Like yeah I know capitalism is stealing my time and energy, yeah I know "laziness" is mostly a myth, etc. etc.
But like there's still creative stuff I want to do in my free time, like paint or write or play music, that I feel like I just physically can't bring myself to do.
So how do you do stuff?
Diagnosis for ADHD and Adderall
Other things that have helped somewhat:
Only make myself do something in small chunks to make it seem overwhelming. Got a pile of mail I need to go through? I'll only make myself do one letter. Since the executive dysfunction part of ADHD is often just "too much inertia disorder" once I'm started on a task I'll usually finish, or get way more done than I mentally committed to.
Practice identifying and clearing blockers. Sometimes i won't do something because there are too many steps involved in starting it. For example since I have a water filter pitcher, making tea sometimes involves a) put water in pitcher; b) wait for water to filter; c) pour water in kettle; d) boil water; e) pour water onto tea leaves; f) wait for tea to steep; g) pour tea into mug. If I'm in the habit of always making sure there's filtered water in the pitcher, or even better in the kettle, it's much easier to start making tea. For me, a lot of blockers I've noticed are "something necessary to starting or performing the task is in an inconvenient location." So I do my best to make sure I have a clear, reasonably efficient path between places I tend to sit and e.g. the bathroom, so it's easier for me to get up and go brush my teeth or whatever.
Similarly, grouping tasks together. Some people swear by brushing their teeth in the shower for example - that way they are more likely to do either.
Leaving physical reminders of shit I need to do in places where I can't ignore them and where it's easy to start then. Like if I've got a bill I need to sit down and pay I'll put it on my keyboard so I know I'll see it next time I'm on my computer where the bill pay website is.
For fun things and hobbies, I set a day and time that im planning on doing them, and I don't plan to do anything else that day. I'll even try to make sure I have easy meals ready to go for that day (like leftovers to reheat)
I try to maintain a dedicated space for stuff that requires focus. Not always possible depending on your living situation, but I have a desk set up that I only use for work or hobbies that involve focus and/or labor (like electronics repair or writing). That way when I sit there it tricks my brain into focusing
Make sure I have everything I need before I start. If I'm fixing something, that could be my tools and my soldering iron; if I'm on my computer to write or edit or debug something it might just be making sure I've got the right files already open and ready to go when I want to start
Edit 2: just remembered the main way that I used to get stuff accomplished before I got amphetamines:
I heard getting an adult diagnosis for something like ADHD was extremely difficult. Is that true? And is there an easy way to get one? I probably have ADHD. I was diagnosed as a kid but it's been so fucking long since I was properly diagnosed with anything I'm not sure what I have anymore
It wasn't easy, but it was only hard in the sense that they made it so there are a lot of hoops to jump through to get diagnosed with "can't jump through hoops disorder" — since I'm in America it was basically a bunch of phone tag and referral tag. Talked to therapist about how I suspected I had ADHD and wanted to get diagnosed, Therapist told me to talk to Primary Care, Primary Care referred me to a psychologist, had like 3 appointments and some extra hoops* (listed below) with the psychologist who finally diagnosed me, had to talk to Primary Care again to get referred to a Psychiatrist to actually get treatment (aka the fun drugs).
The whole thing from start to finish took like 6 months and a lot of phone calls, but luckily for me it wasn't too difficult to actually convince anyone that I have ADHD despite having done reasonably well in school, graduated college, and held steady jobs — they were willing to look at the details (in my case, that I did well in school bc I have a good memory, do well on tests, and can focus on stuff I'm interested in, which altogether was enough to pass/graduate despite always being a disorganized shitshow who could never study, do homework, keep track of assignments, or adhere to anything resembling a deadline.)
I will say that when I had to change psychiatrists due to a move, I did start with one who refused to keep treating me bc he straight up did not believe that I could possibly have ADHD because of my on-paper successes, so there absolutely are jackass quacks out there — fortunately, if you're unlucky enough to start with one, you can get second opinions until you find someone who will actually listen to you.
If you were diagnosed as a kid, though, you probably won't have much trouble with asshole doctors.
Hope that helps some, happy to go into more detail or answer any other questions at any point if you'd like!
Good comment.
I went through a similar process, the referral tag was very real. One positive outcome, aside from meds, was that it did teach me some self-advocacy skills.
Huge same, it probably wouldn't have been possible to get all the way through if I didn't.
I had to hound the psychiatrist office for 2 months after getting referred before I got my appointment, somehow their office was the least helpful and least neurodivergent-friendly group in the whole chain (which is hysterical in that "of course it's like that" sort of way. aren't all their patients neurodivergent???) and throughout the process I had to keep reaffirming things like "no, I know my life looks ok on paper, but my brain is a huge shitshow in a way that's badly affecting my quality of life"
Haha yes, my GP was very helpful but the psychiatrist's office was a mess. I would wait for a reply to an email, only to call them and find out they'd sent the reply to their own address rather than to me.
Eventually I stopped treating it like a turn-based game and just repeatedly called them once each morning until the problem was solved. All such a slog, but glad I backed myself.
how has this not been addressed? they can't get my (insurance company's) money if I can't engage with their shitty ableist system
in my experience, insurance is the one that generally requires referrals, and by doing so it keeps people like us from ever costing them a cent (instead of paying for expensive specialists and then buying me amphetamines every month and paying for periodic psych appointments)
never expected to think pharmaceutical companies needed better lobbyists but here we are lmao
It really depends on the doctor. I lucked out with essentially a pill mill where all the appointments are remote. They had me on a few different things before methylphenidate. Generic strattera worked well but made my dick not work well and made ejaculation painful. Wellbutrin didn’t do anything after a month or two. Methylphenidate makes me go fast but it’s like driving on the highway, a small adjustment to the steering wheel shoots me off in a very different direction and it’s hard to correct so I can’t actually just do my work.
I’m honestly considering giving up on medication. I have all the symptoms of ADHD but I can’t stand the idea of taking a pill every single day to alter chemistry consistently and if I forget a day or run out I’m a emotional wreck. Methylphenidate is nice because it’s pretty cheap ($1/pill) and I can take long or short breaks from it and self regulate to avoid a fat tolerance.