Very interesting thread - ranging from chemical brain imbalances to the subject of good work ethics!
I have always been puzzled by ADD and ADHD. I am not saying that I don't believe they exist (I am pretty sure that they do, just like chronic depression and other strong brain imbalances causing behavioral shifts) but I know for sure that I heard of it for the first time ... when I moved to the US. I never heard of such widely diagnosed condition in Europe which such a tendency to use medication as an answer, especially on kids. Kind frightens me actually. I saw kids being labelled as "hyperactive" (had that in the family and also at school iirc) but from what I saw finding a hobby that the kid enjoys does the trick. It really seems like a grey area - which I suppose makes it even harder to deal with since, as mentioned earlier in the thread, it is almost becoming a "fashionable" casual term and that most likely can cause misdiagnosis.
Anyways, back to the topic. This quote really rang true :
In the past, my best method for dealing with my ADHD was developing habits of a very structured and orderly daily routine. When I know what I'm going to do, how I'm going to do it, and when, it's much easier to accomplish tasks. Being someone with ADHD means I have to premeditate everything I do. Any serious deviation from the routine or other disruption can cause frustration, which leads to disharmonious functioning. If I am seriously disrupted during my reward seeking activities, I can be prone to fits of anger or a tantrum, if you will.
What I find interesting is that this description sounds to me like the work ethic of anyone who wants to get better at something ... regardless of ADHD or not. The cool thing is that since this thread is about ADHD amongst artists, we have a very good yardstick, and that would be the quality of the art being produced! I think it is fair for everyone to be disappointed (and discouraged, and then easily distracted...) when someone's work is not up to the expectations one sets for oneself. I am sure that it happens to everyone here all the time ... and I can imagine that if someone suffers from a brain imbalance making the blow much harder to swallow, the moment of disappointment must be extremely painful.
All in one my advice to the OP would be : if possible, consider art just like a game requiring practice. If you get bored or disappointed, that just means you need more grinding... The rewards sure are harder to gain than leveling up ( ) but if you accept failure as an integral part of the process, then failure itself becomes somehow enjoyable, because every day you get better and can look bad at old stuff and say to yourself : "I can do this better now!"
I am pretty sure than when one gets to a point where the learning process (failures included) become enjoyable, then distractions are less likely to interfere. Again, I am not saying that this is the only facet of the problem, but if this "mindset trick" can help anyone, then I'd be happy
I (like every other kid in the 90's) was diagnosed with ADD. I took different meds for it for a few years.
Fast foward to now..I've seen myself struggle with concentrating more over the past few years. I'm beginning to wonder if I have some mild adult ADD. I have no trouble playing a videogame all night, or working on 3d stuff if I'm on a good roll..but if things are stagnant or I'm not particularly excited about what I'm working on...I have a hard time staying on track.
I have 2 suggestions that help keep me focused.
1: Like Alberto Rdrgz said, get in the habit of using lists. When you start zoning, its really easy to lose track of what you are doing or what you need to do. Sometimes I'll get overwhelmed, but since I write down everything I want to finish, its easier to focus on one specific thing and check it off the list. I have a whiteboard in my office at work (and at home) that I use all the time..as well as a pad and pen at my desk for this reason.
2: Music. Might just be me...but whenever I slip some headphones on and listen to music, its easier to shut out all outside distractions and focus on my computer. If I need to motivate myself..I'll listen to really upbeat, loud music and start chipping away at work.
I haven't really cared about ADD because I'm one of the it might not really be anything subsantial and mild personality traits can be overcome with hard work or something.. I haven't done any research on it. But this dude, what you bolded, damn. That hits home!
I am totally apart of the ramping up into things mentality. The first day I try to draw/model after a few days of not worrying about it I can't go more than a few minutes without checking other stuff and bouncing back and forth and then it goes up and up until I can do it for 8 hours a day.. I have to build up to it. Same with playing games, if I'm in during my 8 hours a day I can do 3d stuff, I can't play more than 20 minutes but once it goes from 20 min to 2 hrs the next day then I can just play non stop.
I am pretty sure than when one gets to a point where the learning process (failures included) become enjoyable, then distractions are less likely to interfere. Again, I am not saying that this is the only facet of the problem, but if this "mindset trick" can help anyone, then I'd be happy
Excellent observation pior! It is one of the main parts of this whole sphere from OCD/ADHD/Autism. That everything has to be correct. The thinking is very strict which other cognitive types don't understand. It again goes into the black and white thinking. There is correct and incorrect. Nothing in-between. If something happens that doesn't fit.. it frustrates and causes anxiety where in most it would be nothing. In short, "mountains out of mole hills".
FWIW though, at least in my case. I hate medications. Both times I tried as an adult to get off them, it became much harder for me to do anything. I still would like to try again, but I really need a structure in place and a special someone that can help and tell me when I'm off.
I realize employees search these things to get a feel for their hires. I am not going to hide what I have, but neither am I going to promote it. It is what it is. If a employer cannot accept such, then it's probably better not to work for ignorant people.
I noticed a few people in here mention the importance of making lists, or planning so I thought I would share this. Gizmodo's app of the day is a time/task tracker sort of app.
I have what would be called ADHD. In my case, it is very debilitating. From what my wife and I have learned, is that ADHD is a condition that falls under the category of conditions known as "reward deficiency syndrome".
What this means is, a person with such a condition like ADHD will have an initial excitement for something and will tend to hyper-focus on that that thing. As time goes on, the excitement wanes and the person loses the ability to maintain focus and interest. You essentially "burn out" you enthusiasm prematurely.
My condition includes this burn-out effect. In addition, I also suffer from the distraction issue. As my "reward" sensation recedes, I become more easily distracted by other stimuli that make me prone to being "flighty" or aloof; impulsive behavior ensues as well in search of new satisfying stimuli. My working memory and processing is debilitated as well, which makes it very difficult for me to handle things "on-the-fly" and I have to externalize my memory to other devices, like notes, in order to hold on to the information while I work on it. Not only this, but people with ADHD tend to see tasks as bigger than they are and require more time than others to complete them; it can be so severe as to cause that person to avoid the task altogether out of performance anxiety.
It's hard for people that don't have such a condition to understand it, even those who have it don't really understand what is going on and why they act the way they do, because people with ADHD minds are as foreign to "normal" people as extra-terrestrials are to all of us. Their frame of mind is completely different from the majority. It's a hard thing to pin down and probably leads people to believe that it is a myth. I can promise you, it is not. It is very real and it makes my life hard.
In the past, my best method for dealing with my ADHD was developing habits of a very structured and orderly daily routine. When I know what I'm going to do, how I'm going to do it, and when, it's much easier to accomplish tasks. Being someone with ADHD means I have to premeditate everything I do. Any serious deviation from the routine or other disruption can cause frustration, which leads to disharmonious functioning. If I am seriously disrupted during my reward seeking activities, I can be prone to fits of anger or a tantrum, if you will.
I'm amazed how exact this post matches up for me. I have noticed it helps to do work after exercising or eating something really nice. Maybe it's the endorphins doing their job to help me focus, who knows, at least it's working without drugs coming into business.
And not paying attention to things that aren't interesting is just...normal? Why blame the person when the subject matter is to blame? What next? medication so we make it through boring movies? or meetings?
Well people with ad/hd don't take meds to manage to see boring movies and again paying attention is a small part of having ad/hd there are other things that come with it.
Just to say I have been trough so many years with different test to ensure I have it, so it's not a fantasy diagnose.
Yeah I don't think I quite explained myself or at least what I go through. A lot of times when I start to drift off or start having issues it is like an overload in my head. I can't think about one thing for a second and my thoughts literally jump around like crazy and even doing some of the easiest tasks I have struggled with.
I mean even simple things like doing dishes, saving a file or whatever can become a chore at times. It is like my brain is literally changing the channel on the tv without ever slowing down and all I am getting is quick glimpses of everything. I don't know how else to explain it.
It doesn't happen all the time but when it does it is seriously hard to be productive. This is a huge reason whey I am much more productive in a studio environment then at home. I tend to catch myself a lot easier in a studio then I would at home. Less distractions helps too but mainly it's because I set a better schedule for myself and I know I have to keep to it.
Excellent observation pior! It is one of the main parts of this whole sphere from OCD/ADHD/Autism. That everything has to be correct. The thinking is very strict which other cognitive types don't understand. It again goes into the black and white thinking. There is correct and incorrect. Nothing in-between. If something happens that doesn't fit.. it frustrates and causes anxiety where in most it would be nothing. In short, "mountains out of mole hills".
I'm not sure about ADHD (I was a hyperactive child - quite good at sprinting actually) but I have suffered from OCD (also an anxiety disorder) since I was a child. Unfortunately I only had a diagnosis at the end of my twenties. I used to have bad panic attacks where I felt as if I was going to stop breathing. It made my life a living hell. Got to the point where I didn't want to go anywhere or do anything. As a result I became quite reclusive and introverted. To go with that I also had a lesser known form of OCD, sometimes called unwanted thought disorder. If you have not personally experienced this condition you cannot understand how utterly terrifying it is.
As a result of OCD I also have a perfectionist mindset (as has been described in this thread) which makes even the simplest tasks seem insurmountable. I'm surprised I've lasted as long as I have in this industry. I have a reputation as a slow worker. We all have OCD tendencies to a greater or lesser degree but when they mean you cannot function normally as a human being it can be tough to cope. I'm just sorry about all the time I've wasted hiding away thinking I was a freak for the way I felt or the things I thought (I still may be a freak - not completely ruling that out ).
Edit: An interesting aside and in no way implying anything. Some brilliant historical figures are believed to have had this condition including Samuel Johnson famous lexicographer and writer of the first comprehensive English dictionary. These sorts of neuroses, unfortunately, often go hand-in-hand with a high-functioning intellect.
This kind of went from how to deal with it to "theres somthing in the water" conspiracy theorys. Even if there is somthing in the water causing this shit that doesnt help any one deal with it.
You're right, I got a little off track, but just saying they're 'conspiracy theories' when they are facts is quite ignorant of you.
Here's how my suggestions could help in that relation:
-Filter your tap water, even for cooking. Sodium Flouride itself is bad enough, but then there's all the prescription drugs in the water. This isn't some conjecture, the water was tested. In multiple large cities. Yes, in smaller cities / if you have your own well, you probably don't have to worry about this so much.
-Don't bother with vaccines. There are cases of kids getting instant autism from vaccines even within the last decade.
Giving advice as to not make conditions worse is valid advice. We must take care of our bodies. This fact is often too overlooked.
-Don't bother with vaccines. There are cases of kids getting instant autism from vaccines even within the last decade.
I actually have a problem with this suggestion. It's dangerous and is part of a larger fear-based mindset which can be more damaging than helpful. Vaccines are a necessary, and practical, part of modern medicine. Only a fool would suggest otherwise.
I dont trust vaccines either i havnt had them since i was a kid and ive never had any problems ive noticed that people who do get vaccines are generally more sick than me and more often. The point is, if you dont have any of these disorders mentions (add, adhd, ocd, anxiety) then you most likely cant understand what its like to be in that mind set. People are allways saying "oh your probably just bored and dont care enough so you loose interest in what your doing" but its not like that at all. I can sit in zbrush and work just fine but when it comes to exporting/inporting, saving files, renaming shit my mind just starts racing and i forget what im doing where i saved stuff ill end up exporting the same thing 3 times its pretty horrible.
I actually have a problem with this suggestion. It's dangerous and is part of a larger fear-based mindset which can be more damaging than helpful. Vaccines are a necessary, and practical, part of modern medicine. Only a fool would suggest otherwise.
Looks like you haven't done any actual research on the history of vaccines and their links to autism. Did you know that most vaccines have mercury in them? This isn't conjecture. This is fact.
Only a fool would follow popular opinion to come to his conclusions.
I dont trust vaccines either i havnt had them since i was a kid and ive never had any problems ive noticed that people who do get vaccines are generally more sick than me and more often. The point is, if you dont have any of these disorders mentions (add, adhd, ocd, anxiety) then you most likely cant understand what its like to be in that mind set. People are allways saying "oh your probably just bored and dont care enough so you loose interest in what your doing" but its not like that at all. I can sit in zbrush and work just fine but when it comes to exporting/inporting, saving files, renaming shit my mind just starts racing and i forget what im doing where i saved stuff ill end up exporting the same thing 3 times its pretty horrible.
Exactly.
It's easy to judge from the outside looking in.
However, it's clear to us that we process things differently than the average Joe.
You're right, I got a little off track, but just saying they're 'conspiracy theories' when they are facts is quite ignorant of you.
Here's how my suggestions could help in that relation:
-Filter your tap water, even for cooking. Sodium Flouride itself is bad enough, but then there's all the prescription drugs in the water. This isn't some conjecture, the water was tested. In multiple large cities. Yes, in smaller cities / if you have your own well, you probably don't have to worry about this so much.
-Don't bother with vaccines. There are cases of kids getting instant autism from vaccines even within the last decade.
Giving advice as to not make conditions worse is valid advice. We must take care of our bodies. This fact is often too overlooked.
The above is a bit of misinformation. The whole vaccines connection is complimentary at best. Based on a study that was shown to be flawed. By a doctor who was descredited. I think Penn and Teller even did a show on it.?
The latest theories, deal with the age of your parents when they had you. The dna structure is mutated from normal in brain makeup from dna degeneration in your fathers sperm.
Not your mother, because all eggs are created with the growth of the sexual organs in the womb. So the eggs don't have this degeneration.
On the plus side, a new study has linked the following.. If you have a grandfather who sired children at a older age. Even more if your father did the same. The ends of your rna? The excess to keep damage from the real code information is longer. Which can equate to a longer life since your cells can last longer before breaking down.
Multiple studies have been performed on data from large populations of children to study the relationship between the use of vaccines containing thiomersal, and autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Almost all of these studies have found no association between thiomersal-containing vaccines (TCVs) and autism, and studies done after the removal of thiomersal from vaccines have nevertheless shown autism rates continuing to increase. The only epidemiologic research that has found a purported link between TCVs and autism has been conducted by Mark Geier, whose flawed research has not been given any weight by independent reviews.
Your basing your conclusion on psuedo science. I like most would like to find the correct cause. But crying Wolf as the conclusion just causes misinformation.
Your basing your conclusion on psuedo science. I like most would like to find the corrct cause. But crying Wolf as the conclusion just causes misinformation.
No, I am not.
I just provided proof. Not my fault you want to skip over what I have posted. Mercury kills brain cells instantly, and mass-produced vaccines contain Thimerosal, which contains Mercury.
I just provided proof. Not my fault you want to skip over what I have posted. Mercury kills brain cells instantly, and mass-produced vaccines contain Thimerosal, which contains Mercury.
Lets look at this logically. We both agree Mercury is a carcinogen. You imply because of the death of the cell in your video. This leads to the conditions we speak of.
Here is where your conclusion breaks down. Since the cell was killed versus mutated. That would imply people with these conditions would have less neurons than most.
They don't however. The structure and working of the brain is slightly different. There isn't a lack of cells.
Your viewpoint could be used to conclude that such people would be mentally retarted because the lack of brain power. I don't know about you, but I certainly don't feel stupid. Just different.
I just provided proof. Not my fault you want to skip over what I have posted. Mercury kills brain cells instantly, and mass-produced vaccines contain Thimerosal, which contains Mercury.
"The mercury-based preservative thiomersal (commonly called thimerosal in the U.S.) has been added to vaccines since the 1930s to prevent their deterioration.[18] Its use in vaccines has been hypothesized as a cause of autistic behaviors.[64] This hypothesis is controversial, as much evidence suggests that the cause of autism is about 90% genetic.[65] The hypothesis has not been confirmed by reliable studies.[66] However, organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics have recommended that the use of thiomersal be reduced as a precautionary measure. With the exception of some flu vaccines, it is no longer used as a preservative in routinely recommended childhood vaccines in the United States; it is still in limited use as a preservative in multi-dose flu and tetanus vaccines and a few other non-childhood vaccines.[67]"
The brain can easily adapt when cells are missing, and of course cells being killed is going to change brain function; as the dendrites have to create new connections between neurons to maintain the same functionality.
However, I agree. Looking back, it is not fair to say that brain cell death can directly cause the conditions we speak of.
I like to think about possibilities. Doesn't hurt.
I guess the prescription drugs in the tap water would be a bigger contributing factor since they definitely do change brain function without necessarily killing brain cells.
Anyways, I am sorry. I've brought this thread off topic.
If you're not going to read what I've posted, I don't really need to read what you have posted in relation to the subject matter.
That's fair. Especially when you choose to source Wikipedia, when I've actually sourced reputable medical institutions and gave you proof of mercury killing brain cells under a microscope.
I am going to start off with a checklist of things I need to do, and see how that goes.
The brain can easily adapt when cells are missing, and of course cells being killed is going to change brain function; as the dendrites have to create new connections between neurons to maintain the same functionality.
However, I agree. Looking back, it is not fair to say that brain cell death can directly cause the conditions we speak of.
I like to think about possibilities. Doesn't hurt.
I guess the prescription drugs in the tap water would be a bigger contributing factor since they definitely do change brain function without necessarily killing brain cells.
Anyways, I am sorry. I've brought this thread off topic.
If you're not going to read what I've posted, I don't really need to read what you have posted in relation to the subject matter.
That's fair. Especially when you choose to source Wikipedia, when I've actually sourced reputable medical institutions.
CDC isn't all that trustworthy when they're caught in a lie.. Mercury kills brain cells. This is irrefutable fact. Mercury is in vaccines. This is also irrefutable fact.
CDC isn't all that trustworthy when they're caught in a lie.. Mercury kills brain cells. This is irrefutable fact. Mercury is in vaccines. This is also irrefutable fact.
okay, drugs in the tap water...
article says the concentration is in the parts per billion and parts per trillion range.
now if you had a texture that was 1,000,000 x 1,000,000 (yeah I know not a ^2 :P)
that texture would have a trillion pixels.
now pretend we've got a game engine that uses these textures as the default size (you know, where game engines would be at if it werent for consoles holding everything back) , every frame it processes dozens of these textures. six pixels in one texture are bad.
will they ruin the game?
RexM: I couldn't watch your whole video but it seems you're talking about the Dental almagam tooth fillings containing Methyl Mercury compared to Ethyl Mercury in vaccines.
If there's no difference, I will happily toast you, my glass will contain Ethanol and you can have the Methanol.
CDC isn't all that trustworthy when they're caught in a lie.. Mercury kills brain cells. This is irrefutable fact. Mercury is in vaccines. This is also irrefutable fact.
You cannot just state numbers related to coal power plants and apply them to vacines. The largest source of mercury contamination in the United States is coal-fueled power plant emissions, but coal power plants also release arsenic, lead, and more radiation than nuclear power plants.
okay, drugs in the tap water...
article says the concentration is in the parts per billion and parts per trillion range.
now if you had a texture that was 1,000,000 x 1,000,000 (yeah I know not a ^2 :P)
that texture would have a trillion pixels.
now pretend we've got a game engine that uses these textures as the default size (you know, where game engines would be at if it werent for consoles holding everything back) , every frame it processes dozens of these textures. six pixels in one texture are bad.
will they ruin the game?
Biological systems can't be simplified to that extent.
RexM: I couldn't watch your whole video but it seems you're talking about the Dental almagam tooth fillings containing Methyl Mercury compared to Ethyl Mercury in vaccines.
If there's no difference, I will happily toast you, my glass will contain Ethanol and you can have the Methanol.
Methanol is fatal when injested in quantities equal or greater than four ounces. Even skin contact with Methanol is reported to cause blindness.
The difference between Ethyl Mercury and Methyl Mercury is that Ehtyl Mercury can leave the body ten times faster.. however, it still kills brain cells since both of them are mercury-based chemical compounds.
The danger of Methyl Mercury is that it accumulates in the body while the body struggles to get rid of it.
You cannot just state numbers related to coal power plants and apply them to vacines. The largest source of mercury contamination in the United States is coal-fueled power plant emissions, but coal power plants also release arsenic, lead, and more radiation than nuclear power plants.
Seems you haven't read my posts either... I said I agreed that attributing these conditions to mercury is not realistic.
However, it is fact that mercury kills brain cells.
-Listening to music without lyrics (So I can think about my work without getting distracted)
-Writing a list in a notebook that I will keep open next to me. (Don't keep a list in a text file, as that is tucked away and easy to forget about)
-TV playing in the background seems to help sometimes as well
-Try meditating for 10 minutes a day or so
-Exercising more
Polycount is ADD. There's an epidemic in Threads derailed.
Just realize that this industry is competitive, and you can either man up and do it, or slack and stay way way behind. and next gen is going to get HARDER. so, stop wasting time, put some music on and do it.
If it's hard to stay motivated or focused, planning on devoting at least an hour a day on a project is better than nothing, those hours add up and sometimes you might get in the groove.
RexM, really? you're willing to say that about me but not willing to look at your own attitude towards me?
Amounting ADD to 'threads getting detrailed' paints your lack of understanding quite clearly.
You don't know what it is like. You will never know what it is like.
Attitudes like yours just don't help...
Are you trolling? wtf?
If you outline your problem (can't concentrate), well then you've basically outlined your solution. It's like justin said. You have to make up your mind and stick with it. Sorry i can't put it to you with roses and pretty words.
Ok guys seriously. Please stop with the shit storm back and forth.
As someone that has seriously struggled with this and working on finding habits that help me work better and try to minimize my "episodes" i guess for a lack of a better word saying things like "man up and work" is completely insulting beyond belief.
I have ALWAYS worked my ass off for everything I have and would never consider myself a slacker in any regard and seriously just the steps I have taken this year alone has helped me as a person more then anything.
But jesse, that's my point. Man up and do it, sounds barbaric, but it's the most basic way to put it.
Realizing what is in front of you and then asking yourself "what can i do about it?" is the manning up and work part (Taking in consideration that the illness will add to the road block).
But jesse, that's my point. Man up and do it, sounds barbaric, but it's the most basic way to put it.
Realizing what is in front of you and then asking yourself "what can i do about it?" is the manning up and work part (Taking in consideration that the illness will add to the road block).
You make the mistake of thinking its straight forward. I keep saying it but its being missed by those judging from the outside. The amount of pressure our mental types put on ourselves to "just do it". Is abnormal. The goals we try to reach many times exceed what we are able to accept. Where this may just make you grit your teeth and move on, to another it causes anxiety to a degree to being non funtional.
In other words what you say is the end goal, but for people in thia area, it's not a straight forward process. Baby steps as it were, for again if we do it all at once, its bound for anxiety, burnout, then finalky depression when the oerson ends up at square 1. Your comments feed the unhealthy obsession inherent in these conditions. There is the right way or there is nothing.
What to you is simple "hard love", to a person suffering such is permission to punish thenselves. Think the old stereotype of the self flaggating monk who believes they deserve such punishment.
The advice about methodology or finding a working area separated from the rest of your life/distraction, is the best advice to give. If you have a hard time seeing what separates these mental imbalances from your own situation, all it does is scream narcicism and ignorance. Which your allowed to have. But to speak out on this thread does no one any favors other than showing your own lack of understanding.
But jesse, that's my point. Man up and do it, sounds barbaric, but it's the most basic way to put it.
Realizing what is in front of you and then asking yourself "what can i do about it?" is the manning up and work part (Taking in consideration that the illness will add to the road block).
That's not the message such phrasing portrays. "Man up and do it" doesn't work. It's not tough love, it's just offensive. You can't just will yourself to be productive with ADHD. Like Moody said, we already are exerting all the willpower we can muster just to keep up. What you're saying is like telling a driver to go faster when he already has the pedal to the floor.
The most effective way I've found to deal with the problem is to form habits that provide some logistical consistency (e.g. consistent sleep schedule, daily routines, tracking tasks with lists or charts, writing thoughts down so they aren't running around your head, remove distractions, exercise, setting short-term achievable goals, and so on). Internal distractions can be just as bad as external ones. At least the external distractions can be removed, internal ones are much harder because your own mind is the distraction.
But jesse, that's my point. Man up and do it, sounds barbaric, but it's the most basic way to put it.
Realizing what is in front of you and then asking yourself "what can i do about it?" is the manning up and work part (Taking in consideration that the illness will add to the road block).
I man up and do everything. I don't quit on anything but my point is it's not just about sitting down and doing something. Unless you have had to really deal with it you really have no idea what it is like. I think mine is mild compared to others I have talked to but when I have bad episodes or it really starts to be a bother I literally can not even hold a conversation because I can't even concentrate on that 1 task at that time. It is literally like everything is going through your head at hyperspeed and you can't do anything really to slow it down.
Trust me when I say I am all for manning up and doing things as I have always felt that way and like I said only recently have I even realized my problem was real when trying to help my son with things. He is incredibly smart but when he has his spells there is literally nothing I can do to get through to him. He just seems to go out of it.
I find it pretty shitty that guys like me who have opened up about this to everyone here are basically being told to pull up our skirts and man up and get shit done. I have literally only told a handful of very close friends up until this point and to say "hey i have these problems too. Here is what I try to do." and get shit on for it... Wow... just wow...
I find it pretty shitty that guys like me who have opened up about this to everyone here are basically being told to pull up our skirts and man up and get shit done. I have literally only told a handful of very close friends up until this point and to say "hey i have these problems too. Here is what I try to do." and get shit on for it... Wow... just wow...
I think that's one of the things about ADD/ADHD, they're not symptoms exclusive to these people, they're symptoms that are much stronger and much more agressive with these people, but they're still something regular people have.
So for regular people the problem is easily fixed, for people with ADD/ADHD you have to learn to live with these symptoms in ways that they become managable.
I personally have minor breakdowns in my head when things change from the regular, my working-memory is fantastic, my other memory not so much, which is why I constantly have to do things the same way just so that I know where I left things or what I'm supposed to do.
I guess my extremely constant shift in interestes and new thrills became the reason why I ended up a generalist, and it doesn't stop there, there's never a quiet moment in my head, ever, but I try to do the best of it and get creative ideas going every waking moment.
One trick I use with projects I know I need to keep going with is to have the mindset that even though I lost the initial thrill I need with it, I keep going because I know it's just in my head, the project couldn't possibly have become less good or thrilling since it is exactly the same thing I started working on, eventually the feeling comes back.
Other times I just have to have several things to work on so that I never have downtime.
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I have always been puzzled by ADD and ADHD. I am not saying that I don't believe they exist (I am pretty sure that they do, just like chronic depression and other strong brain imbalances causing behavioral shifts) but I know for sure that I heard of it for the first time ... when I moved to the US. I never heard of such widely diagnosed condition in Europe which such a tendency to use medication as an answer, especially on kids. Kind frightens me actually. I saw kids being labelled as "hyperactive" (had that in the family and also at school iirc) but from what I saw finding a hobby that the kid enjoys does the trick. It really seems like a grey area - which I suppose makes it even harder to deal with since, as mentioned earlier in the thread, it is almost becoming a "fashionable" casual term and that most likely can cause misdiagnosis.
Anyways, back to the topic. This quote really rang true :
What I find interesting is that this description sounds to me like the work ethic of anyone who wants to get better at something ... regardless of ADHD or not. The cool thing is that since this thread is about ADHD amongst artists, we have a very good yardstick, and that would be the quality of the art being produced! I think it is fair for everyone to be disappointed (and discouraged, and then easily distracted...) when someone's work is not up to the expectations one sets for oneself. I am sure that it happens to everyone here all the time ... and I can imagine that if someone suffers from a brain imbalance making the blow much harder to swallow, the moment of disappointment must be extremely painful.
All in one my advice to the OP would be : if possible, consider art just like a game requiring practice. If you get bored or disappointed, that just means you need more grinding... The rewards sure are harder to gain than leveling up (
I am pretty sure than when one gets to a point where the learning process (failures included) become enjoyable, then distractions are less likely to interfere. Again, I am not saying that this is the only facet of the problem, but if this "mindset trick" can help anyone, then I'd be happy
I haven't really cared about ADD because I'm one of the it might not really be anything subsantial and mild personality traits can be overcome with hard work or something.. I haven't done any research on it. But this dude, what you bolded, damn. That hits home!
I am totally apart of the ramping up into things mentality. The first day I try to draw/model after a few days of not worrying about it I can't go more than a few minutes without checking other stuff and bouncing back and forth and then it goes up and up until I can do it for 8 hours a day.. I have to build up to it. Same with playing games, if I'm in during my 8 hours a day I can do 3d stuff, I can't play more than 20 minutes but once it goes from 20 min to 2 hrs the next day then I can just play non stop.
Funny to see other people are like this.
Excellent observation pior! It is one of the main parts of this whole sphere from OCD/ADHD/Autism. That everything has to be correct. The thinking is very strict which other cognitive types don't understand. It again goes into the black and white thinking. There is correct and incorrect. Nothing in-between. If something happens that doesn't fit.. it frustrates and causes anxiety where in most it would be nothing. In short, "mountains out of mole hills".
FWIW though, at least in my case. I hate medications. Both times I tried as an adult to get off them, it became much harder for me to do anything. I still would like to try again, but I really need a structure in place and a special someone that can help and tell me when I'm off.
I realize employees search these things to get a feel for their hires. I am not going to hide what I have, but neither am I going to promote it. It is what it is. If a employer cannot accept such, then it's probably better not to work for ignorant people.
Anyone know of an Android counterpart?
QFT.
Just to say I have been trough so many years with different test to ensure I have it, so it's not a fantasy diagnose.
I mean even simple things like doing dishes, saving a file or whatever can become a chore at times. It is like my brain is literally changing the channel on the tv without ever slowing down and all I am getting is quick glimpses of everything. I don't know how else to explain it.
It doesn't happen all the time but when it does it is seriously hard to be productive. This is a huge reason whey I am much more productive in a studio environment then at home. I tend to catch myself a lot easier in a studio then I would at home. Less distractions helps too but mainly it's because I set a better schedule for myself and I know I have to keep to it.
I'm not sure about ADHD (I was a hyperactive child - quite good at sprinting actually) but I have suffered from OCD (also an anxiety disorder) since I was a child. Unfortunately I only had a diagnosis at the end of my twenties. I used to have bad panic attacks where I felt as if I was going to stop breathing. It made my life a living hell. Got to the point where I didn't want to go anywhere or do anything. As a result I became quite reclusive and introverted. To go with that I also had a lesser known form of OCD, sometimes called unwanted thought disorder. If you have not personally experienced this condition you cannot understand how utterly terrifying it is.
As a result of OCD I also have a perfectionist mindset (as has been described in this thread) which makes even the simplest tasks seem insurmountable. I'm surprised I've lasted as long as I have in this industry. I have a reputation as a slow worker. We all have OCD tendencies to a greater or lesser degree but when they mean you cannot function normally as a human being it can be tough to cope. I'm just sorry about all the time I've wasted hiding away thinking I was a freak for the way I felt or the things I thought (I still may be a freak - not completely ruling that out
Edit: An interesting aside and in no way implying anything. Some brilliant historical figures are believed to have had this condition including Samuel Johnson famous lexicographer and writer of the first comprehensive English dictionary. These sorts of neuroses, unfortunately, often go hand-in-hand with a high-functioning intellect.
Further reading for those who are interested...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocd
You're right, I got a little off track, but just saying they're 'conspiracy theories' when they are facts is quite ignorant of you.
Here's how my suggestions could help in that relation:
-Filter your tap water, even for cooking. Sodium Flouride itself is bad enough, but then there's all the prescription drugs in the water. This isn't some conjecture, the water was tested. In multiple large cities. Yes, in smaller cities / if you have your own well, you probably don't have to worry about this so much.
-Don't bother with vaccines. There are cases of kids getting instant autism from vaccines even within the last decade.
Giving advice as to not make conditions worse is valid advice. We must take care of our bodies. This fact is often too overlooked.
I actually have a problem with this suggestion. It's dangerous and is part of a larger fear-based mindset which can be more damaging than helpful. Vaccines are a necessary, and practical, part of modern medicine. Only a fool would suggest otherwise.
Looks like you haven't done any actual research on the history of vaccines and their links to autism. Did you know that most vaccines have mercury in them? This isn't conjecture. This is fact.
Only a fool would follow popular opinion to come to his conclusions.
Exactly.
It's easy to judge from the outside looking in.
However, it's clear to us that we process things differently than the average Joe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MMR_vaccine_controversy#Research
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/autism-vaccine-_b_817879.html
"science and the media have once again pronounced as completely debunked for what I believe is now the sixth or seventh time."
There is no real evidence that it is caused by vaccines.
The above is a bit of misinformation. The whole vaccines connection is complimentary at best. Based on a study that was shown to be flawed. By a doctor who was descredited. I think Penn and Teller even did a show on it.?
The latest theories, deal with the age of your parents when they had you. The dna structure is mutated from normal in brain makeup from dna degeneration in your fathers sperm.
Not your mother, because all eggs are created with the growth of the sexual organs in the womb. So the eggs don't have this degeneration.
On the plus side, a new study has linked the following.. If you have a grandfather who sired children at a older age. Even more if your father did the same. The ends of your rna? The excess to keep damage from the real code information is longer. Which can equate to a longer life since your cells can last longer before breaking down.
Mercury killing a brain cell:
[ame="
Go to 2:23 in the video.... and that's just a microscopic drop of mercury.
Not saying it is THE cause, but of course it is a hugely contributing factor.
CDC saying mercury has been in vaccines since the 30's, but they say it is safe... when even microscopic amounts kill brain cells.
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Concerns/thimerosal/
Thiomersal contains mercury.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1257552/
It is still used today in vaccines.
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/thimerosal.htm
Anyways, I have started trying the list idea. Got a notebook set next to me on my desk. Here's hoping it does some good. :thumbup:
Your basing your conclusion on psuedo science. I like most would like to find the correct cause. But crying Wolf as the conclusion just causes misinformation.
interesssttinnggggg...
No, I am not.
I just provided proof. Not my fault you want to skip over what I have posted. Mercury kills brain cells instantly, and mass-produced vaccines contain Thimerosal, which contains Mercury.
Why stop at vaccines? There is more mercury in the air we breathe and in the fish we eat than could be obtained from a 1000 vaccines.
[ame="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=703985870906635810"]UFOs Are Real (1979, Complete)[/ame]
Vaccines are given intravenously. Less chance for the body to be able to filter it.
Lets look at this logically. We both agree Mercury is a carcinogen. You imply because of the death of the cell in your video. This leads to the conditions we speak of.
Here is where your conclusion breaks down. Since the cell was killed versus mutated. That would imply people with these conditions would have less neurons than most.
They don't however. The structure and working of the brain is slightly different. There isn't a lack of cells.
Your viewpoint could be used to conclude that such people would be mentally retarted because the lack of brain power. I don't know about you, but I certainly don't feel stupid. Just different.
"The mercury-based preservative thiomersal (commonly called thimerosal in the U.S.) has been added to vaccines since the 1930s to prevent their deterioration.[18] Its use in vaccines has been hypothesized as a cause of autistic behaviors.[64] This hypothesis is controversial, as much evidence suggests that the cause of autism is about 90% genetic.[65] The hypothesis has not been confirmed by reliable studies.[66] However, organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics have recommended that the use of thiomersal be reduced as a precautionary measure. With the exception of some flu vaccines, it is no longer used as a preservative in routinely recommended childhood vaccines in the United States; it is still in limited use as a preservative in multi-dose flu and tetanus vaccines and a few other non-childhood vaccines.[67]"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_poisoning
However, I agree. Looking back, it is not fair to say that brain cell death can directly cause the conditions we speak of.
I like to think about possibilities. Doesn't hurt.
I guess the prescription drugs in the tap water would be a bigger contributing factor since they definitely do change brain function without necessarily killing brain cells.
Anyways, I am sorry. I've brought this thread off topic.
If you're not going to read what I've posted, I don't really need to read what you have posted in relation to the subject matter.
That's fair.
I am going to start off with a checklist of things I need to do, and see how that goes.
What you mean like the CDC?
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Concerns/adverse_effects_iomreport.html
CDC isn't all that trustworthy when they're caught in a lie.. Mercury kills brain cells. This is irrefutable fact. Mercury is in vaccines. This is also irrefutable fact.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1257552/
I'm done.
That goes against science in every way conceivable.
article says the concentration is in the parts per billion and parts per trillion range.
now if you had a texture that was 1,000,000 x 1,000,000 (yeah I know not a ^2 :P)
that texture would have a trillion pixels.
now pretend we've got a game engine that uses these textures as the default size (you know, where game engines would be at if it werent for consoles holding everything back) , every frame it processes dozens of these textures. six pixels in one texture are bad.
will they ruin the game?
If there's no difference, I will happily toast you, my glass will contain Ethanol and you can have the Methanol.
You cannot just state numbers related to coal power plants and apply them to vacines. The largest source of mercury contamination in the United States is coal-fueled power plant emissions, but coal power plants also release arsenic, lead, and more radiation than nuclear power plants.
Biological systems can't be simplified to that extent.
Methanol is fatal when injested in quantities equal or greater than four ounces. Even skin contact with Methanol is reported to cause blindness.
The difference between Ethyl Mercury and Methyl Mercury is that Ehtyl Mercury can leave the body ten times faster.. however, it still kills brain cells since both of them are mercury-based chemical compounds.
The danger of Methyl Mercury is that it accumulates in the body while the body struggles to get rid of it.
Seems you haven't read my posts either...
However, it is fact that mercury kills brain cells.
-Listening to music without lyrics (So I can think about my work without getting distracted)
-Writing a list in a notebook that I will keep open next to me. (Don't keep a list in a text file, as that is tucked away and easy to forget about)
-TV playing in the background seems to help sometimes as well
-Try meditating for 10 minutes a day or so
-Exercising more
Just realize that this industry is competitive, and you can either man up and do it, or slack and stay way way behind. and next gen is going to get HARDER. so, stop wasting time, put some music on and do it.
end of story.
Sorry, doesn't work like that. You clearly don't get it. If you don't want to help, leave.
make of it what you want, It's helped me.
My advice is that you need to leave this thread. You're not here to help, you're here to chastise people looking for help for very real conditions.
You don't know what it is like. You will never know what it is like.
Attitudes like yours just don't help...
Amounting ADD to 'threads getting detrailed' paints your lack of understanding quite clearly.
Are you trolling? wtf?
If you outline your problem (can't concentrate), well then you've basically outlined your solution. It's like justin said. You have to make up your mind and stick with it. Sorry i can't put it to you with roses and pretty words.
As someone that has seriously struggled with this and working on finding habits that help me work better and try to minimize my "episodes" i guess for a lack of a better word saying things like "man up and work" is completely insulting beyond belief.
I have ALWAYS worked my ass off for everything I have and would never consider myself a slacker in any regard and seriously just the steps I have taken this year alone has helped me as a person more then anything.
Realizing what is in front of you and then asking yourself "what can i do about it?" is the manning up and work part (Taking in consideration that the illness will add to the road block).
You make the mistake of thinking its straight forward. I keep saying it but its being missed by those judging from the outside. The amount of pressure our mental types put on ourselves to "just do it". Is abnormal. The goals we try to reach many times exceed what we are able to accept. Where this may just make you grit your teeth and move on, to another it causes anxiety to a degree to being non funtional.
In other words what you say is the end goal, but for people in thia area, it's not a straight forward process. Baby steps as it were, for again if we do it all at once, its bound for anxiety, burnout, then finalky depression when the oerson ends up at square 1. Your comments feed the unhealthy obsession inherent in these conditions. There is the right way or there is nothing.
What to you is simple "hard love", to a person suffering such is permission to punish thenselves. Think the old stereotype of the self flaggating monk who believes they deserve such punishment.
The advice about methodology or finding a working area separated from the rest of your life/distraction, is the best advice to give. If you have a hard time seeing what separates these mental imbalances from your own situation, all it does is scream narcicism and ignorance. Which your allowed to have. But to speak out on this thread does no one any favors other than showing your own lack of understanding.
That's not the message such phrasing portrays. "Man up and do it" doesn't work. It's not tough love, it's just offensive. You can't just will yourself to be productive with ADHD. Like Moody said, we already are exerting all the willpower we can muster just to keep up. What you're saying is like telling a driver to go faster when he already has the pedal to the floor.
The most effective way I've found to deal with the problem is to form habits that provide some logistical consistency (e.g. consistent sleep schedule, daily routines, tracking tasks with lists or charts, writing thoughts down so they aren't running around your head, remove distractions, exercise, setting short-term achievable goals, and so on). Internal distractions can be just as bad as external ones. At least the external distractions can be removed, internal ones are much harder because your own mind is the distraction.
I man up and do everything. I don't quit on anything but my point is it's not just about sitting down and doing something. Unless you have had to really deal with it you really have no idea what it is like. I think mine is mild compared to others I have talked to but when I have bad episodes or it really starts to be a bother I literally can not even hold a conversation because I can't even concentrate on that 1 task at that time. It is literally like everything is going through your head at hyperspeed and you can't do anything really to slow it down.
Trust me when I say I am all for manning up and doing things as I have always felt that way and like I said only recently have I even realized my problem was real when trying to help my son with things. He is incredibly smart but when he has his spells there is literally nothing I can do to get through to him. He just seems to go out of it.
I find it pretty shitty that guys like me who have opened up about this to everyone here are basically being told to pull up our skirts and man up and get shit done. I have literally only told a handful of very close friends up until this point and to say "hey i have these problems too. Here is what I try to do." and get shit on for it... Wow... just wow...
I think that's one of the things about ADD/ADHD, they're not symptoms exclusive to these people, they're symptoms that are much stronger and much more agressive with these people, but they're still something regular people have.
So for regular people the problem is easily fixed, for people with ADD/ADHD you have to learn to live with these symptoms in ways that they become managable.
I personally have minor breakdowns in my head when things change from the regular, my working-memory is fantastic, my other memory not so much, which is why I constantly have to do things the same way just so that I know where I left things or what I'm supposed to do.
I guess my extremely constant shift in interestes and new thrills became the reason why I ended up a generalist, and it doesn't stop there, there's never a quiet moment in my head, ever, but I try to do the best of it and get creative ideas going every waking moment.
One trick I use with projects I know I need to keep going with is to have the mindset that even though I lost the initial thrill I need with it, I keep going because I know it's just in my head, the project couldn't possibly have become less good or thrilling since it is exactly the same thing I started working on, eventually the feeling comes back.
Other times I just have to have several things to work on so that I never have downtime.
Homeopathic medicines work with that same process, dilluted to the point where it doesn't actually do anything.