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The Adorable Flake

The Adorable Flake2011-06-11T19:27:01+00:00

The Forums Forums What is it? Do I Have it? The Adorable Flake

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  • #89699

    quizzical
    Participant
    Post count: 251

    Just a ramble through the brain….

    Here’s a sampling of comments made to me in the past week:

    “OK, you are officially Totally Hopeless.”

    “You need more sleep.”

    “Actually, I *did* tell you that.”

    “You *do* know you’re wearing two pairs of glasses on your head*.”

    And yet nobody thinks I have ADD.

    I must quickly point out that all the above comments were said in what you might call a loving fashion, the sort of good-natured teasing people give old friends, beloved family members. In high school my best friend affectionately called me Sherlock. Affectionately, but, of course, ironically. Naturally it took me several weeks to figure out it was a tongue-in-cheek appellation.

    At times, it almost seems as if people close to me would rather see me as a flake than someone with a condition. I guess that makes sense, because who wants a condition?

    But, by God, I’m getting tired of being The Flake. And, at age forty-something, I’m thinking it doesn’t look so adorable on me any more.

    *The Glasses Story, in full:

    This exchange took place right after I’d come into the house after being out in public for something like, four hours. My brother had been watching the kids for me since my husband had also been out of the house.

    My brother: “You *do* know, by the way, that you have two pairs of glasses on your head.”

    Me, totally unfazed: “Yes, I do, but that’s OK, because one of the two pairs is a pair of sunglasses.”

    My brother, after a pause: “Uh…no, they’re both reading glasses.”

    And of course he was right.

    Damn.

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    #104882

    Anonymous
    Inactive
    Post count: 14413

    I smiled at your story because it sounds similar to mine. I’m what they call a “Space Cadet” type person. I space out easily, don’t pay detailed attention to exactly what I’m doing (unless I am extremely interested in it, then there is no detail that escapes me). I don’t have the glasses trouble because I only have one pair of sunglasses I am using at any given time (I frequently loose and find sunglasses, so that’s not to say I only have one pair, lol).

    Listen, if you truly have a bonafide case of ADHD, then there’s nothing to be afraid of! In fact, that means you have a lot to look forward to! If you have friends and family who really care about you (as it sounds like you do), and get diagnosed with ADHD, you will be amazed how much understanding it will bring to the relationships of all the people you know, especially if you can educate them a bit about ADHD. This allows them to see more of the good in you (which I can tell just from how you write you have a LOT of good in you), and less of the bad side.

    Here’s a couple suggestions for you, if you havn’t done so already. First, direct at least two people who you spend a great deal of your time with here: http://totallyadd.com/virtual-doctor and have them take the test, but answer the questions in regards to you. In other words, when it asks “Do you ____” tell the to interpret that as “Does she ______” and that way they can see a little more of what ADHD actually is. Secondly, I suggest picking up and reading yourself a book called Delivered from Distraction by Edward Hallowell M.D. and then allowing those around you to read it. Of all the ADHD books I’ve found, that one has been the most helpful for me, and I think a good reason why, is the author himself has ADHD and so knows what it’s like both from a personal point of view, and a professional point of view. There are other excellent books out there too, so if that one doesn’t strike you, look around for others.

    Thanks a lot for sharing and for listening! Have fun at the ADHD convention that I cannot remember the name of to save my soul at the moment, lol!

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    #104883

    quizzical
    Participant
    Post count: 251

    Thanks! It’s actually a stage show called “Now What?” done by the guys who are featured on this web site, and I’m hoping it’ll be big fun! But it is probably going to seem like a convention of sorts, and the mind boggles at a theater full of ADDers – I’m just waiting for the seating of the latecomers, because it will probably double the number of folks in the hall! :)

    Actually, Delivered from Distraction was the book that started me on this wandering, wondering path. I saw it in the library and the title kind of jumped out at me: “Distraction? Boy, is that ever MY problem!” Naturally I skipped right to the big yes-or-no checklist and was quite amused to find “Did you skip right to this quiz?” to be one of the questions!

    I like the idea of having family members try out the virtual quiz; might have to try that soon!

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    #104884

    Anonymous
    Inactive
    Post count: 14413

    If I may suggest, go back and read the rest of Driven to Distraction. There is a lot of really awesome information in it and suggestions on things like, how to approach and educate those around you about ADHD 😉

    If you can’t make yourself really read it, then find it on CD or tape or MP3 or whatever it takes, and listen to it while you’re in the car, or out for a walk, or just while you’re at home doing another task or two :D If you have a compatible MP3 player, you can download it from audible.com here:

    http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?asin=B002UZN2NA&qid=1307941772&sr=1-1

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