Are Non-adders the real Dummies? I wonder | ADHD Information
It takes all sorts to make a community and that i.q. variation is one of it's assets.. so non-adhders have this variation too...??? ryan195038758.373275463Personally, I've never met anyone who was AD(H)D, bi-polar, or a medically controlled schizophrenic who wasn't also very bright. However, I don't think it's as much a matter of native intelligence as it is a proper appreciation for natural and cultural diversity. Most "normal" people know little about AD(H)D--especially adults--which is what results in a lot of their negative reaction.
I"m beginning to think that we need to organize and conduct an "awareness" campaign. Then I remember that "organize" is part of that equation and quickly abandon the notion! 
It’s like I am stuck in a world where 80% of the population is...well... less evolved
yet they are catered to because they are the majority.
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It isn't just you. Most people are average. And yes they are the majority.
I am very smart. A lot smarter than most people. Big deal. There are a lot of people who are nicer than I am. And a lot of people who know how to socialize better. I may as well be mentally retarded when it comes to sports or dancing. Intelligence has never made me happy. In fact, it has caused me untold amounts of frustration and unhappiness. I think maybe in my next life, I will choose to be kind or wise instead of smart.
Is that really our average IQ level here?
That's a bit of a worry.
I think that most of us fall within what would be considered the "average" IQ range. Many of us have bursts of brilliance but we too fall short in many ways. Our EQ (Emotional Quotient) if it was used as a yardstick for us would make us the world's cretins. Just remember that.
I would gladly trade any benefit from ADHD to just be another average joe. Well I'd keep the incredible sex stamina I think LOL. The rest could fall aside and I'd be happy and content like the majority of the planet. Ignorance is bliss.
.IMac38943.8220138889
Hey aprivateperson!
You just described on this board what my son complains about all the time! He is very gifted and complains about, in his terms, "stupid people" In reality, the people are just the ordinary little kid. Sounds to me like you have a very high IQ. Giftedness and ADD can go together.
Also, I know that from personal experience that Gifted children can have a lot of ADD traits.. (you should see my son's school binder and bedroom!! ) But not be ADD - just a little "off " from the rest of the world.
I wonder if impatience with those that don't "get" a persons higher vocabulary or intellectual references is more a symptom of that giftedness. Of course many ADDers seem to have the nice little addition of being a bit impatient themselves.
well I've just talked myself into a conundrum
ADD or giftedness? or both?
any more thoughts? I love analyzing stuff like this!
another interesting thought: one of the reasons I like coming here is that there are people with intelligence that actually discuss real life issues.. it is so much more interesting to me than the latest episode of desperate housewives!!
( no flames please!! I LOVE desperate housewives! I just would like to talk about other things at work too, LOL)
SHerry
ADHDers come in all shapes and sizes and levels of intelligence.[QUOTE=GlenW]
I would gladly trade any benefit from ADHD to just be another average joe. and I'd be happy and content like the majority of the planet. Ignorance is bliss.[/QUOTE]
Say it's not so Glen..Say it's not so!!! I would love to have a day where I didn't foul something up or forget something or lose track of time,ect. but I would never trade my intelligenceto be just another "average joe"!
I don't mean to toot my own horn here but my IQ is "significantly above average" and I wouldn't trade it for anything. At times I get depressed because sometimes I just act like a "dumb blonde" but when people get to know me they see all of my facets and I feel unique..and so are you.
[QUOTE=aprivateperson1]
In contrast, I never seem to have trouble with the non-adder that is brilliant or successful because at least those kind of people “get it” - They don’t expect me to stop and explain a bunch of $#!t to them every two seconds and I never have to ever dumb my self down for them!
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Lets face it, people are annoying and stupid no matter who you are or where you fall on the IQ scales, except for the few who are on your own wave length.
ADDers are often even more frustrated and impatient. "Gifted" people are often even more frustrated and impatient. "Gifted" ADDers pfft! *run away screaming about stupid people* (I never understood what the gift was supposed to be.)
I had to stop trying to fix everything in order to preserve my own sanity. (And stop annoying everyone in the universe.) Except that now, I have to stand back and watch bad ideas run their course. I think that is why I have such a dark sense of humor.
No, non-adder's are not dummies for pete sake. I have friends & family memebers that have IQ's that would put most on this board to shame and they don't have ADHD.
Sheesh![QUOTE=Davidornado]
The stupid ADHDers end up in jail or dead trying things at home they shouldn't.[/QUOTE] LMAO..Why I find this funny as h*ll I don't know. Maybe I'm just a sick person.
Came across this some time back,
http://www.answers.com/topic/iq-and-the-wealth-of-nations
if authentic it might be part of the explanation although with a grain of salt.
If my country's av iq is 98 then no wonder I, like many here, have trouble 'tuning other minds to my frequency range'
JAYAR38757.7308796296Well, there's natural selection at work in the ADHDeration of our species, just as in other survival developments.
The stupid ADHDers end up in jail or dead trying things at home they shouldn't.
The smart ADHDers end up in glory or in mental institutions b/c their will wasn't strong enough to impose on others that they were right, just seeing things in a different way.
The smart and lucky ADHDers end up changing the world.
Creating new concepts, thingies, relationships, ideas, boundary busting, etc.
Well, gotta go.
Got some boundary busting scheduled for this afternoon!
[QUOTE=Auntie]No, non-adder's are not dummies for pete sake. I have friends & family memebers that have IQ's that would put most on this board to shame and they don't have ADHD. Sheesh![/QUOTE]
O.K. First I want to apologize. I know there are some brilliant people on this board and obviously I can't know how brilliant so my statement was rude and snotty and I am embarrassed I said it. I am so very sorry. BTW: I think I have mild ADHD but I have no inclination to get dx'd or on medication, yet. (Scared, don't want to admit it...?? Don't know for sure if I could be helped?? I don't know... but that is another story)
That said, everyone has fields of expertise, special interests, exceptional knowledge in certain areas, etc. Just as a doctor has to "dumb down" and talk in layman's terms to his patients, so does just about everyone in this world when it comes to their field of expertise. I don't think this is anything unusual from my point of view.
Hello All;
I thought I would take a moment and give a reply from a non-Adder.
My first thought here is to remind you that the more lines you draw between yourselves and us the larger the gap you create. I assure you there are different intelligent levels on both sides.
That being said here are some tips that may take some of the frustration out of the differences you feel with the mainstream world.
Ask yourself if it is important that person really understand what you are trying to say?
If the answer is no then tell them it is unimportant they understand it and move on. This takes away the frustration for both of you. Most others don't enjoy feeling like they are on the dumb side of things.
I fit is important then realize in order to break the communication block you may have to simply. I tend to be a faily intelligent woman. I choose to work with children. Interesting enough children lack the ability at a young age to think abstractly, could care less what all my 25 cent words mean and are more interested in the eventsof their school day then in the world. I hardly expect them to sit down and discuss freud's theories with me. I am sure you would not either. So this poses the next question of why we expect adults to do so when their most knowledgeable areas my be elsewhere?
Understand that while you may be very intelligent in some areas that others will be in others. By explaining your ideas to them in a simplier form they will learn and gain a better concept of ideas important to you. They will also be more willing to simply areas they may excell in so that you may learn and understand them. We all have room to grow in this area. This happens to myself and my SO from here often. He will paitently work through the complexities of computers with me when he feels it is important I understand. I work through the complexes of how human emotion will filter into areas he does not understand. the once computer tech and a counsillor. Can the spectrum of understanding the world be much larger? I am not sure but if we wish to commincate we best be ready to tolerate each others lack of understanding in these areas.
Remember sometimes the simpliest of concepts will not compute for those of us considered intelligent. I have had friends of less intelligence have to explain them to me. We laugh as we muddle through it and when I get it even I feel foolish as it should have been simple to understand. Their patience in this is a trade off to my helping them with much larger concepts.
Last here is something to think on. I work often with disablied non-verbal kids. I have learned more lessons in compassion, patience, understanding and the desire to communicate and be heard then from anything that comes from a textbook or from anyone with above average intelligence. More important I have been loved by them despite my lack of understanding of them and them of me. In the end this is what is important to me. Not where I.Q.'s lie. We have simply learned to work harder to be understood and celebrate each understanding of the other as it brings us closer together. I also have a very different love of life and the world for my gifts rather then resenment as I have realized how very lucky i am to have them.
Remember to have the world be accepting of us without judgements we must be willing to accept the world the same.
Take care of yourselves.
[QUOTE=Falcon d'Rekken]I work often with disablied non-verbal kids. I have learned more lessons in compassion, patience, understanding and the desire to communicate and be heard then from anything that comes from a textbook or from anyone with above average intelligence.[/QUOTE]What she said.
This is another situation where quality versus quantity is important. Sounds like some knon-ADDs speaking.
It's not all a/b IQ or variation.
It's about how a known-ADD puts it all together.
I know some ADHDers that will put the stupidity of most of the boarders here to shame, yet their POV is lightyears beyond what 99% of the world's population can achieve today.
Hoping and thinking that the non ADHDers are the dummies is the only thing that keeps me going with all the dissappointments that I encounter when I try to fit in with them
CC,
Why bother trying? It used to hurt me and bother me that people didn't understand me or thought I was weird for just being honest.
I now have just two friends, close friends, who really apreciate me for who I am. I no longer care about fitting in if it means not being myself. I show others respect and I do try to be tactful, but I won't be fake or play their games.
bepatient.We all know that feeling. I have maybe 3 friends, total. And I am not close to 2 of them.
Is it adhd or being set in our ways that makes us so different?
I make others fit in to me. That is how it should be
If I ever do see you someplace, I will be sure to be genuine and understand you
My problem has been those who say disorders are over diagnosed. I guess they can't realate at all. I think someone needs to educate everyone on them all. I also think they need more on how to handle people like this. My understand is that is what the Govt. plans on doing. This is also why they want kids more mainstreamed. I say bull. I think it is to save money.
aprivateperson1,
I think i understand what you mean. But The Dog is right. From my experience though, with a few friends with ADHD,and friends on this board, I beleive the general IQ is above average.
Having to explain what we think is common knowledge can be very frustrating. I know at times, I have to bite my toung at the temtation to be a bit sarcastic when someone dosen't "get it". Even if the person most likely won't even know that I'm being sarcastic! I don't know why that can be such a temtation for me? Anybody KWIM
I often wonder if it’s the other way around. Sometimes I feel like the Non-Add people are the ones who are behind! Some act as though I intentionally speak over their heads even when I am simplistic enough to fit their needs.