Why Change? With ADHD, Your Brilliant
 

A lot of people were all over me when I was growing up about how hyper I was. I was told I was annoying by just about every person I came across. And I was told I'd never amount to much as well. You'd be surprised, but teachers and even some doctors tell kids and adults with ADHD that they are different than others. So much so, you're handicapped.

I am not blind, I am not deaf, I can move all limps associated with my body as well. I am not handicapped. In fact, I feel like I am smarter than most people I know.

My ADHD allows me to think all the time. I am calm in stressful situations. And I am able to remember and access material from my brain better than most people I know.

The issue ADHD people run into is that we think slowly on certain things. Because we require deep thought to access the materials within.

We are naturally creative, but in school, creativity in math especially is frowned upon. Do as the teacher did, not as you found out yourself I was told.

I'd find ways to get the exact answer the teacher did. But was told I was wrong. Justice? I think not.

Oral tests, such as IQ tests for example, are tough for the ADHD as well. We require a lot of thought. Our brain gets distracted easy. So, tests are very hard for us to do as it is. But oral tests? These are normally timed and close to impossible for us to do and make a good grade on even if we know the material.

Yet the funny thing is, despite the world not understand us. We have come to the conclusion that the ADHD offer something to society. There are several musicians, actors, and major historical figures who were known to have had or still have ADHD.

Is it a coincidence that some of the greatest minds in the history of man were known to all have a touch of ADHD. People such as Einstein, Edison, and Da Vinci all had it.

You have a gift. You are brilliant.

Yes, there are things that clearly go against us as ADHD men, women, and children. But overall, you constantly think, your always ahead of the game, ideas run rampant throughout your brain, your creative, your dynamic. You are calm when others are freaked and you are multitasking when others are on one thing at a time.

Why be normal? Normal is boring

Re: Why Change? With ADHD, Your Brilliant
 

Well, normal may be boring, but I think my passengers prefer a "boring" drive to an exciting one where I'm weaving in and out of traffic or accidentally running stop lights. :lol:

Yes, adhd does have its perks: endless energy, quirky ideas, clear thinking in stress or any adrenaline inducing situation, hyperfocus (when it's productive), etc...

But unfortunately, "normal" is how our society functions, so we need a few "normal" skills to help bring out the best in us.

Could you imagine if New York City was build on the backs of adhd people? We'd have a bunch of unfinished skyscrapers all over the place. :lol:

Re: Why Change? With ADHD, Your Brilliant
 

If Edison is an ADHDer(just as an example) that does not mean that an ADHDer is Edison.

To an extent I can follow what you say and I think that, provided we neglect any and all possible comorbidities that usually come along, ADHD as such is not always 100% negative.

But that does not take away the fact that its hell for the individual. It takes an extreme amount of compensating skill as well as a lot of luck to turn it into an advantage and most of us lack either or both.

ADHD is very much all or nothing. You are either top of the world(the 1% lucky ones) or perpetually struggling (the 99%)

Re: Why Change? With ADHD, Your Brilliant
 

Albert Einstein DID NOT have ADHD. He's closer to Asperger's syndrome. And no one can't prove he had that either. And how does anyone know he was actually happy?

People are diagnosed with something when they have impairments, like some teachers/parents will see hyperactivity that way. It impairs them. That's kind of my little joke.

You sound like you're preaching now. I would have given you a break after that one article but now...

Watch out. I'm unmedicated and I was on low dose today that was a big mistake. I'm just saying, I have very little control of my temper.

Your life experience cannot speak for all with ADHD. Some are severely impaired by it they can't even participate in this forum. Others have so much stress just dealing with the symptoms and getting through their day.

Your spelling isn't very good either. See in me that would add to my stress.

The one thing I can actually do in life requires for me to be medicated. I'm a writer but my stories get so complex I sometimes think it's too impossible to write like that. But I take a pill, start and I can actually do it. Then when it comes to working on an art project I need a lot of focus. I can come up with ideas without medication but to actually bring those ideas into the real world then I need focus and motivation.

I was going to fill out a survey tonight as a University research candidate but I can't even read through the introduction. I was going to read my two downloaded issues of COSMOS - nope, can't even read a simple paragraph. All I want to do is play video games even though my score is so shocking because I just can't focus properly.

ADHD gets in the way so much when I try to fulfil my goals. There are some quirks I like but it ends there.

I'm not an A student despite a lack of studying, I'm an F student despite giving it my all. I'm unemployed even though I became an expert at writing cover letters from having to write so many because I've been ignored or rejected at job interviews so many times before.

Re: Why Change? With ADHD, Your Brilliant
 

Intelligence and adhd have nothing to do with one another.

Re: Why Change? With ADHD, Your Brilliant
 

Totally disagree with that.

JoeB I agree 100% with what you're saying. In my case, ADHD provides me with the ability to think about anything and everything. I almost feel like I have an unlimited amount of resources because I'm constantly thinking. ADHD can interfere with this thinking process though. It often becomes difficult to sift through needed/unneeded information in certain situations. I believe those with ADHD have a predisposition to figure things out "the other way" as opposed to the "right/normal" way. Best way to sum it up is we often tend to look outside of the box or see the other side more deeply than the average normal person.

Re: Why Change? With ADHD, Your Brilliant
 

ADHD is a spectrum disorder,

some will have high intelligence,

some will have low intelligence,

and most will have average intelligence ...

just like any other category of people.


We do tend to think "outside the box" or more intuitively,

jumping to a conclusion rather than following linear steps.

Which isn't necessarily a problem, but can be at times.


And in response to the OP:

for every brainiac or artist who has ADHD,

there are thousands who are not brainiacs or artistic.

Again, it's a spectrum disorder.

Some are highly talented, some not so much,

most have average talents.



I too stay calm in most emergencies and fall apart later,

but unlike you my memory has more holes than swiss cheese.

You seem to be assuming that every person with ADHD is going to handle

the traits or symptoms of ADHD the same way you do. That's not true.

Re: Why Change? With ADHD, Your Brilliant
 

I believe he was just offering up another perspective to the disorder as opposed to the majority of people who view ADHD negatively.

Re: Why Change? With ADHD, Your Brilliant
 

It's a mixed bag for me. I can invent new things and come up with new ideas almost effortlessly. Creativity is something I've never had to work at. Very good for an artistic type.

Actually finishing things? That's the bad part. The medication gives me the ability to focus, sort out the details, and get **** done.

Re: Why Change? With ADHD, Your Brilliant
 

Probably so, it just comes across as "BE HAPPY YOU HAVE ADHD!" which doesn't apply to those of us that experience the daily impairments.

Sometimes it helps me, but most of the time it's a hindrance. I imagine we'd all like to keep the "positive" qualities of ADHD and ditch the negative, but unfortunately....JEEBUS I JUST LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT. And it was very poignant and profound I'm sure. My head keeps bouncing back to "hey, finish what you were working on and get off the forums...break's over."

Yeah, stuff like that. I'd love to be able to voice what I want to say consistently instead of my head bouncing somewhere else. Hindrance.

Re: Why Change? With ADHD, Your Brilliant
 

I only see a few here who view ADHD negatively.

I see many here who view ADHD realistically.



I don't see ADHD as black OR white, negative or positive.

I understand how it impacts me and I come here for support and

for ideas on how to cope when the impact is one of impairment.

Re: Why Change? With ADHD, Your Brilliant
 

of course, understand I am not saying, "people do not use your meds". I am just saying that life can go on without it. I haven't used mine since the 4th grade and I do great. I think the reason I do as good as I do is because I was able to train myself on how to do things. Although, I do talk too fast and sometimes it is difficult to get things done. I have found ways to get tasks completed.

One thing that helps me when say, I write something. Is to play music and listen to it through headphones. It's like my brain slows up enough for me to write a very good write up. I have several articles that people can look up from before I really was able to train my ADHD to now. Guarantee you'll see great differences.

Here is the issue I always run into when going into ADHD for people. Teens always want to tell me how much it sucks because they are going through the issues of it that make them different from their friends or school mates. They instantly hate it as they grow up because of that.

If people could control their ADHD, would it not be a gift then? I think it would. I've learned to do that simply because I saw more positive than negative about it. I'm always going to have it, why mope around saying, "woh is me of the ADHD, life would be better without this, oh lord take me now". That's a horrible way to live.

Take your meds if they help you. I am not saying not to once again. But even on your meds you still have ADHD. You still have benefits others do not.

Re: Why Change? With ADHD, Your Brilliant
 

Realize now, I actually have ADHD. If I was going around without it, telling people to be positive about it. Then yeah, I think THEN people would have some vendetta against me and it would be warranted. But for me to tell people now, with ADHD, that you can actually be more than what you classify yourself. I think that is plenty fair.

Re: Why Change? With ADHD, Your Brilliant
 

Thank you, yes, that is pretty much the point. I think ADHD is a gift because of what all it offers me. And I don't even use medication. With those who have meds and use them on the regular, imagine how better they'd do than me. That said, why see it so bad, ADHD? Why always mope around saying that you're just so different that you'll never go anywhere in life?

I am here on earth for a reason, and I feel ADHD will help me in my walk in life. So far, it has. And trust me, I've laid up above how ADHD has affected my life. So people cannot think I never struggled with it myself. I do still have issues. But trust me, those issues do not compare to my positives

Re: Why Change? With ADHD, Your Brilliant
 

Actually, intelligence is a trigger from the brain. Which ADHD does have an affect on. Your brain on ADHD, as you saw in the models I had above, show so much activity compared to a normal brain. Imagine that, activity. You think an average of 40 to 60% faster and more often than the average human brain. Think of that.

And several known inventors or geniuses in history were proven today to have ADHD. Isn't that something?

I think the worst part with ADHD is the person, not the brain they have with ADHD. It's all in what YOU choose to do in life, not what ADHD does to you. If you choose to be feeling like you're all alone in life and you'll never go anywhere. Then that is up to you to feel that way. But for others, they get past that crap and realize while they may have some difficulties others do not, they'll be able to do something big in life.

I am the first in my family to graduate college. Was it tough? Hell yeah it was. But did I do it? Better believe it. I have a resume a mile long full of places I've been to work, intern, etc. My ADHD allowed me to do all of this and everything I will do in life from now on will be along with my ADHD. Why not use the gifts it gives me?