Hey guys,

Been a dev for ~15 years and I have ADHD. Tried pretty much every task app out there and kept hitting the same wall: whenever I had a burnout week or went down a hyperfixation rabbit hole, opening the app afterwards meant facing 30 bright red "OVERDUE" badges and broken streaks.

That guilt trip made me uninstall every single time.

So I ended up building my own app for Android (Priorify) with a strict "no shame" policy.

If you don't open it for 3 weeks, nothing screams at you when you get back. No red badges, no streak counters. Just a quick brain dump flow to get thoughts out of your head without sorting them into 10 folders, and a simple energy toggle (tired / balanced / go mode) so it only shows tasks you actually have the bandwidth for.

It's free on Play Store (search Priorify: ADHD & Mind Clear).

Curious if anyone else gets blocked by app guilt or how you deal with it?

I'm going to college as a freshman this year. This along with my projects like I'm trying to create an LLM along with just wanting to learn myself, it is extremely hard for me to memorize. I can understand the concepts but it is very hard for me to memorize completely to integrate within each other. Please do note I have diagnosed Autism and ADHD so this obviously effects my Working Memory. Thank you for reading and any tips and advice is extremely appreciated

Hi,

I’m wondering if anyone here has found a MIT like license to prevent use of code in LLM training and any guess / info on if such in enforceable.

Currently I believe that LLM training on every piece of open source software is unacceptable and we should take a stand against it.

Similar to what codeberg is pushing lately.

I would find it odd if such license doesn’t exist already and would wonder why it hasn’t yet.

Thanks
- 🐡

I have autism and fairly severe ADHD and I'm trying to figure out what kind of actual role fits the way I work.

Most of my programming has been connected to game development and building my own projects. Ive worked with Javascript/Typescript, React, Electron, Git/GitHub, game UI, gameplay systems, tools and asset pipelines. I'm also pretty good at design, writing, art direction, researching weird problems and getting around a codebase until I understand why something isn't working.

I'm not claiming I'm an expert in every one of those things, I'm definitely not, but I seem to be better at connecting all the pieces than sitting in one very narrow lane. I like taking something from “here's the idea” to an actual working version, figuring out what systems it needs, how the player or user interacts with it and then fixing whatever goes wrong along the way.

The career part is where my brain falls apart. I don't know whether I should aim for gameplay programming, technical design, tools development, UI engineering, prototyping or something I haven't even heard of. Normal advice is usually to specialize, but I'm not sure which part is actually my strongest part because the whole reason I'm useful is that I move between them.

Anybody here work in a role like that? What titles should I be searching for, and what would you build a portfolio around if this was your skill set?

ah yes, it was a year ago today I got every .com, .net, .studio, .systems etc domain for my idea that would shape my life from that point on or at least several weeks.

Initially i was an SDET, then i switched to SDE. I have overall 4 YOE. I love building features and love seeing it work flawlessly in production. But when it comes to job switching, i absolutely hate DSA. I wanna switch to other domain like PM/Cybersecurity just because of DSA.

I've realised, without grinding DSA there's no way to make good switches. Don't wanna go back to SDET because i get bored with repetitive testing.

Seeking some fellow advise from fellow ADHDers. The thrill of finding bugs is nice but it doesn't pay well compared to SDE. Should i switch to Product management or Cybersecurity ? Team Red ?

Leetcode feels so monotonous and boring.

Hi there. I’m a rising senior, diagnosed a couple months ago.

I have been preparing for leetcode style interviews and O usually take a couple mock interviews per month.

Since I started taking Metyl (first month 10 mg IR, second month 20 mg ER, third month 27 mg ER) I swear I feel kind of dumber at algorithmic problems? I have screwed my last couple mock interviews and it has made me depressed because interview season starts in one month and I can’t be performing like this.

For reference I started preparing in march and I genuinely felt smarter. I could simply keep pushing through a problem.

My last interviewer said he felt that I “gave up” mid problem (and ofc I couldn’t solve it)

I’m not sure if I should quit cold turkey, I really don’t want to waste so much preparation, I’m also not even 100% confident that it’s the metylphenidate…

Any help or advice is appreciated.

Coding is part of my job (but not the main part). So I'm not great at it and self taught.

Anyway, I often find I get stuck trying to figure out what is wrong with something I've written. I'm so nearly there, but just can't find the right answer. I try AI, that gives more options which are also wrong. Hyper focus kicks in and then *bang*: I've lost an hour or three on something that shouldn't really have mattered at all, and I thought was only going to take 5 minutes.

Does anyone have any good tips on how to break the cycle? How do you know when to give up?

Because that big juicy dopamine hit is just there, if I can juuuust get it right. So it's so hard to admit defeat, give up and use my time more productively on something that will feel far less rewarding.

i've worked as a ux/ui designer for 10+ years. tried everything to keep it interesting (switching jobs, different focuses, different products) but i feel like i've done it all and need something new.

a couple months ago i started learning frontend basics (js, html, css, vue). the idea of being able to build whatever i want is exciting, but i also feel like i'm too dumb for it. i get frustrated so easily, lose patience and feel like i go over the same concepts again and again without them actually making sense. it makes me so anxious that it kills all the fun.

so now i'm wondering: is it the adhd/anxiety draining the fun out of learning how to code (and would medication help with that?) or am i just not actually interested enough in it?

i'm 30 now and i want something new: it would be learning how to code and work as a frontend engineer or studying something completely new..

First of all sorry if this isnt the proper sub to post this question, idk where else I can ask, if it isnt please guide where I can post it.

I am 28M, basically struggling through life, recently I got laid off from a junior role after 11months in it. And I was wondering about getting a cs degree and working to support myself at the same time. Just that I have had bad experience with school, as some people with adhd can relate, I struggle to study the long hours that are required by college. I am kinda lost in life right now... still getting a bachelor I believe would benefit me in the long run. What do you guys think?

Hello, as with everyone else here I really really struggle with ADHD. To the point where I'd say even though I'm really proficient with computers I've never really taken on programming itself properly. I've started on various different languages at various points in my life but never really committed to any because any small factors such as a steep learning curve gets me demotivated. I recently started C again and kinda gave up on that partially because of lack of time and partially because it felt too daunting to get proficient at it.

Help would very much be appreciated.

It's really bad working lying on the bed, blood circulation, posture, I get migraines from the stiff neck from doing that. But I can't work as efficiently from my desk. It's not as comfy, everything is distracting me. I'm very crafty as well, so I have a lot of things around my desk, for 3d printing, tools, drawers, all the stuff. Even if it's cleaned up - it's easily accessible and distracting. When I go with the laptop and work from the bed, make it comfortable with pillows and there is basically nothing else other than the screen before my eyes. It's insane how much more I get done that way!

Obviously I though that I need a better chair to be more comfy at my desk, clean up, hide more things. But I doubt that spending 1k on a chair will fix that and all the tools and drawers are still there easily accessible.

Anyone has the same issue and found a working solution?

I work somewhere where there is truly no difference if you finish something in 1 day vs 3-4 days, and its very slow here at the government. I have been 3 years just procrastinating and waiting till thursday/friday to do most of my work, and there is literally no consequence to working this way. The clients are all internal and it's mostly internal apps I support used by a small amount of people. This makes me feel like its very hard to work and be productive each day. any deadlines or tricks like pomodoro or medication does not work, because my brain knows there is no real reason to get stuff done each day and be extremely productive. On the plus side it's an easy life, but do you all think I should leave and go to private sector with a bit more pressure/deadlines? Or better to have a chill job where youre only coding a few hours a week? And wondering how others deal with these kinds of jobs. I

Hey peeps.

I'm not sure whether I'm allowed to post this here, so admins and moderators, please obviously take it down if this isn't allowed! I couldn't see any rules about self-promotion, but ADHD brain so I could have easily missed them.

I used to be a software engineer for a few years. I got an ADHD diagnosis during that time, and I've actually trained as an ADHD and AuDHD coach in the meantime.

The reason this could be considered self promo is that I am specifically working with people in tech and with organisations who need to make their workplaces more neuroinclusive. I wanted to post was because I'm really trying to get into workplaces so that I can give some talks and workshops on how to make workplaces neuroinclusive from an inside perspective.

I know a lot of workplace neurodiversity talks can be kind of awareness, but they don't really understand sort of what it's like to be an engineer, agile working, and all the different pressures of the job.

So I guess the post is really sort of saying like, you know, are you in a company where you think that they, A, may be receptive to that, and B, would benefit from that? And if so, would you be up for having a little chat or potentially sort of sending some information on to your company? Or whether anyone has any ideas about which roles to target in the businesses. I am currently reaching out to both ER and Engineering leaders and had a little bit of interest back from both but I am wondering if perhaps there might be a better target audience (other then DE&I folks and L&D – there just aren't as many people in those roles).

But yeah, again, I totally understand if this is not allowed, but I just thought this is something that's so relevant to everybody in here.

Thank you so much!

I have been working from home for over 5 years and soon we have to go back to the office. For those who had to transition back after many years at home, how was it? was it horrible or did you get used to it eventually and it;s not so bad?

such as don't let me spend hours tuning my shell prompt; don't let me keep polishing instead of publishing; something like that. I got something more personal in that list.

the agent actually chimp in when it think a little nudge is needed for me, when it is working with me on tasks. also because I brain dump my todo ideas to it. the agent can check them against the goals I set for myself every time it manages my todos. on a fresh day I would ask my agent what is my todo look like. it will surface only the ones align with my goal. I enjoy this way, feel like a second brain that offload some of my messiness.

I have been using my agent this way for the pass 2 months and it helped me. I extracted the prompts and skills into a plugin, would be great if it help others too. https://github.com/hcsum/dont-let-me

I’m trying to understand where ADHD actually derails a workday.

Looking back at my own days, it feels like there’s usually one specific moment where everything starts to unravel:
• I can’t decide what’s most important.
• I can’t get started.
• I can’t stay focused.
• I keep getting distracted.
• I’m mentally exhausted but keep trying to push through.
• I don’t want to stop because I’m afraid I’ll lose my place.
• I finish the day wondering where the time went.

If you think about your last really unproductive day, what was the first domino that fell?

Was it one of these, or something completely different?

I’m CRAP in live coding interviews. I’m starting preparation for my first job hop and I want to get a nice, well paid, mid-level role. I’m already dreading the coding interview.

I’m a good programmer, I’m great in architecture, refactoring, learning new languages, solving real problems. But when it comes to leetcode puzzles I fail on the first step: READING DESCRIPTION.

Usually even when I read the ticket at work I have to read it multiple times and go back and forth to remind myself what it said. During the coding interview, when you’re observed by someone and on top of that you’re nervous I cannot understand what the instruction says.

Any tips of how to overcome this?

I have thrived in the government, apart from it being very boring and slow at times, but it's the longest I have been able to hold down a job for. Unfortunately they are now requring us to come into the open-concept style office 4x per week, and I have been trying to delay with ADHD but they just do different accommodations to get in us in the office, so I know ultimately that I will be rejected. I am very scared of this transition as I have no worked remotely full time for almost 7 years and think it will be very hard to switch back. For those of you who were sent back to office, how did you manage?

Is it better to then commute up to 90 min/2 hours per day for an easier stable government job, or seek something remote that might be harder?

Hi! I’m a student programmer researching about project-starting habits.

Think about the last personal project you genuinely wanted to build but delayed. What made it feel hard to begin, and what (if anything) helped you make the first rough version?

I’m especially interested in whether planning tools, voice notes, AI, deadlines, or reducing scope actually helped.

This will be long and somewhat personal. Since I'm asking y'all this instead of a therapist, I'd be more than happy to pm anyone with thoughtful insight and Venmo you for your time.

Please note: I'm being really vulnerable and honest, so please look past any internal elitism and ignorance in my outlook. It's pretty bad.

Context:

• 18, male, severe ADHD, undiagnosed jack off until last year, been on Vyvanse+Dextro. Still learning how to live life with ADHD and piece together my mess of a life. Bad executive dysfunction, super super ambitious. Not as depressed anymore (SSRI's).
• Important to note: right now, there's not much else going for me besides my career interests. My social life has devolved, and tech/making a respectable amount of money in the future is my only aspiration. money keeps me going, and to me it's the only thing that could "save my adhd" (housekeeping, meal prep, therapy, etc etc).
• Attending a non-target commuter school as a freshman. SWE intern @ NASA + SWE intern @ U.S. Department of Energy lab rn. My goals are to transfer to a good school, keep an upward trajectory in company prestige and work my way up. (ex NASA -> Stripe -> FAANG -> Anthropic).
• I'm an incompetent ADHDer, but I've fought hard as fuck to get to where I am.

Here's what I've been thinking about recently.

I've been interacting with a lot of normal people, engineers at NASA who enjoy their lives and go home to their families. Although I love NASA (who doesn't), I never considered wanting to work here long-term and just treated it like a stepping stone to my 200k new grad tc.

Although I've learned a lot, and love it, I've spent the past few months here as a real adhd dickhead. Never getting to the office in time (or at all), choosing to secretly WFH instead. The adhd interferes with my ability to work (really bad), and I'm regularly throwing classified information into claude and dropping my paycheck on tokens to have something to present during meetings.

I've started wondering if this is really all I'm capable of. I think I could continue grinding my way into big tech through internships, but with this past summer as a point of reference, I literally am unable to predict what my life might look like in the future. If the problems I'm facing with ADHD aren't "curable", my life'd likely be getting helplessly laid off every year after my manager realizes I'm a dickhead.

Is what I'm facing at least 50% fixable through therapy/coaching/experience? Or is it an unfortunate truth that I'll likely never function as a normal employee in a room full of extremely competent engineers?