Oh, I probably will (pretty impulsive and all) -- but I wish I wouldn't. I am so sick of how people treat me differently once they know. They act like I need to be checked up on and treated like a teenager. Nevermind the fact that I've been a teacher, principal, program coordinator, counselor, mother, wife, etc and done so successfully in the past. Grrrrrrrr!:mad:

I know how you feel, just remember that some of them are doing it because they actually care about you!!

Big cyber hugs for Scatt! {{{HUG}}}

I seldom if ever get checked up upon and some days I wish somebody would!

Big cyber hugs for Scatt! {{{HUG}}}

I seldom if ever get checked up upon and some days I wish somebody would!

Hey Crazy!!! Are you doin alright today? Everything going smooth? :D

Thanks ya'll! I guess it's just so weird, frustrating and such, because for years when I didn't know I had ADD and managed to get by or at least bluff my way by, folks treated me like a professional. Now they're more likely to treat me like an adolescent. My skills, qualifications, and general style hasn't changed -- just their perception of me.

We may be moving either this summer or next -- that means a new start in a new place. Hopefully it also means a wiser me who exercises a lot more discretion in who I chose to share this information with. I can better understand now what labeling kids does. Believe me I do understand the upside of diagnosis and hopefully the treatment that follows, but now I think I understand the downside too. People stop seeing you and start seeing a label about which they have preconceived ideas. I'm glad I didn't have to grow up under one. I might have bought into their lower notion of what I was capable of doing or been prevented from having those opportunities by their prejudices. Actually I was diagnosed as hyperactive when I was a kid, but that was before I was in school and I don't think my parents ever told my teachers. Maybe they did and I just had some great teachers in those early years. I know my daughter's teacher knows and has been incredible! The teacher the previous year however told me she didn't like ADHD kids (don't worry -- we didn't send her to school that year after that comment!).

Some folks have actually been wonderful -- still seeing what's good about me while being supportive of my struggles. I wonder how you tell before hand who is safe to tell and who isn't?:eyebrow:

Scattered

Hey Crazy!!! Are you doin alright today? Everything going smooth? :DI am, as George Carlin would say, 'not unwell', and I am hoping that Scatt is 'moderately neat-o' :D. I love Carlin, the man is a genius!

People don't believe me when I tell them.
I have a weird sense of humor, based on my upbringing.
If I told someone I had ADD, I'd also ask them if they had some "paste/glue" I could eat. :D
It's a misconception based on negative press for Adders.
Just like other conditions.
I've never really had anything bad come about as a result of telling someone I have ADD, but I choose who I tell.
If I told the wrong person, and they made fun of me, or gave me a problem, I would show them I can spell.
"Make fun of my ADD and I will beat your A**":D
Or run you off the road, as any good Memphian will do.

I wonder how you tell before hand who is safe to tell and who isn't?:eyebrow:Sigh...that's just the rub, isn't it? I never know either but since I have no professional standing in any way, I guess people just don't expect much of me. Most people know about my basket o' DXes these days, including the schools that teach my kids. That way if they are gonna get labeled and mistreated the people in charge know that a person bearing that same labels, a short temper and several ferocious tattoos is going to be there to create some smoke in the city!

So think it'd help if I got a tatoo?:p

So think it'd help if I got a tatoo?:pIt just might ;) it sure does make people back up off of me in a fast hurry (another non-reason to judge me though isn't it?). Maybe people would prefer to judge based on looks first, then after they find out about the ADHD that will seem like an afterthought compared to ink in flesh...?

You know a number of years ago I had a client who had a shaved head, lots of tatoos and just a generally "tough biker guy" look. When we started talking though you know, if I'd been blindfolded I couldn't have told him apart from the guy that came drove to see me in his Lexus wearing an expensive business suit -- same kinds of issues, same kinds of feelings. I wish we would all learn to see past the skin, clothes, labels and see the real person.

I guess the tattoo would have to be an intimidating one to command any respect, huh?;)

Scattered

You know a number of years ago I had a client who had a shaved head, lots of tatoos and just a generally "tough biker guy" look. When we started talking though you know, if I'd been blindfolded I couldn't have told him apart from the guy that came drove to see me in his Lexus wearing an expensive business suit -- same kinds of issues, same kinds of feelings. I wish we would all learn to see past the skin, clothes, labels and see the real person.That does not surprise me in the slightest :D I can actually speak grammatically flawless English when I choose to, and know my share of large words etc. I guess I don't come off as "ignorant and hairy" over the internet where people cannot see my skin and hair. I am the same person face to face as I am online, barring the fact that I am unable to edit myself if I do or say something impulsive :o.

I guess the tattoo would have to be an intimidating one to command any respect, huh?;)

ScatteredNah, a little all-black tribal work in a visible spot ought to be enough. ;) Especially on a woman. People will ask you "did that hurt?" and you simply say "I have given birth, how painful can a little ink on a needle be after that?" :D They tend to stare in awe after a comment like that, as though you could withstand incredible torment....

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} Scatt!

I know how it feels-you really do not know how anyone will react. And it is so painful and humiliating somedays.

I am about ready to be blunt, disclose upfront, if there is a space on the application, and just totally be what I am and sell all the wonderful things about me to the max. No more shame for being successful either!

If I have to hide and be afraid to be me anymore, I will scream, explode, or fall to pieces. This is what I am, take me or leave me. After the last few weeks, I have learned to be proud of who I am. Those who judge are ignorant, those who don't listen are intolerant, those who refuse to see the positives are blind. Just give me the dam n technology and I will be fine!

If they don't hire me, then working for them would be he ll. This way they will know exactly what they are getting and if they hire me-then they are either desparate or believe in me.

My teacher portfolio will start with the lyrics -Flowers are Red by Harry Chapin, then go on to my philosophy of ed and why I teach with all the passion and purpose I can put into words-just flat out honest, and from there, all my best work etc.

I am to the point of realizing I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Darn the torpedoes and full speed ahead.

STAND UP AND SAY IT LOUD AND PROUD, I AM A SUCCESSFUL PERSON WHO HAS ADD!

This is some helpful insight for me, thanks for letting me learn from your experience. I'm still relatively new to ADD-- eight months in, and I'm thinking through who to tell.

So far, I've told my husband and one friend. My husband has been helpful, although I think he's getting tired of hearing about it. The friend was cool about it, but very reserved about saying anything. Either she isn't totally convinced or just thinks the less said the better. I don't regret telling either of them, of course.

Scattered, I'm sorry you had to get treated like a halfwit after disclosing to your coworkers. Labeling is lousy...and what about people abusing the diagnosis for messing things up more?!! ...The week I was thinking about telling my boss (because I was going on meds and didn't know how the side effects would turn out) we had someone from another section accused of stealing at work and she blamed ADD!!! It was total BS, but she had her doctor vouch that she had the worst case of ADD he had ever seen and only got a reprimand for it. My boss told me the story one morning first thing. Once she had mined the way for anyone else with ADD, I shut my mouth and kept it that way.

I guess I don't see any good reason for telling anyone at work anyway. I wasn't happy with my work performance before, but I wasn't on the verge of getting fired. Now I'm performing more to my potential but no one has asked any questions. They just think a little more time on the job has helped me get it down.

Anyone have a good story about telling someone about their ADD?

Some people are going to fear anything they don't understand, Scatt.

Like I've always *said*, that is their 'burden', not yours.

For every recruitor for the Judgements R Us Club, there are the twenty, who don't belong to that closed-minded organization, who are waiting to receive you, with open arms and a huge smile.

Yes! 3 good stories!

My last school! I very tenatively told a few people-they said "wow, you are a real role model and can really reach out to students!" I did not announce it to the world but i did share with students how much I struggled in school and how I was able to overcome it and achieve my dreams.

I also shared this with students with ADD and LD and it really changed most of them-they worked in my classes because they knew I knew they could do the work and would work with them.

All my students were very understanding and felt I understood them and knew I truly cared for them.

The high school I subbed at. I told a resource teacher that I have ADD-she said, never be afraid or embarassed by it-it makes me a compassionate, caring teacher.

When considering a PhD the assistant Dean of the Graduate school jumped up and down clapping her hands when I told her I had been diagnosed with ADD. It qualified me to apply for a minority fellowship and she is in charge of that program! Talk about shock and awe-no one had ever been that excited that I had a disability. That is why I am seriously thinking of going back for my PhD-she can help me pick the program best for me!

I have a friend with severe dyslexia getting a PhD in Anthropology who fits several minorities and he has done wonderfully well with student disability services at SIUC. He is a brilliant man who can't spell and writes very poorly-but is well known in his field.

Yes Virginia, have ADD is not all bad!

it down.

Anyone have a good story about telling someone about their ADD?Actually, believe it or not, I have a good story to tell. I was talking to my daughter's principal a few years ago and said we were having her evaluated for ADD, and that I also had it. In the next breath, she asked me to come and do some reading evaluations on some of their students. I had just started meds and was really questioning myself and what I could do. It was an incredibly helpful shot in the arm of a bit of confidence in me. The evaluations went well and both teachers and principal were very pleased with my work with the kids and their parents.

I will probably still tell close trusted friends -- afterall a bit of an explanation for my spacy, forgetful behavior can be helpful -- but I'll have to be working at a place for quite a while and have developed some trust before I share that at work again.

Hey VI, I didn't know that an ADD diagnosis qualified us for minority status! I'd like a PhD too! :) You go girl!!!:cool:

Thanks to all of you who have responded -- the support here means so much to me!

Scattered