Add/ADHD the illness of lost opportunity

[Chewythedog]

Can anyone relate to this quote? Yes no and why? Rees a nice short to the point ADd ADHD question for discussion? ...

My answer yes! I could have been a doctor like my dad!

[SquarePeg]

Unlike some people here, I have never had a dream or an ambition so don´t know what I would have done. My sister has a masters degree and is in a poorly paid boring job.

Me I have no qualifications and have had crappy but fun jobs. Went to secretarial college for 8 weeks instead of 2 years, worked in 5 firms, got fired from all of them then was finally good enough to work for the same firm for 20 years, very well paid, I loved it and had a great social life (mainly revolving around alcohol).

I suppose it depends on your expectations, I was mainly ignored by my mother who barely noticed me and I have no idea what she expected from me, so I grew up with no aspirations to be successful in life.

Still drifting around the sea of life without purpose.

[Spacemaster]

I almost went to a high end beauty school, but between my mother and I, we didn't submit the application on time.

So, I let things go and got cold feet, and ended up pregnant. Now, I don't know what to do with my life, because I really can't afford to move to the big city where the school is, now that I have a child.

I let lots and lots of small opportunities go by also, just because I've either forgotten about them and it's too late, or I've procrastinated and it's too late.

[Impetus]

things I've (probably) lost to ADHD...

friendships
relationships with family
respect at work
academic achievement
a career

However, all isn't truly lost until I'm dead.

The Nueropsych that diagnosed me called it more of a "lost information problem." In my case, he was spot on. Many of the "oppurtunities" I lost, weren't because I didn't know the information. In crucial moments, I just couldn't find it.

[Only one]

Yes! the other thing is even though you take advantage of some opportunities. Still don't know or remember jack, or can't find it same thing.

Same here Impetus

[Tony Stark]

There are "Has beens" and the "Is going to be". We are the "Never was".

[DvlsAdv0c8]

"Too little, too late." Story of my life.

I naturally gravitated pretty early to what I enjoy and currently do, and had some training throughout my school years (including vocational training in high school). Then I got pregnant at the beginning of my senior year.

Although I graduated from high school (2 weeks before giving birth, with an A average AND extra credits - after half-days of school and half-days of work for the second half of my senior year), I was unable to go to college. Since then, I have been self-educated with a sprinkling of employer-provided training here and there.

Yes, TONS of missed opportunities.

[yonatanhertz]

The real agony of an adhder is that even if he really wants to succeed the obstacles he has to surmount are so vast..
Persistence is also a quality that lacks in us and thus disables our progress in any choice we make..
I think that these acknowledgements help me quite a bit, as to never give to up and take EXTRA responsibility.

All said and done i wish it wouldnt impede my success in life, but wishing is superfluous.

[Phoenix Ash]

The illness of lost opportunity...

What a poignant way to put it. That really gets at the heart of the agony of it, for me.

I used to have all these things I wanted to do, wanted to learn, wanted to get better at... and now I can't really even think about those old dreams. So many opportunities have passed me by...

Now all I can dream of is someday being mentally well, healthy and happy. That's literally as far as I'm able to get on the dream track.

[FogNoggin]

Yeah, that's a great idea, I am going to do this, make a success at it, get excited about it, then remember how pumped I was about it last week.

Then on to the next thing.

I have given up on a lot of things simply because I know that I will drop that great plan like a hot rock when my epinephrine/dopamine levels drop.

I get envious of those who carry out a plan to completion, simply because enthusiasm never wanes.

I am smart enough, but my ADD stops me from utilizing my intelligence to it's full potential.

At least I did this, it was a struggle at times, enjoy:
http://www.reversedisorder.com
comics from an ADD mind.

[mikeyboy22]

Originally Posted by Chewythedog

Can anyone relate to this quote? Yes no and why? Rees a nice short to the point ADd ADHD question for discussion? ...

My answer yes! I could have been a doctor like my dad!

I guess that is why I'm here.

I don't know how old you are but I'm in my early 40's, and I guess you kind of go thru this "Midlife crisis, evaluation of your life phase"

I noticed a trend. I could have done so much better if I simply took the next step.

Career wise I suffered a lot. Sure I graduated college, but not in the field I started in. The job I'm in now is OK but has nothing to do with my degree.

Even though I love my wife and kids, boy did I let a lot of good relationship opportunities pass by.

Even today I have some good raw talents that is probably ADD related, that I still have never taken advantage of.