Just an introduction | ADHD Information

Welcome! And what a neat post, you seem like you have such a good attitude toward life!
I, too, have a child that is so amazingly non add it shocks me. Fun to see how different they are than us, isnt it?

[QUOTE=GypsyWomyn]
Reizende, I'm not so sure about me being that funny, but
[/QUOTE]

Lol my brain thinks one thing and types another. I think the word is amusing, or entertaining to read, not funny. But it is amusing when you share your funny stories. Not directly funny no..but a "hey I do that too" kinda funny.

Hi, I'm new to the boards also and have recently been diagnosed with ADD. I am a 31 year old mother of a 5 year old and am in my senior semester of collage. I relate so much to your post. Although I am not hyperactive I went through the same stuff in grade school, constantly spacing off and daydreaming. Panic attacks in Jr. High and high school and yes the bad grades too. Ah, and the “if you would only try harder" speech... I am also very artistic so that probably kept be going--a good outlet. Actually you basically wrote my story in the first few paragraphs. It took me 10 years to go back to school and although it has been a struggle at times I am so glad I did. I now have a 3.76 GPA, am involved in school functions, member of some honor societies; it has done a great deal for my self esteem. I went to my doctor however recently because since it is my last semester I am having a great difficulty keeping it all together. I suffer from depression and fatigue that for the past couple of months have made functioning difficult. There is so much info on ADHD that I think it is hard to recognize ADD without hyperactivity. I would have NEVER guessed that that was what I had. Much like you, I have dealt with this since childhood, and chalked it up to my personality. When my doctor placed me on wellbutrin for fatigue and weight gain I could tell a huge difference. When it wore off I could tell a bigger difference and by happenstance I read a book on ADD and had a realization that Yep, much like your post--That was me! I agree with you about the meds, I have found that they really do slow you down. Good for me even without hyperactivity because it helps my depression. It helps get my mind from dwelling of the world woes. Anyway, I think your son will be great and fine and happy even if everything is a little unorganized. You sound like a fun and loving mom and I defiantly wouldn't worry, kids are very adaptable.Children love us and learn from us because we are who we are and if your not laying on the couch sobbing, call it good and relax in knowing that you are his mom for a reason--Because YOU are YOU.

Welcome Sunshine! Yes, your post was quite uplifting, as is your 'name'! I, too, can relate to so much you said, especially about when we were wee tots, and not remembering anything read to us. I like your statement of your body trying to keep up with your head. I'm still nicknamed a "yo-yo"!

[quote=Sunshine2]Although I definately see a benefit to drugs sometimes I do hope you all embrace who you are. You are a rare energy, a child like existence no matter how old you might get, an undying adventurous spirit, a person God uses to sample every good and fun thing in this world. The ADHD people I have met over the years are the funnest and most talented people I have ever met. I just really hope you embrace that fun side and not think of it as a disability. [/quote]

Although you worry about structure in raising your son, K, perhaps (hopefully) he also will embrace these great qualities. I know I wish more 'normal' people had these qualities; would definitely make life much easier for us.

Reizende, I'm not so sure about me being that funny, but Mark.....definitely keeps our spirits up!

I just found this board and I just can't stop reading. I feel like I have found my home in some sense, others that are like me.

I am a 27 year old mother/wife and an ADHD sufferer all my life although not diagnosed until college. I hope you guys don't mind me sharing my story.

I always knew something was wrong with me from the time I was about 4 years old. I would be in a reading group and instead of paying attention to the story I would pay attention to the other kids watching the book or I would look at my teachers clothing and study it during the entire storytime. I would not remember one word that the teachers said. I remember them calling out my name to ask me a question about the story and I never knew the answer. I always knew my brain was fast. I was always so hyper, it was like my body was trying to be as fast as my head!

I started making aweful grades in 3rd grade and my parents litterately had to beg the teachers to not hold me back. Around this time my parents really started to get on me about my grades. I don't think they realized how it felt to sit in a class all day and NOT NOT NOT be able to pay attention. It was like a brick laying on my brain and I couldn't do it It's like picking up a pencil with no fingers. Nothing could be absorbed, nothing. I went through school fearing my grade card more than I feared death. I had anxiety attacks as a young child right before grade cards came out. I get very emotional just looking back and thinking of all that fear instilled in me all my life, the constant "all you have to do is try harder, and the complete confusing in all of my teachers. In 7th grade my teachers brought in a counselor to try to "fix" me and I remember making up a bunch of stuff just so they would leave me alone. All that aside, I look back and see what an amazing child I really was. I could draw anything, make anything, my communication skills were absolutely amazing.

In highschool I had great communication skills, I looked and dressed nicely so everyone liked me but I still made C's, D's, and F's. I remember being ordered to see a tutor one day and a girl approached me and said,"Wow, you always looked so smart." Only the teachers knew my grades so the other students were clueless at how much I struggled. In my senior year I almost flunked highschool but the teachers liked me so much they passed me anyway. I went through a really deep depression for a long time from that realization that I almost didn't pass highshcool. I attempted college but the ADHD got so much worse with the advanced school work. I excelled in photography and art but failed horribly in everything else except writing and English. I finally got fed up and saw a psychologist. I just remember crying so hard to him. He told me I was a text book case but that my survival skills and communication skills were higher than anyone he had ever met. I tried medication but it made me angry all the time and had to stop. I look back on my childhood/early adult hood and think of it as mostly a constant nightmare. I truly believe this is where most of our anxiety comes from. This fear instilled in us as children that we are not normal because we learn differently and function mentally in a different way.

After quitting college, being fired from 2 jobs for being late everyday, I ended up being one of the most succesful people I know. The trick was embracing who I am and being that hyper, happy, energetic person I have always been. I married an amazing artist, I landed a job that pays more than anyone I know. Who knew after flunking math all my life that I would actually be good and make a profession out of it! My psychologist in college convinced me to find a job in accounting or a business where I constantly used numbers, he said people with ADHD excell in numbers and he was right (I thought he was crazy at first!). It was my EQ (personality) that got me to where I am now and not my IQ. Using numbers constantly keeps my mind on focus so I understand the reasoning behind the whole ADHD/math theory.

I have learned how to survive with this. I still go to 8 hour meetings at work and never know one word that the presentor has said but I have many friends who understand my style of learning and are always willing to help. I call them my angels, the ones who teach me the *right* way, by showing me first hand, making me job Aids, standing by me and correcting my mistakes so I can "get it".

I have a 2 year old son who is very much NOT an ADHD child to my amazement. He will sit still for 10 books and ask for 10 more. I am seeking help again after all this time only because I need to focus more on being a mother. My son is not an ADHD child and he doesn't understand the lack of structure in my very unstructured world. I think I need to conform a little to make his life better even though I feel drugs really pin down that undying energy that we all as ADHD people have.

Although I definately see a benefit to drugs sometimes I do hope you all embrace who you are. You are a rare energy, a child like existence no matter how old you might get, an undying adventurous spirit, a person God uses to sample every good and fun thing in this world. The ADHD people I have met over the years are the funnest and most talented people I have ever met. I just really hope you embrace that fun side and not think of it as a disability.

God bless you if you read this far. I can't wait to get to know all of you.

Wow you have an amazing life. 8) Welcome to the forums. We are a great support for one another. You will find things are humorous & fun in here. If not just see people like Gypsywomyn & Mark Goode. heheWelcome, thank you for sharing so much of yourself, i had to read it 10 times but i got through it!!!!!!

I'm sure your a wonderfull mother, your son probably can relate just fine, structure isn't everything, and at 2 he hasn't a clue he's lacking of it. your lucky you probably have as much energy as him, i only wish i had 1 tenth of my childrens energy. this forum has been a lifesaver to me, everyone here really cares, and helps. it's made me feel like I am not sooo all alone, and i can always get lots of advice and suggestions here. I'm glad you found it!!!!!!!

Welcome, Sunshine, to our little forum for the scatterbrained.

I'll have to get my wife to read out your introductory post though, cos there's no way I could read all that on my own..

Mark -

I felt the same exact way when I found this board. It's amazing that others did/felt the same as myself and it's just a blessing that they can understand things that others wouldn't. I so related to your post, went through the same sorts of things growing up. Good luck to you!

[QUOTE=Sunshine2]

God bless you if you read this far. I can't wait to get to know all of you.

[/QUOTE]

Hi Sunshine and welcome to the forum.

I do have to comment on the quoted paragraph, however. The reason that add is a disability is because, although it has positive aspects, it causes many people with it an enormous amount of pain and loss.

I appreciate the benefits, however, I do consider it a disability. Of course, most people have some kind of disability...

I think you are right about how to deal with it - to make the best life you can with it.

Hi sunshine. You have a really great and uplifting story there. I just got to this board too after my doctor diagnosed ADD and prescribed Strattera to me and referred me to a specialist last Tuesday.

I've been struggling through life for 40 years, and although I've managed to maintain what would look like a "normal" life from an outsider view, its been a long, terrible struggle with not a lot of sustained peace.

I hope I can change my situation as well as you have. I'm still just learning about all this. I haven't even gotten ahold of the specialist (Ah who am I kidding, He's a psychiatrist, not a "specialist") that my GP referred. He's on vacation. My ADD never goes on vacation, unfortunately.

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