people’s reaction to symptoms

[abbie.bbg]

hi all,
i was just wondering how have you found people reacting to your symptoms/ do they mistake things for symptoms?
sometimes, when i’m in a good mood or i’ve had a good nights rest and have i bit of energy, people just think it’s my symptoms.

[Emre22]

when i interrupt people while they are talking sometimes they take it personally or they think that i act like "i know everything better than you"
i can't blame them but i inform them about ADHD

[ADaptHD]

A big one for me is when people interpret your symptoms through the lens of what it's like to not have ADHD -- that is, what it would mean for them, as a non-ADHDer, to have those behaviors.

So they see some inattentive mistake, lack of organization, motivational issues, etc. and think "if I did that it would be because I just didn't care... that person really must not care." That's where a lot of the "try harder" comments come from I think.

[SashaBV]

Yeah, I just don't want anyone to suggest...if you'd attend certain meetings like I do, it will help you. Or if you'd get "saved", you would have all the answers to all your problems. This from people who don't even bother to get to know me well enough to know what my problems really are. I don't even remember a time in my life when I felt like I knew what it's like to be a non-ADHD person. I've wondered what it would be like, but there is no way to really experience that. So I'm not surprised when most people don't know what it would be like to be me.

[Greyhound1]

Originally Posted by SashaBV

I don't even remember a time in my life when I felt like I knew what it's like to be a non-ADHD person. So I'm not surprised when most people don't know what it would be like to be me.

Me neither. I can’t even understand and figure myself out, I certainly can’t expect others to. I’m glad to be at a point in my life where I no longer care. I’m just trying to be me and to be happy.

[Monox D. I-Fly]

Originally Posted by abbie.bbg

hi all,
i was just wondering how have you found people reacting to your symptoms/ do they mistake things for symptoms?
sometimes, when i’m in a good mood or i’ve had a good nights rest and have i bit of energy, people just think it’s my symptoms.

Sometimes when I acted out of the "standard" behavior, people would say "Aren't you normal?". Once a coworker of mine asked "Are you an autist?". One simple "Probably" from me was enough to shut him up.

[20thcenturyfox]

I don't tell anyone but my closest friends I have ADHD. I think people are way too eager to use labels to cover their ignorance or just puff themselves up, so there is no way I am going to just hand them a label (especially a controversial one) to put on me.

I do readily admit to sometimes having trouble focusing, sometimes being impulsive, sometimes being distracted, sometimes being short of energy. And I apologize sincerely when I screw up (as I often do), because I really want to be reliable, someone people can depend on. I also ask for reminders & e-mails (rather than phone calls). I really sympathize with people when I let them down. I don't want to be like that. I actually want to take extra trouble to be as solid and normal as I possibly can. I also let people know I appreciate their understanding when they forgive me (even though I know they probably don't understand).

I salute those who want to educate people about ADHD. I sometimes express doubt about the stupidity I hear.

But give ignorant people--whose opinions truly do not matter!-- a label to put on me to cover their own lack of interest and empathy? No way!