Re: Took me long enough to figure this out! Thought maybe I was stupid or something

[Anonymous]

I just found this place. All I can say is WOW. And thanks–I’m enjoying the reading and it’s helping. For years I have suspected that my father has ADHD. When I started seeing the same symptoms in myself, I suddenly realized why HIS ADHD always annoyed me so much.

I’ve never been hyperactive or prone to daydreaming. Fortunately I’ve learned some great organizational skills and ways of keeping myself on track. But it’s a struggle, almost a fight within myself. I thought that EVERYONE had to do this.

Here’s my funny anecdote: My wife taught me how to play golf when we were dating. Within four years I was able to break 80. But every spring, when we dust off the clubs and start playing again I struggle with boredom after only six holes. I have to build up my “tolerance” for the game, and it takes a month before I can play a full round without completely losing focus. If nobody’s behind us, I fish around in the lakes for lost balls. I jump down into ditches with a plastic bag and retrieve balls. My wife has learned to just walk off and leave me. Once she said I spent fifteen minutes playing in a ditch. I honestly don’t know how long it was.

Sometimes I feel as if ADD has given me some kind of a super-power. A few weeks ago I read an article explaining the term “hyperfocus” and that’s when I knew. Like many of you I’m in the I.T. field. When the heat is on, somehow I’m able to cut through the fog, static, flak (or whatever term you want to give it) and find a solution that nobody else can see. Inferior mortals (I’m kidding).

So I’m looking at this revelation as a gift rather than an aflliction. Yes, there are things other people can routinely do that I just can’t. But there are plenty of things that I can do better than anyone else.

And I haven’t paid for golf balls in years.

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