Well proxy for a diary post. I went off the Wellbutrin XL since last post and surprisingly there was zero physical withdrawal. However an old problem is back, Amazon package tracking obsession. I think that started when I was a child and an aunt would say she was sending me something from America. The international post was completely unpredictable. I'd give it three weeks but after that every postal delivery passing was agony. Yesteday I was expecting a package to arrive in the morning and it irked me all day... Fingers crossed today. It's not even something I urgently need, but I get fixated on wheres my package. I have however ordered hemp gummies, I'm told they are good for fireworks nervous dogs and people with watched por syndrome. Effing Colombia it said 2:58pm at 9am. Can't even set server clock.
Well, I'm glad I went off the Wellbutrin XL, going on it was strong, I was light headed and a little speedy so it was the real stuff, but going off had no side effects at all. Surprising. My next experiment is to do nothing, I have for the first time since I "retired", a clear board or flight progress strip board, as air traffic controllers call it. Nobody is asking me for anything, no responsibility, and I plan to keep it that way a while.
Indeed, ADHD is a pain in the arse, at least until one masters the paradox of hyperfocus, which is the silver lining. Why the link with depression exists: Neurological overlap: ADHD and depression share some underlying brain circuitry differences. ADHD often responds to dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, while depression commonly responds to serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Chronic stress: Struggling with focus, organisation, and impulsivity can lead to repeated setbacks in school, work, or relationships, increasing stress load. Rejection sensitivity: A common ADHD trait, feeling rejection or criticism more intensely, can feed low self-esteem and mood disorders. Sleep problems: ADHD is linked to delayed sleep phase and poor sleep quality, both of which contribute to depression risk. When both conditions occur, suicide risk can double or triple. Although my career plan was medicine or engineering, I found refuge in computers ('80s/90s), which became a target for my hyperfocus. At around fifteen I began doing data recovery, a new and unbelievably lucrative field at the time. Realizing that I might painfully procrastinate on homework but could excel in a high-value skill took much of the pressure off. I did get medicine but life threw a curveball as it does and I went down several other paths. This may help explain why a majority of CEOs in a large Young Presidents’ Organization, YPO, survey reported having ADHD. There is a significant minimum turnover and employer number required to join, so higher performers.
That YPO survey was used for the paper “ADHD Symptoms, Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) and Firm Performance” by Ana Pérez-Luño and colleagues, published in the Academy of Management Proceedings.