Definately a coping strategy!
I don’t remember ever ‘facing’ RL. I must have coped, because I never had the catastrophies I read from some of the stories. Things went relatively well for me. I just never ‘lived’ that life. I was only confronted with it, when my son was born. On the days that I looked after him, I was supposed to provide him with structure, make sure he ate and drank, spend quality time with him, the basic stuff really. But I couldn’t… never stood a chance. My wife pulled the cart, looking after my son, me, while doing her job, and our household, everything regarding our everyday life, she had on her shoulders!
She finally got through to me, when she showed me that she was taking care of two kids. My son, and me. I had no idea, that my depressions (hadn’t a clue about my ADD, yet) affected anyone but me. So basically #2 and #3 define my ‘normal ADD self’. Wouldnt know who that ‘normal ADD me’ would be.
I don’t recognize #4 that much either. I knew nothing more than what I thought. Everything else was outside the glass bell. I did feel alienated, but not in the sense that I was not myself.. I was just invisible and unreachable. And unless I had to deal with something from the outside world, I was somewhat in control. And not being able to deal with the outside world is kinda … disfunctional.
When something was required of me, the only way I would be able to oblige, was to clear everything from my schedule and do only that one thing! Anything more than that would cause panic. And the only way to cope with panic, was to shut down. For instance, by retreating from every possible social environment, put on very complex, rich, energetic music, to force my thoughts in one direction. That would calm me down (and wear me out).
.. ok thats enough words for one post! 
I understand you so far. English is not my native language either, I’m Dutch.
PS. My son is five years old. I grabbed the chance to be in his life with both hands. He’s my lifesaver in that sense!
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