positive things about ADD? | ADHD Information

Being ADHD and an artist has been interesting. I can hyperfocus on things to the point I forget to eat or drink anything. My husband's family never understood how I could paint 4 paintings at the same time. (I would paint four of the same lighthouse for Christmas presents.)

Do any of you have a problem with time? I seem to either be very early or always late. I really have no sense of time, planning is a nightmare for me.

Hi-

I've already posted a bunch on this message board about ADD positives.

I too believe that ADD can be a gift- it's just that it's difficult to utilize. Getting a diagnosis and learning about ADD is a first step, and also of course trying lots of things (sports, arts, academics, whatever) is essential. Staying POSITIVE and believing in yourself is also key.

Also being aware of other successful ADDers is good. It helps me as an athlete to know that there are some great ADD athletes out there. Michael Phelps won SIX gold medals at the last Olympics in swimming and he is ADD and unmedicated. We are capable of leading wonderful, successful lives.... it's just really hard.

i was reading a post about positive attibutes of adhd and thought you might like this link

http://www.daviddelamare.com/fairies.html

[QUOTE=Countrygirl]

[QUOTE=IMac]Gifts that go with ADHD. In my family it is musical ability. [/QUOTE]

I love music, My daughter has the voice of an angel, unfortunately I have limited ability in that area. I CAN play the radio. I love to express myself in drawing, painting and poetry.

[/QUOTE]

you have the face of an angel

I CAN play the TV.

I love to express

my self

ADHD lets me hunt for faeries, pretend I'm a pirate, play hide and seek and lego for hours on end with my daughter.

It allows me to have no concept of time so it doesnt matter if it takes three hours for the two of us to make lunch if we're having fun and doing it together.

ADHD has a hand in my imagination so that at any given time I can spin a tale to my wee one and her friends that are always amazed that I dont need a book infront of me to tell a story.

Having ADHD has made me aware of myself and who I really am, something I dont believe many non ADHDers achieve in their lifetime. When you really think about this one, ADHD is a great gift. When our time comes to meet our maker, we can step forward and say "Well, that was a test and a half, but I made it eh?"

Peita

[QUOTE=Reisa]

Positive things about ADHD:

Enthusiasm. We don't grow out of it. *snoopy dance*

[/QUOTE]

yeah, no kidding!! I got called wierd the other day when I started "snoopy dancing" at the news that all teachers could have an hour lunch for one hour instead of the usual 30 minutes!!

Okay, so I was in the middle of teaching.. so who cares?? LOL

kibbles00238740.7884837963

Positive things about ADHD:

Humor, we can laugh at ourselves when other people would get all bend outta shape.

Creativity. We are great at thinking outside the box. "Box? What box? Nobody told me there was a box here!"

Enthusiasm. We don't grow out of it. *snoopy dance*

Playful. Did the rest of the adults forget how to play or what? I am tired of them stealing my toys at work!

Hyperfocus. I can ace finals while packing up and running from a psycho ex. Try that one without ADHD!

Caring. We are very familiar with how life can really suck. We are not "fair weather friends."

Reisa

We have personality!!!!! We definitely aren't boring and so many others out there are........ there are many positives to an ADD personality (the post above lists them) and don't you ever forget that.

I personally do not think it is a disorder, it is a mechanism that our ancestors developed through hunting and having to always be aware of things around them, which of course made it harder to focus on one thing at a time. We have inherited the hunter instinct, which unfortunatly makes it harder for us to function in ordinary society, which demands long attention on boring tasks; originally the job of the gatherers.

A series of letters between Winston Churchill and his mother suggested that he suffered from symptoms A typical of someone with ADHD- bad with money, outspoken, inablity to organise himself ect ect. Other well known people include: Richard Branson (just read his autobiography and you will recognise it), Einstein and Mozart.

My point being this; dont let ADHD be your weakness, embrace it, use it, make it your best friend. A few tips based on what I have read and try to implement:

You must find what you are good at and what will keep you interested enough to satisfy your energies. To reach the core problem you must strip it of the clutter in the way of the fundamentals. Familiarise your self with new situations or environments before they are met full on. Try to relaxation, consider alternatives. Remember that naked aggression only leads to trouble. Monitor your behaiour and other peoples reactions to what you say or do to discover when you are acting without any regard for others. Read books with large print and lots of chapters breaking the info into smaller sections. You must work to get rid of your excess energy levels. Most importantly keep vigouse routine, a firm structure of bathing, eating and sleeping will free your mind for more demanding tasks.

Bugger I'm off on a tangent again! But you get my point, society is structured in a way that makes us feel inadequate but when we use our energies and adapt ourselves to our environment there are no limits to what can be achieved. Have faith, be positive and persist. Keep a list of your achievments. I found that becoming an expert in one particular field that none of my friends were specialising in really helped my self esteem...get what you are good at, and utilise that, you will find that you are better than than the gatherers could ever be at it.

It's easy to be forgiving when you don't remember what someone did to make you mad. But it's hard to ask to be forgiven when you forgot you promised to do something. [QUOTE=annidagostini]

My husband also likes the ADD part of me that forgets things that he did that were bothering me a minute ago. He laughs because I can be irritated at him one minute and then I'm on to something else, laughing and joking around, as if nothing happened!! He thinks that is cool!!!

[/QUOTE]

I am this way also!! I can be irritated one minute and happy go lucky the next...how does that happen? Sometimes I wonder though, if I can be taken advantage of. Say for instance I am really mad about something that my fiance has done....I will discuss it with him and then move past that....he knows I am going to fogive and forget, so he doesn't take me seriously!!!! That is so irritating So I tend to ramble on about what frustrates me....so I can be sure that he is seeing my point of view...and that is what irritates him...when I ramble about a particular point.

I am a very happy go lucky person....I tend to be "childish" kids love it!!!! I think most adults hate it! When I am at family reunions/get togethers...I tend to gravitate toward the younger crowd...sometimes adult conversation to me can be quite stuffy!

IMac38947.566412037I think that many of us have had to develop the ability to laugh at ourselves, which makes us more fun for others to be around. I think that creativity is also a strength that many of us have. I think that I am also more compassionate and forgiving of others as a result of having ADD.

[QUOTE=IMac]Gifts that go with ADHD. In my family it is musical ability. [/QUOTE]

I love music, My daughter has the voice of an angel, unfortunately I have limited ability in that area. I CAN play the radio. I love to express myself in drawing, painting and poetry.

I wish my wife had a little add/adhd, she remembers to much. Le

ADD&PROUD- Great photo- Your kinda cute! Le

Wisdom5438814.341400463

ADDers are much more fun than regular humans.

Hyperfocus 'can' be a good thing.

I have found that people with ADHD seem to be bright and creative when they can focus. I have also noticed that most are intelligent and tend to think outside the box. We look for all of the what if's....I think some of history's greatest minds may have been afflicted by ADD.

Easily amused. Many people (especially non-ADHDers) seem to think that's a bad thing, but in my opinion, life's more fun if you can enjoy the little stuff.

And ADHD people are often more trustworthy friends because they can simply forget about whatever it was that someone told them. The only problem is if you forget that you weren't supposed to tell anybody something.

[QUOTE=kibbles002][QUOTE=Reisa]

Positive things about ADHD:

Enthusiasm. We don't grow out of it. *snoopy dance*

[/QUOTE]

Hi to you all! I dont post very often, just like a wee read but this one I had to comment on!

Too true we'll never grow out of it.. I get made fun of all the time at work and uni for my constant "jazz hands"!

I get the looks and the weirdo comments quite regularly...I don't mind though... who cares if something as trivial as going round the corner for a fancy coffee with cream on top produces a 'snoopydance'!!???

Well, none of my non-ADHD friends have the imagination that my ADHD friends and I do...plus, I can get hyperfocused and work on something all day if need be until the job is done.

In addition, the ADD and ADHD minds think on levels that many non ADD or ADHD peple can't think on. For example, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, and Ted Turner all have/had ADD.

so much for all the negatives, listed so comprehensively in the you know you have ADD when.... post.

are there any positives that anyone can think of?

sometimes I think ADD women are fun to be with for children.

How many women do you know (non ADD) will chase kids in public places, wrestle on the floor.. Grab hands with her teenager and jump up and down in circles for no reason but the fun of it!!

Sherry

Well, in having adhd I have one positive thing, I met you all.

ooh sherry - that's a good one.

and i think that's definitely true.

i love being with my neices and nephews and am def. their favourite aunt and very happy to do almost any childish activity with them... haha hooray. it's not all bad.

I know that I am a better mom because of my ADD when it comes to loving my kids and being spontaneous with them. Just so I remember to tuck them in bed at night!!!

I think ADDers make great friends. When you can get them to focus, and call you back. LOL!!! It's hard having ADD and being a friend if you have friends that expect thank you cards for every gift given, or a phone call on Tuesdays, or even a call back when you call them. It's hard to be on time, esp. when you have a friend who is a punctual freak. But I think all in all having ADD makes people more forgiving of other's short comings. You are not quick to judge and don't expect alot out of them. ADD friends will love you for who you are weather........late, dressed in clothes that don't match, with messy hair, if you make them frozen pizza because you didn't have time for a nice four course meal. ADD friends are there to hang with YOU not what you have or do.

Yeah diffy I agree about not being so quick to judge and being forgiving.

I think having ADD makes us more adaptable, we have to come up with so many coping skills.

I think for me personally ADD has helped me trust my instincts. I have had such a hard time getting my thoughts together that I have learned to go with my gut feelings or intuition and it usually ends up being right for me.

I couldn't remember the positive things, so I checked the internet.

Some positive aspects of ADHD can be: creativity charming personality, warmheartedness good judge of character sense of humour quick to grasp essentials flexibility intuitiveness sensitive to surrounding environment enthusiastic, passionate forgives mistakes tries to do better next time willing to take risks People with ADHD may exhibit: SpontaneityCreativityFast thinkingHyperfocusTenacityHigh energy I knew there were some good things about it.

[QUOTE=annidagostini]

[/QUOTE]

I wish I were like that. When he upsets me it's really hard for me to let it go. I get hyperfocused on it.

Well. I'm ADD without the hyperactivity-NOT so much fun for kids. I have NO energy most of the time. OK but this is supossed to be positives so...

I am creative, caring, compassionate, & witty.

WOW- this positive thing is kinda hard!---

Maybe I'll take today and think of the positve aspects and write back later!

I'm a better teacher because of my ADD.

I see when a student is struggling.. I understand exactly what he is going through because I have been there.

I am especially aware that self esteem has a big impact on performance.. I do not allow my students to say "I can;t" they can say I'll try if thier not sure, but NEVER I Cant.. I give lots of praise, and think of what I would have liked my teachers to do to help me... and I do it.

Sometimes that means being a private cheerleader, or giving a student extra time, or help.. whether its on that IEP or not. in this way, ADD has been a grand asset.

Sherry