I've had ADHD all my life but didn't come to know it until I met my boyfriend when I was in my early 50's. He has it and has always struggled to maintain relationships because of the difficulties and challenges directly related to this disorder. He asked me to read the book entitled Driven To Distraction to help me understand him better. He hoped knowledge of his disorder would help me cope with and not be hurt by actions or words said impulsively never meant to offend.
Reading that book was eye opening for me because I had virtually every symptom listed, and there are many. While some people can relate to one or two symptoms on occasion, to be sure you have ADHD it has to be a lifelong problem and the symptoms don't come and go.
Finding an explanation for my entire life's struggles made me feel some relief as I always secretly felt inferior to my peers and somewhat defective. To everyone around me, I appeared intelligent, creative and pretty well adjusted, with some quirks like never being on time and being a little scattered and unfocused. As a child I was fidgety and could melt down when stressed easily too. I outgrew the hyperactivity component thankfully, but all the rest of the symptoms remain. Some are slightly less bothersome and some seeming to worsen with age.
I have recently become aware of a symptom I never realized was a problem related to my ADD and that's poor impulse control. I can't seem to reel myself in and I do things on an impulse I would not have done if I had taken the time to think things through. I make rash decisions and poor choices then come to regret them in hind sight. This triggers feelings of shame and doubt that I am in full control of my mind. I kept a lot of my inner struggles just to be "normal" like everyone else hidden from people but the consequences for poor impulse control can be really hard to explain to those left scratching their heads wondering why I would do some of the things I do or have done. How to explain what I never understood myself.
For those who think ADHD isn't real and is just a convenient excuse for certain unacceptable behaviors, you are very wrong and misinformed. People with ADHD run the same race as everyone else, but they do so dragging heavy weights attached to their ankles. If you could walk mile in our shoes you would understand.
Anyone else relate to this? Feel free to share here. This forum is a safe place full of empathetic staff and members.
Link to info on ADHD:
Reading that book was eye opening for me because I had virtually every symptom listed, and there are many. While some people can relate to one or two symptoms on occasion, to be sure you have ADHD it has to be a lifelong problem and the symptoms don't come and go.
Finding an explanation for my entire life's struggles made me feel some relief as I always secretly felt inferior to my peers and somewhat defective. To everyone around me, I appeared intelligent, creative and pretty well adjusted, with some quirks like never being on time and being a little scattered and unfocused. As a child I was fidgety and could melt down when stressed easily too. I outgrew the hyperactivity component thankfully, but all the rest of the symptoms remain. Some are slightly less bothersome and some seeming to worsen with age.
I have recently become aware of a symptom I never realized was a problem related to my ADD and that's poor impulse control. I can't seem to reel myself in and I do things on an impulse I would not have done if I had taken the time to think things through. I make rash decisions and poor choices then come to regret them in hind sight. This triggers feelings of shame and doubt that I am in full control of my mind. I kept a lot of my inner struggles just to be "normal" like everyone else hidden from people but the consequences for poor impulse control can be really hard to explain to those left scratching their heads wondering why I would do some of the things I do or have done. How to explain what I never understood myself.
For those who think ADHD isn't real and is just a convenient excuse for certain unacceptable behaviors, you are very wrong and misinformed. People with ADHD run the same race as everyone else, but they do so dragging heavy weights attached to their ankles. If you could walk mile in our shoes you would understand.
Anyone else relate to this? Feel free to share here. This forum is a safe place full of empathetic staff and members.
Link to info on ADHD:
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