Having Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can be pretty tough. The inability to focus affects more than just schoolwork and you might find yourself having to explain to people why you act the way you do – especially when you start getting spacey. While the symptoms of ADD and ADHD can vary from case to case, there are some common experiences shared by many who suffer from the disorders, including the following:
1. Getting so many ideas at once that it becomes overwhelming.
When your mind struggles to focus on just one topic, it tends to either race with a long stream of ideas or no ideas at all. This can become especially aggravating when working on a specific project or assignment, especially when brainstorming ideas; it is easy to get overwhelmed when the ideas just keep coming so quickly that you can hardly process each one before a new idea surfaces and you forget the previous one.
2. The blessing and curse that is hyperfocus.
When you suffer from ADD or ADHD, focusing on one thing can be extremely difficult; however, you can occasionally experience what has been deemed hyperfocus: the ability to zero in intensely on a project or activity for hours – so much so that you can completely tune out the rest of the world. Those who have ADD or ADHD can tell you that hyperfocus is not simply the ability to focus on something; it is almost stunning how much you can disregard your surroundings to focus completely on something. Ironically, hyperfocus is something that can only be experienced by those with ADD or ADHD.
3. Not being able to sleep at all during the first week of taking a new medication or dosage.
If you’re like me, you’ve had to try out more than your fair share of different medications to try to aid your ability to focus. The first week of a new medication is the absolute worst, seeing as your body is still trying to adjust to the new medication, usually preventing you from getting any sleep. This leaves you in a sleepy, zombie-like state throughout the day, but the second your head touches your pillow, you’re suddenly wide-awake.
4. Trying to find a silent release for your energy without annoying the people around you.
Having so much extra energy can be pretty frustrating, especially to the people around you. When you lack the ability to sit still, you have to find a way to be able to discreetly release your energy in some form or another; it’s often difficult to do so in a way that doesn’t disturb the people around you. Despite your best efforts, your bouncing leg or drumming fingers end up distracting those around you, leading to some uncomfortable apologies.
5. Zoning out and snapping out of a daydream not knowing how much time has passed.
The only thing worse than slipping out of focus with no control is the feeling you get when you finally snap out of your daydream only to realize that half an hour has passed since you were last productive. As frustration grows, it sometimes seems like your ability to focus shrinks; this makes completing assignments or projects pretty frustrating.
6. Zoning out while facing the general direction of another person and snapping out of your daydream only to realize that the person thinks you were staring at them.
To be fair, you weren’t really staring at them, you were staring through them. But that doesn’t always help you seems any less creepy.
7. Getting some pretty random ideas and struggling to explain them to other people.
When you have ADD or ADHD, you get some pretty out-there ideas; you have the ability to think of ideas that no one else thinks of. The only problem with this is when you have to explain these crazy ideas to other people without seeming crazy. What’s worse is when you are in the middle of executing a crazy idea and someone happens upon you in a crazy position or doing some crazy task. Having to explain away your shame can be pretty embarrassing.
8. Being nervous about telling people that you have ADD or ADHD.
I am usually pretty hesitant to tell people that I have ADD because people will sometimes assume that I am trying to use my disorder as an excuse for an assignment that I didn’t perform well on. This is not the case at all. I find it frustrating that people assume that I try to use ADD as an excuse to not work as hard, when in reality I have to work even harder as a result of it. Moreover, I often hesitate to tell people that I have ADD because I don’t want to risk someone telling me that I have a made up disorder. I can assure you that my disorder is not a figment of my imagination that derives solely from having my phone on my desk. Anyone who insists that ADD and ADHD aren’t real has clearly never struggled with them themselves.
