Need some help

[Anonymous]

I am 18 years old and I have been living with ADD since the 4th grade. I have been having a hard time dealing with my ADD and the fact that I am afraid to tell my friends and extended family because I think they would think differently of me. I am worried that if I tell them, they would think I couldn’t do certain tasks. I hope people like me with ADD can help talk me down and give me some helpful advice.

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[Anonymous]

Hey LA…. have you been diagnosed by an MD or do you just have the feeling your ADD???? Just curious????

toofat

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[Anonymous]

I have been diagnosed by a doctor, I am on medication, and I have therapy with a psychologist once a week.

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[Anonymous]

If they’ve known you for any length of time, their opinion of you isn’t likely to change (unless they’re all a bunch of morons). Accept and respect yourself and everyone else will accept and respect you too. And if they don’t, you have to decide if you really need people like that in your life.

The way I see it, having ADD is a gift, not a disability.

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[Anonymous]

well most of my extended family are morons and don’t understand what we go through. I took a long time to even get my dad to understand. I had him watch ADD and Loving it?! to make him understand. I was diagnosed in the 4th grade. He saw the show when it was first shown.

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[Anonymous]

brentitude, how do you see ADD as a gift?

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[jpsimard]

I’m with Brentitude on seeing it as a gift. The ADD/ADHD, while it does have certain negative aspects, has quite a few positive ones as well. I think too look at it as anything less than a gift is giving you immediate psychological damage. It’s a case of looking on the bright side, and actually -seeing- all of the bright things on that side.

Laboxer: Talk about it with your psychologist. I’ve been just recently diagnosed and I came out and told all of my closest friends, and some of my coworkers. I got a lot of the “you’re not taking medication for it, are you?!” typical of people who haven’t done any research, or who just don’t FEEL the positive effects of it. But all in all, no one I told was really surprised at all. I don’t know if it’s anything to be scared about. And if anyone does see you differently, or treat you differently, I dare say they aren’t the kind of person you want to be around anyway. We have enough confidence/self esteem issues without having to deal with any closed mined arseholes.

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[laddybug3]

I don’t tell anyone. However, I few friends stated that they think I have ADD. That is when I tell them I do. Most of the time I forget I have ADD.

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[Anonymous]

I’m with Brentitude on seeing it as a gift. The ADD/ADHD, while it does have certain negative aspects, has quite a few positive ones as well. I think too look at it as anything less than a gift is giving you immediate psychological damage. It’s a case of looking on the bright side, and actually -seeing- all of the bright things on that side.

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

The more friends I tell about it, the more friends I find out also have it.

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[Anonymous]

I only tell those who I know I trust…

I have told certain people who have told me: Oh that totally make sense!!! Those are the poeple who have to send me emails to remind me I have an exam, then I still show up to a statistics exam without a calculator!! They know me!! And love me just the way I am!

Some people, although educated, are full of prejudice, and I have tried to make them realise what they were saying by asking them what do they base their comment on… but I can do that because I am very confident in the knowledge I do have, I can argue any point they bring up because that is what I study! Besides… these people have jugde me in the past… whether they juge me for taking ADHD meds or antidepressants or anything else… says way more about them than it does about me!!!

One person I wish could have reacted differently is my mom… but again… I know her by now and know what to expect from her. She doesn’t hear what she can’t handle! And we never spoke about it again… but she will start the coffee maker without putting coffe in it!! To make my dad understand that ADHD is not only valid in people who flunk out of 1st grade… I sent him a scientific study on adults who have high IQs and still have ADHD by Dr. T. Brown… He says it’s must be a great thing for me… I seriously believe he gets it… looking back on my childhood, I think he sees it too…

People who love you, know you! If they don’t see it because they don’t know what it is, then maybe you are opening a door where you have to educate them about it a little… but what will it change for them to know it? Will they love you more or less? Don’t they already accept you for who you are, flaws and all? Do you need them to understand what you are going through and live with because you need their support, if so then choose wisely who you tell because you may want to test the waters first… see what their opinion is on the subject before you decide what to do… Some people have prejudice but is that the kind of people you want around you? This is the reality you have been dealing with and will continue to deal with all your life… maybe your kids will have it, maybe their kids will have it…

Imagine that: your friends child is clearly displaying the symptoms and is suffuring at school but she wont get help because she has prejudices… will you speak up then? It’s nice to know that when you are authentic to your true self, you attract the same kinds of people who share the same values because you speak your mind and that let those around you know who you are!

I have to confess… I am debating whether or not to tell my boss so I am not all clear on the subject either! There are some laws that protect me and some accomations even that I can get… but I’m still unsure… So I have nothing to juge! Plus… I way older than you!! LOL!!!! Good luck!!!

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