ADHD CHRONICLES
Think Twice Before Judging People Who Don’t Read Books
Why some of us just can’t keep the focus for long enough to finish a book
Confession time… I struggle with finishing books I start reading, regardless of what they are about. Recently I finally realized why: I have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Even though I have always been one of the best students and completed a PhD degree, I was never a good reader. Sure I could read scientific papers during my PhD, but only if they were directly relevant to my research, and many of them I just skimmed for relevant information.
I always felt ashamed in academic circles when the topic of reading came up and everyone was joyously reporting what they were reading for fun. Many of my academic colleagues are always in the process of reading a book that is not required for their research. These are usually novels or popular science books.
Turns out I am much better at reading comics and picture books and that makes me feel like a child. Imagine how it is to tell someone: “Yes, I like reading, but I prefer children’s books and everything with pictures because it makes it more interesting and easier to focus on.”
