I’m 27 and have been told by a psychologist that I am a classic case of ADD that went undetected as a school. Reading these stories is both enlightening and relieving for me.
I spend half of my life losing things and the other half finding them. It’s a constant frustration not being able to make progress and do simple things like make a meeting on time, remember my wallet, keys or phone.
I’m currently a soldier and have lost 6 different berets in almost as many weeks. It’s funny to tell people about, but the truth is it is terribly debilitating.
I am also incredibly impulsive. My mind seems to work in spits and starts, so I can suddenly feel so right about a decision and then that same surge of energy tells me another decision is right. Left to my own devices, I struggle to make the most basic decisions in life. My confidence has taken a real knocking. Although I’ve breezed through school and Uni with straight A’s and B’s and a first class degree, I cannot decide on a career, so I never commit to things and my earning capacity has never really progressed. These decisions about what do to, where to live have sent me into depression several times.
Having read the stories about people with creative minds – I certainly relate. My imagination is in a realm of its own – I have the strangest sense of humour I know and my ideas are so, so creative. So I see this positive side of me, but my frustration is in knowing I have such potential and not being able to apply myself to make a success of anything.
I’m also the king of the unfinished task. I must at least a dozen projects on the go that I’m always planning to complete -but deep down, I know unless someone else is guiding and instructing me, these will never reach fruition.
Lastly, this impulsivity, bit me recently. I proposed to my girlfriend in the spare of a moment, when the relationship was really not ready for that move. After she accepted, I realised I couldn’t go through with it and broke things up. I broke her heart, mine too and caused both families much upset. I’ve spent the past 3 years in and out of depression that I believe now is some how all linked back to the ADD issues. Ever since leaving full time structured education where my decisions were not really my own, I’ve faltered and in a big way.
I’ve now decided to embrace myself for whatever I am and accept it. I need to rebuild my confidence but with it the realisation of what I can do and what I can’t. I am keen not to take any drugs, but if that’s the best way, I’ll do so. I’m a little cynical about lists and notes to help structure my life, as I’m sure I’d lose them all.
Anyway, here’s to the future, that God willing I can learn to make a life for myself and in a relationship that helps me to be successful and content with who I am, who I’m not and what I’m able to achieve in life. I wish you all the same blessing in managing your lives to enable you to take control and maximise the unique power of our imaginations and our minds.