ADHD and ME
I have very recently had a late diagnosis of ADHD. I have always struggled with structure and deadlines, but the thing that I find most difficult is not to interrupt people when they speak, if I didn't vocalised what I was thinking then and there it was gone and if I try and keep it in I feel like I'm going to explode!
An old friend mentioned that she'd had a late diagnosis and it lead to chats about myself, she'd known me both at school and as an adult so was in a very good position to comment. I'd had people mention it to me numerous times before but for some reason I didn't catch on I thought they said it to everyone!
I became a bit obsessed with finding out, so off I went and booked an appointment with a psychiatrist. As soon as I was sent the pre screening forms to fill in and I was going through them with both my husband and my brother I knew there was only one way this was going to go........and sure enough after 2 hours of probing I had a diagnosis, she spoke through different options with me and what it meant to me, to be honest I don't think that it really means anything to me other that then fact that if I can understand ADHD better I can understand myself better which can only be a good thing.
Things I have done in the past which looking back on are deffo ADHD traits:
Always chatting in school and having to be moved to the front
School reports saying that I did not fulfil my true potential
Not knowing how to revise
Doing well in subjects which had teachers that I got on with
Bought of anxiety and depression
Smoking at 15, possibly even younger
Impulsive behaviour
Forgetting to eat and then eating rubbish as I was so hungry
Obsessions
Hating small talk
If there's an interesting conversation happening next to me I can't concentrate on what I'm meant to be doing, same goes for if the fridge is beeping....nothing happens until that fridge is closed.
I LOVE socialising, but if there are too many people, it's too noisy and I feel like I should be doing something I hit overwhelm and basically stand there not doing anything or talking to anyone.
Can procrastinate over anything, until about an hour before it needs to be done and am then like a super human ploughing through it at a rate of knots. (I vividly remember doing some geography coursework on the computer when floppy disks were still a thing, not saving it and 11pm losing all my work just as I was finishing it waking my parents up to shout at them about it and having to stay up until 5 am to finish it.
Am very good at out of sight out of mind, O I'll put this in the cupboard and finish it later.....it's lost to the world of the larder cupboard.
I have a stack of presents which I have bought for people that have been bought over the years, but I have never managed to get them to the post office, so sorry to anyone that I have said I have a gift for and it's never arrived (I'm not lying about the gift, just can't seem to motivate myself to get to the posting stage and then I forget about it)
My eldest daughter has just recently started school and I have booked swimming for my others at the time I need to collect her from school, scheduled meetings and numerous other tasks.
When I look at this list it seems a lot, but it's the way I have lived my life and I don't know any different and also there are massive benefits which I love and would not change
If I want to do something, I will do it. Start a podcast yep, run a half marathon yep, rearrange the sitting room for the 100th time at 9pm on a Sunday night yep.
I think differently, I don't know how to explain this one other that I can listen to the same thing as other people and come up with a completely different take on it.
I love being around others and get my energy from talking to engaging and dynamic people.
I know how people are feeling, I can tell if something is bothering someone or they are heading toward burn out often before they do.
A song sense of justice, if you are my friend and I think you've been wronged my gosh I will stand up for you (the problem is sometimes you won't want me to and that's when I find it hard to stop)
I am a risk taker, even with my children I let them climb and attempt to establish their own boundaries of what feels right for them (my husband is the opposite and I think this drives him insane when he sees them scaling a tree)
I encourage people, you would surprised at the number of people who I have (almost bullied) into joining me for a 6am walk/jog.
I have high energy (when engaging in things that I want)
I enjoy bringing people together
My house is always open for people to meet conjugate and have a good time. I want it to be a social hub and a place that people feel comfortable coming too. Someone knocked on my door the other day before walking in and I was surprised, if people are coming they just walk in and that's the way I like it.
I'm sure there are going to be a lot more things that I discover along the way, but for now this is it (well actually the children are awake and my concentration is shot)
So it's bye for now! I've given myself a challenge of blogging every day for 30 days so you'll see some random thoughts popping up on here.
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