At 26, I was diagnosed with ADHD. After our first hour together, my psychologist said “I don’t usually recommend medication after the first visit, but I think you’re an ideal candidate.” Shortly after that, I went to a psychiatrist who confirmed the diagnosis: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Combined Type, meaning I’m both inattentive and hyperactive. Go me.
Honestly, the diagnosis came as no shock, as you’ll come to understand if you read my blog. I was pulling all-nighters in first grade and I’d spent the rest of my life knowing I was smart, but struggling with everything in me just to keep up. That said, I did manage to keep up. So many of my struggles occurred because of my ADHD brain and its differences, but I only managed to keep up because of that very same brain and its rockin’ problem solving skills.
So many people focus on the negative side of having ADHD, but I think the ADHD brain is pretty awesome. Sure, there are plenty of struggles and I’ll talk about those in this blog, too. But let’s go ahead and face it, the ADHD brain is super powerful.
The thing is, certain things were always really hard for me. While I was aware that I struggled more than most, the struggle was all I ever knew, so it never occurred to me that there might actually be a reason for my difficulties. I never looked for an excuse and I never gave up…I just kept fighting and coming up with new ways to try, try again.
We’re all different and we all struggle with our own issues, but a diagnosis like ADHD, that is so closely linked to specific struggles, means you are not alone. There are other people who have struggled with the same, or similar, issues and, just as importantly, there are other people who have similar strengths, who get your sense of humor, who understand the way you think and who totally get how painful it is to sit still and be quiet. There’s comfort in that and relief, that you don’t just plain old suck, despite what you’ve been feeling all these years. Somewhere in there, there’s the ability to forgive your younger self for never having been good enough and there’s even the epiphany that perhaps you’ve actually always been more than enough.
The ADHD brain is not like most of the others. Society isn’t built to cater to the ADHD way of thinking. Yet, society could learn a lot from the ADHD brain. And that’s what this blog is all about, the trials and tribulations of living with an ADHD brain AND the triumphs of it. We spend our lives coming up with creative solutions to everyday problems, so we can survive. I’m pretty sure there’s a thing or two that “normal people” could learn from us and I’m pretty sure there are things they already have…
Without further adieu (or extensive ramblings), I give you the 5 Positive Traits of ADHD Adults because, yes, my friends, we are awesome and we are also:
1. Determined – Because giving up isn’t an option.
2. Creative – Because when your brain is not like the others, you have to be.
3. Intelligent – Because how else would you have gotten this far?
4. Resilient – Because you always bounce back.
5. Courageous – Because you fought like hell and you’re pretty much a super hero.
And with that, I’m going to wrap up this first blog post. It’s taken me about a month to post it and I’m afraid if I don’t just do it, well, you know, it’ll never get done…
Get NutMegged ADHD 
Love your blog, probably bc I’m also an ADHD’er, and I look forward to reading the rest of your posts. Great to hear your positive attitude and how you’ve embraced it, while there are many cons the pros of having it can separate us from the rest. Nice work
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Thank you so much for reading and commenting! It means a lot that people are getting something from my posts! Like you said, “There are many cons the pros of having it can separate us from the rest.” Very true! And that’s the message I’m trying to send, too.
It’s crazy how similar all of us ADHD’ers are. There’s a reassurance in knowing that others are going through similar things and that they’ve learned to overcome.
I still have a lot to learn for sure, but I’m rather enjoying having my fellow ADHD’ers with me for the ride. 🙂
Thanks again!
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Thank you for visiting my blog…and for sharing…and for all the compliments! 🙂
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I was diagnosed ADD at 22 (I’m 26 now) and I haven’t done much in the way of connecting with others or reading a whole lot about it. I’m in an online degree program right now and my writing class is “focusing” on the topic of ADHD and public health information. It’s forced me to do some more research and reading, which is good, but a pain in the butt. I really liked this post! I like looking on the positive side of things and it wasn’t hard for me to accept that I had ADD. It was nice to finally know the reason why I had to struggle so hard to be awesome. Your Top 5 list describes me perfectly. I’m also becoming more open about telling random people that I have ADD…and it’s actually been really good for me to talk about it. 🙂
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I am 29 and only just realised that I have adhd I was tested for it as a kid but but knew very little back then, everybody just thought I was a little s##t, because don’t like telling people how I feel I had to write it down and show my mum if i was normal, she then said she knew everything all along but couldn’t get a diagnosis, I didn’t even know u could have adhd as a adult, until my mum showed me some things on Internet, and then everything makes sense, every single thing I have read applies to me.. Positive n negative, went doctors and they have referred me to specialist, which just confirms what I already knew, well after lots of research, and I am a professional boxer and personal trainer, and I am so good at both as only things I’m interested in, but always ended up messing up and going on self destruct mode, good blog!
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Reblogged this on Get NutMegged ADHD and commented:
Because I need a friendly reminder of why I started this ADHD themed blog in the first place, I’m reblogging my very first post. I guess I also need the friendly reminder about the 5 positive traits of ADHD adults, too.
Once again, it seems I’ve found myself successfully forcing my ADHD brain into “normal” society to survive. While I do it successfully, I’m not exactly happy.
I need to remind myself that just because I can seemingly fit in, forcing myself into a mold that isn’t mine drains me of my actual self and takes away from the person I really am.
I believe there’s a place where I can both thrive and be happy. I need to work on finding that place.
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Hi I really enjoyed your post. My son has ADHD. It led to him dropping out of school and take up gaming. He’s very good at it. But the incomplete education is very worrying for me as a parent. He’s a computer nut completely self taught. So it’s time society stopped staiitjacketting people who have ADHD.
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Thank you so much for reading and commenting! We all take different paths in life and while a traditional education can sometimes make it easier in the traditional career world, an incomplete one isn’t necessarily definitive of failure. In today’s world, having technological inclinations is definitely a good thing and the ability to self teach is even better. The possibilities really are endless. I think the most important thing is to do what you love. Many people don’t know what it is that they love, so he already has that going for him, too. Plus, it sounds like he has at least one super supportive and understanding parent, so that’s awesome, too. I believe he’ll get there. Sure, it will be on his own time, but it is that way for everyone. Thanks again for the kind words and best of luck to your son!
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