Ask HN: Do I Have ADHD?
I&#x27;m not a medical professional and don&#x27;t know you. You could have ADHD. And if you went to a psych they&#x27;d probably prescribe stimulants (dexamphetamine), which are highly effective at boosting focus (being, pretty much, speed).<p>But do think hard about that route. Included in your treatment isn&#x27;t a pathway to getting off them one day, so you&#x27;ll be taking these forever basically. They have a high potential for abuse&#x2F;addiction, especially as they can become less effective over time, just like caffeine. They&#x27;re illegal in many countries (eg Japan), so you&#x27;ll have to stop taking them for a bit if you travel there. There&#x27;s also side-effects, like heart palpitations, anxiety, increase risk of heart attack&#x2F;stroke.<p>That&#x27;s not to say you shouldn&#x27;t take them. Personally I have been diagnosed with ADHD and do take stimulants (though I work hard to keep the dosage <i>very</i> low).<p>However I&#x27;d like to point out that there are many lifestyle changes you can and <i>should</i> make before you leap immediately to a ADHD diagnosis.<p><pre><code>  - Sleep. Get enough, but don&#x27;t get too much. 8 hours. Get up at the same time every single day.
  - Eat well. A healthy diet has an enormous impact on the brain.
  - Exercise. You don&#x27;t need a six pack, just go for a run in the morning or do weights a few times a week.
  - Look into dopamine detoxing. Smartphones are toxic!
  - Write down a list of tasks at the start of a work day and tick them off. Trust me, it helps.
  - Consistent schedules. Eg if you work remotely, stick to 9am-5pm. Schedule lunch time at 12pm-1pm. Of course different times might suit you better, as long as it&#x27;s consistent.
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You&#x27;ve already said that the problem started when you began gaming&#x2F;using social media. You&#x27;ve also said you&#x27;re better on days when you&#x27;ve had a good sleep, which suggests that many days you aren&#x27;t getting enough sleep. So there&#x27;s at least part of your answer right there!<p>If you have bad habits, stimulants are just a bandaid. In fact, they can lead to much worse habits, because suddenly you can sleep less, swallow a bunch of dexamphetamine and code for 12 hours. Of course you&#x27;ll probably have a heart attack when you&#x27;re 30....<p>One additional thing I&#x27;d say is consider talking to a therapist, <i>not</i> a psychiatrist. Maybe you have issues with depression, which can lead to a general lack of motivation. But either way a therapist can give you great strategies to help overcome your issues without having to resort to medication.<p>And finally, if you do end up taking stimulants, you should still be doing all the above! Sleep well, eat well, exercise, etc. There&#x27;s a reason these are cliches!<p>Good luck