After Diagnosis Stories: It makes so much sense now!

[adhd_positive]

Let's share! OK, I'll start:

In gradeschool, I hated history. Why ? Because you were required to read so much! So every week, I would start out, reading the first few pages of the assigned chapter, and never any more than that. After a while, my peers were getting all A's and B's, and I just could not understand for the life of me, how they had such amazing willpower and discipline to make it through the whole chapter, week after week! Finally, I just chalked it up to "I'm just not the reading type, I guess... but I'm Asian. Something doesn't quite add up here!" And I started copying other people's homework, using sharp analytical skills to pass tests without reading the material, and so on and so forth...

IT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE NOW!

[adhd_positive]

hmmm... here's one that was always such a mystery to me. I wasn't really trying to find out why I do it, but it got explained anyhow.

Video games. Awesome. I love playing them. Now days you get a lot of bang for your buck. 40 to 200 hours to complete one game ?!?? So anyway, over the years, I would go out and pay good money for the hottest new game, with the flashiest graphics, the most buzz, etc.

A very rigid, absolute pattern started to emerge: I would be REALLY into the game... until I wasn't any more. Usually after a week or two, maybe about 10-20 hours. And then... i would not, COULD NOT touch the game again. Even if I was in the middle of a great, engaging game, with a compelling quest... nope. Wouldn't even touch the game. Even if I was bored to death at home with the whole night available, I just couldn't get myself to put that disc in the console! And every game I bought turned out the same way...

IT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE NOW!!

[Lani24]

I got through school and uni by smashing everything the night before. My thesis was completed in a couple of nights rather than a year. I got a distinction rather than a high distinction because of my more referencing. Not once in my whole degree could I ever sit down and compile and edit my referencing properly. It was literally unbearable to me all the grammar and formatting rules. It makes perfect sense now. ADHD brain- interest driven not importance driven.

[Lani24 in reply to Lani24]

My poor referencing*

[YouthLeader_008]

Things that make sense now:

- Why I could not read more than a few pages of any homework assignment, especially in college.

- Why I randomly blurt out thoughts even if they don't pertain to a certain conversation

- Why I am able to get so much done in a short period of time. Always chalked it up to procrastinating and having no time left, but often I prefer to feel pressured in order to do good work.

- Why I enjoy Video Games so much (regarding the idea of "feedback")

- Why it is difficult for me to retain all the information from a conversation.

- Why I need to go on walks at night to calm myself

[adhd_positive]

Wow, you guys' responses just reminded me of something that became clear! When I was in Jr. High I really wanted to play piano. So my parents sent me to weekly lessons. The homework each week was to practice a song.

Well, of course, as Mr. Procrastenation, I would wait until the morning of piano lessons, with 5 minutes before leaving for school, to "practice" the song.

So now, many years later, I recognize the difficulty. It seems so obvious now, that this whole situation just doesn't add up! But the problem is, when you're in it, YOU'RE UNAWARE (or don't care ???) if it adds up/makes sense or not! If I myself wanted to learn piano, why didn't I practice for real ? Also, isn't the **definitition** of practice, to repeat over and over ? Much more than 5 minutes per week ?!??

IT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE NOW!!