Chris Ward

Coding and Mental Illness. A Survival Guide

For 37 years, an engineering manager thought he was lazy. An ADHD diagnosis revealed he was just playing life on hard mode.

Coding and Mental Illness. A Survival Guide
#1about 2 minutes

Moving beyond superficial mental health discussions

Superficial platitudes like 'it's okay to not be okay' can reinforce the false view that people with mental illness aren't truly sick.

#2about 4 minutes

A personal account of living with multiple conditions

The speaker shares his personal scorecard of clinical anxiety, depression, alcoholism, eating disorders, and suicidal ideation to illustrate the reality of severe mental illness.

#3about 2 minutes

Discovering an ADHD diagnosis after years of misdiagnosis

A friend's experience led to the realization that long-standing depression and anxiety were actually symptoms of undiagnosed ADHD.

#4about 2 minutes

The profound impact of an ADHD diagnosis

Medication provided a sense of clarity and focus, revealing that many personal struggles were symptoms of a condition, not character flaws.

#5about 6 minutes

Reframing ADHD symptoms from an internal perspective

Commonly misunderstood ADHD traits like inattention and poor organization are actually experiences of overwhelming attention and executive dysfunction.

#6about 4 minutes

Practical survival strategies for developers with ADHD

Use gamified to-do lists, seek a proper medical diagnosis while avoiding unscientific remedies, and change your environment to manage ADHD at work.

#7about 4 minutes

Actionable advice for being a better workplace ally

Support neurodivergent colleagues by giving them the benefit of the doubt, creating psychological safety, and adapting interview processes.

#8about 2 minutes

Does software development contribute to mental illness?

Software development can attract people with ADHD due to the love for critical rewards, but it also fosters imposter syndrome and a fear of admitting knowledge gaps.

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