Alcohol and nicotine both work because there is a dopamine regulation issue with autism and ADHD. External dopamine regulation by drugs, same as why Adderall is basically speed but it works. I used alcohol and nicotine heavily before but now I don't even do caffeine and maybe a beer a week. It is possible to learn to control your focus without drugs.
There are tons of non drug dopamine management tricks you can play. Think of it as the novelty hormone. Suddenly inability to focus on boring things with hyperfocus on new and interesting makes total sense. You can mess with the novelty in your environment to get through otherwise boring things.
For work I do Pomodoro and I change my work environment every sprint. Music or not, now different music, balance board, standing mat, stool, treadmill. Anything to change my environment for novelty while doing the same boring computer work. Breaks are always off the computer and phone. Phone or personal browsing simply isn't different enough for your brain to feel the break as different from the task. Do some mind body connection movements or pick a lock instead.
I also use the timer to break my hyperfocus stretches on purpose. I used to let them ride but I'd get one a day maybe. Cutting them off plus environment management gives me more total focus time at my disposal. It also helps me have more control over when I focus throughout the day. Kind of like making a roller coaster less extreme but a longer ride.
Bill Cypher /
npub1qy…dmu7u
2025-04-19 21:16:41
in reply to nevent1q…lyr5
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npub1qyxlpj2gl6dt2nfvkl4yyrl6pr2hjkycrdh2dr5r42n7ktwn7pdqrdmu7uSeen on
wss://relay.nostr.bandPublished at
2025-04-19 21:16:41Event JSON
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