I have been living with this disability my entire life. When I started grade school things were good. I had a supportive teacher and I remember feeling good about myself. Things quickly deteriorated as I entered grade two. Homework became an issue and my organizational skills were non-existent. I was constantly teased and to make a long story short school was hell. I did manage to graduate and then found myself floundering in society not sure what to do. Eventually I held down a job for six years and was making my way. The job was catching shop lifters and I was damn good at it. Funny thing is ADD was an advantage. I was ultra intuitive and sensitive to the people around and could almost read there minds through the way they acted. I found ways to cope through out the years mostly by faking or cheating. I’m not proud of it but it’s the only way that I knew to survive. Just recently I went through the process to be become a member in a National police force…I know hard to believe. I was beside myself with pride that I had successfully completed the testing and had been accepted.
After five weeks of training I quite as the work load was to much to bear. I couldn’t hear what the instructors were saying as there was to many distractions and my time management skills were non-existent. I might go back but I need to find ways to cope. I was prescribed Ritalin 10 years ago and it seemed to help. I might talk to my doctor about it but talking is really hard as there are so many stigmas attached. People have no idea how frustrating it is. I feel like a part of my brain is encased in a steel vault and I can’t access it without the right key. I know I would be capable of so much if I could overcome this disability. I hear so many negative comments/jokes about add and it really hurts. There is so much political correctness in the world but add is all to often the center of ridicule. It’s easier to come out of the closet as homosexual than it is to admit you have add. Maybe not everyone would agree but this is how I feel. Best of luck to everyone