Hi, my name is Bill. I am an adult with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). I believe I have been dealing with this condition for most of my life, but lately I have really been battling many of the challenges that accompany ADD. These include struggles with organization, remembering things, timeliness, and more. I am a right-brained thinker in a left-brained world and often feel out of place and lost. My mind feels like it is in a fog most of the time and I am tired of it. I have developed coping strategies through the years that help me to survive in a left-brained world and be a functional member of society. However, I want to do more than just survive and function, I want to thrive.
In a book I am reading called, 4 Weeks to an Organized Life with AD/HD by Jerry Freed and Joan Shapiro, the put it this way: "If you don't have ad/hd you do things because they are important. If you do have ad/hd, you do things because they are interesting." When I read that statement a window opened to my soul. That describes most of my adult life. The things I do well, I do because the interest me and I focus on doing it right. It is the other areas of my life that don't interest me where I struggle. Everyone has things that they have to do, that they do not want or like to do. However, for someone with ADD, the problem becomes that they will start a project, quickly lose interest and not get back to it right away, if ever.
If you do not have ADD, it may be very difficult for you to understand and empathize with someone who does. I will try to help. One of my favorite television shows in recent years is a show on NBC called Chuck. The main character, oddly enough named "Chuck", is an unwilling secret agent who has government secrets stuck in his head. When he sees something that causes him to "flash" on an object, hundreds of images go through his head in a few seconds and give him the knowledge he needs for that particular mission. I bring this up because when Chuck flashes and the images go through his head, that is the best way I can think of to describe what is going through a person with ADD's mind all the time. I have all these thoughts and images running rampant in my head and have no way to slow them down or organize them in a rational manner. As you can imagine it makes it hard to focus in certain situations. This also contributes to a lack of organization because even when I make a list of things to do, I will forget to look at my list or even forget where I put it.
There are medications available to relieve the symptoms of ADD and I have tried a few. A couple were too strong and did not help, and others have side effects that I could not handle. However, I am planning to talk to my doctor and see if there are any other alternatives available. In the meantime, I have been effectively using Mountain Dew to treat my symptoms.
I am writing this not for your pity or sympathy. My goal is to create awareness. There are many people in this world who struggle with this as I do everyday. All my life I have been told that I am lazy. I have been called an underachiever. I have been asked "What's wrong with you?" The truth is, nothing is wrong with me, my brain is just wired differently. I am not lazy, as a matter of fact, I work very hard. And I have achieved many wonderful things in my life, a college degree, a graduate certificate, a decent golf game, a good job, and a beautiful family. Nonetheless, I have struggles and challenges to meeting my goals that many people do not have, and for this I am often misunderstood. The Bible tells us that we are all "fearfully and wonderfully made." I know that God does not create accidents and for this reason my life has purpose. I would ask for a little understanding as well. And if you think of it, say a small prayer for me as I seek answers and organization in my life.
Peace.
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