I was diagnosed with textbook ADD at the age of five, and have grown up with it. I am now the father of three beautiful, rambunctious girls, and married to a loving, patient woman. I hope to share my experiences and those of my friends and family and of course anyone else who chooses to follow along. I plan on this being a weekly blog, but of course if I see something worth sharing, why wait?
Let me just start with an introduction of my A.D.D.
Most cases of ADD and ADHD are unique, though they may have similarities. Each individual can be affected by his/her ADD/ADHD at different levels and in different ways.
For me it's like this: The nervous system requires a certain level of stimulation to function properly. It is designed to operate with this level of stimulation or distraction, which is why my ADHD affects my focus so much. Imagine my Nervous System has a buffer around it preventing stimulation from getting in. In turn, not getting the level of stimulation it needs, my mind and my attention seek out stimulation to compensate. Hence the wandering eyes, the twitchy leg, the incesant chatter. Stimulants such as Adderall or Ritalin, and yes, depending on where you are, Marijuana/THC, allow the mind to function properly. In my case it was Ritalin, in doses 3 times a day. The ritalin worked, however I never liked the taste, and as a teenager, I hated that I had to depend on medication. when I was in my 20's I worked with my dr to ween off the Ritalin. Now I can be myself and a functioning adult without the help of medication.
I do still find myself having off-topic thoughts, having difficulty following conversations that i'm not to excited to be a part of, and homework. Homework sucks. I also have deep thoughts about life, society, and even imaginations of prehistoric life. Now that I have a medium for these daydreams, I remember more of them, and looking back through them, have a better understanding of my personality.
For me it's like this: The nervous system requires a certain level of stimulation to function properly. It is designed to operate with this level of stimulation or distraction, which is why my ADHD affects my focus so much. Imagine my Nervous System has a buffer around it preventing stimulation from getting in. In turn, not getting the level of stimulation it needs, my mind and my attention seek out stimulation to compensate. Hence the wandering eyes, the twitchy leg, the incesant chatter. Stimulants such as Adderall or Ritalin, and yes, depending on where you are, Marijuana/THC, allow the mind to function properly. In my case it was Ritalin, in doses 3 times a day. The ritalin worked, however I never liked the taste, and as a teenager, I hated that I had to depend on medication. when I was in my 20's I worked with my dr to ween off the Ritalin. Now I can be myself and a functioning adult without the help of medication.
I do still find myself having off-topic thoughts, having difficulty following conversations that i'm not to excited to be a part of, and homework. Homework sucks. I also have deep thoughts about life, society, and even imaginations of prehistoric life. Now that I have a medium for these daydreams, I remember more of them, and looking back through them, have a better understanding of my personality.
No comments:
Post a Comment