Reply To: Can anyone relate to this childhood symptom

[lindsey3]

As a child I don’t think that I talked with anyone for more than a few minutes at a time – I was always either playing intense games by myself, running, daydreaming or fidgeting and wandering off. I know now that my mother and one brother also have ADHD, so you can imagine not a lot of listening or listening expectation happened! As I grew into my teens I learned that when I blurted out my random train of thoughts, ideas and jokes, this wasn’t somehow conversation, so started to hide my thoughts and asked other people about themselves. This has lasted all my life – unless I am in a one to one situation with someone I relate to and with, then I ask all the right social questions to get everyone to fill up the talking time – often a waiting situation until I can go home. I still make big gaffs sometimes when I blurt out a sideways thought or connection which can throw the situation, and then I feel ashamed that I have been conversationally clumsy – or just ‘too much’/too dominant.

The good news is that I have few great friends who celebrate my quirks, imagination and sometimes off beat thinking and  there are no barriers – it only takes one or two friends to ease the strain in life  – I’m so grateful to them.

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