Re: Dealing with Disbelief

[Anonymous]

I started writing my response before Tim posted his. I’d like to add a couple of comments in response to him.

I’ve had moderate success using Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) as an analogy with ADD. Most people can’t understand why someone with OCD who has to keep checking the lock on the door can’t just stop themselves or write themselves notes to remind them they really did lock the door, yet most people believe and accept that OCD is a legitimate neurological disorder. I ask them to try to think of ADD like they do OCD. That sometimes works.

Tim is right about others just not being able to understand. Even my wife and best friends, who accept the truth about ADD and believe me, still say things every now and then (like “just concentrate” or “just try harder”) that show that they really don’t understand. I’ve come to accept that they probably never will. They simply don’t have the ability to conceive of someone having so much difficulty with something that’s second nature to them. At some point we all reach a stage where it’s enough that they support and believe us even if they can’t understand. Otherwise, we’ll become bitter and cynical and who wants to live life like that.

WW

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