It is practically invisible from the outside and has some disadvantages, but it is something that has shaped me to be the person I am.

ADHD, also known as Attention Deficit Hyper Activity disorder, has been present in my life ever since I was diagnosed at 9 years old.

Many people deal with this mental condition but do not even know they have it. I am lucky enough that my parents were willing to take me to many specialists before I finally got the diagnosis. Living with ADHD has not always been easy. I have experienced many roadblocks while living with this mental condition.

After many remarks about how I could not sit still, or how I was so impulsive, I grew to consider it to be my biggest flaw. However as I've grown older and have learned to accept myself, I have realized that it is one of my greatest assets.

I love my ADHD because it makes me passionate.

When I find something that I like, I won't stop until I master it and know every single thing about it. I can channel all of my excess energy into something that is positive like scuba diving or creative writing. I can hyper focus and bust out an entire essay in an hour, or know basically everything about certain dog breeds. This excess energy also makes me passionate about exercise. While my friends are complaining about doing cardio, I am passionate about running and I inspire others to participate in it. Even though my energy does eventually dim (happens to everyone) I almost always have the ardency to go back to those activities.

I love my ADHD because it makes me creative.

Having a mind that never shuts up is totally a double ended sword. It is great that I am constantly coming up with new ideas, however, the amount of sleep I've lost because of my active mind, makes me kind of hate it. A number of unique ideas have come from my severely overactive mind, such as science projects to my TED talk that I plan on having. I am so innovative because I am always thinking. I am always creating thoughts which develop into ideas, then so forth. I have always been known as the creative kid, and that is totally something that I am proud of.

I love my ADHD because it gives me a sense of humor.

The impulsivity that comes with ADHD is a given, but it is also something people laugh at. When I see something that I don't like or I have an opinion on something, 9/10 I will say it. Most of the time, people think it is absolutely hilarious. I don't really think my impulsivity is funny because yes, it can get me in trouble. I have learned over the years to be careful with what I say, however, there are just some things that I have an extremely hard time filtering out. Most people find it very entertaining and rely on my to give my honest opinion on things. Also with the never ending thought flow, ADHD has given me, I am almost always able to make a joke and play off of it.

My condition has evolved and changed as I have matured. I am definitely not the class troublemaker who never paid attention and constantly squirmed in her seat anymore, thankfully. However, my ADHD will always have an impact on me no matter how much I change.

Without ADHD, I would not be the person I am today.

I am one of those people who tries to find a silver lining in the cloud or look on the bright side of life. The person who can always find something random to laugh about. The person who always has the energy to try something new and adventurous. ADHD has made me creative, perseverant, passionate, and humorous; it is what makes me a unique individual. Throughout all of the trials I have faced due to ADHD, I always find reasons to love my condition and embrace it for the rest of my life.