My Journey with ADHD
“What is creativity other than impulsivity gone right!” — Dr. Hallowell ADHD
“Do I have ADHD?”
When I was 22 years old, I stumbled upon a YouTube channel called 'HowToADHD.' ADHD, I thought to myself, what the hell is that?” Intrigued, I started watching videos and learning more about the topic. Video after video I was shocked to discover the parallels between typical ADHD traits and my own behaviors. The videos gave such accurate descriptions of how I experienced life, that I started to wonder, do I have ADHD?
But first, what actually is ADHD?
“ADHD is a term used to describe a way of being in this world. It’s not entirely a disorder nor an asset. It is an array of traits specific to a unique kind of mind. It can be a distinct advantage or an abandoned curse, depending on how that person manages it” –ADHD 2.0.
Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is an inherited neurological syndrome that starts in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. In a nutshell, we have a different brain structure than people without it!
It is defined by three tendencies:
• Inattention/Distractibility.
• Impulsiveness.
• Hyperactivity.
People with ADHD experience those tendencies on a spectrum and with different severities. ADHD symptoms can also differ and they can be more or less severe over time depending on your lifestyle, job, overall health, and many other factors.
My Aha Moment…
With this new information, I knew things could never go back to how they were before. Over the years, I started experiencing a range of symptoms, some of which were easier to handle and therefore, made me ignore my need for an answer and go on with my life. Others, however, were more aggressive, and eventually prompted me to visit a medical professional.
At the age of 28, I finally made the decision that changed everything for me. I decided that I needed a definitive answer to my symptoms and bravely booked an appointment.
After going through a full psychiatrist assessment, I got my result and was officially diagnosed with ADHD.
After the diagnosis…
I felt empowered! I was able to understand my mind so much better.
Finally, I knew why I saw things differently than other people. I understood why a lot of what seemed to come “naturally” to others felt “alien’’ to me. I understood more about my weaknesses and also a lot more about my strengths!
I learned that when ADHD is managed correctly:
• Impulsivity becomes creativity. “What is creativity other than impulsivity gone right!” — Dr Hallowell ADHD specialist.
• Distractibility becomes curiosity. We are the people who keep moving around and ask questions. We can not ignore what we see, and we want to know and try everything.
• Hyperactivity becomes energy and willingness to keep trying!
The way we experience the world…
While it can be unique from one person to another, Most ADHD people can relate heavily to the following:
• Our perception of time is different. We see time as now or not now. That’s why for appointments we will be either late or early but never on time.
• If we just met, there is a high chance that we will not remember your name (even when you tell us repeatedly).
• If we are very interested and involved in a task, it becomes very hard to stop and do something else. Even basic stuff like eating, drinking water, and using the bathroom!
• Typical to-do lists and most productivity systems do not work for us.
• We either ask you so many questions or we don’t talk at all.
What not to say to an ADHD person
• “You don’t look like someone with ADHD” — Most people with ADHD learn to mask their symptoms in order to fit in with their communities. Although masking is extremely hard and takes high levels of energy and effort, some of us can get really good at it. It is only when we are comfortable around you that we will act “normal” (our normal). Overall, It’s important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all and we cannot use stereotypes seen in the media as a basis for people with ADHD.
• “But everyone is a little ADHD” — While everyone might experience some of the ADHD symptoms some of the time, people with ADHD live with those symptoms every day. Saying such a statement is hurtful and dismissive of the real struggles people with ADHD go through every day.
• “ADHD is not real” — Contrary to many widespread myths, ADHD is considered to be a medical condition in the major health organizations in North America, Europe, and around the world.
ADHD in the workplace
In most workplaces, people are expected to think and act in a certain way due to unspoken social norms and company standards. As these standards neither come naturally to us nor fit the needs of neurotypical people, they often cause huge problems and are difficult for people with ADHD to follow. Sometimes it really feels like being a left-handed person in a world designed for right-handed people’s needs.
If we are comfortable enough to stop masking and be ourselves in a workplace then we will be able to bring a huge value to the team. We will suggest all sorts of ideas and the more we are encouraged to speak up and act, the more ideas we will offer up. This is especially true if we are interested or engaged in a topic. With the massive stream of ideas going through our heads, we feel we need to channel them out as soon as possible. Otherwise, we risk forgetting them. An outsider might mistake our excitement during brainstorming sessions for freaking out.
Most of us understand that this can be overwhelming or even annoying to a lot of people. If you found yourself in such a situation, simply ask the ADHD person to write down the ideas they are having so you can bring them together.
Does this story sound familiar?
Many people are diagnosed with ADHD in childhood; others discover that they have it in late adulthood.
If my diagnosis story of ADHD feels very relatable to you, then you might be only one decision away from finding out for sure! I’d encourage you to speak with a medical professional to learn more.
Disclaimers
• ADHD is an extremely complex topic and there are many more things that I have not covered here for the purpose of keeping this story short like
• Other symptoms
• The consequences of untreated ADHD.
• Treatment methods.
• Medication trial.
• I wrote this from my perspective as an adult man:
• Adult women with ADHD can experience relatively different symptoms.
• ADHD symptoms can be different in childhood, regardless of gender.
Useful Resources
• Book ”ADHD 2.0” by Edward M. Hallowell MD, John J. Ratey MD.
• My review: Published in 2021 this book addresses ADHD in the modern world in a short simple form.
• Book “Driven to distraction” by Edward M. Hallowell MD, John J. Ratey MD.
• My review: This book offers more details on ADHD in childhood and adulthood.
• Book “Taking charge of Adult ADHD” by Russell A Barkley PhD.
• My review: What is unique about this book is it discusses different studies and research done on ADHD people. I will not recommend this unless you are very interested in the scientific studies about ADHD.
