what holds you back as a person?

[cacian]

I often think we are creatures of habits and won't experience other stuff/emotions because of the very complex feelings that hold us back.
One my many other things that use to hold me back quite a lot
is shyness.
I use to be a terrible shy.
I still am but not as much as I use to.

How about you?

[BookBeauty]

Adult ADHD, passive type. Unfortunately, it often seems to be an excuse, but I feel it as a very real, personal struggle.

It's very difficult for me to be focused on a task for a long period of time. I have found this to be my greatest weakness, and greatest challenge. It is difficult to see a bright side to my lack of focus. Sometimes I wish it were as easy as taking a pill, so that I function as I should. Because sometimes I just feel as if I'm in a fog, and I can't make sense of anything. So often I've heard of adults with ADHD taking medication, and feeling as if the fog clears, and they function as a normal human being. The only downside being that they depend on the medication to function as a normal human being, and otherwise they're just out of it.

It's terrible, because inside, I know that I'm not a lazy person. I just forget things, and my thoughts are disorganized, and I go off-topic when I shouldn't.

I will also have obsessive fixations on harmless topics. I'll go from writing, to drawing, to cooking, to who knows what. But I can never stay disciplined and master one thing. I have always envied those who could, and wished very much that I could someday master a skill completely.

Another side of this is a tendency towards impulsiveness. It's not so extreme in my case, but there are little things. It's almost guaranteed that I live by the standard: ''It's better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission.'' And I don't like that. I go back on what I say a lot of times because of this. Luckily, they are trivial matters, but still cause for annoyance.

The biggest issue with adult ADHD, for me at least, is the feeling that I lack willpower. People will tell me, ''Oh, you just have to do it. It's so simple, and easy. Just do it right.'' It's not so easy.

[JuniperWoolf]

Money (or lack thereof).

[V.Darkbloom]

Seat belts.

[Alexander III]

Money (or lack thereof).

Same, I have a long time to wait for any inheritance and in the meanwhile I have a very limited yearly allowance from my parents. I think money is the problem which holds everyone back from living the life they dream, and so must settle for a life they find tolerable.

[Darcy88]

Adult ADHD, passive type. Unfortunately, it often seems to be an excuse, but I feel it as a very real, personal struggle.

It's very difficult for me to be focused on a task for a long period of time. I have found this to be my greatest weakness, and greatest challenge. It is difficult to see a bright side to my lack of focus. Sometimes I wish it were as easy as taking a pill, so that I function as I should. Because sometimes I just feel as if I'm in a fog, and I can't make sense of anything. So often I've heard of adults with ADHD taking medication, and feeling as if the fog clears, and they function as a normal human being. The only downside being that they depend on the medication to function as a normal human being, and otherwise they're just out of it.

It's terrible, because inside, I know that I'm not a lazy person. I just forget things, and my thoughts are disorganized, and I go off-topic when I shouldn't.

I will also have obsessive fixations on harmless topics. I'll go from writing, to drawing, to cooking, to who knows what. But I can never stay disciplined and master one thing. I have always envied those who could, and wished very much that I could someday master a skill completely.

Another side of this is a tendency towards impulsiveness. It's not so extreme in my case, but there are little things. It's almost guaranteed that I live by the standard: ''It's better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission.'' And I don't like that. I go back on what I say a lot of times because of this. Luckily, they are trivial matters, but still cause for annoyance.

The biggest issue with adult ADHD, for me at least, is the feeling that I lack willpower. People will tell me, ''Oh, you just have to do it. It's so simple, and easy. Just do it right.'' It's not so easy.

I have that too. I find that exercise helps a lot. In adhd part of the brain is less active during mundane tasks or situations where concentration is needed. Exercise and also meditation increase activity in that part of the brain.

Doesn't it suck though? I often feel lazy, socially inept, and just plain retarded. Sometimes it really acts up and I have trouble performing basic tasks. I forget things all the time, small things I have to do, or I leave things behind in stores or on the bus. Impatience is a real killer for me, as is boredom. And the problems caused by the adhd significantly contribute to my depression.

The good thing though is that unmedicated adhd kind of forces you to live life the way it is supposed to be lived. It means I must exercise, I must simplify my life, I must focus on things that really interest me, and I have to plan and schedule things well in advance which keeps me on track better than a lot of normal people.

[JuniperWoolf]

*sigh* Alright, if we're going to get all serious and talk about genuine mind traps, I have a problem with idea obsession. It's like OCD, but without the "C" because it doesn't manifest itself in repetitive behaviour. My brain latches on to an idea, and especially if it's an idea that freaks me out I can't get rid of it, I just can't stop thinking about it. I'm usally fine, just a bit distracted on days when I've got some particular thought snagged in my brain, but sometimes the idea makes me so anxious that I get horribly depressed and then I can't do much. I've found that over time if I just let my brain do what it wants and just be fixated, if I work the idea over and over and over and try to solve it (instead trying to resist and thinking "stop, this is irrational, think about something else"), I eventually get less anxious over time. Sometimes that takes months though, and twice I ended up in the hospital because I couldn't eat or sleep.

[BienvenuJDC]

Adult ADHD, passive type. Unfortunately, it often seems to be an excuse, but I feel it as a very real, personal struggle.

It's very difficult for me to be focused on a task for a long period of time. I have found this to be my greatest weakness, and greatest challenge. It is difficult to see a bright side to my lack of focus. Sometimes I wish it were as easy as taking a pill, so that I function as I should. Because sometimes I just feel as if I'm in a fog, and I can't make sense of anything. So often I've heard of adults with ADHD taking medication, and feeling as if the fog clears, and they function as a normal human being. The only downside being that they depend on the medication to function as a normal human being, and otherwise they're just out of it.

It's terrible, because inside, I know that I'm not a lazy person. I just forget things, and my thoughts are disorganized, and I go off-topic when I shouldn't.

I will also have obsessive fixations on harmless topics. I'll go from writing, to drawing, to cooking, to who knows what. But I can never stay disciplined and master one thing. I have always envied those who could, and wished very much that I could someday master a skill completely.

Another side of this is a tendency towards impulsiveness. It's not so extreme in my case, but there are little things. It's almost guaranteed that I live by the standard: ''It's better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission.'' And I don't like that. I go back on what I say a lot of times because of this. Luckily, they are trivial matters, but still cause for annoyance.

The biggest issue with adult ADHD, for me at least, is the feeling that I lack willpower. People will tell me, ''Oh, you just have to do it. It's so simple, and easy. Just do it right.'' It's not so easy.

I understand this completely. I share in this impediment as well. I've taken medications that do help, but they only help marginally. I think that stress leads to the distractions. I've been stressed with my separation/divorce, loss of my mother, unemployment, financial issues, etc. Seems that I'm in a Catch 22. I feel that I'm very creative and talented, but the fog keeps me from accomplishing what I need to.

Just do it? Yeah....right! Encouragement from others helps, sometimes motivation from certain kinds of movies. Let me know if I can ever be a source of encouragement and/or motivation.



I have that too. I find that exercise helps a lot. In adhd part of the brain is less active during mundane tasks or situations where concentration is needed. Exercise and also meditation increase activity in that part of the brain.

Doesn't it suck though? I often feel lazy, socially inept, and just plain retarded. Sometimes it really acts up and I have trouble performing basic tasks. I forget things all the time, small things I have to do, or I leave things behind in stores or on the bus. Impatience is a real killer for me, as is boredom. And the problems caused by the adhd significantly contribute to my depression.

The good thing though is that unmedicated adhd kind of forces you to live life the way it is supposed to be lived. It means I must exercise, I must simplify my life, I must focus on things that really interest me, and I have to plan and schedule things well in advance which keeps me on track better than a lot of normal people.

Wow...you too? Maybe we should start a group where we can share those things that we want to accomplish. Then we can encourage each other to do so...who knows if that would work.

[Darcy88]

*sigh* Alright, if we're going to get all serious and talk about genuine mind traps, I have a problem with idea obsession. It's like OCD, but without the "C" because it doesn't manifest itself in repetitive behaviour. My brain latches on to an idea, and especially if it's an idea that freaks me out I can't get rid of it, I just can't stop thinking about it. I'm usally okay, just a bit distracted if I've got some particular thought snagged in my mind, but sometimes the idea makes me so anxious that I get horribly depressed and then I can't do much. I've found that over time if I just let my brain do what it wants and just be fixated, if I work the idea over and over and over and try to solve the problem (instead trying to resist and thinking "stop, this is irrational, think about something else"), I eventually get less anxious over time. Sometimes that takes months though, and twice I ended up in the hospital because I couldn't eat or sleep.

Its freaking scary how much you remind me of a really close friend of mine. You two share practically the same personality and she has this problem too. You even look like her. She won't take any advice I give her but I'm pretty sure meditation, a mere 20 minutes a day, could potentially be of much assistance in ridding yourself of this complaint. Meditation helps relax and focus your mind, giving you power over your thoughts. When I do it I am overall a happier, better functioning person. Just thought I'd throw it out there.



Wow...you too? Maybe we should start a group where we can share those things that we want to accomplish. Then we can encourage each other to do so...who knows if that would work.

People with adhd often have self-esteem issues and many regard themselves as "freaks." Realizing that there are many smart and happy and successful people out there who suffer the same malady can be a real confidence booster.

[BookBeauty]

I have that too. I find that exercise helps a lot. In adhd part of the brain is less active during mundane tasks or situations where concentration is needed. Exercise and also meditation increase activity in that part of the brain.

Doesn't it suck though? I often feel lazy, socially inept, and just plain retarded. Sometimes it really acts up and I have trouble performing basic tasks. I forget things all the time, small things I have to do, or I leave things behind in stores or on the bus. Impatience is a real killer for me, as is boredom. And the problems caused by the adhd significantly contribute to my depression.

The good thing though is that unmedicated adhd kind of forces you to live life the way it is supposed to be lived. It means I must exercise, I must simplify my life, I must focus on things that really interest me, and I have to plan and schedule things well in advance which keeps me on track better than a lot of normal people.

So true!

Yes, regular exercise is a big help. Also, I drink good quality teas imported from China, and I went through meditation.

One of the greatest types of meditation I've found, you go about your day with it. Realizing every thought, and action, and where it comes from, and questioning it. It's not often that we stop and listen to our internal dialogue.

I often feel the same. A lack of understanding social cues, feeling incompetent and not as mentally strong as others. And countless of times I've forgotten things in stores as well.

It's also true that it forces one with the disorder to make one's life healthier and fuller. And that's good for my migraines too. I very rarely get those anymore! :)



*sigh* Alright, if we're talking about genuine mind traps, I have a problem with idea obsession. It's like OCD, but without the "C." I set my brain on something, and especially if it's an idea that freaks me out I can't get rid of it, I just can't stop thinking about it. It's happened a few times now where the idea makes me so anxious that I get horribly depressed, and then I can't do much. I've found that over time if I just let my brain do what it wants and just be fixated, if I work the idea over and over and over (instead of resisting and thinking "this is irrational, stop, think about something else"), I eventually get less anxious over time and I don't think about it as often. Sometimes that takes months though.


An idea that freaks you out? Like scares you?

Usually I get that Obsessive disorder thing with things that interest me, for short bursts. Like a month at most... I wish I could keep that kind of focus for longer, so I could make something of it.

[BookBeauty]

I understand this completely. I share in this impediment as well. I've taken medications that do help, but they only help marginally. I think that stress leads to the distractions. I've been stressed with my separation/divorce, loss of my mother, unemployment, financial issues, etc. Seems that I'm in a Catch 22. I feel that I'm very creative and talented, but the fog keeps me from accomplishing what I need to.

Just do it? Yeah....right! Encouragement from others helps, sometimes motivation from certain kinds of movies. Let me know if I can ever be a source of encouragement and/or motivation.




Wow...you too? Maybe we should start a group where we can share those things that we want to accomplish. Then we can encourage each other to do so...who knows if that would work.

It's encouraging to know that other people are going through the same things. :) I just hope we all get it together in our own ways.

[Helga]

people hold me back, the fact that the world is filled with them. The fact that I need to have contact with them, that I need to talk to them. also a bit of the OCD thing, I need to walk on the same side of the street and say a few things before leaving the house and count the bus stops, things like that. I also tend to talk to myself.

[JuniperWoolf]

Its freaking scary how much you remind me of a really close friend of mine.

:yesnod: You have good taste in friends.


Meditation helps relax and focus your mind, giving you power over your thoughts. When I do it I am overall a happier, better functioning person. Just thought I'd throw it out there.

It would probably help sublimate away some of the anxiety (if I even could meditate, I'm not sure I'd be able to), but I know I would only try if I got desperate enough. Usually I'm okay with it now that I've learned to just let the process happen and I've stopped struggling against it, it hurts but it feels like progress when I eventually figure my obsession out and learn to deal with it head-on.


An idea that freaks you out? Like scares you?


"Disturbs" would probably be a better word. Once it was the fact that humans do such terrible things, and if I'm human and all humans are simply vehicles for their genes, does that mean that I'm terrible? My genes have existed, with variation, since the dawn of man. They've created people who have done very bad things. That must mean that under certain situations I have the capacity to enact great horrors. We ALL must. And it went on, and on, and on, interspersed with vivid, pervasive images of humans commiting gross acts (apparently the flashed images are a very telling symptom of "pure-O" OCD). I was about sixteen.

Another time it was the fact that all flesh will eventually rot. It doesn't matter how strong I make myself, I'll liquify and be soup eventually. What if I'm still in my body when it happens? I can't prove I won't be, I've been in my body for as long as I can remember, what if I don't leave it and I have to be there when it rots? Maybe I should burn it. Well, won't that be equally unpleasant? What would it be like to be ashes? God, that would mean that Richie was stuck in his body when it putrified. This whole process was a horrible time, I was about 21 and it put me in the hospital. Of course, all throughout were the random, pervasive images of myself and the people I love rotting and mangled, several times an hour. This was the manifestation of my fear of death, and I got over it by getting so depressed that I started to view death as a welcome release, at which point I though "hey, wait a minute-" I eventually came to see the value in death, not only as a release but in several ways that would take a long time to describe, and now I believe I'm one of the rare few that isn't afraid of it. I had to get to that point, because the obsession wasn't going away - I could ironically either get over my fear of death, or die.

But like I said, it's only the disturbing thoughts that last for weeks and months, the things that really get to me. I get obsessed about little things too, ideas and situations that don't stir as many tumultuous emotions. That usually just lasts a day or two.

[BookBeauty]

:yesnod: You have good taste in friends.



It would probably help sublimate away some of the anxiety (if I even could meditate, I'm not sure I could), but I know I would only try if I got desperate enough. Usually I'm okay with it now that I've learned to just let the process happen and I've stopped struggling against it, it hurts like hell but it feels like progress when I eventually figure my obsession out and learn to deal with it head-on.



"Disturbs" would probably be a better word. Once it was the fact that humans do such terrible things, and if I'm human and all humans are simply vehicles for their genes, does that mean that I'm terrible? My genes have existed, with variation, since the dawn of man. They've created people who have done very bad things. That must mean that under certain situations I have the capacity to enact great horrors. We ALL must. And it went on, and on, and on, interspersed with vivid, pervasive images of humans commiting gross acts (apparently the flashed images are a very telling symptom of "pure-O" OCD). I was about sixteen.

Another time it was the fact that all flesh will eventually rot. It doesn't matter how strong I make myself, I'll liquify and be soup eventually. What if I'm still in my body when it happens? I can't prove I won't be, I've been in my body for as long as I can remember, what if I don't leave it and I have to be there when it rots? Maybe I should burn it. Well, won't that be equally unpleasant? What would it be like to be ashes? God, that would mean that Richie was stuck in his body when it putrified. This whole process was a horrible time, I was about 21 and it put me in the hospital. Of course, all throughout were the random, pervasive images of myself and the people I love rotting and mangled, several times an hour. This was the manifestation of my fear of death, and I got over it by getting so depressed that I started to view death as a welcome release, at which point I though "hey, wait a minute-" I eventually came to see the value in death, not only as a release but in several ways that would take a long time to describe, and now I believe I'm one of the rare few that isn't afraid of it. I had to get to that point, because the obsession wasn't going away - I could ironically either get over my fear of death, or die.

But like I said, it's only the disturbing thoughts that last for weeks and months, the things that really get to me. I get obsessed about little things too, ideas and situations that don't stir as many tumultuous emotions. That usually just lasts a day or two.

Wow, I've never heard of this happening to anyone that I've ever known. You're unique!

I've had thoughts about humanity's capacity for cruelty, particularly lately. I do get fixated on these things, but they frustrate me, and anger me, because I feel I can't do anything about them. I realized from a young age, through rejection and an understanding of social groups, that I have a capacity for cruelty, because in order to be accepted into the group, I knew that perhaps I would tease others as well.

We show integrity by not exercising it. :D

I came to promise myself never to make others feel the way that I had felt.

The beauty of death and decay! Almost poetic. That's what makes gothic culture so intriguing.

Very few actually practice said art with that in mind, however. Most just slap on some pale makeup, dye their hair black and wear chains.

Well done for getting over the fear of death! Something that I admittedly haven't quite surpassed. I see myself accepting it with resignation when I'm faced with it, but the idea still causes panic.

[JuniperWoolf]

Wow, I've never heard of this happening to anyone that I've ever known. You're unique!

Nah. I'd never heard of it, but according to my doctor, some therapist who works at the hospital and the for-realzies psychologist who talked to me on a teleprompter for all of ten minutes, I have "Purely Obsessional Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purely_Obsessional_OCD)." I'm very skeptical of psychological "disorder" distinctions though, it's a soft science. I like to think that this might just be how some brains figure out the world around them, this tendancy to latch onto a thread until it completely unravels.

[Pensive]

People, habits, money, ego, fears...

[Bluehound]

Fear of failure.
I sometimes have to talk myself into doing things because I am convinced before I start that I wil be "no good at it".
I don't drive and I hate the idea of any kind of test or interview, I am not socially stunted by it because I wont let myself be, but I know it could be a slippery slope to becoming a recluse or something.

[Buh4Bee]

Anxiety. If I had no anxiety, my life would be so much easier. Instead, I hear this little worried voice in the background whispering that gets me all worked up. I try to tame it, but it often lashes back. LOL! But on the brighter side, it doesn't stop me from doing what I need to do. It just keeps me from participating in a fuller social life.

[BienvenuJDC]

That yellow caution tape usually...

[Buh4Bee]

Oh yeah, that definitely sets off the anxiety as well as the actual physical yellow tap- holding me back.

[BienvenuJDC]

Or even a Girdle?

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

Being disabled.

As to the not being able to focus, or having "ADHD," isn't that just being human? Most everyone has trouble concentrating on anything for more than a few minutes at a time, I think. Some nights I can't focus on what I'm reading at all and have to keep rereading the same page over and over. Sometimes when I need to write a paper I keep coming her or going to Facebook instead. Sometimes when I'm driving home I pass up the exit I take every single time. If I don't write down what I'm supposed to do later (if it's outside of my routine), 95% of the time I forget it. Once I threw my wallet in the trash, and once I attempted to back out of the garage before the door was up. I don't think I have ADHD, though. It's just normal. Humans lose focus. I think, today especially, we're to quick to label ourselves with some sort of mental dysfunction. I haven't read anything hear that sounds like something serious (except for Juniper--no offense mean, Juniper; I actually went through something very similar for a time in high school).

[OrphanPip]

Mental illness always scares me though, because I look at my mother's substantial problems and I worry any time I see a reflection of her behaviour in my own.

[JuniperWoolf]

As to the not being able to focus, or having "ADHD," isn't that just being human? Most everyone has trouble concentrating on anything for more than a few minutes at a time, I think. Some nights I can't focus on what I'm reading at all and have to keep rereading the same page over and over. Sometimes when I need to write a paper I keep coming her or going to Facebook instead. Sometimes when I'm driving home I pass up the exit I take every single time. If I don't write down what I'm supposed to do later (if it's outside of my routine), 95% of the time I forget it. Once I threw my wallet in the trash, and once I attempted to back out of the garage before the door was up. I don't think I have ADHD, though. It's just normal. Humans lose focus. I think, today especially, we're to quick to label ourselves with some sort of mental dysfunction. I haven't read anything hear that sounds like something serious (except for Juniper--no offense mean, Juniper; I actually went through something very similar for a time in high school).

Heh, yeah. Everything that you've said is true, "disorders" are overdiagnosed. I've said before, the big book of psychiatric disorders (DSM-IV) is one of the biggest books you'll ever see. You could fit practically everyone under several classifications, and it just keeps getting bigger and bigger with every new edition. The classifications themselves are by no means undisputed. Diagnostic psychology is a bit of a joke (although of course that doesn't mean that significantly debilitating psychological problems don't exist, everyone who's ever met someone who could be described as schizophrenic knows that).

For myself, while I am incapacitated sometimes, I think that as a result of having a brain that "gets stuck," I'm somewhat emotionally stronger than the average person (eg. social situations never cause me anxiety). People often confuse it with bravery (or rashness), but in actuality it's because I don't have anything to be afraid of - I've had much scarier and deeper experiences than... what? Temporary social disapproval? I'm also pretty sure that my ability to study so excessively without getting bored is related to my little deviation in brain functioning. If it makes me stronger, then how can it be a "disorder?" Maybe this is just how some people are godammit, I guess it's "rare," but that doesn't make it wrong.


Mental illness always scares me though, because I look at my mother's substantial problems and I worry any time I see a reflection of her behaviour in my own.

My boyfriend's the same way, very worried about a late-onset psychological problem that might be encoded in his genetics. On his mom's side his grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great grandfather all commited suicide. That's a bit of an eerie track record.

[MarkBastable]

Excessive humility.

[Sancho]

Excessive humility.

Ha!

Public School Education

[BookBeauty]

Being disabled.

As to the not being able to focus, or having "ADHD," isn't that just being human? Most everyone has trouble concentrating on anything for more than a few minutes at a time, I think. Some nights I can't focus on what I'm reading at all and have to keep rereading the same page over and over. Sometimes when I need to write a paper I keep coming her or going to Facebook instead. Sometimes when I'm driving home I pass up the exit I take every single time. If I don't write down what I'm supposed to do later (if it's outside of my routine), 95% of the time I forget it. Once I threw my wallet in the trash, and once I attempted to back out of the garage before the door was up. I don't think I have ADHD, though. It's just normal. Humans lose focus. I think, today especially, we're to quick to label ourselves with some sort of mental dysfunction. I haven't read anything hear that sounds like something serious (except for Juniper--no offense mean, Juniper; I actually went through something very similar for a time in high school).

It's more than just focus.

I agree that it's over-diagnosed, but it truly is a problem for some people. I, myself, was diagnosed, but I know for certain that it wasn't a mistake in my case.

Something I hear quite often is, ''Everyone has some ADHD.''

To explain it a little better, there is clinical depression and clinical anxiety. A lot of people can be sad, even depressed. People can get anxious and incredibly nervous, and shy.

But, when it's diagnosed as a legitimate problem, these people have recurring episodes that they struggle with. It's the frequency as well as the intensity of the symptoms that show that someone has an issue.

It's very frustrating when attempting to explain this to someone-- It's often waved off as being 'normal'.

It's organization of time, lack of willpower, and impulsiveness. It's literally having to reign yourself in all the time, and you have to constantly fight with yourself to do things you don't like to do. It may sound normal, but it's not. Regular people are rewarded intrinsically to do the things they don't want to do. But, people with ADHD require immediate, external reward.

One of my favourite videos explaining ADHD is with Dr. Russell Barkley, and his subsequent videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF1YRE8ff1g

[MarkBastable]

I tend to agree with Juniper that the categorisation of differentness is sometimes is skewed by the idea of disablement. If we're to say that a certain mental condition is a disablement, the question has to be 'what is it that this way of seeing the world makes you incapable of doing?'

I'm not suggesting in any trite way that there's no 'normal' and that a paranoid schizophrenic's view of the world is as 'valid' as anyone else's. I'm saying more that the identification of some unusual (by which I mean, 'not exercised by the majority of people') perceptions and mechanisms might be better seen as just that - unusual, rather then disabling.

To use a very simple and mild example, my elder daughter is dyslexic. But it seems obvious to me that the dyslexia - the bit that's identified by the education system as a learning difficulty - is just a downside of the way in which she perceives and interprets the world, most of which, actually, is positively beneficial, or at least no less tenable than anyone else's. I can tell by the way that she describes things, remembers things, draws things, that she lives in a universe of extraordinary visual richness and depth. Her brain processes the world in ways that I can only glimpse, and her powers of concentration when she's making art give the lie to the school's idea that she has difficulty concentrating. She doesn't. Just like everyone else, she works hardest at what she likes most and feels she's good at.

I know that I too have 'odd' ways of interpreting the world. I know it because I often say things that make no sense to people around me, though I feel that what I'm suggesting is not interpretative but just intrinsic to the way in which things work. The difference between my perceptions and my daughter's is that mine had no effect at all on my ability to get the most out of conventional education (to the extent that I could be bothered to). I did what the system expected me to do, so no one ever thought to diagnose me with anything.

[Darcy88]

Being disabled.

As to the not being able to focus, or having "ADHD," isn't that just being human? Most everyone has trouble concentrating on anything for more than a few minutes at a time, I think. Some nights I can't focus on what I'm reading at all and have to keep rereading the same page over and over. Sometimes when I need to write a paper I keep coming her or going to Facebook instead. Sometimes when I'm driving home I pass up the exit I take every single time. If I don't write down what I'm supposed to do later (if it's outside of my routine), 95% of the time I forget it. Once I threw my wallet in the trash, and once I attempted to back out of the garage before the door was up. I don't think I have ADHD, though. It's just normal. Humans lose focus. I think, today especially, we're to quick to label ourselves with some sort of mental dysfunction. I haven't read anything hear that sounds like something serious (except for Juniper--no offense mean, Juniper; I actually went through something very similar for a time in high school).

You raise some sound points, but adhd can be quite "serious." I wasn't diagnosed until I was an adult. School was hell for me. I could not pay attention. I mean at all. Its always taken incredible effort for me to concentrate during conversations. I almost invariably veer off to barely related topics right in the middle. Often I'll be doing something and day-dreaming so deep I forget what I'm doing. It happens all the time. I had to consciously and through much effort teach myself basic social skills at like age 21. If I don't meticulously plan my days and weeks I wind up missing every appointment, being late for work, idling away hours and hours. It sounds normal and in a way it is, but its like normality enhanced to a pathological extreme. I often come across as childish and stupid, an idiot in the true sense of the word. People with adhd typically underachieve and I'm a perfect example of that. You don't know how many times I've been called "weird." It also has its benefits. I can hyper-focus on things that really interest me. I can be very gregarious, very energetic and playful. I am what I am, for good and for worse. Wouldn't want to be any other way.

[Darcy88]

My boyfriend's the same way, very worried about a late-onset psychological problem that might be encoded in his genetics. On his mom's side his grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great grandfather all commited suicide. That's a bit of an eerie track record.

Hey, same here. Every generation on my mom's side a man commits suicide.

[BookBeauty]

You raise some sound points, but adhd can be quite "serious." I wasn't diagnosed until I was an adult. School was hell for me. I could not pay attention. I mean at all. Its always taken incredible effort for me to concentrate during conversations. I almost invariably veer off to barely related topics right in the middle. Often I'll be doing something and day-dreaming so deep I forget what I'm doing. It happens all the time. I had to consciously and through much effort teach myself basic social skills at like age 21. If I don't meticulously plan my days and weeks I wind up missing every appointment, being late for work, idling away hours and hours. It sounds normal and in a way it is, but its like normality enhanced to a pathological extreme. I often come across as childish and stupid, an idiot in the true sense of the word. People with adhd typically underachieve and I'm a perfect example of that. You don't know how many times I've been called "weird." It also has its benefits. I can hyper-focus on things that really interest me. I can be very gregarious, very energetic and playful. I am what I am, for good and for worse. Wouldn't want to be any other way.

:iagree:

I've had very similar experiences due to my ADHD.

As I've said, it's the intensity and frequency of the symptoms that show that one has a problem, and particularly if life's duties and even leisure activities are disrupted by it.

[cacian]

Seat belts.

not in bicylces they don't have seatbetls .:biggrin5:

[cacian]

people hold me back, the fact that the world is filled with them. The fact that I need to have contact with them, that I need to talk to them. also a bit of the OCD thing, I need to walk on the same side of the street and say a few things before leaving the house and count the bus stops, things like that.
I also tend to talk to myself

I do that too.:smile5:

[cacian]

Excessive humility.

what is excessive humility?

[BienvenuJDC]

what is excessive humility?

Something that Mark doesn't have...but he does have a sense of humor (loosely defined). :D

[cacian]

Something that Mark doesn't have...but he does have a sense of humor (loosely defined). :D

I see:smile5: