I'm back in school, working on a graduate degree, and enjoying
that. I still work. So while i know people may do
better than me in overall organization and so on, i
still recognize i have challenges.... but it's not
stopping me from continuing to move and take action
down my path, whatever my path is. If it sometimes
take me longer or less graciously to get down my path,
well, thats better than being on no path, and i still
get the satisfaction of being on a path, much more so
than being afraid to move, sitting still, doing
nothing, going no where. So for me, this is great
progress. I'm just as happy about my progress as
anyone else. One thing i have learned, if nothing else
at all, is do not sit still, like a frightened deer in
the headlights. Once the eyes open again decades can
have passed by, so sitting still is not an option for
ADDers. Must move forward, even as if Salmon were
swimming upstream.

I have to resort to some unattractive options, like taking medications or other modifications to my life, ie, trying other therapies, from vitamins to changing diet, to whatever is the next gimmick published anywhere... I look at doing those things, especially taking medication, as taking the bull by the horns. Once on the bull, I just ride out the rest. Yes, I get bucked off a lot! And yes, it hurts! But its a far cry from just sitting still watching the rodeo and bull riders from the stands and doing nothing.

Ever watch bull riders at a rodeo? Its amazing that
they get thrown off, and get back on, in order to
hopefully be the first place winner and win
$35,000.00. Imagine that kind of injury and effort and
pain, to just have a chance, of a chance, of a chance,
at making $35,000.00. Now if someone looked at
education that way, getting an F in a class, or being
embarrassed by something in school, would never be a
reason to quit school. We would all think, hey, if i
graduate, i have almost a 100% chance to get paid my
$35,000 (or whatever the salary is) every year for the rest of my life!
Who cares if i get thrown off! I'll get back on!
Yeeeeehaaaawwww!

Thats really the attitude ADDers have to have!!! Watch the rodeo on TV and see what attitude I am talking about. We really have it in us, to be stronger, to fight harder, to be more persistent, and I think when I am not living up to those abilities, that is when i am most dissapointed in myself. If I am trying, if I am getting back on the bull, if I am putitng my heart into it, and gettuing up and brushing myself off after a fall, I think I am content with myself. When I stop, and stare into the headlights, and freeze, I think that is when i become dissapointed in myself, and begin to feel like the world is too difficult. Its all in the attitude. If I need medication to keep my attitude, well so be it, thats the bull i grab by the horns, and that is my choice to either ride, or sit in the stands.... I'm riding!

:)

Jonathan

Great Post. Don't forget to thank people when you Graduate, there's no such thing as a self made man.

Just be careful ascribing this 'fight through it' attitude to others and other ADDers. There are people who may have tried 10 times harder than you are now (however hard you think you're trying) and are failing 10 times worse than you ever did, they are lining the prison walls now, and maybe because they weren't born as intelligent as you, or they were born in povery, a 'fight through it' attitude has simply not been enough.

To subscribe a 'fight through it' attitude to them would be nothing more than patronising. Don't forget that. But thanks for an encouraging post, it stirred up a bit more motivation in me, which has to be a good thing.

I have that attitude too, and I'm proud of it.
School has been a huge struggle for me my entire life and it makes me want to cry at the thought of it, but Im starting again tomorrow going into second year and as much as I may want to murder someone while I'm there, Im going to do it anyway.
No add is going to stop me from acheiving my goals. I've already managed a couple of big goals I've had from when I was young, and that keeps me going too.

Good on you Jon. I'm on a bit of a ride myself. Consistancy is a problem, but overall, it's been two years now that I've ridden this horse at a slow lope. :D

I ran 88 miles in July. That's an all time high for me. I suffered no injury doing it and am proud to have done it as lovingly of myself as I had. It's a huge victory to have self care so strongly present.

Keeping moving no matter what, is important to me. Early in our marriage, PU used to say to me, "do what you can" as she headed off to work. Keeping moving makes almost any little chore something I "can" do. One thing leads to the next and then somehow I find myself smiling.

I've learnt that whatever I do, is maybe a beginning and worth doing even if it turns out to be a dead end. It's by doing, that I learn most.
Courage and thanks Jon. Ian

Great Post. Don't forget to thank people when you Graduate, there's no such thing as a self made man.

Just be careful ascribing this 'fight through it' attitude to others and other ADDers. There are people who may have tried 10 times harder than you are now (however hard you think you're trying) and are failing 10 times worse than you ever did, they are lining the prison walls now, and maybe because they weren't born as intelligent as you, or they were born in povery, a 'fight through it' attitude has simply not been enough.

To subscribe a 'fight through it' attitude to them would be nothing more than patronising. Don't forget that. But thanks for an encouraging post, it stirred up a bit more motivation in me, which has to be a good thing.

Dear Zulu, Thanks for the positive feedback,and the reminder about others in less fortunate situations. Thanks for the reminder that there are people who have not fared as well, and for whom the concept of "fighting" their way through thier troubles may seem impossible. My sharing of my personal experience was and is intended to share the inspiration I am feeling, and is not intended to infer that all people in all situations must do the same. I don't know anything about the lives of prisoners, so your comments bring awareness that there is a whole segment of the ADD population we don't talk about much, who are in great pain. I welcome further information if you care to provide more info. Have you had any personal experience with this, either in your personal life, your professional life, or in the life of a friend or loved one? I imagine that it must be a great struggle and require great inspiration to overcome such obstacles and create function and meaning in ones life. Thanks for the positive feedback.

Healthwiz, your posts are always inspiring for me personally. I appreciate what you have to say and I value your movement and progress in your life.

To see a plan, have that drive and motivation and let it take you along your path ( inspite of fear and indecission) is wonderful.

To take a risk...whatever. You sound content and satisfied with life. Congradulations.


Yes, your message can be tempered with a good dose of the reality that Zulu speaks of. For some of us, some of
us down and out or in circumstances that appear incumbered and littered with obsticles on our journey---especially me, now and often in the past, I have just sat there, almost feeling paralyzed with the loss of drive and focus. (and see--sometimes my words are even muddled:rolleyes: even though I do know what I mean:faint: )

I am aware that I will find my path even if it is not obvious. Maybe it is just lost in the forrest. I know that this thicket of trees holds a personal truth...

You give me hope. Thank you, Healthwiz.;)

I have that attitude too, and I'm proud of it.
School has been a huge struggle for me my entire life and it makes me want to cry at the thought of it, but Im starting again tomorrow going into second year and as much as I may want to murder someone while I'm there, Im going to do it anyway.
No add is going to stop me from acheiving my goals. I've already managed a couple of big goals I've had from when I was young, and that keeps me going too.

It's interesting, how once you manage one goal, the next one seems more possible.

Jon,

Good for you, that is the go after em' attitude I want to see in others like us, people who would so much rather bury their heads in the sand and let nature take its course. You have to get back on, and ride it through, but now you have a plan, stick to it, yes, tweak it a bit, but do it, I am right there with you, trying to get back into teaching, though I have been through some rough spots, I know this is the path I am to be on, keep it up-LORI

Lots of great posts in this thread! I love the inspiration of seeing an ADDer go for their dream and succeed. It's also good to have a reminder that even among ADDers the playing field isn't level that environment and heredity have dealt us very different hands. The thing that is the same for all of us though is that with proper support, strategies, education, medication, diet, exercise, or whatever is appropriate we can do better -- we can reach our personal best. That's one of the really encouraging things I get from the Forums as well as advice on how to make that happen.

Scattered

Jon,

Good for you, that is the go after em' attitude I want to see in others like us, people who would so much rather bury their heads in the sand and let nature take its course. You have to get back on, and ride it through, but now you have a plan, stick to it, yes, tweak it a bit, but do it, I am right there with you, trying to get back into teaching, though I have been through some rough spots, I know this is the path I am to be on, keep it up-LORI

Alright LORI! You go girl! Teaching is a wonderful profession, and i think a very good one for ADDers, because the topics change daily, children change, no boredom, and a chance to be creative. Let me/us know how you are doing with your path to teaching. Maybe even share what the hardships have been, because I'm interested in knowing, and i bet others here are interested too.

:)

Jon

Lots of great posts in this thread! I love the inspiration of seeing an ADDer go for their dream and succeed. It's also good to have a reminder that even among ADDers the playing field isn't level that environment and heredity have dealt us very different hands. The thing that is the same for all of us though is that with proper support, strategies, education, medication, diet, exercise, or whatever is appropriate we can do better -- we can reach our personal best. That's one of the really encouraging things I get from the Forums as well as advice on how to make that happen.

Scattered

I think you have some very valid points here, about unlevel playing fields, which is true throught all strata of society, and about the need for increased levels of support, whether financial, emotional, planning, organizing, mentoring, tutoring, etc. We all can do more and be more when exposed to these positive environmental factors. The question is, how to reach ADDers with all those resources. I'd especially like to know how to reach ADDers with money to pay for these things, and to pay for tuition and support and scholarships, and all the services formentioned. Thats a real challenge.

Jon

The more I do, the more I stop thinking "I think I can" and start thinking "I can". The more I start thinking "I can" the more I remember that one grade does not make the semester, so I boffed a math test last week and brought my average down from a 99.7 to a 90 its STILL a 90 and the next 3 units are a cake walk.

I can
I can
I can

With the help of my mate and the drive my kids give me there isn't really anything I can't do. Its amazing what having four people believing in you can do for a person.

The question is, how to reach ADDers with all those resources. I'd especially like to know how to reach ADDers with money to pay for these things, and to pay for tuition and support and scholarships, and all the services formentioned. Thats a real challenge. You said it! I don't have the answer yet, but it's one I want to keep working on. I expect it will have to be a community by community outreach faciliated by on line contact with other communities that have found programs that work. I think at the local level people can pull together to put resources in a central location and network with local mental health professionals -- kind of like a lot of the homeschool co ops do with a central library and group classes on specific topics.

I think we probably need to be better organized (guess we'll have to pull in some non ADD parents to help with that part:p )to lobby the government and help them see that that long range expense of an undereducated, under treated, undermedicated group of AD/HD individuals who are at higher risk for drug and alcohol abuse, mental illness, under or unemployment, and criminal activity is much costlier than providing appropriate interventions in a timely fashion.

No small task to be sure, but we've got to keep working toward it, because the price of not doing it is just too high. I expect there are already those out there working on it, so part of it is finding and supporting their efforts.:soapbox:

Scattered

Nucking Futz! You go girl!:D

Scattered

The govt is not the answer - that will be 20-30-40 years from now.... Private foundations would be the quicker route..