ADHD: it's not just for kids anymore
Yesterday I had an 'aha' moment while reading this post about ADD.
Gina summed up my life in 300 words or less.
Apparently, my co-workers have noticed my disorganization, my forgetfulness. Lord knows I've notice my inability to keep focused and see a task through to completion. My hubby probably thinks I intentionally ignore his requests.
I just figured that was how I was wired, but maybe it's more.
Sometimes staying focused and concentrating on one task is incredibly hard for me. I, often, find myself reading three or more books at the same time and seldom completing any of them.
My hubby talks to me when he is another room and I have trouble listening. He is relaying important information but all I can hear is the TV. However, if he would ask me to make something--a craft, a scrapbook, a bulletin board--I wouldn't rest until it was accomplished.
Also a common symptom of adult ADD/ADHD is apparently disorganization and forgetfulness. I write notes to myself about everything. EVERYTHING. And sometimes I still forget.
This is a picture of my craft room/office AFTER I've cleaned it up. I spend countless amounts of time just looking for things. My shoes. My notebook. A pen. I misplace everything. Nothing I own has it's own place and even if it did I would have trouble putting it back.
Staying organized and on top of things can be extremely difficult for me and may explain the sheer amount of panic I am feeling at having to remember and be responsible for all the food ordering next year in the cafeteria.
I often interrupt. I know I do it and I try very hard not to. Often times I am saying in my head, "wait your turn...wait your turn" only to drowned out what the other person is saying and then appear to not be paying attention.
When I was in school I had this teacher who would call us by our last name and when he did you were expected to repeat his last word. I could never do it. Even when I knew he would call on me, I could never do it.
Turns out, I might have a reason for it after all.
About Me
- kisatrtle
- I'm a 41 year old (gasp) freelance writer, school cafeteria manager, wife and mother. I have three children and one anxious and overweight beagle. I use my blog to make others laugh, to share some cool crafts, to document my lunchlady adventures and to lament about the challenges faced by us all on the journey called life. Thanks for visiting. Please leave some crack...um...I meant some comments.
4 random thoughts:
First, the hyperlink didn't work for me. It looks like the letter "l" is missing from the very end (html instead of htm). Anyway, isn't it amazing how you can live into adulthood and never realize something like this? I hope you can find ways to help you live more happily with your ADD. But it's also a part of what makes you so clever, interesting, curious, and funny. I've got a good friend who's now 45 and has ADD. We get together and I sometimes watch his brain work like a pinball machine. You must be exhausted!
I think there are a lot of adults that have learning disabilities etc. that have never been diagnosed. I'm quite a bit older than you are and when I was younger, no one knew about these things like ADD and dyslixia etc. Kids were just labeled as bad kids or ones that didn't pay attention or didn't want to do the work. I'm pretty sure my brother has ADD too, but there isn't any way he'd listen to me if I ever told him so.
Maybe you should talk to some of the special ed teachers about ways to organize and do things that are a problem for you. You may be able to find ways to make things easier.
As for the mess in the craft room, well I'll tell ya, mine is always in a mess. I can clean off my table and in about 5 minutes, it's back to messy.
I saw a funny quote on Pinterest that I loved "Organized people are just too lazy to look for things." made me LOL!
There are tons of resources out there for you … take advantage of them!!!
I agree with Jenners about the resources that can help. I have to say I love that quote mentioned by Kristie. That's funny!