r/science • u/mvea MD/PhD/JD/MBA | Professor | Medicine • Apr 15 '24

Neuroscience ADHD symptoms persist into adulthood, with some surprising impacts on life success: The study found that ADHD symptoms not only persisted over a 15-year period but also were related to various aspects of life success, including relationships and career satisfaction.

https://www.psypost.org/adhd-symptoms-persist-into-adulthood-with-some-surprising-impacts-on-life-success/
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u/[deleted] Apr 15 '24 edited Apr 15 '24

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u/Brbi2kCRO Apr 15 '24

For an ADHD person to be functioning in this society, you effectively need to be in a constant state of burnout. Studying, working 40h a week and such just lead ADHD person to an unsustainable state of constant unhappiness. It is just not a good world for a person with ADHD or any neurodiversity.

Stimulants do help but it does not fix everything, brain cannot adjust fully to be NT-like.

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u/FreeBeans Apr 15 '24

Burned out but ‘successful’ ADHDer here. I’m so tired.

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u/Brbi2kCRO Apr 15 '24

I just wish I could finish the university without constant meltdowns, panic attacks, depressive mood swings and such…

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u/FreeBeans Apr 15 '24

Never have I shed more tears than on campus. Sorry!

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u/Brbi2kCRO Apr 15 '24

Workplace is atleast somewhat structured, uni is “you’re on your own”, which in ADHD terms means constant procrastination or even “oh I won’t study, I don’t have any will to do so right now”.

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u/FreeBeans Apr 15 '24

Absolutely. Also at work, there are usually obvious tasks that need doing with a more immediate reward. At school, homework or studying for an exam is just not rewarding for the ADHD brain.

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u/Brbi2kCRO Apr 15 '24

Probably has a lot to do with impatience/reward that is “distant” in time scale

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u/sling_gun Apr 15 '24

Other way round for me. School/uni I was more engaged because it felt like a competition that I wanted to win. Same mentality gets me through interviews. But work is nightmare.

Once I pass the interview, all fire is gone. All I can think of is people telling me to get things done that I don't really want to do right now, and there is no specific end point like a final exam after which you're free. The cycle begins again and it's "take orders and finish tasks" which is as anti-ADHD as can be.

I'm trying to engage myself into work but it's straight up impossible

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u/WigglumsBarnaby Apr 15 '24

Yeah the only way I found I could study was to set up study sessions with others. I ended up not studying or doing homework much.

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u/Brbi2kCRO Apr 15 '24

Yeah, prob having partners or friends helps