Re: Is there really “nothing positive” about ADD?

[Anonymous]

Well…..interesting as always. I gotta say billd that your list also describes me to a T!!! I’m not sure what the point is though???

* A high energy level / hyperactivity

* Being able to hyperfocus / unable to change focus (the latter being more correct most of the time)

* Orientated to action / impatient

* Persistent / stubborn, obsessive

* Daring / drawn to high risk

* Entertaining / class clown

I have to say…..all those things that you may perceive as positives in my life (out of ADD scope) came with a price, but it would take a book to explain it. Nights waking in a sweat over a project, sitting up in the middle of the night hyperventilating thinking “holy shit”…..I must be insane for taking this project on, it’s gonna crash!!!!! All true!! So, nope don’t get me wrong billd those accomplishments were no cake-walk, but what is, and what does that change???. As for inability to change direction….yup….many times I have been accused of not being able to “let go of the banana”. Stubborn obsessive behavior is what got me through a lot of that crazyness…… yes…more like Pete-P’s description. So I’m a crisis junkie…….I also don’t respond well to “it can’t be done”…….oh well.

As for my comments on professionals and opinions…..my experience has been for every “professional” opinion and study, there is a “professional” opinion that contradicts it. That can’t be a surprise to anybody??? Watch the news, read the paper it’s all contradiction. Simple example is religion….. there are religion based academics out there that preach the bible and Adam & Eve and there a equally well schooled scientists who preach evolution…..what??? Maybe not the best example but it makes the point!!! I’m sure with very little effort we could come up with hundreds of examples of contradiction from scholars, or experts!!! As long as there are two people on earth there will be at least two opinions, with evidence to back up both sides…..that’s all I’m saying. Doctors are great (I believe that) but….they are afflicted with all the same idiosyncrasies as we mortals. So I always look on both sides of the coin before I develop my own belief….to do less I believe is dangerous for me.

As I said previously, circumstance can be critcal to ADDers…..my environment (workplace) played a great role in my success!!! I moved to a different job, department, or position, aprox. every two to three years. Lingering over three years in any one position may well have been not so swell for me (for all the reasons you know and speak to)…..but I didn’t (that’s the point), and it worked well for my ADD brain. I sold myself at the top of my game, not on the slide. Many folks on this site have stated they were a “star” for a time as well but……….eventually fell from grace……..I moved on before the fall. Not a bad strategy for ADDers maybe????

You yourself say when interested you can do amazing things….but yet you split the hair about pushing ADD aside??? Are you sure??? Finally all of this “good stuff” that you judge, did not come cheap, self-help, counseling, studying Psych for years at University, group, project management courses etc .etc……I worked at it with a win attitude ( I only have one, no compromise) and worked damn hard at it!!!! So at the tender age of 61, I’m an overnight success.

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