The ADHD Developer’s Struggles (and How They Show Up at Work)

My ADHD shows up at work in a number of ways, some good, some... not so good.

Being a developer with ADHD can feel like living in two different worlds at the same time. One moment, you’re in a state of hyper-focus, completely absorbed in solving a problem while hours slip by unnoticed. The next, you’re staring at your screen, unable to start a simple task, your brain fogged and frozen with indecision.

Software development demands focus,organization, and the ability to manage complexity: all things that ADHD can make difficult. However, the first step in turning these challenges into strengths is recognizing them for what they are.

In this post, I’ll break down some of the most common struggles I face in my daily work, how they can affect my productivity, and some of the ways I’ve learned to manage them.

Hyper-Focus: The Double-Edged Sword  

One of the most misunderstood aspects of ADHD is that it’s not just about not being able to focus—it’s about having an inconsistent ability to regulate attention. While many assume that people with ADHD are always distracted, the reality is that we can also become intensely focused, sometimes to the point of obsession. This state, known as hyper-focus, allows us to dive deep into a task for hours, often producing exceptional work. However, it comes at a cost.

Hyper-focus often means losing track of everything else—deadlines, meetings, even basic needs like eating or drinking water. I’ve had days when I got so locked into debugging an issue that I ignored Slack messages, skipped lunch, and realized hours later that my coffee had gone cold (hence, Cold Coffee Syndrome). While this can sometimes be beneficial for deep work, it becomes a problem when hyper-focus leads to over-engineering, spending too much time on a non-critical task, or completely missing an important meeting or deadline.

To manage hyper-focus, I’ve found that setting Pomodoro timers  and Collaborative Programming (mobbing or pairing with teammates) helps keep me on track, ensuring I don’t get lost in unnecessary details. By recognizing when I’m entering a hyper-focused state, I can redirect that energy toward the right tasks rather than getting stuck in a coding rabbit hole.

Task Paralysis and Overwhelm  

One of the most frustrating experiences as an ADHD developer is task paralysis: that moment when you sit down to work, open your task, and your brain completely freezes. It’s not laziness; it’s an overwhelming sense of not knowing where to start.

Task paralysis often stems from a mix of executive dysfunction, decision fatigue, and analysis paralysis. Large user stories with multiple requirements can feel impossible to break down. A simple bug fix might sit untouched for hours because the mental effort required to figure out the first step feels insurmountable.
The longer the task sits undone, the greater the anxiety grows, leading to procrastination and even more stress.

To combat this, I’ve learned to break tasks down into the absolute smallest possible steps. This is why Test-Driven Development (TDD)  has been a career-saver. It forces me to focus on just one small failing test at a time, preventing the feeling of being overwhelmed. Another trick I use is the “five-minute rule”: I commit to working on a task for just five minutes. More often than not, this small push is enough to get past the initial resistance, and before I know it, I’m making progress.

Memory Issues and Working Memory Overload  

ADHD doesn’t just affect attention. It also impacts working memory, which is the brain’s ability to hold and manipulate information at the moment. This means that while I can remember an obscure API method from three years ago, I might completely forget why I opened a file just seconds ago.

For a developer, weak working memory can be a nightmare. I’ve lost track of thought processes mid-way through writing code, only to have to re-read everything just to remember what I was trying to do. Debugging complex logic can be especially frustrating, as holding multiple layers of context in my head often feels like juggling too many balls at once.

One way I’ve learned to manage this is by writing “test first”: not just for code quality, but to serve as an external memory aid. My tests are small, to help me focus on writing a few lines of code to pass the tests. They are comprehensive, so I don’t have to keep everything in my head. They give me trust in my code, and give me quick feedback when I make a change that could introduce a defect.

I also rely heavily on Discovery Trees  to track my thoughts and prevent losing momentum. Discovery Trees allow me to track tasks, without having being overwhelmed worrying about remembering all required tasks, or even where I am in the list. If I need to remember to add code functionality, I add a leaf to the Discovery Tree so that I can address it at the “Last Responsible Moment” 

Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria: The Emotional Toll  

ADHD doesn’t just impact focus and memory, it can also have a significant emotional component. Many people with ADHD experience Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD)  , a condition where perceived criticism or rejection feels intensely painful, sometimes even debilitating.

In a field like software development, where code reviews, feedback, and constructive criticism are a daily part of the job, RSD can make even routine interactions feel like personal attacks. I’ve had moments where a pull request full of suggested changes left me feeling completely inadequate, even when I logically knew the feedback was meant to improve the code, not tear me down.

Surrounding myself with people who recognize my strengths and provide encouragement has been invaluable. Collaborative Programming practices are immensely helpful as I receive constant gentle course-correct feedback from my team as we work. This makes it a safe environment and my RSD doesn’t spiral like it would if the feedback were batched and given to me all at once (like in a PR).

Imposter Syndrome: The Never-Ending Doubt  

Closely tied to RSD is Imposter Syndrome, the feeling that you’re not actually good at your job and that one day, everyone will find out. ADHD often amplifies imposter syndrome because we struggle with organization, working memory, and task prioritization, making it feel like everyone else has it together while we’re just barely keeping up.

I’ve had times when I delivered a feature successfully, only to immediately doubt whether I really understood what I was doing. I’d convince myself that I just “got lucky” or that “someone else could have done it better”. Imposter syndrome can be paralyzing, preventing you from taking on new challenges or advocating for yourself.

The best way I’ve found to combat imposter syndrome is to acknowledge my wins, even the small ones. Ironically, ADHD makes it harder to feel accomplishments because memory issues blur my own success record.

Working on a psychologically safe team, where it is okay to make mistake (as long as they are “learning opportunities”), and lack of knowledge is seen as a chance to learn, is an amazing way to blunt the effects of Imposter Syndrome.

Recognizing ADHD Struggles is the First Step  

Understanding how ADHD affects my work has been a game-changer. Instead of blaming myself for struggling with focus, memory, or emotional sensitivity, I’ve learned to work with my brain’s unique wiring rather than against it. The key is finding strategies that align with how my mind naturally functions, whether it’s using TDD to manage cognitive load, collaborative programming to stay on track, or breaking tasks into micro-steps to prevent being overwhelmed.

In the next post, I’ll explore Test-Driven Development (TDD) and why it’s an incredibly ADHD-friendly practice that helps developers focus, reduce cognitive overload, and stay on track.