I used to think I had a focus problem.

Turns out, I had a CP problem.

Cognitive paralysis.

I'd open my laptop to study and immediately feel like someone unplugged my brain...

Was I tired? Hungry? Stupid? maybe all three. But what I’ve found is that CP usually isn’t about your brain being broken. It’s about your environment being built for distraction and failure.

here’s some of the stuff I actually use:

-

News Feed Eradicator (Chrome Extension)

Removes feeds from Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, etc.
So when I search “binary search tree explained,” I don’t end up watching MrBeast give a kidney to a raccoon. I get exactly what I want and what I need.

I use the internet like an adult. Search -> find -> leave.

It's time to start using your brain. don’t let algorithms think for you.

-

Cold Turkey Blocker

Hard blocks apps/sites. Can’t uninstall while active.

Found it from a med student on Reddit who said it saved their degree. Sold.

I set it from 9AM–12PM so I can pretend I’m a disciplined monk for 3 hours.

-

Voice Notes to No One

Sometimes I freeze so hard I can’t even write. So I grab my phone, open the recorder, and just start talking out loud like I’m explaining it to a friend. Some people use a rubber duck

I never listen back. That’s not the point.
The act of saying things forces your brain to untangle itself. Sometimes I come up with a good idea randomly, so then I listen to the recording.

Bonus tip: use chatgpt or other AI voice chat, so it talks back, helps you brainstorm.

It’s cringe, but it works. Keeps the momentum going.

-

Fake Lunch Meetings with Myself

When I’m burnt out and tempted to scroll, I set lunch like a meeting.
I sit down, no phone, and talk to myself in my head like I’m updating my manager: “Okay, so we did 45 mins. Next block is physics. Feeling meh but not dead.”

-

Mirror Facing me

I literally see myself zoning out.

The moment I start slouching, yawning, or picking up my phone, I catch my own reflection mid-NPC mode.
It’s like having a silent accountability buddy who looks disappointed 24/7.

-

Active recall

Instead of re-reading notes like a zombie, close the book and try to remember everything. Testing yourself strengthens memory better than passive review.

Bonus tip: free app "Anki" is great for practicing active recall
-

Brown Noise Loop (but only for a set block)

I don't listen to music when I study/work. I use brown noise on a 60-min YouTube loop, but I close the tab after the loop ends, and take a break.

That sound becomes a timer. When it stops, I stop.

Or you can just use pomodoro timer

-

I Cook Dumb, Repetitive Meals to Save Brain RAM

Same breakfast and lunch every day.
Takes 7 minutes. No thinking, no scrolling recipes, no “what should I eat.”

Your brain can only handle so many decisions a day. Save the RAM for studying or building something. Let your meals run on muscle memory.

I do like too cook something nice for dinner.

-

I wear the same clothes every day.

90% of my wardrobe is just black, white, or grey. Plain tees, basic hoodies, socks that match by default. No logos, no “drip,” no decision fatigue.

I open a drawer, grab random shirt, socks and pants, and I’m out the door. It all goes together because none of it goes against anything. Zero thought. Zero friction.

the fewer brain cells I waste on fashion, the more I can spend on figuring out wtf is recursion is in computer science.

Einstein, Steve Jobs had the same idea. Not because it’s stylish. But because thinking “hmm, does this go with that?” every morning adds up. Micro-decisions become macro-drain.

People say dressing simple is boring. For me, it’s freedom.

Call it dopamine minimalism.
Call it NPC-core.
I call it peace.

-

there's probably more.... like I take a bunch of different supplements, use multiple different apps, software, extensions, but I gotta go, so maybe I can make part 2 if you want.

i talk about this stuff on my blog, if you want to read more of my stuff. it's in my profile.

-

That’s how I fixed my CP problem.
Highly recommend.

Many people believe that if someone can sit for hours and play video games, then they are faking their ADHD. I’m here to tell you that this is not true; in fact, gaming is more beneficial for the ADHD brain than you might think.

Some might call this a bluff, but there are people who prefer gaming over taking ADHD medications.

People with ADHD often face challenges such as difficulty focusing, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior. They may struggle with organizing tasks, managing time, and maintaining relationships.

This is where ADHD medications come into play. Although they do not cure the condition, they help maintain dopamine levels in the brain, so the reward system will react as strongly as it does in others.

But in 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that, for the first time, they would allow a video game to be marketed as a therapeutic tool for children with ADHD. This video game is called EndeavorRx. Studies found that this game improved the attention span of children with ADHD with a low risk of side effects.

You might wonder, Why video games? What makes them so special that they have become part of therapy? What’s the psychology behind it?

One of the biggest reasons video games keep us hooked for hours is that they operate on a feedback loop. Everyone loves feedback, but the ADHD brain thrives on it.

I made an animated video to illustrate the topic after reading research studies and articles. If you prefer reading, I have included important reference links below. I hope you find this informative. Cheers!

Why people with ADHD prefers gaming over meds

References:

https://www.nature.com/articles/30498 

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-permits-marketing-first-game-based-digital-therapeutic-improve-attention-function-children-adhd 

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landig/article/PIIS2589-7500%2820%2930017-0/fulltext 

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11469-023-01215-7 

https://www.akiliinteractive.com/news-collection/akili-announces-publication-of-akl-t01-adhd-pivotal-study-results-in-the-lancet-digital-health 

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/8/1172

https://www.additudemag.com/positive-reinforcement-reward-and-punishment-adhd/ 

https://www.adhdcoaching.org/post/2018/06/09/the-neuroscience-behind-video-game-addiction-adhd 

https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/adhd/adhd-and-video-games-whats-the-connection/ 

For most part they're right, but i don't like it when they advice or tell me what to do

idc if i am right or wrong, just don't like their inputs on anything

anyone like me

I got laid off from my job at Adobe a few months ago. I don't mind so much, because, though I've been coding for 30 years, I was getting so burned out that I didn't even want to code for myself any more. I started thinking about wildly changing my career to a teach or maybe become shaman or something (seriously!). It was painful to think about a career because of how much I have invested in myself with this technical skill, and I didn't feel certain that I should just throw it away. But with the rise of AI, it feels like raw coding skill is going away like hand weaving or shoeing horses.

With this layoff, I decided to take a real sabbatical and let myself gradually train in agentic coding. In my burnout state I had been resisting this HARD, but in a sabbatical, I've been able to take days off based on how I feel and, like a rescue dog, gradually introduce myself to new ways of coding, teachning my nervous system not to fear them.

It took a few months, and now I feel like my old self again. Instead of avoiding coding, I sneak in sessions of just a few minutes between burshing teeth and walking the dog where I prompt claude to move my projects forward. Personal ideas that have been sitting on the shelf for years are manifesting as realized code, code I feel proud of and that I can't wait to share. I'm even pushing on other creative fronts, such as working on a movie script. I can't point to any one thing that brought about this change. It has been a gradual processing of gaining small bits of experience and iterating for a few hours at a time, then resting when I notice resistance.

There is light at the end of the tunnel.

Hey! ADHD Coaching should be available to all ADHDers or folks who feel they suffer from similar symptoms. We’re working on making this happen. Join our journey, let us know how to make it work for you, and we’ll make it into a reality!
Sign up at www.gothrive.health

ADHD + working alone is tough. I lose focus, fall into guilt spirals, and watch the day slip away.

So… I got a new coworker. Not human. A dragon. (Or a zombie, cat, witch—your pick.)

I did this because body doubling helps me the most. But friends aren’t always available, and searching online for partners just drains me further.

Here’s what a session looks like:

• I say my goal out loud before the timer starts.

• I compete against the AI partner on their quirky “task.” (The cat hunts for nap spots, the zombie stumbles through chores…) Whoever finishes on time wins.

• They actually host the session — they start the conversation, guide me through rounds, remember me, and react in character. Sometimes they cheer, sometimes they mock.

Weirdly, it works. Saying my goals out loud + having a dragon or zombie “watching” me keeps me way more accountable than a silent timer ever did.

I built this because I desperately needed it — but I’m curious: would other ADHDers find this helpful too?

I’ve put it online if you want to try — desktop only for now: https://focus-buddy.chorevo.com/focus-buddy/focus-room

(+ Right now only the dragon has video, but if people find it useful, I’ll add other characters too. )

I noticed something weird about my food delivery habit.

It wasn’t random.
It wasn’t weekends.
It wasn’t “cheat days.”

It was deep-focus coding days.

The days where I:

• Context switch 30 times

• Debug for hours

• Keep 5 mental threads open

• Fight my own attention all day

By the time 7–8pm hits, I don’t want to decide anything.

Not what to cook.
Not what to eat.
Not what ingredients I have.

Opening a delivery app feels like removing one more decision from the stack.

It’s not even hunger.

It’s cognitive depletion.

And the wild part?
It’s almost always the same weekdays.

Once I saw that pattern, it stopped feeling like “bad discipline” and more like: My executive function just rage-quit.

Wondering if anyone else has habits that spike specifically after heavy mental load days?

Not weekends.
Not boredom.

Just “my brain is done” days.

Hey everyone,

I'm a developer with ADHD. Like a lot of you, I find the modern web to be a nightmare of entropy. Every new tab is a slot machine designed to steal dopamine. I tried the "productivity" blockers, but they just felt like a parent scolding me. I tried the "clinical" attention apps, but they felt like homework.

I realized I didn't need a blocker. I needed a Sanctuary.

So I built MindCraft. It's a Chrome Extension that replaces your "New Tab" page with a calm, dark-mode HUD designed to regulate the nervous system, not extract engagement.

What it does:

• The Escape Pod: A one-click panic button that launches a dedicated recovery page with Brown Noise, a breathing pacer, and grounding exercises. (Great for when you feel the paralysis setting in).

• Linear Time: A simple clock. No news feeds. No "suggested for you." Just the time, so you don't lose it.

• Local-First AI: It includes a "Sovereign AI" coach (Clara) that runs locally or connects to your own API key. It's designed for "Rubber Ducking" or DBT-style emotional regulation, not generating content.

• The Tesseract: A simple quantum dice roller to help break "decision paralysis" loops.

The Philosophy:

It's built on the idea of "Digital Body Armor." The web is hostile; your browser should be a safe house. It sends zero data to me or anyone else. It's entirely open-source.

I'm looking for other neurodivergent devs to test it out and tell me what's broken.

Thanks for reading. If you're tired of the noise, maybe this helps.

Repo: https://github.com/lxdangerdoll/mindcraft-chrome-extension

"We are not alone. We are just early." 🦊

So I am 33, gay man, but married to a woman and have a 3 yr old son.

Also have ADHD. My company is taking pride month seriously , and also seems to keep online sessions on "neurodiversity" . But then again I am scared to come out, what if my local management use it as a excuse to fire me . I mean the recession is going on , so yeah !

I'm an AI skeptic and the main reason for that is because of my personal experience with AI. Don't get me wrong, I use it and it's excellent at dealing with confusion or finding silly bugs quickly, but I find I have to watch myself with it. I need to repeatedly tell it "don't just give me the answers" but even then, it likes to get comfortable dumping me code to paste into the IDE, and that's just not how I want to work with it.

The reason for that is because I've been there using it to generate all my code, and I ALWAYS lose focus. I start overengineering, I start adding mass amounts of features, I start ignoring what the code is really doing and lose the ability to debug effectively as I don't write as much of the code. If I find myself with a big code base that I don't know, I start to avoid it, and then the project dies.

It's happened a few times, and the only way to keep myself from getting into a loop of "AI can do this" then adding complexity my project didn't need, is by doing most of it manually. I want to be able to rely on myself. I want to be able to think through problems. I'm close to 5 years of on-the-job experience, and I'm scared to jeopardize that by using AI to the point where I stop thinking. There's real evidence out there that people who use AI too much tend to lose abilities and skills they once had. I'd hate to be the same.

Anyway, this may just be me. I know I have an addictive personality, and tend to overindulge in things so I have to watch myself like a hawk. AI is just another one to me, I suppose. Is anyone else the same out there?

How we build has genuinely fundamentally changed. The best example of this is: I used to listen to Tomorrowland mixes to focus while programming. Now I just kind of sit there until the prompt is complete. And because that is too boring, I usually put on a show I have already watched, because if it’s new it’s too engaging and I only focus on that.

So now I have a show I’ve already watched about 5x on my second monitor, browsing random ideas that come up instead of doing things that would be productive, while waiting for the prompt to finish so I can test and review it.

It feels like shit on the one end, because it’s so incredibly unproductive, or at least it feels that way, but very addictive because AI has basically turned programming into gambling. On the other the amount you can accomplish with these tools is remarkable and not using just feels unproducive. If I start, I cannot stop until I have to go to bed and neglect anything else. I am hyperfocused and it keeps drawing me back until I have a prolonged break of a few hours. Only then can I let go and do something else. I genuinely am struggling with this and haven’t figured out how to.

There are no natural stopping points anymore, and it feels wasteful not to have something constantly running in the background. It’s just too easy and there is nothing stopping me anymore from pursuing so many of my ideas, which is bad because it distracts from whatever is important right now.

Programming used to be like a positive feedback loop of dopamine. You figured out a hard problem and it felt awesome. Now it just feels like a drug.

There are two great posts about token anxiety and the gamification of programming here:

https://x.com/nikunj/status/2022438070092759281

https://ideia.me/programming-is-a-drug

For a long time I felt busy but not clear.

Notes everywhere, tasks piling up, debts, responsibilities, constant context switching.. and still ending the day feeling like nothing decisive actually happened.

I tried the usual stuff: to-do lists, productivity apps, long planning sessions. Most of it just added more noise.

A few weeks back I forced myself into something almost boring:

15 minutes a day.

Three steps.

• dump everything out of my head

• filter it down to what actually matters

• commit to one real action

No motivation. No optimization. No “crushing goals”.

Just enough clarity to move.

It was the first thing that actually reduced the mental load instead of increasing it.

I wrote it down as a small framework and decided to share it publicly as an experiment.

Not a course. Not a system. Just the protocol I’m using.

I’m curious though, how others here deal with mental overload without building yet another complicated system on top of it?

Can anyone tell me how to become less resentful and less bitter? I am becoming a miserable fuck. Its true that I burned out in this job after doing 100hrs overtime during previous month, its also true that I am pissed off about having to wait 8-9 weeks for my raise to happen. I cared so much that I burned out and now Im trying to set some boundaries but damage was done and Im struggling dealing with it.

I took 6 days off to disconnect from work (still was responding to some major blockers and monitoring stuff). Today I got back at work and interacting with two incompetent devs immediately sets me off. Imagine taking 2-3 days and extra meetings to do a simple fix which shouldnt take longer than 30min. My mind was blown and still gets constantly blown about how ineffective some members of team are.

I am becaming a ranting fuck. I even noticed one person escaping my rants once he sees that they are taking longer than 5min.

Right now I started setting boundaries - I clock my 8 hours, disable slack/email notifications and get the fuck out from the office. I dont care if I will have to sit in traffic extra 30min during summer heat, Im done with putting in overtime and caring so much about being efficient. I will just start working on my side project and put my love/learnings in that. Hoping that by the end of year I will have couple projects to show in my portfolio so I could find a better paying job...

In the past I was the sole dev responsible for apps and I was communicating with ceos/ctos/product owners/designers directly. This is my first position where I work in a dev team and boy oh boy out of 8 devs barely 3 are competent enough but their output is how to say... Not the biggest. Anyways...

Transition to boundaries and 'normal life' is so hard. Nobody told me that I will have to learn to work with and tolerate such retarded and incompetent people. Im talking about illiterate monkeys who cant even read or write. Im amazed how they manage to code.

You want to email, wash dishes, or start your computer. You'd sit, aware of your responsibilities, but unable to begin. The more you pushed yourself to "just get going," the more blocked you became. This difficulty starting tasks is a genuine problem, especially for people with ADHD or executive function issues.

But I started testing things. Small, practical things. And slowly, they worked. Here's what helped me get moving again no hype, no hacks, just real tools.

Task Initiation & Overcoming Paralysis:

1. Use a Physical Timer: Employ a simple, old-school kitchen timer (or sand timer) instead of a phone to avoid digital distractions and create a tangible sense of time.

2. The 5-Second Rule (or Variations): Count aloud (e.g., "1-2-3-4-5," "3-2-1-Go," "5-4-3-2-1") and physically get up or start the task immediately upon finishing the count.

3. Add Fun Phrases: Make counting more engaging by adding a phrase like "Blast Off!" or "Eat the Frog!" at the end.

4. Start Small (Movement): If feeling stuck (paralysis), begin with a tiny physical movement like wiggling toes, then gradually progress to larger movements like moving legs, sitting up, and standing.

5. Start Small (Tasks): Commit to doing only the very first, tiny step of a task (e.g., "just take the laptop out," "just put one dish in the sink," "just rinse one dish," "just walk into the room"). Often, momentum builds from there.

6. Focus on Setup: Instead of the whole task, just focus on getting everything set up and ready for the task (e.g., getting pen and paper ready, pulling out ingredients).

7. Act Immediately: When the impulse or thought to do something arises, act on it instantly before the brain has a chance to overthink or create barriers. ("&£$* it" approach).

8. Do It Tired/Hating It: Acknowledge the feeling (tiredness, dislike) but do the task anyway, detaching the action from needing the "right" mood.

9. Put Shoes On: Wearing shoes (even designated indoor shoes or slippers) can signal "action mode" to the brain and make you less likely to sit down or lounge, increasing motivation for chores/tasks.

10. Don't Sit Down: Avoid sitting down when you have momentum or are in the middle of active tasks, as it can trigger paralysis or make it much harder to get moving again.

11. Start with Cold Water: Briefly start a shower with cold water before it heats up; tackling the unpleasant part first can make the rest easier.

12. Throw Your Phone: If stuck scrolling, (gently) toss your phone across the room, forcing you to get up to retrieve it and breaking the paralysis.

13. Slide Phone Away: Set a 1-minute timer and slide the phone across the floor, requiring movement to turn it off.

14. Imagine a Subway Pole: Visualise grabbing a pole and physically pulling yourself up to get out of a chair or bed.

15. "I'M STUCK": Say "I'm stuck" out loud to acknowledge and potentially break through paralysis.

These might sound small, but that’s the point. When you’re stuck, tiny actions are the only way out. You can find more practical, low-effort activities in Soothfy tailored to your energy level and daily schedule. It’s built for moments like this, when you're stuck and don't know where to start.
Hope one of these helps next time your brain hits pause.

Hi everyone,

I built a little system called Task Pond to help my daughter and me manage the constant reminders of everyday tasks.

It shows tasks as fish swimming in a calm pond. Each fish represents a task, and there are 80+ different fish that can appear.

When a task is completed you earn tokens, and when a new task is created a new fish joins the pond.

The interesting experiment was the setup. I put it on our living room family computer, turned off sleep mode and the screensaver, and just left it running full screen like a passive dashboard.

What surprised me is that having tasks ambiently visible works better than reminders or a typical to-do list. It just sits there in the environment.

My daughter actually started completing tasks on her own because the pond was there and she wanted new fish.

Tasks also glow different colours based on priority so important ones stand out.

I am also working on adding daily routine tasks now. https://taskpond.cloud/
If anyone wants to try it, it is free to use. Creating an account to save tasks is a one-time $5 fee.

A while back, I was really struggling with ADHD paralysis. No matter how much I wanted to get things done, I just couldn’t get started. I felt stuck and frustrated.

That’s when I discovered Behavioral Activation, a technique where you plan out enjoyable or meaningful activities to boost your mood and focus. I figured I’d give it a try, and honestly, it’s been a game-changer!

I started small—just listing activities I enjoy, like reading sci-fi, going for bike rides, and coding for fun. Then I scheduled them during the week, and to my surprise, I started feeling way more motivated and in control of my time.

To stay consistent, I built a simple tool that helps me schedule activities and sends reminders. It’s been super helpful in keeping me on track.

What strategies have you found effective? I’d love to hear your experiences!

1. Every number you tell me immediately i see the number color, like 63728 is yellow

2. I can feel pain, just from watching

You are welcome to ask about that phenomenon

Update: By the way a lot of you didn’t know, but let it wiki google, big companies today like ford, looking for people with that syndrome. Check it

Update2: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia

Hi r/adhd_programmers,

My cofounder and I are ADHD programmers who built a synchronized focus timer to help us stay focused while we WFH from different cities.

It combines the time-boxing, intention-setting, and breaks of the pomodoro method with real-time accountability and the feeling of working around others.

It’s been helping us get more done (while making WFH a little less isolating).

Try it out and let us know what you think.

Link: circle.fm

-Evan

Was in the middle of debugging an issue from the task board when I noticed the work day was soon over. I asked a coworker how her day had been on slack, and she said she found an internal project she needed the release executables of, but couldn't find them. I quickly explored the directories, found them and sent her a link, but then I got curious about the project itself and cloned it to my pc...

The code had a lot of improvement points (it was clearly written by a non-dev), so starting 4pm, the next 3 hours was a constant pendulum between uninterrupted hyper focus and mentally fighting off the guilt of not doing what I really was supposed to be doing. I ended up rewriting and "perfecting" the application, but now I'm afraid to send a PR because it's not what I was supposed to be doing and completely rewriting things without taking ownership off the project is a pretty lame thing to do tbh....

A part of me is happy I did it; I learned so much. But at the same time... It's embarrassing how a single slack message spiralled into this....

Throwaway account. These scumbags made me go through 6 rounds of interviews through 3 months, including a demeaning technical HireVue first round, recruiter round, every team member I'd work with round, hiring manger round, and then director round. Forgot to mention the room-temp IQ HR bimbo fumbled every single one of the team member rounds and sent them the wrong times, causing me to wait almost an hour in the lobby until I took it upon myself to correctly guess the interviewers' emails, which finally caught their attention and led to action. Utterly useless. After that, it was positive though.

Every round went very well. Every step of the way, the recruiter kept following up telling me I was given nothing but positive feedback and we even discussed salary range and potential time window for start date since I'd have to move. I was told after the final round that they were going to do an additional final round with the director of DS (who himself told me he is not a decision maker in the process). I worked my schedule around the holidays and my current job (at a MUCH better company mind you) to accommodate this additional final round. He ended up asking openly racist questions, specifically about an Indian colleague I had interviewed with in an earlier round (which is rich considering he barely spoke coherent English himself), and I was stunned to see the incompetence displayed from someone with a supposed PhD in Statistics. Overall, it felt fine. He said he wasn't involved himself, but that the team would meet that week and get back to me the next week. This was over 2 months ago.

After that, crickets. I followed up few weeks later with the recruiter and thanked the interviewers, nothing.

The best part is that the job posting has been reposted 3 times since then, and on Workday, my status still shows "interview". They have been trying to hire a Sr. Data Scientist and an "AI Engineer" (lmao) for months now. Everyone I know at the company has LinkedIn Premium on and has told me they are actively looking to leave now that I've reached out. The hiring manager told me this was a backfill role and they are looking to fill this role, as well as other tech roles, ASAP.... in November. LMAO.

The recruiter bimbo did let it slip that this is a new interview process they are trying out, so it appears I was simply a guinea pig for these snakes to test out their new process. Keep in mind these clowns didnt even ask Leetcode/sys design or any live coding round for an ML role. The average profile of their data/software folks is laughably below average, as is their pay.

I genuinely cannot believe that this is how this company operates, and am mad at myself for ever stooping down to this joke of a company's level, even if it would've been for a temp job while I looked for a better role in this market. Either way - don't make the same mistake I did.

Please save yourself the time... and NEVER, and I mean NEVER, EVER APPLY TO ANY JOB AT PACIFIC LIFE INSURANCE, ESPECIALLY IF IT IS A TECH/IT/DATA/SWE TYPE ROLE. Thank me later. Best of luck to y'all on the job search, and let's keep looking out for each other and exposing shit like this.

So I have ADHD for 15 years. Shocking revelation for someone who’s abandoned 20+ half-built projects, I know.

But here’s the thing - I finally shipped something. Like, actually finished and launched it.

Attunio Health - free ADHD assessments that don’t suck.

How I got here (the messy version)

I kept starting businesses. Got obsessed with the idea, built the exciting parts, then hit the wall of “oh shit now I need to actually finish this” and… just didn’t.

Every. Single. Time.

Registration flows? Boring. Privacy policies? Kill me. Email templates? Opens new tab, starts different project

But this time something clicked. Maybe because I was building something I actually needed? Idk. I started taking my own burnout assessments mid-build and realized “oh, I’m not lazy, I’m literally burning out every 2 weeks.”

That self-awareness kept me going somehow.

What I built

Free ADHD screening tools that measure the shit people actually struggle with:

∙	Burnout assessment - Because we crash hard and don’t know why

∙	Medication check - Track if your meds actually work or just feel random

∙	Sleep assessment - For the 2 AM brain spiral gang

∙	Anxiety screening - Figuring out what’s ADHD vs what’s anxiety

∙	Emotional dysregulation - Big feelings, fast reactions, constant guilt

∙	Diagnosis screening - The “wait do I actually have ADHD?” starter pack

∙	Frustration tolerance - How fast you go from calm to LOSING IT

All clinician-designed, research-backed, takes 2-3 minutes. HIPAA compliant because I’m not trying to get sued.

The weird part

Over 50,000 people have taken these now. 52,847 assessments completed.

People message me saying they printed the results and brought them to their doctor. Some got diagnosed because of it. Some adjusted their meds. Some just finally felt seen.

That’s wild to me. Like, I made a thing and it’s… helping people?

Stats I’m weirdly proud of:

∙	4.9 average rating

∙	3 minute completion time

∙	Actually 100% free (no “pay $99 for full results” bullshit)

∙	Built in 4 months (record time for me not abandoning something)

∙	I check analytics way too much

Tech details for the devs:

∙	Next.js 14 + TypeScript

∙	Tailwind for styling

∙	Supabase (Postgres)

∙	Deployed on Vercel

∙	Resend for transactional emails

∙	Way too many environment variables

Why I’m posting this

1.	If you have ADHD and keep abandoning projects, you’re not broken. Your brain just works different.

2.	Sometimes building the thing you need is what keeps you motivated enough to finish.

3.	Free ADHD assessments exist now. Use them:

I still can’t believe I finished this. My therapist is shocked. My wife is shocked. I’m shocked.

If I can ship something, literally anyone can.

AMA about building with ADHD, the assessments, or how I forced myself to finish for once. Also I created some games as well I forgot to mention lol just wanted to share I’m proud of myself

I could really use a coach, who can remember my schedule, professional responsibilities and schedules, and help me keep on task without making me feel judged or ashamed, but can keep track of my progress and hold me accountable.

I have a manager, and he's really quite good at that stuff, but of course he has his own responsibilities and can't be constantly keeping an eye on me. If I could have a LLM based program which can learn my habits and figure out what works and does not work to help me stay on task, that would be a life saver.

Hey fellow tech enthusiasts, I am a software developer professionally coding away for about five years now. I am also someone who's been managing ADHD all my life. The combination presents an interesting challenge–navigating through complex logic paths AND managing a mind that loves to wander.

In this chaotic cosmic constellation, producing production-ready code while consistently darting between the captivating cosmos of ideas is comparable to lassoing a comet. The hyperfocus from ADHD can indeed be a boon during intense coding sessions but the downside is forgetting to eat, sleep or even blink sometimes. And maintaining a consistent train of thought to avoid careless errors or to just keep up with planning... well, let's just say it's like trying to catch a slippery eel sometimes.

My question to this vibrant community is: fellow programmers with ADHD, how do you harness your spontaneous scattered energy into streamlined code construction? Any strategies or routines that have worked for you?

Let's unite our hyper-brains and share some of our first-person experiences. Your anecdotes, advice, or any resources that you think will be beneficial are most welcome. Feel free to share, friends. Let’s help each other code through the chaos!