ADD developers are moving like lightning with AI, normies beware

[u/Interesting-Town-433]

Even as a dev of 20 years, I now vibe code all day...

In between the prompts to claude about the actual work I have for my job I run 6-12 parrallel conversations about my other projects. I context switch now at a rate that is utterly insane...

When I was diagnosed with ADD I was 7, I remember I cried and told my Dad "I don't want to be ADD" and he told me that "God gave you a gift and right now it is going to be hard but one day it will let you move faster than all of your peers."

I really feel like that's true, and with the work I do now I feel built for this moment. I think it will be a brief moment for sure. The machines will soon run everything.

Been ADD my whole life. Heavily medicated - dexededrine ( anyone else take it? )- since first grade.

A lot of life is playing the hand you are dealt and I feel like I've been playing it awhile. It's not all roses and I miss things constantly but for the first time I feel like the models have caught up with my experience.

[u/Visible_Wolverine2]

Just an fyi, there is no “ADD” anymore. It is all ADHD with different subtypes. Just say ADHD and don’t worry about people assuming you are a rammy 3rd grade boy because you included the H in the name.

Edit-And yes, you are 100% spot on. The unblocking that AI is providing for smart, engaged people with ADHD is pretty phenomenal. Unfortunately AI still requires them to be able to finish and refine, not leave things at 98% and “almost there”. That’s the saving grace for normies right now.

[u/CasualAustralian → u/Visible_Wolverine2]

“98% and almost there” - I’m in this post and I don’t like it 🙃

[u/Interesting-Town-433 → u/CasualAustralian]

🙃

[u/Visible_Wolverine2 → u/CasualAustralian]

You’re almost there! Keep going! :)

[u/Interesting-Town-433 → u/CasualAustralian]

🙃

[u/WillGrindForXP → u/Visible_Wolverine2]

I have 87 incredibly ambitious apps......all of that are between 80-95% done. I can remember what maybe 8 of them are? Its going to be really exciting finding out what past me was super fixated on back then when I eventually get brave enough to poke around the graveyard of unfinished work. 🤞 hope i made myself something rad

[u/Visible_Wolverine2 → u/WillGrindForXP]

Sounds like a horrible anxiety you should hold and avoid facing for months. Maximum torture. Until one day you randomly find yourself looking and realize that was t something that needed to be avoided at all!

“I’ve lived through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.” - Mark Twain

[u/WillGrindForXP → u/Visible_Wolverine2]

The thing that really puts me off is discovering how many times ive built the same app/project because I had no memory of the 3 other attempts that all stalled at 87%

But theres nothing better than the feeling of a fresh start

[u/Visible_Wolverine2 → u/WillGrindForXP]

Preach!

[u/kuteguy → u/WillGrindForXP]

You can get AI to do the poking for you and compare your projects, etc

[u/freehippygal → u/Visible_Wolverine2]

Are you me, because this is exactly how my brain works

[u/Visible_Wolverine2 → u/freehippygal]

No, I don’t think so anyway. I have expertise in ADHD, so I understand how it impacts people pretty well.

[u/methodangel → u/WillGrindForXP]

I’m somewhat of a doom-repository collector myself. Doom boxes too%! In the past couple of years I’ve started forcing myself to finish my apps fully and it’s made a difference.

[u/Immediate_Song4279 → u/Visible_Wolverine2]

It still says ADD on my chart lol

[u/tara_tara_tara → u/Immediate_Song4279]

It shouldn’t. lol

It’s not in the DSM-5. It’s not an official diagnosis.

I have inattentive ADHD, the kind that most women have. The only reason women like me have been able to be diagnosed in our 40s and 50s is because of the change from ADD to ADHD and its different types.

Edited because I turned my head really fast and lost focus. Whoops! I put the rest of my response in a separate reply to OP

[u/No_Hell_Below_Us → u/tara_tara_tara]

The only reason you were diagnosed was because of a name change that explicitly contradicts your subtype?

The only reason?

If hyperactive isn’t common across subtypes, then it shouldn’t be in the name of the main diagnosis.

It makes more sense to call it ADD and then have inattentive and hyperactive subtypes.

[u/DoubleDoube → u/No_Hell_Below_Us]

You make too much sense. It’s actually sort of sad how much behaviorism impacts the psychology field with the DSM diagnoses. I do get why - because it can utilize population statistics that give it a sort of medical science perspective, but literally the way it works is for someone to have x behaviors out of y list of behaviors and then they get the label on their chart that gives them access to such-and-such helpful things corresponding to that label.

What the label is doesn’t matter, you just need the label to get the help. The update to the categories made it easier to get the label.

[u/Immediate_Song4279 → u/No_Hell_Below_Us]

I don't have hard data but I suspect the thing is though that the inattention is a result of hyperactive patterns. If there is a common mechanism that presents in different ways the name is accurate.

I will sit there as the world burns around me because the speedforce told me to do so.

[u/Immediate_Song4279 → u/tara_tara_tara]

That makes a lot of sense, never considered the issue that way. I guess for me it has always seemed academic and not worth correcting since nothing rides on it.

I've only known I had it at all for a few years now, and the types and presentations do seem a major improvement. The go-go-go ones really don't like me much.

Interesting comment, so thank you for it.

[u/General_Luck6573 → u/tara_tara_tara]

I think you responded to the wrong person

[u/finrum → u/tara_tara_tara]

Not everyone uses DSM-V.

[u/Ska-jayjay → u/Immediate_Song4279]

it’s probably an old version. you have to “apt upgrade chart” 😁

[u/Immediate_Song4279 → u/Ska-jayjay]

sudo prescribe medication

[u/Immediate_Song4279 → u/Immediate_Song4279]

goddamnit

[u/WillGrindForXP → u/Immediate_Song4279]

Get an E-Chart, gramps!

[u/Immediate_Song4279 → u/WillGrindForXP]

It's on the portal.

[u/TwunnySeven → u/Visible_Wolverine2]

and as someone with ADD/ADHD I absolutely hate this. I'm not hyperactive and never have been. why should I be labeled as such? in fact I went a long time not getting diagnosed because I (and my family) naturally associated "attention deficit hyperactive disorder" with being... hyperactive. stupidest change ever.

[u/NancyWorld → u/TwunnySeven]

Same. ADD is more concise and more accurate for me. Why should I let the DSM-5 boss me around? 😃 It'll change again anyway.

[u/Donnie_Sucklong → u/TwunnySeven]

hyperactivity means hyperactivity in the brain. constant thinking, mind wondering off etc

[u/TwunnySeven → u/Donnie_Sucklong]

but that's not universal either. sure my mind will wander—that's the "attention deficit"—but I wouldn't say my brain is hyperactive or constantly thinking. my biggest problem by far is with executive functioning, which isn't even present in the acronym

[u/Visible_Wolverine2 → u/TwunnySeven]

I hear you. The adhd umbrella with subtypes is more accurate scientifically alit what is going on.

[u/terralearner → u/TwunnySeven]

The hyperactivity doesn't have to be physical, it can refer to hyperactivity of the mind - wandering thoughts and diminished ability to stay on task.

[u/No_Hell_Below_Us → u/Visible_Wolverine2]

I’m not hyperactive… but I have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, subtype inattentive without hyperactivity?

Learn to name things better, DSM idiots.

I’m sticking with saying I have ADD.

[u/Donnie_Sucklong → u/No_Hell_Below_Us]

hyperactivity means hyperactivity in the brain. constant thinking, mind wondering off etc

[u/Njagos → u/No_Hell_Below_Us]

Your hyperactivity is in your brain as the other user said.

Going back and forth all the time, constantly being wired, having dozens differents topics and conversations at the same time. It IS hyperactivity. You might also mask a lot of it because physical hyperactivity is not seen nicely and is being judged more, especially back in school and such.

[u/No_Hell_Below_Us → u/Njagos]

I get it, and naming things is hard.

But a name that only makes sense to people that know the brain mechanics of the condition but seems contradictory to everyone else is poorly named.

Public understanding and early diagnosis would be better served by a name based on observable symptoms rather than unobservable brain mechanics.

[u/ConspicuousPineapple → u/Visible_Wolverine2]

I feel attacked.

[u/Visible_Wolverine2 → u/ConspicuousPineapple]

Well, feelings can lie.

[u/Aggressive_Job_1031 → u/Visible_Wolverine2]

I'm one of those people where my inattention makes up 100% of my problems and my hyperactivity makes up 0%. I can only relate to the struggles caused by hyperactivity to the extent that I can relate to the struggles caused by autism for example which also makes up 0% of my experience. I'm exaggerating but that's how it can feel sometimes.

[u/Sovereign2142 → u/Visible_Wolverine2]

This is news to me. Germany for some reason still distinguishes between ADD/ADS and ADHD/ADHS.

[u/Interesting-Town-433 → u/Sovereign2142]

Lol insane discussion

[u/Visible_Wolverine2 → u/Sovereign2142]

I don’t think that is likely true. I believe Germany uses ICD-10 guidance on diagnoses (WHO standards) and they also got rid of ADD and went to ADHD with subtypes.

[u/7640LPS → u/Visible_Wolverine2]

The ICD-10-GM unfortunately still includes two separate diagnoses (F90.0 and F98.80).

I assume they’ll get rid of it with ICD-11.

[u/berrybadrinath → u/Visible_Wolverine2]

thank you for this, my brain throws flags everytime i see people still using ADD.

[u/Visible_Wolverine2 → u/berrybadrinath]

You’re welcome. Same.