To Have ADD

Originally posted on Themestream
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Now you, too, can explore the world through the eyes of a "space cadet!" Bounce off the walls with "Tiggerish" energy! Leave the room without going anywhere! Reach new levels of disorganization! Lose all your worldly possessions in less than Five Minutes! This could all be yours!

Okay, so there isn’t an ADD simulator. And everyone has their days when they could appear to be ADD. There is a line, though, where it isn’t just that day, it’s every day. So how can you tell? If you’re really concerned, see a doctor. If you’re just curious, perhaps the following examples will help.

Ever walk into a room and do something socially inappropriate? Were you aware it was considered inappropriate? People with ADD may make those same social blunders and not realize it. We may not pick up on the cues that indicate inappropriate behavior, that tell others they've said too much, or done something they shouldn't have.

Difficulty reading social cues can have far-reaching consequences. Friendships are lost, relationships destroyed, all because the subtleties of social interaction are missed.

Imagine you've had a lot of things to think about lately, that your kids aren't doing well in school, your bank account won't balance, your parents are unwell and need more care than they are getting, your car is on its last legs and your house needs a new roof. With all of these concerns in your life, you may find yourself trying to sleep, and only able to think about all the things going on in your life. You can't shut off your brain.

I have to deal with that active brain nearly every night. It takes me at least an hour to fall asleep. Doesn't matter what time I woke up that day, or what time I try to go to sleep. Even when I have very few major concerns in my life, my brain flies at night. Warm milk, reading, meditation, a hot bath, none of these things work for me -- not even sleeping pills.

When I can't get my brain to shut off, I will have a Coke, or even take a caffeine pill. Sounds weird, I know, but it's the most effective thing I've found.
Now, this attention thing… ADD isn't really a deficit of attention, it's more like a misappropriation. In my instance, I'm considered primarily inattentive. I still fidget from time to time, but I'm more likely to mentally leave the room. Anyone can mentally leave the room when they're bored, that does not define ADD.
Anyone can find themselves daydreaming when they’re bored. It happens to me even when I'm deeply interested.

I’m more likely to “zone” when I'm very interested. It's not daydreaming. Daydreaming involves fantasy. I hear or read something that makes me think, and that leads my mind off on a tangent, further exploring the subject. Before I know it, I've lost track of the class/conversation/book/whatever.

ADD isn’t all bad. My personality was formed by the interactions I had with other people. Those interactions were colored by my ADD. I wouldn’t change my personality for anything. These are just some of the negatives of ADD, from my perspective. It's not a complete picture of myself by any stretch.
Only one woman's story.

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Learn more about it!
"You Mean I'm not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?" by K. Kelly & P. Ramundo
ADD on About hosted by Bob Seay
Balance Check's ADD Homepage