out of the bed in the morning then adding to
|that is going to seem overwhelming.. but if you’re already planning to
|run your ass off, a little more chaos doesn’t really change the
|equation.


|u/blueberrymuffin420 - 54 minutes
|
|As someone with adhd this isn't the least bit surprising to me haha


|u/SmallGreenArmadillo - 50 minutes
|
|This points to a workable solution. It also explains me


|u/Impressive_Till_7549 - 48 minutes
|
|Anecdotally, I sought out a diagnosis after having a couple of kids and
|becoming increasingly frustrated with my failures to do normal adulting
|stuff. Yes, I can get stuff done when it's urgent and my family depends
|on me, but, you can't attach that level of importance to everything, and
|most things are pretty boring.  It was previously "masked" because the
|consequences of procrastination or taking unnecessary risks were all my
|own. I didn't care if I destroyed my life.


|u/Miss_Might - 35 minutes
|
|Ahhh.  Is that why I like teaching children?  The chaos balances me out?


|u/lovehandlelover - 32 minutes
|
|This is not surprising at all to me.


|u/Tanmur - 27 minutes
|
|I would like to know how this goes when you have autism as well. I have
|the combined type adhd.


|u/TheNewIfNomNomNom - 22 minutes
|
|I didn't read it, but as someone currently recovering from
|unprecedented-prior-in-my-life trauma & who previously had enough, at
|least for me & my history & capacities varied experience, it depends on
|the demands.   I'm a BOSS, bam!! > * High demand reactive  * Emergencies
|* Repetitious physical &/or artistic delivering a continuous,
|incremental, or plenty enough progress & satisfaction feedback  Halp!! >
|* More than can possibly be done moral delimna heavy impossible research
|based day to day needs required overload * Competing challenging
|prioritization requiring important overdue and equal of value with
|impossible time constraint & NO light at the end of any tunnel. No
|possibility of reaching acceptability * Severe emotional stress/ lack of
|safety & solution (bullying, emotional abuse, inescapable harm)  *
|Emotional stress otherwise: unresolved challenges after method attempts
|failed; being misunderstood  I wanted to be very clear on the last two
|being separate to not conflate not combine those.


|u/angrybirdseller - 20 minutes
|
|Question are these subjects in study only have ADHD?


|u/CalamitousCorndog - 20 minutes
|
|I work in a machine shop on the weekends where I don’t have any pressure
|from higher ups but have a schedule and a quota to meet. This is
|actually pretty good for my adhd as I’m busy for my 12 hour shift but
|also lax enough where I don’t feel like people breathe down my neck
|Having 4 days off works out too. I’m a dude who is hella tidy. So I do
|the chores on my 4days off and then hit the gym.  If I have time I’ll
|cook dinner too but honestly, just having a routine really helps


|u/ligmallamasackinosis - 18 minutes
|
|Whoa  This hit like a train.  I was just thinking that I operate better
|when I have almost no time to procrastinate.  I need constant pressure.


|u/febreeze_it_away - 10 minutes
|
|Anecdotally, I used to get in trouble or make mistakes from stupid risks
|in my teens and 20s, it seemed like I was always cleaning up one mess
|and then getting into another one. One day I realized that I thrived on
|all the hardship that came with those extra challenges. I was making my
|life harder in order to cope with the depression came from my
|undiagnosed adhd.


|u/Tommonen - 8 minutes
|
|Not surpricing at all. I bet only reason people didnt know about adhd
|before, was that adhd folks got enough stimulation from life and all the
|hard work and chores, and were just seen energetic and hard working
|instead dysfunctional. They didnt have to sit in school or live in this
|sort of unsuitable environment in general.


|u/Starob - 1 hour
|
|Humans are anti-fragile, we've known this for a long time so this isn't
|surprising at all.  Being too accommodating for things that people have
|difficulties with does them a disservice.


  |u/Wwwwwwhhhhhhhj - 1 hour
  |
  |The title of this is really misleading though. The original authors
  |have stated that they can't know if this means people with less severe
  |ADHD are more likely to achieve greater demands, or if greater demands
  |lessen symptoms.   So you are confusing correlation with causation.


  |u/Wwwwwwhhhhhhhj - 1 hour
  |
  |The title of this is really misleading though. The original authors
  |have stated that they can't know if this means people with less severe
  |ADHD are more likely to achieve greater demands, or if greater demands
  |lessen symptoms.   So you are confusing correlation with causation.