Just read this article by Dr Kathleen Nadeau on Working with Gifted Adults with ADHD http://www.chesapeakeadd.com/pdf/adhd/gift_adults_adhd.pdf

I've massively underachieved academically, but I'm not lacking in talent or intellect. The inattentiveness makes it damn near impossible for me to knuckle down and work under my own steam outside of the classroom. I don't know how many times I started courses but was unable to get the homework assignments done.

How have other folks with Inattentive ADHD coped with this?

All four of my kids fall within the very high gifted range. I have two boys produce test scores that people in the district haven't seen in over 20 years..it is hard to know what to do with children like this..especially when they would forget their head if it wasn't attached.

Medication has worked wonders...until around 4:30 pm.....and consistent daily intervention on our part by being home and using every moment as a learning moment..I am just hoping to make a real difference by the time they are adults...so they don;'t have the same problems as their dad..who had no intervention...we will see.

Yep, I was in the gifted program in high school. I barely graduated though. I'm also a talented artist (no modesty there!:D) I know deep down that I'm smart- I just seem to exhibit a lot of evidence to the contrary. :rolleyes: That stuff can really get to you after a while, you know?

Just read this article by Dr Kathleen Nadeau on Working with Gifted Adults with ADHD http://www.chesapeakeadd.com/pdf/adhd/gift_adults_adhd.pdf

I've massively underachieved academically, but I'm not lacking in talent or intellect. The inattentiveness makes it damn near impossible for me to knuckle down and work under my own steam outside of the classroom. I don't know how many times I started courses but was unable to get the homework assignments done.

How have other folks with Inattentive ADHD coped with this?

I pulled assignments out of my butt in school and later at work. Even today I'm dilly dallying and will likely cram later to make it look like I worked.

Having near gifted intelligence, I managed to skate by relatively unnoticed, but I notice it in myself and that is why I sought treatment. Just think of the things I could do if I could channel my intelligence properly!!!!

BTW - I start meds tomorrow (docs orders to wait) and am getting very impatient because I want to see if it helps me any.

I think its just easier to sneak through if you have a reserve to call upon when absolutely necessary. Having been a chronic procrastinator my entire life, I've now come to realize that, by putting off assignments till the last minute, the stress of limited time induced enough focus so that I could get my work done. I've always known that I never gave anything my best effort, but my half-*** attempts were usually good enough that no one (excluding myself) ever noticed I was struggling.

I've had a number of doctors (family doc's and ob/gyn's especially) question my pdoc's use of add meds by saying "how could you have made it this far if you were add?" Suggesting that 1) I couldn't have add doing the work that I do (I'm in academica) 2) and, for that reason, I'm somehow "cheating." This always feels just lovely.

I've just been diagnosed as Inattentive and as preparation for the assesement read my old school reports then looked at Kathleen Nadeaus clinics website . A single paragraph managed to sum up my school and college experience ;

Other students with ADD (ADHD) continue to earn high grades through high school. While their grades may look good, their behind-the-scenes behaviors tell a different story of chronic anxiety, all-night study sessions, homework that takes hours longer than their gifted non-ADD(ADHD) counterparts, struggles with procrastination, and last-minute completion of papers and projects.

http://www.chesapeakeadd.com/adhd/gifted.html

I felt very sad at the lost opportunities after reading it although when I showed it to my doctor to try to get her to understand my experiences she was more interested in the information in the preceeding paragraphs that indicated for intelligent chidren with few hyperactive symptoms behaviour problems weren't usually an issue . She's very old school in that regard as far as her view of ADHD is concerned , its not her fault just the current view of ADHD here in the UK but hopefully that will begin to change once the NICE guidelines are distributed to doctors next month .

As to how I coped ( apart from leaving things to the last minute ) I often tended to become obsessive about finishing things or tunnel visioned as I used to describe it but that in turn was probably one of reasons why I developed chronic fatigue syndrome .Dominoes anyone ?

Other students with ADD (ADHD) continue to earn high grades through high school. While their grades may look good, their behind-the-scenes behaviors tell a different story of chronic anxiety, all-night study sessions, homework that takes hours longer than their gifted non-ADD(ADHD) counterparts, struggles with procrastination, and last-minute completion of papers and projects.

It's that behind-the-scenes-ness that makes ADHD an invisible disability. I want to punch the next person who tells me that a 3.1 GPA is high and that I have nothing to worry about. The amount of time I spend just thinking about school is hardly worth it.

[/unsolicited rant]

I was salutatorian of my high school (class of 400ish), had really high test scores, etc., and was generally regarded as one of the best students my school had seen. What nobody realized was that I had absolutely no social life my last two years of high school. The number of times I got together with kids my age outside of school or school associated activities--zero. ALL I did was study, or try to study at least. My senior year this is what every day looked like. I'd get home from school, completely mentally exhausted (I was taking seven AP classes), and sleep until 6 or 7 PM. Then I'd put off my homework as much as possible, though not particularly doing anything while putting it off. Not watching TV, not playing video games, just waiting for the realization to come over me that the next day I had an essay due, 40 pages to read for a class, and two tests, and I hadn't even started to work or study. Then I'd reach borderline panic and start to focus. I skipped all the assignments that weren't mandatory, all reading, never wrote drafts or outlines of papers, and almost never studied for the tests. Around 10 PM I'd really get into gear, start writing my papers, doing assignments, applying to colleges (I applied to ten, and waited until the last minute for all of them). I'd generally finish around 3 AM, wake up the next day at 6 AM, and repeat. I'd study for tests and do simple assignments in classes or between classes. I NEVER took notes, ever, because I was always trying to finish assignments or cram for a test and because taking notes for me is extremely difficult.

So this is how I did extremely well in high school--by having no life whatsoever to compensate for my complete lack of organization and concentration. I managed the first couple years of college this way too, until I started to struggle. I've dropped so many classes it's ridiculous. I've changed majors at least four times, withdrawn from university twice. This whole time it never occurred to me that I could have ADHD, because first, I was not impulsive/disruptive (I'd never heard of inattentive ADD), and second, I had always been an excellent student (on paper). That seemed to exclude the diagnosis, so I thought I just needed to work harder.

I really wish I'd found out about ADHD sooner.

I'm a gifted adult with likely inattentive adhd. I don't like saying that I'm gifted though, it sounds much too arrogant. And I certainly don't 'feel' gifted.

I largely flew under the radar at school. Was able to do much of the work with very little effort, especially in math... but my lack of detail and poor working memory tended to stifle my efforts in other subjects.

Even in college, I could get and handle most of my advanced math courses with very little effort. But then I hit a wall with the really advanced courses, and my mind couldn't handle the quick influx of new terminology, or memorizing previous results to help me work on new stuff. Which I tend to think if I was really gifted, I should have been able to manage this.

I haven't seen too much benefit to my 'giftedness', I just end up over thinking everything and talking about stuff on a level that others around me don't understand... and when I forget the advanced terminology due to my memory problems... I just end up sounding incoherent and confused.... not 'gifted'.

i was also in a gifted program in school. and up until high school did extremely well. then in high school and college things were much more of a struggle. it's hard to do well in more difficult courses when you don't do any of the reading and write your papers the night before they are due after glancing at some cliff's notes or reading a few chapter summaries, or you wait and try and study 3 months worth of material the night before the exam without decent notes or anything. still did ok but not great.

i've not been able to find a medication that's really helped me much. i read something interesting recently (but can't find the source now) that says that when people with higher intelligence treat their ADD with the usual meds, the results are often less than impressive. it's like the higher the intelligence the less dramatic the effect of the meds are. i think it was just one study that showed this but i wonder if that's why i haven't seen good results. i was thinking to myself before, "gosh, if i am supposedly smart but have ADD, imagine what I can accomplish with treatment." 3 or 4 different meds later and so far i'm better off not taking them.

at the moment the plan is to perhaps try another medication in the near future but also work on finding a career that i actually enjoy and maybe doesn't really on so many of the things that make life difficult for an ADD'er. the only problem with this is that i find the ADD causes problems in my home life as well - it's not just work. i'd like to find something that could help me deal with stress, depression, organizational and planning problems, anger issues and all of the other things that seem to be related to the ADD.

Well, I didn't test "Gifted" on Wechslers test, just "Superior", but I think I get the gist.
I was always at the top of my classes, tested well especially when it came to liguistic subjects, but I couldn't do my homework, so when I was around 17-18 things started to come apart.
Until then, it was just one long string of all nighters, parents standing on my back to keep me at it, anxiety and despair and self loathing and downright fear of having to tell teachers that I didn't do - or just forgot to bring - my homework.

I'm also not fidgety and "too smart and ressourceful to have ADHD."
Which means I must be seriously lazy and crazy and on top of that of bad upbringing and not caring about lifting my own weight in the society, just let everyone else work for me. Well, if that's the case, why all those depressions? Why the poor self worth?
Oh yeah...BPD...cause that fits SO well compared to ADHD. ;)

Thanks for that article, it was a good read and "bullets for my ADHD gun" for when I eventually end up with a pdoc months from now.

I pulled assignments out of my butt in school and later at work. Even today I'm dilly dallying and will likely cram later to make it look like I worked.

That describes my behavior in school and work as well. I am almost paralyzed to complete any assignment until I absolutely, positively have to do it right then. Today was a good example as I had a grant application due at 5PM for the organization I run. I have known about the deadline for months but basically started it at 2PM today. Dropped it off at 4:58PM. I don't know if I would call myself gifted but I sure have a talent for pulling work out of my butt (as you so eloquently describe :)).

i can relate, it's something i am constantly dealing with. it's one of my huge hurdles. i know i am smart... maybe more than average. but my constant failures in school and work play tricks on my head making me feel im stupid. but im sure anyone you would talk to who knows me would say i am very intelligent, especially my mensa smart husband who got 94% on his lsats without even trying that hard. he always tells me he thinks im smart...

but i can't help but feel the contrary, it's been terrible on my self esteem.

i can relate, it's something i am constantly dealing with. it's one of my huge hurdles. i know i am smart... maybe more than average. but my constant failures in school and work play tricks on my head making me feel im stupid. but im sure anyone you would talk to who knows me would say i am very intelligent, especially my mensa smart husband who got 94% on his lsats without even trying that hard. he always tells me he thinks im smart...

but i can't help but feel the contrary, it's been terrible on my self esteem.


same here. on the one hand, friends and family say they think of me as smart (and not ADD). on the other hand, i am sure some of the people i work with think of me as totally ditzy and a slacker. there are times i do things and feel very good about what i've done and told i did a great job. the next day i might do something incredibly stupid. very inconsistent.

... and then there are those of us who didn't cope. There are many sidelined lives out there. Thankfully there will be fewer in the future as the word about the reality of inattentive ADD gets out -- but that is a small consolation for those like myself who were diagnosed late in life. There is no "reset" button in this life...

Gifted, yet cursed.

I have a rich imagination, intelligent, emphatic and really skilled in art. But I've been trying to catch up all my life and when I finally get a break, I just collapse into a coma. My most predominant ambition has always been to have a piece of mind.

Gifted, yet cursed.

I have a rich imagination, intelligent, emphatic and really skilled in art. But I've been trying to catch up all my life and when I finally get a break, I just collapse into a coma. My most predominant ambition has always been to have a piece of mind.

A piece of mind or a peace of mind? Or both? :p
You have a way with words. "Gifted yet cursed." A very poetic way of putting it!

I also feel like I'm playing catch-up with my life... So much time wasted pushing up against a wall.

Peace of mind, that's it. :D

I said in a previous post ;

Other students with ADD (ADHD) continue to earn high grades through high school. While their grades may look good, their behind-the-scenes behaviors tell a different story of chronic anxiety, all-night study sessions, homework that takes hours longer than their gifted non-ADD(ADHD) counterparts, struggles with procrastination, and last-minute completion of papers and projects.



It's that behind-the-scenes-ness that makes ADHD an invisible disability. I want to punch the next person who tells me that a 3.1 GPA is high and that I have nothing to worry about. The amount of time I spend just thinking about school is hardly worth it.

[/unsolicited rant]

I've been thinking about a suitable metaphor for this characteristic to get across my problems as a child to my GP when I next see her to discuss medication .

I thought its rather like a swan swimming upstream against a strong current glancing briefly the swan looks serene but beneath the surface is paddling frantically and making slow progress .

Gifted, yet cursed.

I have a rich imagination, intelligent, emphatic and really skilled in art. But I've been trying to catch up all my life and when I finally get a break, I just collapse into a coma.

This is my story, too. :(

I was smart enough that I got by in high school with last minute homework and daydreaming through class without anyone noticing a problem, but couldn't cope with university with its emphasis on note-taking and long self-managed projects. I failed and dropped out for so many years before I finally managed to get a BA. Knowing how smart I was, I thought I must just be lazy... everyone would tell me as much. I realise now that if you're trying as hard as you can, you're not being lazy. Laziness requires intent.

I like the swan analogy. That works.

It seems in high school there was two groups of "bright but ADD" kids -- those who struggled to keep up with the march and those of us who fell behind. I was one of the stragglers. I left school at 16 and took my GED test. I could see no future for me. (Untreated depression was also part of the story...)

My adult working life has consisted of a string of semi-skilled entry level jobs. I am now a forty-something who is presently between jobs, waiting for the temp agency dispatcher to call.

As I noted earlier there is no reset button in this life. Can I be forgiven for having a wee attitude problem?

As a child, now I realize, my ADHD wasn't diagnosed because I did good in school, never considered gifted but I got 'A's and 'B's in all the subjects, exept for math. Hated algebra.

My mom married my stepdad when I was 5 and we moved with him to California. I started Elementary school there and we moved a lot so I went to a different school every year up until high school, so my family blamed my lack of attentiveness and hyperactivity to the painful divorce my parents went through when I was 3, the new stepdad in my life and the school switching. ADHD just got lost somewhere and nobody noticed.

What bothers me now as an adult is that when people first meet me they don't take me seriously. My nicknames throughout school and all the way to my last jobs were always "wierdo", "loser" and stuff like that, but when I got into interesting conversations with somebody I always get comments like "you're smart, you just don't like to show it", or "I didn't think you were a person who actually reads" WTF...

I actually enjoy watching people doing a double-take when I make an informed observation -- while I am standing there in my working clothes, leaning on a broom. I have dubbed it the "talking dog effect"...

but when I got into interesting conversations with somebody I always get comments like "you're smart, you just don't like to show it", or "I didn't think you were a person who actually reads" WTF...

I actually enjoy watching people doing a double-take when I make an informed observation -- while I am standing there in my working clothes, leaning on a broom. I have dubbed it the "talking dog effect"...


Hahaha, you're so right! It is amusing... :p

I find that those who are most likely to underestimate my intelligence are often poorly educated and not terrible bright themselves especially if they are alpha males . I maybe a space cadet who can be slow on the uptake at times but it dosn't necessarily mean I am not perceptive nor well informed .

I was at a boarding school for a year, and was instantly babtised "Stoney" because I had this "Mind/Brain synchronizing problem". My peers were not slow to notice my tendency to space out. At first, they thought I was a pothead, but at some point they found out that I'd never tried any drug in my entire life.
But they actually liked me from the beginning, and I liked to have a pet name, to be "someone" for once. And someone well liked and respected for different skills. The teachers also called me Stoney at the end of the year, can you believe it?
But no one suspected there could be anything wrong with me, though.

I made very descent grades, but the brightest and most engaged teachers knew that I didn't do any homework at all, and they used to tell me that if I just put in a minimum of effort, I'd have really excellent grades in ALL subjects instead of just great in some and above average in the worst ones.

I always came late, I always forgot something in my room, I always delivered paperwork late. And I did get a little, light scolding (which sat with me for years) everyonce in a while, but largely, these things were just accepted with maybe one raised eyebrow and a light headshake from my teachers because I really was a very nice student. Never made any problems, never confrinted my teachers.
So I had the "absentminded professor" treatment.
Sometimes when I was late or got lost at a very unpractical time (like on a trip to somewhere, where we had to catch a train or bus on the way back) they were mildly annoyed, but mostly, it was just *look at Lise, shrug and laugh while shaking head* because they somehow knew I did my best.

Retromancer: LOL "Talking Dog Effect" I know that one too well by now! :D

I just end up over thinking everything and talking about stuff on a level that others around me don't understand... and when I forget the advanced terminology due to my memory problems... I just end up sounding incoherent and confused.... not 'gifted'.

I feel like this every day of my life. I think the reason why I feel like I over think everything is because my mind reacts ("goes off") a million miles a minute, like flashes on a movie screen (clockwork orange? lol) ... might be solutions, ideas, things I now understand by seeing it, etc...Then you have this knowledge (or something you are supposed to "get out and prove" verbally and it all goes to s*%t. I have anxiety, and it is like this trigger that goes when I realize faster than I can actually think...I won't be able to "get it out" how I am expected to (verbally, logical order, etc)....the anxiety I think is a learned behviour from not knowing how to proceed...a defense mechanism (fear) instead of just feeling stupid....I can just worry about me being panicky, and not care about how dumb I sound. Okay, that might not make sense at all......

Am I gifted, I do not know yet. Well, I do...but for some reason I feel more comfortable thinking that I am crazy...or alien-like? Geez...to think that I am not the only one that is like this is really an eye-opener, a relief, a validation for my whole loosely constructed wavering sense-of-self.

I don't get great marks on tests...I don't care enough. I feel I could excel at a lot and everything if I had motivation. I have multiple "in my head" barriers-mod to severe inattentive, generalized anxiety dis and panic attacks, and major depression with mixed anxiety...I have this extreme musical brain and body and whole connection to music yet I have not tried really to play an instrument. We grew up (and now same position as lone parent) quite poor and didn't have the opportunities to try things, take classes, sports, etc. It is hard. This "creativity" side...like genuis beethoven type thing...that sits there...but not able to express it. Strange feeling. I think since I was a young child I felt like I was so different and very rarely meet someone like me. So, I have to say this to myself again....I am not crazy!

First off welcome to the forums equilibrium. You will find that your experiences are not that unusual here. You don't have to be crazy to post here -- but it helps!:D

I am a fellow member of the "Allegedly Gifted But Has F' All To Show For It" club. I too grew up poor -- in a family that put the 'fun' in dysfunctional. And I too get tongue-tied. Too much information trying to share the same channel. I'm one of the only people I know who needs footmarks when he speaks.

Am I gifted, I do not know yet. Well, I do...but for some reason I feel more comfortable thinking that I am crazy...or alien-like? Geez...to think that I am not the only one that is like this is really an eye-opener, a relief, a validation for my whole loosely constructed wavering sense-of-self.

I don't get great marks on tests...I don't care enough. I feel I could excel at a lot and everything if I had motivation. I have multiple "in my head" barriers-mod to severe inattentive, generalized anxiety dis and panic attacks, and major depression with mixed anxiety...I have this extreme musical brain and body and whole connection to music yet I have not tried really to play an instrument. We grew up (and now same position as lone parent) quite poor and didn't have the opportunities to try things, take classes, sports, etc. It is hard. This "creativity" side...like genuis beethoven type thing...that sits there...but not able to express it. Strange feeling. I think since I was a young child I felt like I was so different and very rarely meet someone like me. So, I have to say this to myself again....I am not crazy!

Most of the time I handed stuff in late, which meant of course I got points taken off. Even if I did hand stuff in on time, the quality of the work was at best mediocore. :o

Sometimes, there would be situations that scared to my bones and somehow that pressure enabled me to buckle down and get something done. And then there was the odd time I summoned all of my strength to concentrate and get a decent grade. But these are totally unsustainable situations. At least, I couldn't sustain them by myself.

Yeah, not sure about being technically "gifted", as I don't recall ever being tested or anything -- BUT, here is my story:

All through elementary school, I was a very very smart kid. I did exceptionally well through the 5th grade and things started to slip. I had never studied and never had to really TRY to do any of the work. I never paid any attention to the teachers, yet I still cranked out good work. Then I don't know what happened... I started a trend that still follows me in college studies. I'd do great in half of my subjects, while the other half was below satisfactory. Then they would flip-flop the next term. I still made it into the "beta club"/honors society type group -- though I stayed on probation most of the time.

High school was pretty much just a place I went to hang out and kill time before I came back home. I usually only did what homework I got done at school, because I'd forget how to do it by the time I got home... then have to re-teach myself how to do it on tests. My grades got worse and my procrastination increased and priorities were skewed. ALL my teachers always told me personally they knew I was a very intelligent person and saw so much potential in me if I would just "work harder", "buckle down", "pay better attention/to details"(you all know the list, I'm sure). They offered to stay after class just to help me reach my potential. Somehow I graduated with a "B" average. Relatives saw this too and assumed I was just a different sort of learner and that my common sense was ridiculously high and book-smarts -- not so much. My brother is the EXACT opposite, which exacerbates this idea. They also claim I'm just too bored with the learning material and pace of school.

*EDIT*: Just to throw it out there, I failed a few classes and had to re-take or pick up extra classes to compensate... for what it's worth.

College has... I'm not sure. I got into the "procrastinate and miss a day, then not go back because I can't stand to walk through the doors(for one reason or the other)" habit. Drive to school and sit in the car. I did well in online classes with long due dates and lenient profs though!

I'd love to get OFFICIALLY tested and diagnosed, but being unemployed and lacking insurance leaves much to be desired.


All in all; I was born in the wrong century. I would have been a great ancient philosopher/scientist [you know -- the ones that figured it all out for themselves].

hsoJ....
My experience with school much resembles what you describe. For the most part, I have difficulty with motivation and attention, and I "consume" a lot of information at once and then am terribly bored to pursue anything more because I have learned all I can -I would barely make it on to class, finish assignments, or I would just "forget"...although I would make it there-I would go grab coffee and do something else and then be like "wth, how can I forget going to my class?"... I think being "measured" for giftedness would be interesting although I would probably have lower scores strictly due to not being able to keep train of thought, anxiety, and general "rebellion" inside knowing that I am being tested-measured by another person's standards...

I crave going back to school but financially cannot afford it right now....I did some courses distance and online but I find I venture on to other neat things when I worked on the course. I need someone to be there to snap fingers at me every minute to help me stay on track...lol. Like everyone here, I guess!

I don't have the motivation for a lot of stuff unless I want to learn the info...consume it just for sake of needing new information/stimulation. I am not driven by materialist things, for praise or respect...I generally feel better (I hate focused attention just on me) blended in with the not-so's. If I had an internal driver...and I wanted something out of it...I think I would accomplish a lot. I just don't care to prove myself to anyone. I tend to focus more on relationships with people, animals, nature...lol.

You could always move here to Canada...we have pretty good health care (provincially) albeit it takes a LONG time for appts, testing, referrals, etc. Giftedness is still not mainstream enough and I believe gets overlooked all the time. For the long wait times -It would be better if we could offset them with private health care for those who can afford it or for "extended health" but that is for another discussion :)

I always liked Michael Moore's claim that he dropped out of college because he drove around and couldn't find anywhere to park!

College has... I'm not sure. I got into the "procrastinate and miss a day, then not go back because I can't stand to walk through the doors(for one reason or the other)" habit. Drive to school and sit in the car. I did well in online classes with long due dates and lenient profs though!

Coincidentally, I just created a thread called Good grades as a kid? Undiagnosed because of it? (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67816)

I don't know if I'm gifted, but I got good grades my entire life, albeit with a lot of procrastination and poor organization. Like someone else said, I managed to pull stuff out of my a** a lot.

There have been times when I felt brilliant and insightful, but I just never seemed to be able to find an outlet for it. I feel like I have the mind of an artist, yet I don't have much "traditional" creative talent. It's like being in a mental prison.

I've always felt sort of out of place, especially when I got into the work force. I just felt like I was in handcuffs. I've hated most jobs, and now I severely hate corporate america in general. For the past 7 or 8 years, I've thought about different career options. Recently, I've decided to go into nursing and I'm taking some classes. I am fully prepared for the possibility that I might hate that too and end up back at square one, but I figure I've got to just shut my eyes and jump.

I always liked Michael Moore's claim that he dropped out of college because he drove around and couldn't find anywhere to park!



Yup! Been there and still have the $10 ticket from a year ago that I haven't gotten around to pay. Though, it's probably been sent to a collections agency by now and I most likely owe a lot more... but you know what they can do with that ticket???







Equil, I have to agree on the fact that I believe I'd definitely need some accommodations for a test of giftedness... but how well would non-gifted do if given extra time to think it out? That's all I need in life -- just a little extra thinkin' time.

I have ADHD and Have been on TV and in Popular Mechanics for projects that I have built. However I cant do this little crap the "Normal" people do. I have been without medication until this week.

If you want to see my projects its at www.chadsprojects.com (http://www.chadsprojects.com) is linking allowed?

I said in a previous post ;

Other students with ADD (ADHD) continue to earn high grades through high school. While their grades may look good, their behind-the-scenes behaviors tell a different story of chronic anxiety, all-night study sessions, homework that takes hours longer than their gifted non-ADD(ADHD) counterparts, struggles with procrastination, and last-minute completion of papers and projects.





I've been thinking about a suitable metaphor for this characteristic to get across my problems as a child to my GP when I next see her to discuss medication .

I thought its rather like a swan swimming upstream against a strong current glancing briefly the swan looks serene but beneath the surface is paddling frantically and making slow progress .


Yeah.... it was really embaressing and somewhat insensitive for me to tell people that I thought I had ADHD... I had a 4.1 GPA, yet I woudl go home and play video games and sometimes finish assignments the morning that it was due. I fit in quite well with my AP classmates and I also had multiple extracirriculars to keep me busy, such as marching band until 7PM and then Tae kwon Do/swimming/tennis lessons. Therefore if you actually calculated my schedule you would see that I never did really "study" for good amount of time.

When I hit college, I tried to do the same. But that actually required me to study, and thats when it felt like I was hit with a train, that I was not capable of satisfying my endless curiosities. I had to give up model building, martial arts, even my music career, which had been a large part of my identity. My relationship with my gf also failed as well, because I would never give her enough time or attention. My GPA started off my freshman year at a measly 2.7 in the field of bio sci. Needless to say this was when I felt my ADHD affect my life the most.

If not for my late diagnosis in my 4th year (upon which I was able to get 3.5+ GPAs for the last 3 quarters) and actually brought my GPA up, I wouldn't have been able to fix my friendships and relationships with my family and friends, as well as get a job and progress within it. But even on the meds, I still have to study just as hard if not harder, I think it just allows me to be more motivated and focused as opposed to trying to control my trains of thought.

Oddly enough, the inattentiveness is still there. I've just managed to train myself to funnel enough attention to my main focus while still being distracted or paying attention to other things.

Yeah, not sure about being technically "gifted", as I don't recall ever being tested or anything -- BUT, here is my story:

All through elementary school, I was a very very smart kid. I did exceptionally well through the 5th grade and things started to slip. I had never studied and never had to really TRY to do any of the work. I never paid any attention to the teachers, yet I still cranked out good work. Then I don't know what happened... I started a trend that still follows me in college studies. I'd do great in half of my subjects, while the other half was below satisfactory. Then they would flip-flop the next term. I still made it into the "beta club"/honors society type group -- though I stayed on probation most of the time.

High school was pretty much just a place I went to hang out and kill time before I came back home. I usually only did what homework I got done at school, because I'd forget how to do it by the time I got home... then have to re-teach myself how to do it on tests. My grades got worse and my procrastination increased and priorities were skewed. ALL my teachers always told me personally they knew I was a very intelligent person and saw so much potential in me if I would just "work harder", "buckle down", "pay better attention/to details"(you all know the list, I'm sure). They offered to stay after class just to help me reach my potential. Somehow I graduated with a "B" average. Relatives saw this too and assumed I was just a different sort of learner and that my common sense was ridiculously high and book-smarts -- not so much. My brother is the EXACT opposite, which exacerbates this idea. They also claim I'm just too bored with the learning material and pace of school.

*EDIT*: Just to throw it out there, I failed a few classes and had to re-take or pick up extra classes to compensate... for what it's worth.

College has... I'm not sure. I got into the "procrastinate and miss a day, then not go back because I can't stand to walk through the doors(for one reason or the other)" habit. Drive to school and sit in the car. I did well in online classes with long due dates and lenient profs though!

I'd love to get OFFICIALLY tested and diagnosed, but being unemployed and lacking insurance leaves much to be desired.


All in all; I was born in the wrong century. I would have been a great ancient philosopher/scientist [you know -- the ones that figured it all out for themselves].


You should take the meds somehow and find out how you do. I know some smart friends of mine who took the meds and they actually didn't benefit from it at all, only for the fact they could stay awake and tolerably attentive, but I didn't notice any changes. I guess when you have the normal amounts of dopamine in your system, it doesn't affect you as strongly. Imagine having 100 parts of dopamine and only like 120 receptors, when you add 40 parts to that it gets saturated so your increase up to 115-120 wouldn't be apparent. But if you had only like 60 parts of dopamine and you took 40, you'd have 100, but the difference is very readily apparent. And if anything, you'd trained yourself already to be somewhat focused so it would just enhance that training. Take this with a grain of salt though, I'm just paraphrasing it very very roughly and estimating it all.

One of the things I've noticed is that I love puzzles. Like sudoku, or brain games, riddles, trying to figure out things and why they are the way they are. I think people who are overly curious may have a correlation with this.

You should take the meds somehow and find out how you do. I know some smart friends of mine who took the meds and they actually didn't benefit from it at all, only for the fact they could stay awake and tolerably attentive, but I didn't notice any changes. I guess when you have the normal amounts of dopamine in your system, it doesn't affect you as strongly. Imagine having 100 parts of dopamine and only like 120 receptors, when you add 40 parts to that it gets saturated so your increase up to 115-120 wouldn't be apparent. But if you had only like 60 parts of dopamine and you took 40, you'd have 100, but the difference is very readily apparent. And if anything, you'd trained yourself already to be somewhat focused so it would just enhance that training. Take this with a grain of salt though, I'm just paraphrasing it very very roughly and estimating it all.

One of the things I've noticed is that I love puzzles. Like sudoku, or brain games, riddles, trying to figure out things and why they are the way they are. I think people who are overly curious may have a correlation with this.


Yeah, I've tried strattera, adderall, and vyvanse... back to a crappy generic adderall now and going to try dex soon if this stuff doesn't stable out any. I suppose I didn't include my vast medication history... I've taken too many pills to remember(anyone up for some instant gratification?) :o


Sorry about jacking the thread.

I'm in the same boat with a lot of you. School was easy, then all of a sudden not so easy, then real life - that was xxxxing impossible.

Having to concentrate, focus, and perform, as directed, all day, 5 days a week, as the price of just continuing to exist? Terrifying. It still is. Then add the pressure to make friends and find a place in a random, tossing sea of strangers.

I regularly ask myself: Except for a few of the privileges of adulthood, who the hell would WANT to grow up?

As a result, I've been slacking my way thru for two decades now, and the guilt is now piled so high I'm having trouble seeing past it. Unless I get to off-load some of that guilt, there's no way I'm delivering on my real potential in this life.

Sometimes I feel I blew things off once too often and the world will be making me pay forever.

I'm in the same boat with a lot of you. School was easy, then all of a sudden not so easy, then real life - that was xxxxing impossible.

Having to concentrate, focus, and perform, as directed, all day, 5 days a week, as the price of just continuing to exist? Terrifying. It still is. Then add the pressure to make friends and find a place in a random, tossing sea of strangers.

I regularly ask myself: Except for a few of the privileges of adulthood, who the hell would WANT to grow up?

As a result, I've been slacking my way thru for two decades now, and the guilt is now piled so high I'm having trouble seeing past it. Unless I get to off-load some of that guilt, there's no way I'm delivering on my real potential in this life.

Sometimes I feel I blew things off once too often and the world will be making me pay forever.

Well said, especially the part about life after school! I thought that, just because I did well in school, that life would just sort of neatly unfold itself for me, and everything would fall into place....I'd get a well paying job with nice benefits, a wife, kids, a house w/ white picket fence, etc. After my second or third "real" job, I started asking myself, "What the hell is the point to all of this?" What you said about having to work at a boring job "just to continue to exist" is hilarious to me because I've thought exactly the same thing.

I think people with ADHD really need to be "into" what they do for a living. That's why I'm trying to reinvent myself right now by going back to school.

I never stopped and thought about what I actually wanted to do in life, and I blame myself for that. I also have feelings of guilt and regret because of the way things turned out. I feel like I missed the bus or something, like I never grew up.

I compare myself to other people I know, and I feel bad about where I'm at. They are all 100 miles ahead of me. I know it's really stupid to compare myself to other people. I try to not do that, but sometimes it just happens. Oh well...just gotta try and stay positive.

This was me, in the GATE program, honors English, honors History, etc. yet my grades were A's D's and F's. I participated in Academic Decathalon on the "C" team.

I can't express how strange I feel right now... I didn't have an inkling that it was anything other than lack of will and lazyness that has affected me all these years. I was diagnosed this week. I am still just floored that there are people "like me" out there! Absolutely amazed.

How did I miss ADD all these years? Maybe I can stop feeling guilty about all those missed opptys.

There have been times when I felt brilliant and insightful, but I just never seemed to be able to find an outlet for it. I feel like I have the mind of an artist, yet I don't have much "traditional" creative talent. It's like being in a mental prison.




Okay, that is exactly what I feel like. It's like I feel like I have had say a stroke and not knowing certain words anymore... It is like I know them, just forgotten and just can't access them for some reason.....a mental prison! I don't know if anyone understands that but it is exactly what I feel like everyday....frustrating.

I was a lot like that too. I did well in school, but not nearly well enough. In college, I'd drink 10 cups of coffee a day. I think that was my minds way of telling me it was what i needed to try to concentrate. I'd leave assignments until the last minute and couldn't explain why. I'm in the process of getting help now.

My work life has been better as the pressure brings on concentration.

I was always told I was gifted when I was growing up. I was going through special programs for gifted children and ended up going through middle school and high school in special programs as well, with all honors or AP courses. The thing is that I never did well in school, maybe mediocre at best. The thought of ADD never really came across me, because up until college, I never once (honestly) put a serious mental effort into anything. I didn't read, complete assignments, or stayed awake in courses. I had hobbies and such, but mostly I always just gave in to my impulses which were all low on attentional strain. Fast forward to college where I decided that I wanted to put an effort into learning things and bettering myself, and wow I was really put into a reality check. I could not sit and read a book or stay awake during things such as lectures even with many many hours of rest. Around this time, I discovered caffeine (coffee) and immediately noticed a huge difference it made. With basically an around-the-clock high concentration of caffeine in my system, I was able to excel, graduating with a very high GPA and a GRE in the 99th percentile. When I think about this, I often wish that I could've maybe figured this out earlier in life, and certain of my traits would be different. I think my story is probably very similar to many people's. There's only a certain amount one can accomodate before realizing that a problem is there. Its unfortunate that this often goes unoticed because a person's individual potential is hidden behind whatever is displayed on the outside. Who can be blamed though? The system is pretty good as it is now, but it can get better. I hope for future kids who have ADHD pretty bad, but are able to get by because of their natural intelligence can be discovered and at least told of something like this, so their true potential can be awakened.

I am a fellow member of the "Allegedly Gifted But Has F' All To Show For It" club.........I'm one of the only people I know who needs footmarks when he speaks.





LMAO. These two things you mention have just made my day entirely!Thank you for the welcome! It is a conforting feeling finding out that I am not the only one who is so scattered when honestly trying not to be.

I actually enjoy watching people doing a double-take when I make an informed observation -- while I am standing there in my working clothes, leaning on a broom. I have dubbed it the "talking dog effect"...


I have had the same exact experiences, I have always been an anomaly. Somebody would say something And I would start rattling off facts :ie somebody said they were going to a benefit for someone with Lou Gehrics Disease. And I blurt out "amytrophic lateral sclerosis". I always get "how do you know that?"

I always said I would be a good poster boy for the United Negro College Fund. "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." Except I am white.

I was always told I was "book smart". I read medical and scientific journals like the Lancet, and British Medical Journal.The current swine flu epidemic fascinates me because I love epidemiology. Yet I can't even maintain a white trash lifestyle. A single wide trailer, a few rusted out cars in the front and some old washing machines and maybe a nice decrepit couch on the front porch. A $9 an hr job shoveling pig slop. Instead I go from a middle class truck driver salary to homeless and destitute. I have spent most of my life doing menial, mind numbing work.

At least there are now two consolations for we 'talking dogs':

1)The internet. As the now old joke goes "on the internet no one knows you're a dog". It does help with the isolation. Coming of age in pre-internet small town Missouri, I do envy the teens of today.

2)The diagnosis. At least we have the beginning of an explanation of why we are like we are and the hope that our lives can change -- for the better.

(Mentioning the UNCF may not be the most tactful thing to do ... but "a mind is a terrible thing to waste", whoever you may be. Do I need to say that classism is one of the last 'isms' that you will not be called on these days?)

Mike are you in Florida yet? I read this article and thought of you:

Economic casualties pile into tent cities | USA Today (http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-05-04-new-homeless_N.htm)

It's starting to look like the Grapes of Wrath out there...


I have had the same exact experiences, I have always been an anomaly. Somebody would say something And I would start rattling off facts :ie somebody said they were going to a benefit for someone with Lou Gehrics Disease. And I blurt out "amytrophic lateral sclerosis". I always get "how do you know that?"

I always said I would be a good poster boy for the United Negro College Fund. "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." Except I am white.

I was always told I was "book smart". I read medical and scientific journals like the Lancet, and British Medical Journal.The current swine flu epidemic fascinates me because I love epidemiology. Yet I can't even maintain a white trash lifestyle. A single wide trailer, a few rusted out cars in the front and some old washing machines and maybe a nice decrepit couch on the front porch. A $9 an hr job shoveling pig slop. Instead I go from a middle class truck driver salary to homeless and destitute. I have spent most of my life doing menial, mind numbing work.

Just read this article by Dr Kathleen Nadeau on Working with Gifted Adults with ADHD http://www.chesapeakeadd.com/pdf/adhd/gift_adults_adhd.pdf

I've massively underachieved academically, but I'm not lacking in talent or intellect. The inattentiveness makes it damn near impossible for me to knuckle down and work under my own steam outside of the classroom. I don't know how many times I started courses but was unable to get the homework assignments done.

How have other folks with Inattentive ADHD coped with this?

I tested at well over the "genius" mark... only reason I got into college was because I got a perfect score on my ACTs. I graduated college with a 2.48 :-(... thank you for ADD :-(. I could read stuff 100 times in college... couldn't make it stick for a test.

I'm in the same boat with a lot of you. School was easy, then all of a sudden not so easy, then real life - that was xxxxing impossible.

Having to concentrate, focus, and perform, as directed, all day, 5 days a week, as the price of just continuing to exist? Terrifying. It still is. Then add the pressure to make friends and find a place in a random, tossing sea of strangers.

I regularly ask myself: Except for a few of the privileges of adulthood, who the hell would WANT to grow up?

As a result, I've been slacking my way thru for two decades now, and the guilt is now piled so high I'm having trouble seeing past it. Unless I get to off-load some of that guilt, there's no way I'm delivering on my real potential in this life.

Sometimes I feel I blew things off once too often and the world will be making me pay forever.
Wow, this sounds familiar. I have always excelled on standardized tests, so my parents expected me to be an A student, which of course I wasn't, so I was branded as being lazy. I graduated Magna Cum Barely from university, and accomplished absolutely nothing in life except I was a good father to my son (single dad, of course, wife didn't stay). Procrastination has been crippling. Got diagnosed with Inattentive ADD two years ago at age 60. Now they tell me. Can't take stimulant meds because of heart rhythm problems, so they put me on Bupropion (generic Wellbutrin). The improvement is underwhelming, but there is some, I think. It's hard for me not to think about what I could have accomplished without this demon. And it's been painfully lonely. I knew a long time ago that my brain was in a thick fog and other people's brains didn't seem to be, but no solution I pursued ever worked. And I could never, ever keep my mouth shut, this goes back to elementary school, and has cost me friendships and relationships and jobs. Still struggle with that one. Now that more is known, maybe children with this won't have to go through what a lot of us have, that's my hope, anyway. And I'm really glad I found this community.

Just read this article by Dr Kathleen Nadeau on Working with Gifted Adults with ADHD http://www.chesapeakeadd.com/pdf/adhd/gift_adults_adhd.pdf

I've massively underachieved academically, but I'm not lacking in talent or intellect. The inattentiveness makes it damn near impossible for me to knuckle down and work under my own steam outside of the classroom. I don't know how many times I started courses but was unable to get the homework assignments done.

How have other folks with Inattentive ADHD coped with this?

I just have to say, LOL @ your signature:

Suspected ADHD Inattent... ooh shiny!

:D:D:D

I was always told I was "book smart". I read medical and scientific journals like the Lancet, and British Medical Journal.The current swine flu epidemic fascinates me because I love epidemiology. Yet I can't even maintain a white trash lifestyle. A single wide trailer, a few rusted out cars in the front and some old washing machines and maybe a nice decrepit couch on the front porch. A $9 an hr job shoveling pig slop. Instead I go from a middle class truck driver salary to homeless and destitute. I have spent most of my life doing menial, mind numbing work.

Funny how this works, we're very bright and yet we struggle with being glued to menial, repetitive jobs, which are the MOST FRUSTRATING THING to us. The irony...:rolleyes:

I tested at well over the "genius" mark... only reason I got into college was because I got a perfect score on my ACTs. I graduated college with a 2.48 :-(... thank you for ADD :-(. I could read stuff 100 times in college... couldn't make it stick for a test.

Yup, I hear that. Although you're doing better with me, I'm floating around a 2.0 GPA lol. Terrible. I can understand the material no sweat, when I'm able to pay attention, but it somehow leaks out of the old memory bucket when I have to take a test :p

I was tested when i was in grade three for giftedness and passed with so called flying colours. this test was also repeated when i entered highschool with the same results. i also have adhd. jsut because your are gifted does not take away the effects of the adhd. i still could not concentrate on my work or sit still during class. in the end i did nothing in class and did all my work at home. the only differnce that being gifted gives you is how you learn. you learn more by yourself it is in the way your grasp and interpret the information. i could do entire essays etc. in a half hour and get close to perfect grades.. but only if it was done out of the class environment. inside class i waas a normal high hyperactivity adhd child

I have a similar story to most of you. I usually managed to pull of As and Bs in high school, but I had to talk the school district out of expelling me because I missed so much school. I hated having to go to school, because I always would be soooo bored and fall asleep during class.
When I got to college, I went downhill immediately. The big projects I had to do would just paralyze and overwhelm me. I actually had to go to class to succeed, so I ended up with only a 2.0 my first semester and lost my scholarship. I decided I wouldn't waste any more time or money and dropped out.
Later, I joined the Navy and had to learn about running the nuclear reactors. It was a fast-paced, high pressure program, so I was an emotional basket-case throughout the whole program (1 1/2 years). I would often get overwhelmed with the amount of stuff I had to learn in such a short time. At this time, ephedra was legal, so this helped with the falling asleep during class. I ended up standing in the back of the class most of the time anyway, cause I still would be so bored. In this program, I did very well academically, but the coping methods to get through the program were not healthy at all.
After I got out of the Navy, I decided to go back to school. It had been suggested by a friend that I might have ADHD, but I always kind of scoffed at it, cause I wasn't at all hyperactive. After doing a little research, I found out about Inattentive ADHD. My family reacted by saying, "You were always so good in school, you can't have ADHD." Even after I sent them information, they still just think that I'm making it up or faking it.
They just don't understand how hard it is for me to just get by in school, much less make good grades. And, as was mentioned in another post, I feel so guilty about it. There are so many things that I should be doing, but never get around to, so I sit and fret and feel guilty about it and it never gets started.
I was on Strattera for a while, but it tore up my stomach, so I'm waiting to see the doc again to see what my other options are.
Sorry for the book, but I'm very glad that this thread was started. I don't feel like such a freak anymore, knowing that others are feeling the same way.
So thank you all for sharing. :-)

This all sounds so weirdly similar. I too did well in school--Summa Cum Laude (whatever) from a top journalism school. (For one who always dreamed of reporting from the Amazon, Everest or from some war-torn country to end up in a tiny cubicle in his first job...) Outside in the working world I put so much pressure on myself to succeed that I always did the exact opposite in the end. I'd get hired onto what I felt to be the perfect job, one I truly wanted, and then early on--say during my 90 day "probation" period or more (my State, County, City gov't gigs)--I would underperform miserably. I could not learn or do said job worth a dammm. It got to the point that I would end up quitting just because I was afraid I'd fail in the end and I couldn't handle that. No one, myself included, could figure me out--to try so hard and get one job and then just walk away from it.

On the opposite side, I'd get a bogus job. Then I would ask myself if I saw myself there in X years. Of course I'd tell myself no and become so miserable there and in the "here and now" I'd have to bail or drive myself and those I loved mad. And then, I'd get a "fun" job (that summer surf instructor where I threw my body into it with everything I got) but wound up with a herniated disc that ironically forced myself back into the office world in the end. Last time I counted, I had 16 jobs in 12 years--and I've held my current one for past 3 of them, yikes.

haha, i am NOT gifted. was a pretty good student but by no means 'gifted,' and i think academia is overrated anyway....

i got a good sense of humour though!!! :)

This all sounds so weirdly similar. I too did well in school--Summa Cum Laude (whatever) from a top journalism school. (For one who always dreamed of reporting from the Amazon, Everest or from some war-torn country to end up in a tiny cubicle in his first job...) Outside in the working world I put so much pressure on myself to succeed that I always did the exact opposite in the end. I'd get hired onto what I felt to be the perfect job, one I truly wanted, and then early on--say during my 90 day "probation" period or more (my State, County, City gov't gigs)--I would underperform miserably. I could not learn or do said job worth a dammm. It got to the point that I would end up quitting just because I was afraid I'd fail in the end and I couldn't handle that. No one, myself included, could figure me out--to try so hard and get one job and then just walk away from it.

On the opposite side, I'd get a bogus job. Then I would ask myself if I saw myself there in X years. Of course I'd tell myself no and become so miserable there and in the "here and now" I'd have to bail or drive myself and those I loved mad. And then, I'd get a "fun" job (that summer surf instructor where I threw my body into it with everything I got) but wound up with a herniated disc that ironically forced myself back into the office world in the end. Last time I counted, I had 16 jobs in 12 years--and I've held my current one for past 3 of them, yikes.

Yeah why is this? It's like 100% of our problems are internal, not external. Most people perceive people/events/the world going against them, but we can fly past that no problem, I guess thanks to the "gifted" aspect. But then we self-sabotage ourselves. What the heck lol.

... and then there are those of us who didn't cope. There are many sidelined lives out there. Thankfully there will be fewer in the future as the word about the reality of inattentive ADD gets out -- but that is a small consolation for those like myself who were diagnosed late in life. There is no "reset" button in this life...

Amen to that! If i had the meds I do now, and the knowledge about ADD that I do now High School and College would have been soo much different!

Gifted, yet cursed.

I have a rich imagination, intelligent, emphatic and really skilled in art. But I've been trying to catch up all my life and when I finally get a break, I just collapse into a coma. My most predominant ambition has always been to have a piece of mind.

I feel the same way. I feel that I am totally a out side the box thinker. I am puzzle solver and love the challenge of the riddle! I love music a good song can inspire me to no ends! I cook, draw, paint, build along with other art type things very well!

I think having ADD has allowed me to be more artistic and imaginative then my non-ADD counter parts in school and life.

Wow, this has been a great topic to come across. Throughout middle and high school I had a few teachers tell me that I might have ADD, but I always felt that such comments were insulting (as far as I knew ADD was something that landed you in special ed.)

Since I didn't understand ADD, and I generally got A's and B's in accelerated classes, I never thought that it was even in the most remote realm of possibilities that I might have it. However, when I had a truly terrible midterm grade in one of my classes, the teacher for that class whom I greatly respected told me that it hurt her to see me always missing assignments and struggling to do things on time when she knew I cared a lot about my academics. She suggested (in what I felt to be a very non-insulting way) that I might have ADD, and that finally got me to go to the psychiatrist, and I'm so thankful for it.

It's honestly a bizarre struggle to have ADD when you're gifted. I wanted to see if I could go to college unmedicated, but I ended out pulling multiple all-nighters a week in order to get assignments complete; I'd spend so much time in my room not-doing homework but trying to, and I don't think I read a single thing assigned (with the exception of cramming). But after a semester of sleep deprivation and getting depressed about my horrendous study habits, I still got good grades. I'm back on medication now, and it helps so much, but sometimes I feel like I'm cheating (since Adderall seems to be used more often to cheat in college than it's used as it should be). I have to remind myself that I'm not taking Adderall to get better grades, but that I'm taking it to be able to deal with life's demands without almost killing myself in the process.

Now when I look at my life in retrospect, I've pretty obviously had ADD the entire time. But whenever I disclose to somebody that I have ADD, I'm almost always faced with skepticism, and sometimes it even makes me doubt myself. I guess I've got to keep it in mind that ADD isn't about what you do, it's how you do it. Even if I got an A on an essay, I still stayed up all night procrastinating and wrote half of the thing in the class before it was due.

Do any other people have a tough time with feeling guilty about being medicated (or other help received as a result of being ADD)?

tested in to the gifted program in the 3rd grade. I never thought I belonged there because everybody around me was earning high grades and I was struggling just to get by. Of course I know understand that ADD was a serious problem for me and I just did nothing about it. Of course it was not in vogue to do something about it when I was young

tested in to the gifted program in the 3rd grade. I never thought I belonged there because everybody around me was earning high grades and I was struggling just to get by. Of course I know understand that ADD was a serious problem for me and I just did nothing about it. Of course it was not in vogue to do something about it when I was young

I just don't think many people, if any, had ever heard about ADHD-I. Heck, I never even knew ADHD-I existed (and I'm 26!) until last month! I always identified with so many of the normal ADHD symptoms, except for the physical hyperactivity and thrill-seeking stuff - I was the total opposite, very mellow and laid-back.

I saw plenty of psychiatrists and exactly zero of them were helpful. It's not their fault; it's just not something that was widely recognized, and even now, the ADHD-I resources available now say that medication only helps 30% of sufferers in clinical tests, so there's not really even a good course of action to go on for treatment aside.

Wow, this has been a great topic to come across. Throughout middle and high school I had a few teachers tell me that I might have ADD, but I always felt that such comments were insulting (as far as I knew ADD was something that landed you in special ed.)

Since I didn't understand ADD, and I generally got A's and B's in accelerated classes, I never thought that it was even in the most remote realm of possibilities that I might have it. However, when I had a truly terrible midterm grade in one of my classes, the teacher for that class whom I greatly respected told me that it hurt her to see me always missing assignments and struggling to do things on time when she knew I cared a lot about my academics. She suggested (in what I felt to be a very non-insulting way) that I might have ADD, and that finally got me to go to the psychiatrist, and I'm so thankful for it.

It's honestly a bizarre struggle to have ADD when you're gifted. I wanted to see if I could go to college unmedicated, but I ended out pulling multiple all-nighters a week in order to get assignments complete; I'd spend so much time in my room not-doing homework but trying to, and I don't think I read a single thing assigned (with the exception of cramming). But after a semester of sleep deprivation and getting depressed about my horrendous study habits, I still got good grades. I'm back on medication now, and it helps so much, but sometimes I feel like I'm cheating (since Adderall seems to be used more often to cheat in college than it's used as it should be). I have to remind myself that I'm not taking Adderall to get better grades, but that I'm taking it to be able to deal with life's demands without almost killing myself in the process.

Now when I look at my life in retrospect, I've pretty obviously had ADD the entire time. But whenever I disclose to somebody that I have ADD, I'm almost always faced with skepticism, and sometimes it even makes me doubt myself. I guess I've got to keep it in mind that ADD isn't about what you do, it's how you do it. Even if I got an A on an essay, I still stayed up all night procrastinating and wrote half of the thing in the class before it was due.

Do any other people have a tough time with feeling guilty about being medicated (or other help received as a result of being ADD)?

I just don't tell people I have ADHD-I. It's too complicated, and you always get that knee-jerk reaction "well everyone has a hard time with doing things sometimes". Yeah, but it's not your whole freaking life! :mad:

People just don't get it :rolleyes:

Welcome to life with a neuro-psychiatric disorder. The good news is that there are positive actions you can take irregardless of how effective the medication is. As the saying goes "Pills are not skills". Check the "stickies" on the forum here -- and ask forum members. There is a number of good sites with how-to information.

Before I say any thing more I will note I am not 'anti-medication' in fact I am taking a stimulant medication right now. Having said that I have to ask: If ADDers did not respond to stimulants as they do, how would AD(H)D be treated? My hunch is that AD(H)D would be treated more like a learning disability and less like a psychiatric disorder.

I am tempted to say that may well be a better outcome than the present. I do believe there is an obsessive pre-occupation with medication...

I saw plenty of psychiatrists and exactly zero of them were helpful. It's not their fault; it's just not something that was widely recognized, and even now, the ADHD-I resources available now say that medication only helps 30% of sufferers in clinical tests, so there's not really even a good course of action to go on for treatment aside.

Welcome to life with a neuro-psychiatric disorder. The good news is that there are positive actions you can take irregardless of how effective the medication is. As the saying goes "Pills are not skills". Check the "stickies" on the forum here -- and ask forum members. There is a number of good sites with how-to information.

Before I say any thing more I will note I am not 'anti-medication' in fact I am taking a stimulant medication right now. Having said that I have to ask: If ADDers did not respond to stimulants as they do, how would AD(H)D be treated? My hunch is that AD(H)D would be treated more like a learning disability and less like a psychiatric disorder.

I am tempted to say that may well be a better outcome than the present. I do believe there is an obsessive pre-occupation with medication...

Hah I like that bit about pills & skills. I'm not against pills in general as a form of treatment, because there are people that need them and who they do help; I just don't feel like they're the right answer for me personally (at least not that I've found yet!) because of my own experiences with them. Yeah, they do help in some areas, but mostly they just make me feel weird - something I don't really need compounded on everything else I'm dealing with, lol. If there was a magic pill that somehow fixed my motivation and focus problems and didn't have any side effects, I'd be popping those in a heartbeat!

Right now my focus is on behavioral modification self-therapy - figuring out ways to beat my brain at it's own game so that I can be successful :D The first answer I've discovered is that I simply have to try harder than other people - once I get on track, I do great work, but of course getting on track and staying there is the real problem here. Here's what I've got so far:

1. Early bedtime is a BIG deal
2. Clean diet every day is a BIG deal
3. Exercising for 15 minutes really helps (boosts energy + helps me fall asleep)
4. Defining and living by a Routine is a HUGE deal
5. Organizational Support System: "Getting Things Done" by David Allen is helping tremendously - it's a very strict system to follow, one that doesn't allow for leaks, which happens if I try to keep things in my brain or on random papers. It both helps you be organized and get things done. Ignore the bloggers (there's alot of buzz about this system) and just adopt the system as-is (most people who talk about it, don't do it 100%).
6. Convergence insufficiency: (this may be unique to me & just a subset of ADHD-I/SCT'ers) I was diagnosed with this eye problem and will be going back to hit vision therapy hard this month.
7. Working memory training: Cogmed & other systems look very promising, but I haven't read too many reports of long-term results. I'm not spending $2,000 unless I know for sure it works, but this "working memory" stuff looks like a good route to follow if training really does help.

So far the thing that has given me the best results is a super early bedtime. This really helps me think clearer during the day. Nothing else has come close as far as consistent good results.

Forgot where I was going with this, so that's it for this post! :D

A lot of these posts resonate with me. I'm gifted in art. I was the art teachers' "pet" as a child. I've managed to earn a degree in fine art. In my five years of college I failed 2 classes but by the end I had mostly A's. I procrastinated with 99% of all assignments and exam studying. On the rare occasion that I actually finished a project before the morning of the due date and got a good sleep, I felt like I'd conquered the world. On many occasions I'd procrastinate, like many have said here, to a ridiculous degree - waiting until the very last second in which I knew I HAD to start the assignment or else I wouldn't get it done in time (resulting in many close calls and a few "sick days.") I don't need to tell any of you how great all-nighters are for the health. Though I'd pass my assignments in with regularity and get good marks there was always the knowledge of what it took just to produce it, and how much better it could have been had I been able to start it before 4 AM.
I think a lot of the problem with art school was that none of it interested me...my parents urged me to go to art school and, lacking a "big picture" of life, I went along with it, without thinking if it was what I really wanted. I've since found a few art related things I REALLY care about such as interior design...this and the other things, I could do forever.

The appearance of success is a problem. I recently told my brother about my suspicions about ADHD and he said "but you do so well." Well no I don't....good grades are good but where is the quality in life when your life is ruled by procrastination and you think about harming yourself on a regular basis (don't be concerned - I would never - but I don't want to think about doing it!). And I look like I have friends and I do but the only friends I actually hang out with are people who are former roommates...people I'm highly comfortable with. I'm terrified to let anyone else in.

I've done really well in the jobs I've had, especially the ones involving a certain amount of variety/stimulation; there's an initial period of confusion but as soon as the routines are clear I am an extremely valued worker. I guess you could say that I'm successful in that regard; I can hold a job; but I am currently unemployed and there is nothing crappier than KNOWING a potential employer would find me indispensable, but blowing the interview because it's being conducted in the middle of a room full of people doing things and I keep blanking out. And I know I have the talents to build a career out of myself, but with no set schedule as you have with a regular job, my life falls apart.

I find it interesting that so many have mentioned being good at art. In the Wiki article on SCT, there is a quote by an Adele Diamond:
"language problems often co-occur with ADD, and it is suggested that part of the reason might be that linguistic tasks, especially verbal ones, tax working memory so heavily. Spatial and artistic skills, however, are often preserved or superior in individuals with ADD."

I find it interesting that so many have mentioned being good at art. In the Wiki article on SCT, there is a quote by an Adele Diamond:
"language problems often co-occur with ADD, and it is suggested that part of the reason might be that linguistic tasks, especially verbal ones, tax working memory so heavily. Spatial and artistic skills, however, are often preserved or superior in individuals with ADD."

Hmm, interesting...I'm good at art and really enjoy it as well. Of course, I failed art class because I kept procrastinating my assigments and not turning them in :D

Why is this thread in the inattentive section? Are ADHD-I's more prone to giftedness than their hyperactive ADHD mates?

Why is this thread in the inattentive section? Are ADHD-I's more prone to giftedness than their hyperactive ADHD mates?

Whether there are statistics or not, "giftedness" is not exclusive to ADHD - inattentive or otherwise.

Go start one for the hyperactive mates -- elsewhere. Our experience is different. Part of the "primarily inattentive" experience is not having that surplus of energy that the hyperactive have to see that their dreams become reality.

Why is this thread in the inattentive section? Are ADHD-I's more prone to giftedness than their hyperactive ADHD mates?

I have this extreme musical brain and body and whole connection to music yet I have not tried really to play an instrument.

Yes, that is precisely one of my issues. I've always been described and referred to as a person with a perfect hearing and a musical ear. I'm good at languages and can speak them with little next to no foreign accent audible. I can imitate them pretty well, I guess. I love singing, too! Yet...

... ADD isn't about what you do, it's how you do it...

I couldn't agree more. Besides, ADD is only a word, a medical term for something that can only be there if we locate it in the right context. It is negative ONLY if we're in an environment where constant attention and productivity are the basic functions, which is precisely what ADD prevents happening/occurring. Try to think of yourself as a zen master or a shepherd or someone who has an option of living more in sync with nature than in the "corporate," neoliberal, global-market-driven society, for an instance. ADD has virtually no significance there--it probably doesn't even exist there. Also, such great inventions as the Internet, TV, cell phones, and other related products only ADD (pun partly intended lol) to the issue. My take on all this is as follows: once you're diagnosed, you know, you are aware that you have this condition. It may suck because of its particularly insidious nature, but once you're past that thought, ADD is really no different from being allergic to pollen or having to avoid salt because of your high blood pressure or zillions of other conditions. It is a CONDITION. Don't overthink it; don't go beyond being aware. I feel like overthinking, which can be part of inattentive ADD, should seriously be dealt with in itself almost as a separate entity: I know that I can dissect my mental condition so perfectly that my friends sometimes take me for a psychologist, but it's a fast track to identification with the condition, which then creates all the hurt, regret, anguish, anxiety, and even depression. As a result, I try not to get overwhelmed with the thought; instead, I like to focus on what it is I can do in each moment so as to improve my condition. Have you ever tried breathing, for instance? Or taking a quick walk? A simple stretching exercise? Life is a series of moments, so maybe tackling it moment by moment will make everything more bearable, manageable, pleasant, and ultimately effective.
So, to sum it up: once you know you have it, accept the status quo, and act on what you know. Stop living in the past, don't make any excuses, and learn to be present at all times. Quieting your mind is the way to go. And maybe then even in the jobs we have we can find our own unique way of doing them so that the material gets tailored to our condition rather than us trying to bend over backwards all the time. Why not try at least? Definitely cannot hurt more than the latter ;-) What do you think?

ADDitor :-)

P.S. By the way, I'm sorry if all the above sounds too idealistic to some of you. I didn't mean it to be idealistic but rather realistic. The same way we can control anger and emotions in general, I do believe we can also control the way we approach ADD. Demonizing it only gives the condition even more power, strengthens our shackles, and purges us of the energy we can use otherwise. As the quote above states, it is not what we do, but HOW.

P.P.S. Not that I complain, but to those of you who think that ADD alone is terrifying as is, let me say that I deal with a great lifetime cocktail of inADDentive+perfectionism+passive aggression (I'll keep the proportions to myself lol) Bottoms up, everyone! ;)

Kudos on using "neoliberal" in a post -- and no, I'm not being sarcastic or ironic!



I couldn't agree more. Besides, ADD is only a word, a medical term for something that can only be there if we locate it in the right context. It is negative ONLY if we're in an environment where constant attention and productivity are the basic functions, which is precisely what ADD prevents happening/occurring. Try to think of yourself as a zen master or a shepherd or someone who has an option of living more in sync with nature than in the "corporate," neoliberal, global-market-driven society, for an instance. ADD has virtually no significance there--it probably doesn't even exist there. Also, such great inventions as the Internet, TV, cell phones, and other related products only ADD (pun partly intended lol) to the issue. My take on all this is as follows: once you're diagnosed, you know, you are aware that you have this condition. It may suck because of its particularly insidious nature, but once you're past that thought, ADD is really no different from being allergic to pollen or having to avoid salt because of your high blood pressure or zillions of other conditions. It is a CONDITION. Don't overthink it; don't go beyond being aware. I feel like overthinking, which can be part of inattentive ADD, should seriously be dealt with in itself almost as a separate entity: I know that I can dissect my mental condition so perfectly that my friends sometimes take me for a psychologist, but it's a fast track to identification with the condition, which then creates all the hurt, regret, anguish, anxiety, and even depression. As a result, I try not to get overwhelmed with the thought; instead, I like to focus on what it is I can do in each moment so as to improve my condition. Have you ever tried breathing, for instance? Or taking a quick walk? A simple stretching exercise? Life is a series of moments, so maybe tackling it moment by moment will make everything more bearable, manageable, pleasant, and ultimately effective.
So, to sum it up: once you know you have it, accept the status quo, and act on what you know. Stop living in the past, don't make any excuses, and learn to be present at all times. Quieting your mind is the way to go. And maybe then even in the jobs we have we can find our own unique way of doing them so that the material gets tailored to our condition rather than us trying to bend over backwards all the time. Why not try at least? Definitely cannot hurt more than the latter ;-) What do you think?

ADDitor :-)

P.S. By the way, I'm sorry if all the above sounds too idealistic to some of you. I didn't mean it to be idealistic but rather realistic. The same way we can control anger and emotions in general, I do believe we can also control the way we approach ADD. Demonizing it only gives the condition even more power, strengthens our shackles, and purges us of the energy we can use otherwise. As the quote above states, it is not what we do, but HOW.

P.P.S. Not that I complain, but to those of you who think that ADD alone is terrifying as is, let me say that I deal with a great lifetime cocktail of inADDentive+perfectionism+passive aggression (I'll keep the proportions to myself lol) Bottoms up, everyone! ;)

Your post is very interesting, I just don't understand:

ADD has virtually no significance there--it probably doesn't even exist there. Where, the corporate world?

Also, such great inventions as the Internet, TV, cell phones, and other related products only ADD (pun partly intended lol) to the issue.ADD what?

Thanks

Go start one for the hyperactive mates -- elsewhere. Our experience is different. Part of the "primarily inattentive" experience is not having that surplus of energy that the hyperactive have to see that their dreams become reality.

Was just asking because of the title, no inattentiveness was mentioned there.

Your post is very interesting, I just don't understand:

Where, the corporate world?

ADD what?

Thanks

Sure.

a) The "there" stands for the corporate world or wherever it is that attention is expected from and imposed upon us. We don't have any problems focusing on what we're drawn to naturally after all.

b) All modern forms of technology ADD immensely to the already huge world of noise and distractions around us--our enemy no. 1. I, for instance, work with full-screen formats of documents wherever possible in order to prevent any other forms of distractions in my computer.

I hope that clarifies my point. I also wonder how others cope with their condition on an everyday basis.

I am frustrated.

Aren't IQ tests for people to test knowledge but really it is about factual information? I am not sure how or what it tests like...say a comparable adult female like myself.

I know I am different, and not just in terms of my current (ongoing) assessment/diagnosis of Adhd. Not necessarily gifted, but definitely qualities of. I know I have abilities that are beyond normal that I cannot describe verbally--but not necessarily that of trivia, factual information...my problem is that if it is something is then of not enough interest to me, or nothing to "know"...my mind will not bother with it.

I know, confusing. It is like...I don't want to bother being tested because ultimately I know it is testing, and I have real issues and biases with it.

I am excited,and hoping that my first trial of meds (upcoming) help with sustaining my attention: then I can learn learn learn learn learn. I would focus wow....I can't wait. I want to teach myself how to play guitar, piano, take classes and courses, and paint and write, and be active and love life. I have this fear of achieving though, accomplishing...like an ingrained helplessness due to having to not feel disappointed with myself for being an underachiever when I know I am very smart, very much in love with learning (EVERYTHING)...hmm...my thoughts for the day!


Okay, I just reread parts of my post and I was totally off a tangent about IQ tests hahaha. Feels so out of place, my post!

I know deep down that I'm smart- I just seem to exhibit a lot of evidence to the contrary. :rolleyes: That stuff can really get to you after a while, you know?


Yes, I completely understand this. I feel like, well now I have to prove that I am average when I know I am not. Ie/screw things up...lol. Like WTH is that!!?

My teachers when I was in school begged my parrents to let me be in the gifted programs ALMOST as much as they started letters home with, "Ryan is so smart and talented. He contributes more in class-discussion time than the whole class combined and his test scores are amazing, but he never turns in his work and is always daydreaming in class."

b) All modern forms of technology ADD immensely to the already huge world of noise and distractions around us--our enemy no. 1.While I am actually quite good with computers, I don't get much accomplished with them. Much less than they have the potential for. The internet is a distraction, but even without it, a computer offers more than enough opportunities for time wasting. Like rearranging files and folders over and over, changing settings, trying a new program.

So, while I am in a way talented for the computer, I am not really made for it. I think I have a problem it's two dimensional and virtual, not three-dimensional and tangible.

I hope that clarifies my point. I also wonder how others cope with their condition on an everyday basis.Because of my above observations, I am longing for the fix-wired technology before the age of the PC. Can't go completely back to it, but actually right now I am trying a new approach. I am stripping my laptop of anything but the absolute necessary. I switched to Windows classic look, cleaned up the machine, have very few folders, few programs, restricted internet access.

I want the main account to have no adminstrative privileges and as little rights as possible, to keep the possibilities of rearranging anything near to zero.

I am moving as many tasks as possible out of the PC, no calendar, no clock on the taskbar etc. Anything that can be done without PC should be done without it. I want to use the PC like I used fix-wired appliances: For a defined task. Something goes in, get processed, get outs. Finished.

Ideally, for me, one computer should do only one task, and no more. In this case, more (computers) would be less (time wasting).

Because a file remains editable, it exacerbates my ADD problem of never getting stuff finished. Even if I finish it, the editability of a file never gives me the feeling a project is really finished. I hope my approach with help with this too and bring structure into my doing.

Probably a computer doesn't inevitably have to bog one down, but in my personal situation and in combination with my personality, it does. I have tried a lot of less radical approaches, but it always ended up with spending even more time on the PC. If this last try doesn't help, I'll finally throw the thing out of the window!

The core of the problem is: I want to do something interesting, but with as little effort as possible. I think this is what makes the net so attractive for so many. Not having much money or time adds to it.

Since early childhood I was always good with occupying myself with something. Thanks god back then opportunities to do something interesting within my own room were limited, so I was forced to get out.

Now with internet, books, tv, magazines, household chores, kids ... it never really get's boring. And that's bad, for me. I realized some time ago that boredom is the fuel that drives my engine - to take action. I lack boredom, as strange as it might sound.

And I am trying to recreate it. Throwing "interesting", but meaningless things away. Reducing gadgets. Whatever. And resisting the temptation to fill the emptiness with other "interesting" stuff.

I dont know whether I am gifted or not...but I think I am decent...

I dont see the benefit of getting diagnosed gifted either...as such I dont see the benefit of knowing your IQ either..

I think the modern craze for getting labelled "gifted" is just because people want to get things without the effort or the perseverance needed...just like getting a pill to get high..or drinking alcohol to get over or mindlessly watching movies like me :)

To me it seems happiness is always relative...you compare yourself with people of your own caliber and see where you are relative to them...if you are not where you think you should be you get unhappy...

getting labelled gifted and having adhd..will only make you unhappy..for you will be expected and expect to perform as well as other gifted people...and think that giftedness itself will get you there...

talent is overrated...

now only if I could follow my own advice :)

There is one certain way to take care of that nagging feeling of having not utilized that often cited "potential":


http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w150/highcstl/lobotomy202.jpg

I am frustrated.

Aren't IQ tests for people to test knowledge but really it is about factual information? I am not sure how or what it tests like...say a comparable adult female like myself.

I know I am different, and not just in terms of my current (ongoing) assessment/diagnosis of Adhd. Not necessarily gifted, but definitely qualities of. I know I have abilities that are beyond normal that I cannot describe verbally--but not necessarily that of trivia, factual information...my problem is that if it is something is then of not enough interest to me, or nothing to "know"...my mind will not bother with it.

I know, confusing. It is like...I don't want to bother being tested because ultimately I know it is testing, and I have real issues and biases with it.

I am excited,and hoping that my first trial of meds (upcoming) help with sustaining my attention: then I can learn learn learn learn learn. I would focus wow....I can't wait. I want to teach myself how to play guitar, piano, take classes and courses, and paint and write, and be active and love life. I have this fear of achieving though, accomplishing...like an ingrained helplessness due to having to not feel disappointed with myself for being an underachiever when I know I am very smart, very much in love with learning (EVERYTHING)...hmm...my thoughts for the day!


Okay, I just reread parts of my post and I was totally off a tangent about IQ tests hahaha. Feels so out of place, my post!

There are several aspects to a normal cognitive assessment. The one I took had some math but not really above high school level, some vocabulary words and some verbal reasoning problems where they ask you to describe the relationship between two seemingly unrelated words.

They also did a spatial reasoning test where you had to replicate certain tile patterns from a card using blocks that had different colors on them.

One of the main components to IQ theory is abstract reasoning. People with very high abstract reasoning tend to see connections, patterns and similarities that other people often to not see. These are the problems with a series of depictions of geometric shapes that change in a particular way over several frames. You have to then predict what the next iteration will look like based on what you were able to discern them the known sequence.

There are other cognitive theories such as the theory of "multiple intelligences" where people are viewed not as singularly smart or unsmart, but as differently gifted. Maybe someone is low in abstract reasoning, but they are a superb athlete (kinesthetic intelligence) and they are an amazing musician (musical intelligence) etc. I think this theory recognizes 7 or 8 broad "intelligences" like verbal, math, body movement, music and maybe emotional? I can't remember.

However, scoring low on abstract reasoning will keep anyone from getting much above average on an IQ test and those tests do not account well for other gifts.

The good news is that there have been several studies about the correlation between IQ and success and some people believe they can show that once you have an IQ of 120 (upper end of average/normal - roughly) anything beyond that does not correlate to a more successful life outcome.

I dont know whether I am gifted or not...but I think I am decent...

I dont see the benefit of getting diagnosed gifted either...as such I dont see the benefit of knowing your IQ either..

I think the modern craze for getting labelled "gifted" is just because people want to get things without the effort or the perseverance needed...just like getting a pill to get high..or drinking alcohol to get over or mindlessly watching movies like me :)

To me it seems happiness is always relative...you compare yourself with people of your own caliber and see where you are relative to them...if you are not where you think you should be you get unhappy...

getting labelled gifted and having adhd..will only make you unhappy..for you will be expected and expect to perform as well as other gifted people...and think that giftedness itself will get you there...

talent is overrated...

now only if I could follow my own advice :)

I agree with you that labeling kids "gifted" and then expecting higher performance can create undue stress and pressure.

However, anyone who has ever dealt with gifted kids will tell you that they do not universally perform at a higher level. There will be the few who do amazing things, the few who crash and burn repeatedly (like me) and the other ones that have a fairly average life outcome.

If a kid is substantially under performing, yet seems to be bright, an IQ test can confirm that they are, in fact, highly intelligent. Imagine if they did NOT test these kids? They might take a brilliant child with super high language ability but because they have ADHD, they struggle with school.

If you did not test them, you might just be inclined to place them in a remedial program with the idea that "poor performance = poor ability". Never even considering that some kids have both poor performance and high ability. So many people simply cannot wrap their head around that idea.

I think it is because most school teachers tend to be "neurotypical", with strong preferences for getting things done and of very median/average intellect. Because these people often have well developed executive functions, but only average intellect, they may not even recognize their vibrant desire to get things done early or on time and they may see people who do not share their prefferences as being very "broken". Then they see that the kid is bright and they think - this kid has the extra smarts I wish I had but he is a lazy bum! At this point, that teachers former student engages in a vivid fantasy of that teachers head exploding as the result of a violent paradigm shift.

However, anyone who has ever dealt with gifted kids will tell you that they do not universally perform at a higher level. There will be the few who do amazing things, the few who crash and burn repeatedly (like me) and the other ones that have a fairly average life outcome.

I teach in a G&T high school. This is absolutely true. I was also someone classified as intellectually gifted, but who did not "perform at a higher level". Of course, if I was diagnosed with ADD back then instead of being told it was "learned laziness", well, things may have been a bit easier.


I think it is because most school teachers tend to be "neurotypical", with strong preferences for getting things done and of very median/average intellect. Because these people often have well developed executive functions, but only average intellect, they may not even recognize their vibrant desire to get things done early or on time and they may see people who do not share their prefferences as being very "broken".
But isn't that true by society's standards? Isn't that why we have problems as ADDers?

Then they see that the kid is bright and they think - this kid has the extra smarts I wish I had but he is a lazy bum! I can guarantee you that "these people" of which you speak do NOT think that. Teachers who recognize the intelligence will struggle how to figure out how to engage those students (not thinking they are lazy bums). The other teachers will swear they are smarter than the kids (NEVER envying their level of intelligence or talent). Believe me.
At this point, that teachers former student engages in a vivid fantasy of that teachers head exploding as the result of a violent paradigm shift.

You have no idea how offensive I find this as a teacher. With ADD. Who is exhausted by trying to make things relevant/interesting/engaging so that her students can succeed in a school system which requires students to get things done on time regardless of personal preferences or interest.

Not really sure what this thread is about by now, but the term 'gifted' annoys me. Being 'gifted' is just another label that comes with all sorts of expectations.

I choose to believe that anyone, no matter if their IQ is average, above average or gifted, can succeed if they try hard enough and have a bit of luck.

I teach in a G&T high school. This is absolutely true. I was also someone classified as intellectually gifted, but who did not "perform at a higher level". Of course, if I was diagnosed with ADD back then instead of being told it was "learned laziness", well, things may have been a bit easier.


But isn't that true by society's standards? Isn't that why we have problems as ADDers?
I can guarantee you that "these people" of which you speak do NOT think that. Teachers who recognize the intelligence will struggle how to figure out how to engage those students (not thinking they are lazy bums). The other teachers will swear they are smarter than the kids (NEVER envying their level of intelligence or talent). Believe me.


You have no idea how offensive I find this as a teacher. With ADD. Who is exhausted by trying to make things relevant/interesting/engaging so that her students can succeed in a school system which requires students to get things done on time regardless of personal preferences or interest.

With the greatest respect, the people you refer to are those people and I am sure they are lovely. The people I was referring to are these people. Clearly those and these are different people and you have not met the people I was referring to.

Please also note that any discomfort that may have been experienced by these people was purely metaphorical and absolutely none of these people were harmed in the events leading up to this post.

I hope you will forgive me if I went too far. Have you ever been physically struck by a teacher as the result of your ADHD symptoms? On an on going basis?

I guess you could say that the marks I earned in that class - became a part of my permanent record.

ANNwn,

I've been struck in grade school, but not enough for scarring. I'm very sorry that happened to you. It's not right.

I can not put into words how tired I am of hearing about having high intelligence, genius level, this one really kills me "GIFTED!!!" Some ****in* gift!! It is a gift that you can not unwrap , take out of the box let alone USE it!! Please

I feel you, man. Nobody has RSVP'd to my Gift-Exchange party. Go figure.

However, for all it's negative aspects, I still wouldn't exchange it. Negative aspects are always countered by positive one's, even if we don't always see it.

To me it seems happiness is always relative...you compare yourself with people of your own caliber and see where you are relative to them...if you are not where you think you should be you get unhappy...
getting labelled gifted and having adhd..will only make you unhappy..for you will be expected and expect to perform as well as other gifted people...and think that giftedness itself will get you there...
talent is overrated...
now only if I could follow my own advice :)

I couldn't agree more. Our ego exists and thrives on comparison and competition. If you add to it the basic rule of competition in capitalism, you almost get a perfect recipe for dissatisfaction and unhappiness. However, putting all the blame on the world outside would be equally detrimental to the potential that's inside of each one of us. If you ask me, I like to treat a thought about me in comparison to someone else as just a thought. I let it float wherever it wants to without pulling it or attracting it in any way. This way I can still be myself and do whatever it is I am doing in peace while the constellation of my thoughts becomes a canopy of numerous bright thought stars all around me. If they have already started shining there, they might as well produce some light for me to see my purpose better, right? :)

Not really sure what this thread is about by now, but the term 'gifted' annoys me. Being 'gifted' is just another label that comes with all sorts of expectations.

I choose to believe that anyone, no matter if their IQ is average, above average or gifted, can succeed if they try hard enough and have a bit of luck.

Yes, yes, and yes. I agree entirely. Ironically, many people here are trying to express their dissatisfaction with the fact that the world labels us (or others), so to hell with labels, but under the same breath they label the world or themselves or us (or others), so we're truly going round in circles intensifying the labeling process instead of dismantling it. The only way I see it happening at the beginning is--and I'm sorry if I am repeating myself here--on the individual level: stop labeling! Stop labeling yourself, stop labeling your neighbor, stop labeling your partner, stop labeling your parents, stop labeling your dog or any pet you may have... stop labeling! It's as simple--and as hard--as that. In my previous reply, I focused on the ego thriving on competition, but labeling is also what makes the ego emerge and dance its happy painful dance. In my case, I do know I have the condition called inattentive ADD, apart from a few other conditions, but as long as I don't accept this fact--not condone it or get resigned to it, but just accept it for what it is--I will never be able to stop labeling myself and others. And if I don't, then I'll keep resisting, suffering, complaining, throwing tantrums, and doing a zillion other foolish things I could very easily prevent from happening if... I stopped labeling! Although I've mentioned this book in another entry posted in another thread, let me repeat and recommend--it will definitely help some people get the point I'm trying to make here from this very well written book--Sari Solden's Journeys Through ADDulthood. It's a particularly good source, worth those $10 or even $20, unless you want to try your local library and read it for free first. It helps you understand how to live WITH your condition rather than DESPITE it. Trust me, it's a tremendous relief once you've changed your perspective, and most definitely it's the first great step--maybe even the only one for you to make--to... STOP LABELING ;)

Have you ever been physically struck by a teacher as the result of your ADHD symptoms?Yes, but that was decades ago and it was an accepted standard of behaviour for parents and public school teachers. I spent four long years in public school before I had a teacher who understood me and I will never forget what she did for me by breaking the cycle of misunderstanding and abuse, not just of me, but my classmates as well. Being an empathetic, reactive, child with ADHD caused me to internalize other's pain which only added to my nightmare.

Time and experience, especially in many different public school classrooms, first as a parent and then professionally, has taught me that my early years in school are a dead dinosaur. I now understand that many women became teachers because there were few choices in those days. What are you going to be: a wife, a teacher or a nurse? People often didn't become teachers because they felt a calling, they became teachers because one could get a job with a limited amount of education. That isn't the case in many places today.

Same boat. "Gifted" all the way through school, also a visual artist. BUT have struggled to produce artwork, since I have to stay home alone (in a room with a computer) to do it. I'm finally out taking classes, any one of which I could teach, but they get me out of the house and away from all the distractions. It's working a little bit.

Wish I could try meds...but everything has made me really sick. More like allergies than anything. ::sigh::