My title is indicating upside down disorder because I have noticed that some times being “impaired” has taught me how to live with things others do not experience as frequently… thus turning the “impairment” into an advantage!


Here is an example:

I am directionally challenged. A fancy way of saying I can get lost in my own back yard. :o I have spent so much of my time being lost that I have learned to adjust well enough to become un-lost.

I never thought about this being any sort of asset until I experienced some one getting lost who has an excellent sense of direction. Gary knows his way around the lower portion of the United States. He can sit in Georgetown and give instructions to some one in Oklahoma city. Okay I can’t even give decent directions to some one in Oklahoma City if I am in the same car.

Well one day while we were traveling in West Texas the flattest place on Earth or close and Gary gets lost!!!! Man did he ever freak! I could figure out what the big deal was!
Why? Because lost is such a way of life for me I have adjusted.

I had to clam him enough so to enlighten him to the many methods of becoming “un-lost”.

So being easily lost allowed me to learn ways of “finding” my way back…strategies the directionally able like Gary have not refined!

Upside down disability…is a unique ability acquired by learning ways around our ADD “quirks”( mental health professional refer to as “disabilities”)….fancy words meaning share your neat, cool, fun. Diverse ADD arounds!!!!


The more unique the better; this is supposed to be fun! Take a stab and share what ever cool maneuver you have learned to make life more functional or fun. I see it like this we all have ADD, (or a poor sense of direction) which is what brought us here to ADDF! We can moan, gripe, hate our selves, despise our ADD but it won’t eliminate the impact of being ADD, just how we feel about it. :(

I prefer to be open, interested, fun in my approach to ADD. I love learning about new, different and unique approaches to various problems. Which by the way doesn’t change the fact I have ADD either but it does a 180 when it comes to my attitude about life and living with my ADD! :soapbox: :D

Okay, when everyone is struggling for an answer to a problem, coming up with all sorts of possible solutions that don't hold up, I will be the one that didn't see any of their solutions when I looked at the problem, I come at it from a completely foreign place (my own little ADD world of which I'm the sole inhabitant) and suggest a completely off-the-wall solution that they say they never would have thought of.
While I may struggle futily to do something the "right" way, I'll find a way to do it the "unique" way.

I have been a total ditz my whole life! I used to hate being labled a "bimbo", especially since (about 15 years ago) I was considered very cute and must admit, I played it up a bit.

I must say that I did look (and sometimes act) the part. Strangely, I was in a high level position with my company. My co-workers used to tease me about my coming off as a bubble-head. After hearing it for so long, I began to use it to my advantage. Since people assumed that I wasn't the brightest bulb on the porch, it was a given that they would talk very freely with me about their lives, personalities, and work issues. To their chagrin, I took it all in and had the ability to call them down on a whole lot of issues. They had no idea I was paying attention!

So whenever someone said "wow, you actually are very smart", I would reply "please don't blow my image!".

They called you a bimbo?? I would have been FURIOUS!

My only story would be one that I am sure a lot of ADD'ers have aslo adapted. I was always late, somehow during my 20's I trained myself to believe that, if I was not 15 minutes early, I was late. I am always early now. Not funny, not interesting, but that's one of my adaptations.

Great post meadd!

I can think of two things at the moment, though I know there are dozens more that I don't even recognize.

I'm just about always late. Late for class, late for dinner, late for doctors appointments, late for dentists appointments, late meeting up with a friend, late for work... and the list goes on and on. Especially when it comes to work and school it can be really anxiety provoking. I remember the day I realized that I can do everything possible to get somewhere on time but that once I'm out the door and on the bus being anxious about how late I am gets me nowhere. I would just end up all wound up and unable to perform when I FINALLY did arrive! I still get stressed out and run around the house in an effort to be on time but if I get on the bus and realize I'm not going to be on time I don't spend the whole bus ride stressing out about it! I listen to my minidisc player or I enjoy the scenery and I FORGIVE MYSELF.

I'm also very good at teaching complicated concepts to others. I find that because learning a new concept is often very difficult for me I am able to access where it is someone is getting lost and come up with ways to relate the information to something they do know about! People really appreciate that!

Ah yes, I also adapted to my fear of being late by always being early. Then I would sit and wait and worry that I had the wrong night or the wrong time or the wrong place. Eeek. Just recently I have learned that it's not the end of the world if I'm a little late. Whew, what a relief.

I was always late, somehow during my 20's I trained myself to believe that, if I was not 15 minutes early, I was late. I am always early now. Not funny, not interesting, but that's one of my adaptations.


I love it!!!! Wish I could be early to some thing!


Since people assumed that I wasn't the brightest bulb on the porch, it was a given that they would talk very freely with me about their lives, personalities, and work issues. To their chagrin, I took it all in and had the ability to call them down on a whole lot of issues. They had no idea I was paying attention!


I so resemble this myself....I am the ding-bat that whips out a brain when it is least expected! I too have come to enjoy this aspect me.


I tend to scatter easily...... Shortly after I began treating my ADD I discovered I am able to organize simple systems that are almost idiot proof. My disorganization became my ability to organize for the disorganized!

Does this make any sense?


Speaking of late gotta go lunch break over......guess what I am NOT late because I am "a boss" and we are never late-lol

1. I am not scared by any diseases others might have. I've got lots of compliments about that, as others tend to shy away. For me, it is just a very normal part of life, and I can listen to the most terrifying stories.

2. When something happens I have no influence on, e.g. the train is late because of whatever... I never get upset. I never get upset in a traffic-jam, either. I am so used to that things do not go my way.

3. Sometimes I feel like looking from the outside on "everyday-problems" others might have. All this race about looks, marks, being liked....
I'm no part of it anymore. I've got other things to care for. That makes me able to see the shallowness of wishes that media and advertisement induce.

4. As I am curious and like knowing things, but can't concentrate on one thing, I'm like a huge trivia-collection ;)
I'm driven to read books about philosophers when I should do some experiments in the lab.

forgot one:

I know now what is really important to me. I've defined myself so often about stupid things, e.g. weight, success... only to take it away from me (self-harming behaviour)
Now, I know myself

I know now what is really important to me. I've defined myself so often about stupid things, e.g. weight, success... only to take it away from me (self-harming behaviour)
Now, I know myself


Wow what a beautiful statement....so well worded too.

Thanks:rolleyes:

Unfortunately, it is not always nice....

IMHO, people need to believe they are "immortal" and that they are safe. We need to feel we have power over our behaviour. I remember having read with some Hollywood star (don't know who) where she said she had been way too close friend with death....
I can't deceive myself anymore.

In everyone, there are "not-so-nice" parts, e.g. I have a tendency to be dominant, arrogant, aggressive, proud, revengeful and promiscuous. I easily tend to believe I'm superior, but I'm longing for people who are way ahead of me in every aspect (parents- mentors- price charming/savior). Not easy when you tend to underestimate others!
I know it, and it doesn't make me feel better. I just try to stick to what I perceive as right and wrong... sometimes I fail to suppress those traits.

Because of my own experience and (as I do not shy away) what others shared with me, I know the most terrible things actually DO happen.
The human mind seems to be of infinite creativity when it comes to cruelty.
As I know I have my own "dark side" and I somehow often see the hurt behind the cruelty of others, I can't simply demonize others.

Often, I see my own behaviour and I cannot make up any excuses. I exclude others or make nasty remarks although it happened to me and I know how much it hurts!

Maybe a certain degree of deception would be "healthier".

Now, I'm not even sure whether I deceive myself and try to impress others with "look what I am daring to do although I suffer...".

OK, last time me:

As I get lost very often, and end up somewhere else... After a while I know my surroundings quite well... I discover some nice places as I just "float" through unknown cities. Luckily, I'm not too shy to ask how I come back to e.g. the station!

They called you a bimbo?? I would have been FURIOUS!

Bimbo, amoung other things! But in reality, these people were my friends, and they were teasing. I didn't get offended when it was my certain little group who knew and understood me. But I would have been terribly hurt if I actually heard it from someone who really believed it!

I had the bimbo image too, or "natural blonde" since I am a brunette.

I find that I am able to come up with creative solutions nobody else thinks of either, I also think of unique ways to do things too like when I wrote a paper and my advisor told me that in her whole career nobody wrote a year one reflection like I did. She said she was confused about what to think, but I could think of no other way to do it!!

Itend to not get stressed out about leaving things to the last minute because that is how I always end up doing things. Always the procrastinator!! ;)

Itend to not get stressed out about leaving things to the last minute because that is how I always end up doing things. Always the procrastinator!!

Do you often think WHY...why do I do this......

Medications end this some what I have discovered creativity also comes with insomnia...how much is hyper focus and how much is hypo-sleep????


Often, I see my own behaviour and I cannot make up any excuses. I exclude others or make nasty remarks although it happened to me and I know how much it hurts!


Why???? I mean there are things that are negative about me some are personality traits like gabbiness....which I can modify but seem unable to completely alter....yet I am a natural public speaker. I can talk to 500, 5 or one.

Unpleasant traits toward others I seek the reason....impulsive is some times over used and I fail to see where impulsive can be applied to reparative behavior patterns. .there is a answer to what prepoius does this behavior serve but the answers lies only with in you. Some times when I find out why I react in a way I dislike can deal with it and find better ways to fill those needs......just a thought.


Hope this is of some help! :o

My only story would be one that I am sure a lot of ADD'ers have aslo adapted. I was always late, somehow during my 20's I trained myself to believe that, if I was not 15 minutes early, I was late. I am always early now. Not funny, not interesting, but that's one of my adaptations.

That's a great feat you should be proud of, Kokomo !
Especially at 20 !

I'm on time for work, but to most other events, I haven't managed to be on time, yet.


Nova

*The human mind seems to be of infinite creativity when it comes to cruelty.*

-Please note-this is no reflection, whatsoever on you, Pia, it's just synchronous, that your thought, fits in with one of my 'skills'.


Because I was the subject of heinous cruelty during my entire childhood, adolescence and teenage years, I've chosen to use the hate that I harbored from those years, for a better purpose.

It wasn't easy, and it took a huge effort, but I willingly chose to give all human beings equal intrinsic value.

I couldn't stand idly by, while a cruel act is being perpetrated upon another human being, if my life depended on it. I mean that literally.

Because of what I went through, I am able to easily sense fear and suffering in people, from all walks of life. Like I have a built in 'detector'.

I've helped many people because of it, and still do, when they're not closed off and choose to allow me to help them, (you can't help anyone unless they're willing to receive help) but this thread isn't about my listing the stories..it's about our taking whatever hardships we've endured and turning them around for better use, later.


Nova