Hello all.
I am new around here. Recently in my life I have discovered that I have had ADD symtoms my whole life. I am in the process of getting a clinical diagnosis. Man it seems to take forever waiting for doctor appointments, LOL.
Anyhow, my whole life I always knew I was "different". I have always come up with solutions to problems that no one else came up with. I seem to have to learned how to harness the several thoughts going on in my head at one time to keep problems rolling in my head until there is a solution that pops out. I also have found that if I write these ideas down when they pop out of my head, many times that are great ideas.
Throughout my early years in school, I was called the forgetfull "mad scientist". I was told I was from another planet.
In 6th grade I had a teacher that saw the potential in me. She thought I was gifted. I took an IQ test with some guy in a suite in a room all by myself. I did very well on questions where I had to reason out the answer. They also had memory questions where I had to repeat a series of numbers and letters. I found out later that I failed every single one of the memory questions. I ended up just barely getting into the gifted program which ended up being a godsend for me. It allowed me to get in a class where we got to do some cool things for our grade level. It was different every day and kept me somewhat interested.
Many times as I grew up, I just thought that I was different because I was smart. I thought the rest of the world was too lazy to think. Now I believe that it would be nice to be able to relax once in a while and have a blank mind to recharge my batteries.
I was wondering if the rest of you always knew something was different about you your whole life as I have come to realize.
computerguy38150.1372106482
Absolutely!
Welcome to the forum! You've come to a really supportive place where we all feel abit different.
Yeah, right from a young age I knew I was different. I remember being labelled the "annoying kid" as I'd always be annoying people, taking the mick and generally getting on people's nerves. I was wierd too. I got exited a lot and couldn't control it so I'd run around and my gran would say "stop being giddy". One time me and my brother were staying at my grans house and we were running about, I shut him into the living room (it had one of those big glass doors which you could see through) while he was in there I held the door and he just ran straight through it (SMASH!"&^%) Sorry gran.
But right through school people always called me wierd. So I got bullied quite a lot. And I noticed I'd tune out when someone was speaking to me, at the time I thought everybody did that but looking back I can now understand that they don't.
With my school results, I was always told that I had lots of potential but just didn't apply myself. Which was a waste. I'm just hoping now that I know what the deal is I can put all that right. And live to my potential - whatever that may be.
Welcome again computerguy
Hey ComputerGuy,
Yes, I have also always known that I was different. I was never able to put my finger on it until recently. I was never in any gifted classes in school, but always did well on those yearly exams. I did rather poorly in school starting from about the 7th grade and up. I was way to distracted to be concerned about what was going on in class. Looking back, I now know that school was not structured for the way that I learn.
You're obviously a computer techy. I am too. I learned most of what I know from hands on tinkering. I found that I was able to learn stuff very intuitivily on the computer. It started from when I was in the 5th or 6th grade when my oldest brother bought a Commodore 64. I quickly learned how to program in Basic from looking at other sample programs in Family Computing magazine. I never quite understood why or how I knew that stuff.
I only wish I was able to apply my learning style with academics and life in general. But...what'ya gonna do? I'm happy to hear that you realized that you were very intelligent at a young age. I'm even more happy to hear that you have learned how to harness the way your mind works and use it to your advantage. Many of us are not able to do that as well and end up with problematic lives.
Well, I just want to say Welcome to the club...please don't hesitiate to share your opinion, experience or findings. There are also a lot of people here that have good advice too. Welcome!
-JA
YES! When I was a kid, I asked my mother if I was adopted. She told me "no." That wasn't good enough for me. I told her that I didn't believe her. She smiled and said, "Trust me tootsie, you weren't adopted. We planned your birth and I gave birth to you. We were so happy when you came along." Made me feel good, but I still didn't believe her. Naturally my overactive imagination and abstract thinking kicked in. Well, if I wasn't adopted and my mother didn't give birth to me even tho she said that she did, then I must be some sort of space alien or something... cuz I sure (didn't) don't feel like I belong...with all these other people....Still to this day, feel very different from my siblings and parent... and most everyone else around me.I agree barb, I think that is why I ended up taking the extra classes after I kicked out my ex husband. It was a easy to throw it in everyones faces how well I did and am doing. I had one ignorant b**** (new hubby's best friends wife) who when I told her that I got my diplome she actually said "oh, so you finally graduated from high school!" It was all I could do to calmly make it known that it wasn't high school. From that day on anytime I am around her (not to often thank gawd) I make fat comments, since I know she is self consious about her being fat. I know that isn't nice, but it sure makes me feel better.Yep; I was known as a "quitter". I'd get so spaced and unmotivated soon after starting something up; that others started noticing. I'd have big plans and then a week later; I'd quit out of frustration. I had this behavior all my life until just a few months ago. I had decided that I'd go back to school (at 50) and do something for myself. All I had was a GED that I got when I was 18. So, I went down to the community college; and signed up for a computer graphics class; took the placement test; and eagerly looked forward to starting. By the time the new semester started in March; I had become unmotivated; but since I had promised myself that I'd do this; I forced myself to go. I got there 30 minutes early on the first day. (as usual; I'm obsessed with being on time) There were already people filling up the class. AND they were signing on the computers. AND they had books already. That old "sinking" feeling was welling up in me. I asked the young woman sitting next to me "How did you know what password to use to sign on?" And "I didn't get instructions on what text book I would need" She said "Last week when the class started; the instructor showed us" WHAT!?!?!?! LAST WEEK!!!!
I checked and re-checked my schedule and I was there on the right date. I sat through the class, unable to log on to the computer; and too afraid to ask the instructor for fear of being laughed at. (Can you imagine? A 50 year old feeling like a wimp amongst all 18-20 year olds? I was the oldest person there by at least 20 years) I approached the 25 year old instructor at the end of class. He said "Oh; that shouldn't have happened!" He looked at my schedule and agreed; it had the wrong date on it. I swear I wanted to punch him! I said (out loud) "Great! These are the instructors of higher education!!!" and stormed out. It was then that I knew I had to do something. There was no way I'd show my face in a college classroom again. Going through the tuition refund process also had a few angry outbursts too. But it brought 45 years of these hard feelings toward school back again. Finally a friend (online where I could be civil) asked me if I had ADD. That was the process that led me to finally turning my life around. That was all since March 2004; and things are getting better. .................Whew!
gr8art38150.5382986111Always? I'm not sure. I think until I went to school my life was so filled with ADD and ADHD cousins and siblings that I fit in.
Once I started school and realized I didn't fit in I knew I was different. I absorbed information like a sponge but if I didn't absorbe it, no amount of trying to study would get it into my thick head. It took a precious, caring teacher to explain to me that sometimes the best way to pass a test was to scan your notes just before and then whip right through it. If I tried to go back and check my answers, the chances were good that I would erase a right answer and insert a wrong one.
I learned to study in college but it took me so long that I never had time for anything else. I was raising a toddler and trying to help get a new business off the ground and something had to give. College went. I regret it now. I made the dean's list and some people didn't believe it even after they saw it in the paper. I would love an advanced degree to throw in their faces! Now I'm starting to whine! I can't allow myself to dwell on the past. I don't know about you but for me, it hurts too much. I'm not looking for a pity party. I bet everyone here feels the same way..