Hello, looking for support

[tonyjoe]

My name is Tony Joe, I ran into this site on a ADD website I was looking at. I read several posts in this forum already before registering. I have to admit, some I laughed about--because I know the struggles all to well.
Here's why I signed up:

I was diagnosed very young...around age 5, ADHD. As an adult, I struggled with labeling myself and went back and forth with acceptance...but I know now, this is a reality for me. It has the ability to sabotage what I've worked for.

I am living below my potential, I know I am. I can operate at a high level, but it only lasts so long before I'm frustrated, stressed out and putting things off that need to get done. I go from being really responsible one day to almost the exact opposite the next.

I set bedtimes, but never keep them. I ordered a Pavlok wristband to shock me awake, but I still manage to snooze. I am habitually late. I wait until the last minute for many things. My schoolwork is turned in late on many occasions (I'm thankful for graceful instructors!) Right now, I should be doing school work, but NOPE, got distracted again. I'm impulsive and have a REALLY hard time sitting still, studying something that can't seem to keep my interest. I'm indecisive.

I've been pursuing a college degree for 10 years now!
I looked at ADHD coaches but they are not cheap! I'm worried they will tell me things I already know. But my issue is follow through. Yep, that's the main thing. I make these great, elaborate plans, but then NEVER stick them out.

THings will get better, but I find it takes SOOO much effort!
Thanks for reading my struggles

Tony Joe

[peripatetic]

welcome to the forums!

[Fuzzy12]

Welcome. Are you getting any treatment?

[Pinkyswear]

Welcome!

[ToneTone]

Welcome.

Your story is a familiar one ... Many of us adult folks came to term with ADHD only after a prolonged period of realizing we were under-performing.

I will never forget the words of one guy on this site ... Somebody had made a comment saying Hey, ADHD doesn't mean you're not bright. (True, lots of super-smart people can have ADHD.)

The responder said something along the lines of ..."Of course many of us are bright. In fact, what led us to come to terms with ADHD is that we saw people much less brighter than we are ... achieve so much more ..."

If you can afford coaching, you can consider it ... In fact, a good coach will point out things that you are NOT thinking about.

I had a coach for 8 weeks who pointed out all kinds of ways I could make my job easier ... I'm still applying insights she gave me ... but I think the larger point she made me aware of is this ... I think because I was always disorganized, I felt guilty about shortcuts ...

And she pointed out ... no, here are some valid shortcuts ... Result: I have made my job much easier to do ... I always assumed I had to work harder ... she showed me where I can actually put in less effort and achieve better results ... Now sure, I could have read this in an article. But there was something powerful about having this coach--this really organized person--sharing her own secrets with me ... She didn't go out of her way to make her job hard ... In fact, she spent time thinking about how to make her work easier! ...

Anyway, welcome!