Why can’t I be both?
It’s not either/or, it’s because. I’m constantly craving novelty, which has led me to learn a little bit about almost everything, quite a bit about many things, and achieved mastery of nothing. Hell I’ve been playing guitar for 25-odd years, and that’s pretty much the only exception, but even there, I’m nowhere near as good as I “should” be with that much experience.
I can C+ to B just about anything that interests me, but God help me beyond that point.
I don’t remember writing this…
It can. It’s all in how you play it.
Came here to say this
I was diagnosed within the last six months. In my 30s, it drives me crazy to see stuff like this that I knew was weird with me. Why didnt I get treatment sooner… Lol
42 here, still waiting on a formal diagnosis
It took me forever to have the courage to go ask my primary care which was the beginning. Getting a doctor that was my age seemed to really make a difference for me feeling more comfortable as they “get it”.
It’s crazy to see the pieces fit, isn’t it. Also it can lead to a large dose of regret filled with what-ifs. It is okay to ask those questions, but remember there is no changing the past — accepting it makes you grow.
Try to be kind to yourself!
Thank you. I really appreciate it
What made you seek treatment for it? I’m in my 30s but figured if you didn’t get diagnosed as a kid and are just getting by in life that it would never happen.
I had always thought I had it but never trusted my self diagnosis or had a good doctor relationship since I was an adult. But the main thing that spurred it on was I was at work and someone that I’ve worked for for nearly 8 years daily in close proximity that I trusted told me that when he first met me he just assumed I had it because I would hyper focus on tasks and ignore them because I was too focused on my tasks and that I would switch talking about stuff mid sentence. I’m also out of meds right now (hard to find a pharmacy with them) and I’ve been struggling the last 3 days.
I understand how you feel. I was diagnosed with a condition six months before completing college, and things started to improve significantly once I began taking the right medication and learned helpful techniques like the Pomodoro method.
I used to believe I was dumb compared to my classmates, as they seemed to effortlessly understand the course material while I struggled. This led to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem.
However, realizing that my brain works differently has been a healing experience. I now understand that there’s nothing inherently wrong with me; I simply need to approach things in a different way to succeed.
Thank you, I really appreciate your comment and perspective. I just can’t believe other people can focus for hours on a single task. It is literally impossible for me. I’ve been off my meds for a couple of days because my pharmacy is out and it’s incredibly noticeable. My entire life of mild depression and lack of energy or motivation makes sense to me now with this diagnosis.
31 and in same boat ! It’s been a roller coaster learning things.
100% it’s crazy.
I didn’t get diagnosed until 49. It pretty much took my wife forcing me to go see a psychiatrist because she couldn’t take it any longer. I’m also pretty sure I’m on the ASD spectrum but I haven’t been diagnosed formally. I’m also constantly fighting with my insurance because I’m now 54 and “too old” for the meds.
I feel the exact same way, I was diagnosed less than 6 months ago at 29. The more I find out about ADHD the more I realize I had billboard sized signs of it my whole life.
Of course after getting diagnosed and talking with my parents they told me that my teachers had mentioned it the whole time I was growing up, but they don’t believe in it so I obviously don’t have it. Thanks parents, I would have loved to have that info and not feel like I was just a fuck up for 20+ years.
My parents were super surprised that I got the diagnosis. I’m like…
Getting diagnosed during the medication shortage has been interesting however. I’m about to ask my Dr if there are some alternatives that are more likely in stock at pharmacies. Adderral is MIA everywhere around me right now.
I was prescribed atomoxetine and it works pretty great for me, I’ve got Inattentive ADHD though so YMMV.
I also only have to go to my doctor once every 3 months to get refills for it, which is pretty cool
Nice, I am going to look into that. I am definitely going to try to switch to something. I can’t be dealing with this adderral wack-a-mole every 30 days…
I’ve accepted my fate
I was told by my son who has had a diagnoses of ADHD that I more than likely have it. I can Hyper-focus on things and flit from one thing to another my brain sometimes just never shuts up and have been like this so for the last 58 years. I figure that as an engineer and having to fix complicated systems it kind of helps as my super power!
Wait, is it really, like, sign of Adhd? Oh shit
Wait is this actually a thing? I’ve always wondered why I never stick with something long enough to master it. I can hyperfocus when I want to but holy shit this would make so much sense.
Your over thinking things. You never master anything because you are ordinary and unremarkable
Sorry to burst your bubble but you ain’t going be Michael Jordan
Amphetamines will make you feel like you are. Until they dont
Bro who hurt you?
The drugs man
Bro mad cus he never even passed grammar class, so now he goes around the internet telling others they are as unremarkable as he feels
It true though. Normal people ain’t Superman
It true though. Normal people ain’t Superman
It true though. Normal people ain’t Superman
You don’t have ADHD.
You are a 1.5 way LSD (Limited Slip Diferential)
You mean to tell me you guys dont get OBSESSED with something until you essentially become a supreme being in that area, get bored and move on to the next subject rinse repeat?
Oh no, I should book an appointment, again, where is they referral letter…I stashed it somewhere after I missed my first appointment 1.5 years ago by showing up at the wrong hospital department…fuck
But the superpower of ADHD is being Jack-of-all-Trades.
Specialists are valuable, but when they specialize themselves into a corner, a generalist can usually get them out.
Today’s world is built on being super specialized. All ADHD is someone who is wired to be a generalist and constantly changing tasks, filling in where needed. Before the 20th century, it didn’t matter and wasn’t an issue; now, it does. The failure we feel is society being overly optimized and unable to find us a place.
Hans Dampf in allen Gassen. Repeat. Hans Dampf in allen Gassen.
I know 😔
Prevalence of adhd in countries varies from 1 to 25% and is correleted to the marketing of the biggest drug used to cure it.
You probably don’t have adhd. You’re probably just a normal person in a society that wants you burnt out.
25% would be one in every four people. That’s a lot.
Even if we take a geometric mean on that, 5% is one in every 20. That means most larger groups you’ve ever been a part of, like a class or something, likely had an ADHD person. It’s about the same level of prevalence as Asian people in the US. 5% is not negligible. Even 1% isn’t negligible on a society scale, and if you’re talking to a community focused on a specific thing, something that only already to 1% of people in an unfiltered sample will be very common in that community.
On top of that, mental conditions like ADHD are not a binary thing that flips in your brain, where you either have it and you get all of the effects or you get none. It’s a spectrum, it’s a fuzzy category to begin with (which accounts for the wide range of percentages you see), you can feel very ADHD-like effects even if you don’t meet the ever-changing criteria of a medical diagnosis. Which is why it changes so much to begin with, because there is no simple marker like with a virus.
In either case, don’t gatekeep a condition, especially not in a way that suggests that people should just do better. It’s the equivalent of saying “don’t be sad” to a depressed person.
I’m in this photo and I don’t like it.
Based. I have accepted this haha.
