"And the day came when the risk it took to remain tightly closed in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to BLOOM…This is the Element of Freedom"

-Alicia Keys

16 November 2009

A new direction for this blog...

I have decided to change a few things about this blog. I think that I would write more if I had a better idea of what I wanted it to be about...not just the random things that I usually write about. I have been writing this post in my head for a few weeks now and I think that it is time to write in down here...I want to start writing about what it means to be a 30 year old woman, wife, mother, friend, designer who also happens to be ADHD. I think that so many people think that they know what ADHD is and they file that idea of it away without giving much thought to what it really is to the person that has it or is it. It is so much more than a lack of organization or ability to organize things like paper or the inability to stay focused on one thing at a time. It is something that without a love of self will slowly eat away at the person who suffers from ADHD. I think that women in particular have very difficult time, especially if they are undiagnosed or not being treated. It is important to understand that it is an affliction that affects how you feel about who you are.


So, beginning now...I almost said "Tomorrow" but anyone who knows anything about ADHD knows that tomorrow could mean tomorrow or two months from now, so let's get started:

Here is the Definition of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, according to Wikipedia: (it used to be called Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), but that term is now "expired" and is now referred to as ADHD)


"Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or AD/HD) is a neurobehavioral[1] developmental disorder.[2] ADHD is primarily characterized by "the co-existence of attentional problems and hyperactivity, with each behavior occurring infrequently alone."[3] While symptoms may appear to be innocent and merely annoying nuisances to observers, "if left untreated, the persistent and pervasive effects of ADHD symptoms can insidiously and severely interfere with one's ability to get the most out of education, fulfill one's potential in the workplace, establish and maintain interpersonal relationships, and maintain a generally positive sense of self."[4]:p.2"


Here is a list of the symptoms commonly found in adults with the Inattentive Type of ADHD:


Procrastination
Indecision, difficulty recalling and organizing details required for a task
Poor time management, losing track of time
Avoiding tasks or jobs that require sustained attention
Difficulty initiating tasks
Difficulty completing and following through on tasks
Difficulty multi-tasking*
Difficulty shifting attention from one task to another


*I have to comment here. I can multi-task with the best of them...I am a mother, mind you. However, the difficulty lies in completing the many tasks that you are doing at once.




The definition above is the mild version of some of the ones that I have read over the years. If you didn't already feel shitty about yourself, read about having ADHD and the issues that it can create in your life...then you will really feel like the future is sort of bleak.


So, I am beginning to write about something that has been apart of my life forever, but not known about until I was 18, when I was diagnosed and left a doctor's office with a prescription for ritalin in hand, but no tools to help me on the rocky journey that lay ahead of me. I hope that I can educate just one person about what it really means to be ADHD.< br<>>

3 comments:

  1. I think this is awesome. My doctor has suggested that I suffer from this, in fact I took a prescription for awhile but I hated the way it made me feel. I look forward to reading how you manage it and how you make your life better. I'm excited to have found your blog!

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  2. Great. I am so glad that you are finding your direction!

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  3. Hello my friend....this is a great idea and a great way for you to share your experiences. I am so proud of you!

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