I’m a 39 yr old single mom to two kids, a 13 yr old ADHD and ODD son, and a 9 yr old ADD daughter. I’m just now getting the diagnosis of ADHD in my medical chart, and am being referred to a Psychiatrist for medication. Like many others I’ve always been somewhat “hyperactive”, yet I fall asleep if I don’t stay busy, I hyperfocus on the things that interest me, but can’t stay on task with things that don’t, I have trouble staying at jobs because I’m impulsive, unorganized, and restless. If I get bored, I quit.
I’ve changed my major in college five times now and now am one class away from getting into the Nursing Program, which is something I desperately want to do, but also fear failing! I am very smart, as are both my kids, but am challenged by multi tasking, organization, staying on task and focused, and following through on tasks.
My son is a major parenting challenge, as if ADHD isn’t difficult enough, he’s ODD on top of it! My daughter is just now being diagnosed with ADD and I’m not remotely surprised. We have a history of ADD, and ADHD that runs up the maternal side of my family at least three generations, although it wasn’t “diagnosed” back then. In retrospect, I think my marriage failing was partially due to my being ADHD. My ex husband was constantly irritated by my interrupting him and others in conversations, my lack of organization in keeping things straight (like the checkbook, the chores, the bills being paid on time, etc), my inability to keep the house clean, and my not being able to hold down a job for long. He got fed up with it all, and I don’t blame him. We had different priorities.
Now as a single mom my house is constantly a mess and chaotic, I’m always running late or forget appointments, and I struggle to stay on top of the household as a whole. I am hoping medication will help me enough to take control of my household. My kids therapist says I can’t possibly take control of the kids and household until I’ve got myself under control!
My son is on Concerta and Clonidine at night. Works pretty well for him, though he is still somewhat of an insomniac and its a constant fight to get him to go to sleep. My daughter, so far, is a lot easier, and her ADD is much milder than either my son’s or my ADHD. Course that could change when she hits her teens!!
I’m thankful to be diagnosed after many years of being called lazy, a slob, not working up to my potential, etc. It at least validates and gives an understanding to why I struggle the way I do! Thank you for letting me tell my story….I hope it helps someone else somehow