Simple question. What about me and my ADD can I change and what should I learn to live with?

I would like to tell you about who I am, but unfortunately I've got to run out the door in about three minutes. So tell me about yourself instead! What about you have you been able to change since learning you had ADD? What could you not change, but adapted to?

I just learn to love myself.

A huge part of the ADD journey is accepting that it is a neurological disorder that you aren't doing "on purpose." For a long time I tried to fix myself and my ADD -- and honestly, nothing "fixes" it. You learn to accept what you have to deal with, manage it effectively, and love yourself as a whole person (hopefully).

Good question to ask.....since I'm trying to decided how to handle my issues...

Simple question. What about me and my ADD can I change and what should I learn to live with?

I would like to tell you about who I am, but unfortunately I've got to run out the door in about three minutes. So tell me about yourself instead! What about you have you been able to change since learning you had ADD? What could you not change, but adapted to?

I think you answered your question there.

To my mind, change implies that you're going to take something and make it something completely different. I'm not sure that's going to be a plan to success.

But I like your word adapt better. :) To be frank, I don't feel I have 'adapted' to my ADHD completely. I wish I could learn to develop a daily habit, and be able to work with my ADHD in a much more productive way.

Forgiveness is a huge thing with ADHD. And don't be afarid to do things that other people may find odd or totally incomprehensible. If you find that you can't work on something for more than 10 minutes, fine! It would be much better if you came back to a certain task every ten minutes, rather than forcing yourself to do it for hours on end.

I'm learning to accept being easily distracted. I still havent accepted my procrastination, that reminds me of just being lazy. I can't really wrap my mind around that ADD causes this. Its just that not getting my stuff done until the last minute and not doing much is so unacceptable to me and especially my boyfriend. I Have not told him that this aspect of me has anything to do with ADD. I told him the depression caused this, he barely accepts that. I also used to work a min. of 60 hours a week because everyone depended on me and I had to. Prior to that I would have been fired if I had not showed and not got my work done. When I was self employed before I scr#$ed off. I'm hoping that meds will help with this, I have such a lack of motivation now and I'm totally overwelmed at the least little thing. This is the part I can not accept about me.

Well, as others have said - learning to accept and be OK with myself the way I am was the first big step toward improving anything about about my life. You see, before that - I was always trying to be like everyone else and felt like a failure all of the time. I believed that I SHOULD be able to remember things, not burn things, keep up with things, prioritize, manage my time, etc etc.

When I learned that I was not alone in this (and discovered ADDF), I also learned that there are tools out there that could help me to function better. For example - I got a planner on my computer that sends up reminder flags for whatever I want to program it for. So I don't forget to take my medicine, or that it's time to get to work or start dinner. Got a pill organizer so I know if I took them or not (can't believe I even tried to do without that). Gave my son the job of feeding the dog since I always forget whether I did it or not.

I'm excited about two more little programs I added to my computer this week - so simple but save me so much frustration:

The first one, all it does is put the day and date next to the clock in my computer tray. Before that I would forget the date several times a day (even after typing it many times) and would be so frustrated having to look it up repeatedly. I do have a desk calendar, but it's buried below everything else on my desk.

The second program is a simple timer on my computer. It seems I have very little sense of time unless I am actually watching a clock :D. So now if I want to sit down at the computer while I'm cooking something - I can quickly set the timer for 5 or 10 minutes and VOILA! The alarm goes off and reminds me to get up and stir it or take it out of the oven or whatever. Yeesh. So many burned and boiled over dinners for lack of such a simple device.

It's like I would never have considered using such things before because, in my mind, I "shouldn't need to". All that did was set me up for repeated failure! No wonder my self-esteem was in the toilet. Anyhow - from the my experience then, I'd have to say that making adaptations - and being open to all of the tools out there to help us - is really making a big difference in my life.

I am also very easily overwhelmed, like texasmissb mentioned. My motivation and moods are unpredictable. Fact is, that's just how I am. So again, it's time to find more ways to adapt. In this particular thing, my therapist is helping me to find better ways to deal with things than I have in the past.

Hey BusyHermit... Where did you find your "timer". I would like one on my computer..... Ge, how easily the time can get away from us.

Hey BusyHermit... Where did you find your "timer". I would like one on my computer..... Ge, how easily the time can get away from us.

It's called "Cool Timer", and it's a free download. Here's the main page:

http://www.harmonyhollow.net/cool_timer.shtml

I've stopped trying to change myself to fit my life, and instead I have changed my life to fit my self.

Thanks..... Haha, I've got a timer....