Did having ADD give you extraordinary willpower?

[LeftCarRunning]

I think it did for me. My ADD went undiagnosed for 49 years. It took me 13 years to get a four-year college degree, but I graduated Summa Cum Laude. I took the CPA exam during my final semester. I studied about 12 hours a day and promised my kids that I was just going to take the exam once. That was all it took!

I discovered running 25 years ago, and it has been the only thing that has kept me on a halfway even keel. I think it worked almost like Adderall. Either that or the fact that I was free to let my mind wander the whole time I was running!

I have run 9 marathons, one 30-miler, and one 50-miler. They were all very painful, but running was the only thing that made me whole. And finishing races gave me the self esteem that I lacked otherwise.

I have the willpower and perseverance to do whatever I set my mind to, and now that I know I have ADD, I think that I learned that willpower.

I'm certainly not bragging. I've been a screw up my whole life, but I've screwed up with extraordinary willpower!

Has anybody else noticed the same?

[CheekyMonkey]

ADHD is cruel in that it gives that willpower but takes away the ability to reach that potential.

At least, for me.

[daveddd]

Originally Posted by LeftCarRunning

I think it did for me. My ADD went undiagnosed for 49 years. It took me 13 years to get a four-year college degree, but I graduated Summa Cum Laude. I took the CPA exam during my final semester. I studied about 12 hours a day and promised my kids that I was just going to take the exam once. That was all it took!

I discovered running 25 years ago, and it has been the only thing that has kept me on a halfway even keel. I think it worked almost like Adderall. Either that or the fact that I was free to let my mind wander the whole time I was running!

I have run 9 marathons, one 30-miler, and one 50-miler. They were all very painful, but running was the only thing that made me whole. And finishing races gave me the self esteem that I lacked otherwise.

I have the willpower and perseverance to do whatever I set my mind to, and now that I know I have ADD, I think that I learned that willpower.

I'm certainly not bragging. I've been a screw up my whole life, but I've screwed up with extraordinary willpower!

Has anybody else noticed the same?

perseverance , absolutely , im in the top percentile


willpower, far from it

are we talking about the same thing when we say willpower?

the ability to control impulses?

[PookDo]

Did the exact opposite for me

[doiadhd]

No way! Makes me stuborn,but not by choice-ok i see the point,sometimes i'd never give up,if its something i enjoy or want,thats not alot,apart from whats important to me. Will power is for stopping something we enjoy or like,stuborness is for carrying on doing something we enjoy or like,and stopping things we don't like. Wish i had will power instead of stuborness. Just words

[ToneTone]

Leftcarrunning,

Yes, my ADHD did give me a lot of willpower and determination, but I don't think of it that way anymore.

I now think back to how much PAIN I was in when I just lowered my head and pushed forward with all my might, in survival mode. Eventually such pushing through and straining just wore me down. And it also made it hard for me to know what the heck I was feeling--because I was also trying so hard and numbing myself to the pain I was feeling. So this all led to depression, isolation. It really hindered my ability to regulate my own moods and feelings and with that, it hindered my ability to connect with people.

Two questions I try to ask myself always, especially when I'm procrastinating:

1. What's the minimum I can do here that will be adequate?


2. How can I make this (task) easy?

It's shocking how often the minimum that I come up with turns out to be way above adequate ... And it's shocking as well how low that minimum can really be when I put my mind to it!

By the way running is DEFINITELY good for ADHD and for the brain in general. John Ratey, the psychiatrist, talks about that a lot. Probably exercise is one of the best things ADHDers can do outside of meds. And it may be as good as or better than meds--I don't know. The neurologists seem to be saying that exercise is literally one of the best things we can do for the brain.

Good luck.

Tone
p.s.
I don't want to criticize you, but I was a little taken aback that you described yourself as a "screw-up my entire life." I myself struggle with my self esteem, and one thing I'm trying to do is to avoid loaded, harsh language about myself. I hope you can be a bit more gentle with yourself.

[BR549]

Originally Posted by LeftCarRunning

I have the willpower and perseverance to do whatever I set my mind to, and now that I know I have ADD, I think that I learned that willpower.

I'm certainly not bragging. I've been a screw up my whole life, but I've screwed up with extraordinary willpower!

Has anybody else noticed the same?

I have great willpower but it depends on the situation. If I'm working towards a personal, financial or long-term goal of any kind, I have amazing willpower.

As far as relationships go I have never had much willpower or self control. I recognize that my inability to maintain any self control in these situations is due to wanting/needing immediate stimulation. With few exceptions, I know that my lack of self control will result in a short-term gain. I also know that the returns for my actions will be long-term emotional and psychological pain.

It's not that I don't try, it's really that I'm unable to I don't know that my willpower is related to my ADHD though. I do think that my lack of it in relationships may be, in part, a result of my ADHD.

I found some interesting information on glucose and willpower. Maybe I need to start drinking more orange juice....: Self-Control Relies on Glucose as a Limited Energy Source: Willpower Is
More Than a Metaphor

[Fortune]

An excellent blog post on ego depletion.

I need to find the Barkley video in which he says willpower is a neurological function that ADHD directly impairs.

[PookDo]

Originally Posted by Fortune

An excellent blog post on ego depletion.

I need to find the Barkley video in which he says willpower is a neurological function that ADHD directly impairs.

Not really surprising

[PookDo]

THis was on that website. Is very cool

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGQmd...layer_embedded

[Fortune]

I am not sure that his statement is 100% accurate, but I think it is food for thought.

[Fortune]

Originally Posted by PookDo

THis was on that website. Is very cool

I got the first question right. I also answered "yes" to the second.

I love the website overall. A lot of good stuff written in an accessible manner.

[PookDo]

Originally Posted by Fortune

I got the first question right. I also answered "yes" to the second.

I love the website overall. A lot of good stuff written in an accessible manner.

I saw an article in New Scientist about the monkey thing so I knew about that. missed the other two things

That website is cool

[phantasm]

I am not sure if I associate my willpower with having ADHD, but I'm still learning how it's affecting my brain.

What I do know, when I do demonstrate incredible willpower, it's normally out of fear.

Example: I quite smoking after 14 years. I LOVED it! Thought it was the best thing ever. I tried to quit 2 times, but when I started having trouble breathing doing simple exercises, I quit cold turkey. I was terrified of getting lung cancer and it freaked me out to know that I was not invincable. I'm fine btw.

[Drewbacca]

will power... isn't that a Nietzsche thing?

I only ever have it in a crisis when there isn't a choice.