ADHD

For the last couple of years I have thought my son has ADHD but it didn't really seem bad enough to start researching until this past year. Once I started researching it I had a start realization that much of what it said also described me. In a way, it was a reassuring diagnosis; like, I'm not just a crazy person. And all those times that I've had foot in the mouth moments or was constantly late or constantly unorganized or constantly talking or constantly not finishing projects I started... and on and on... had a reason, and it wasn't because I was weak or unmotivated. That was reassuring. But along with that came overwhelming feelings of frustration. All of a sudden I noticed every little ADD thing that I did and felt like it was wrong or bad and that I needed to not do it. To add to that, I was just tired of having another label to add to "what's wrong with me". So, I started delving into research. I read articles, books, facebook posts for women with adhd, and anything I could and can (still am) get my hands on. Not only was I trying to figure out my ADD/ADHD, I was also trying to figure out how to help my son who constantly forgot his homework, couldn't stay organized at all, was struggling to finish assignments at school and had a hard time sleeping at night. Now, I say this in the past tense. However, I'm still trying to figure those things out to help both him and me.

Living with ADHD has made it hard sometimes to "live yellow". It's hard to be consistent. It's hard to be organized and follow through on goals. It's hard to muddle through the million thoughts a second. The best thing I have going for me is that I don't give up. I keep trying. Each day is a new chance to make and accomplish goals. And the more research I do the more I learn about how to successfully live with ADHD and how to identify and use my unique strengths that come from having ADHD. So, I thought I'd share some of my favorite resources on ADHD!

Online Resources:

ADDitude Magazine: Strategies and support for ADHD and LD
http://www.additudemag.com/

CHADD: Children and adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
http://www.chadd.org/

Books:

Queen of Distraction
Terry Matlen

Healing ADD
Daniel Amen

ADD in Intimate Relationships
Daniel Amen

Overhaul

Do you ever get to the point in your life where you realize you need a significant overhaul? Not just a minor adjustment. I mean, a complete 180. I think at some points in our lives we outgrow our former selves and we find that who we always thought we were isn't who we actually want to be. Sometimes we try to make minor changes but nothing seems to take away the uncomfortable-in-your-own-skin feeling. You know, dogs shed a winter coat several (if not quite a lot of) hairs at a time, but snakes usually just shed their skin in one fell swoop. Wouldn't that be nice? Just completely slough off the bad and start fresh. One of the problems for me, though, is that a lot of times I don't know what it is supposed to look like under that old skin. And I have to know that before jumping in. What am I going to turn into? Do I even know what I want to be afterwards? Does that hold us back? I want to control everything and I want to know what the steps ahead of me look like before I get there. But that's not usually how it works, is it? It usually requires a leap of faith. So I guess we just need to be brave enough to venture out into the unknown. One of my favorite quotes is, "Life isn't about finding yourself, it's about creating yourself". We can paint the pictures and we can write the stories. Sometimes that means forging forward and sometimes that means turning around, making a complete 180 and walking the other way. To be the writer of your own story is to live yellow.