unohoncho
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Inattentive Clown waiting for an ECG and blood tests
Posts: 70
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Post by unohoncho on Jul 30, 2014 9:50:18 GMT
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Post by grumpy on Jul 30, 2014 11:28:02 GMT
Benefits I think my ADHD has helped me in are
Judo ( at a young age how fast I went in a short time )
Driving cars ( not just being a safe road driver ) driving / handling high performance cars
Bodybuilding ( needed some sort of fitness and this just clkicked )
History ( I know so much about history from the burst of Jesus , Romans , history of USA , all kings and qweens , ww2 , guy Fawkes etc.. Etc.. Anything to do with history I seem to know) I did no it realise this until it was pointed out to me must be something I just focus on when I see things on it.
When I was diagnosed as a child I was told ADHD will grow out of me mum was told to watch sugar and e numbers. By my late teens family members thought I was just off my head and had problems due to drugs and drinking ( not a problem with them judst done them )
But the things above are the things I have been passionate about mosdt my life ( body building replaced judo in adulthood )
I did doubt my driving when I was diagnosed late last year as you read up all the time about ADHD risk takers and bad driving as I was still except in the ADHD ( e in tho I new I had it as a child if that makes sense )
But when I spoke to my pysch about my driving they stated that it was just something I loved and helped me focus luck would not of ghot me that far or helped me handle cars for so long and over 12 Years on the road not a single speeding point ( touch wood ) and 12 years no claims.
But yes the things about in how far I went in such a short time I believed ADHD helped but that's not coming from me its people who pointed them out to me saying
" how does he know that " he has come so far so quick in starting that how's that " I never thought he would stick at something but this has clicked " its nice to see him so into something at last"
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2014 11:34:54 GMT
Does anyone truly feel they are gifted with ADHD, even in part ? Nope! Pre DX, I realised I was different which made me think I was "special" so engendered arrogance. I look back at some of the more impulsive things I've done and think, "what a tw**". But DX has allowed me to accept my defunct frontal lobe system. But gifted? Not a chance. I look at the whole picture of ADHD/ADD or some future diagnosis that will eventually and inevitably alter the current theories on the condition. ADHD is a sum of its constituent parts and for me that's always going to end up being a hindrance on the balance of outcomes.
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unohoncho
Member's posted somewhat
Inattentive Clown waiting for an ECG and blood tests
Posts: 70
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Post by unohoncho on Jul 30, 2014 12:07:07 GMT
I am good at anticipation, be better if it was precognition of course but that I think is about the only positive I can claim. Other than that I've had short-lived fads/interests all my life, never being able to commit or stick to anything long term - Good to see you have some positives though
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Post by grumpy on Jul 30, 2014 12:44:51 GMT
With the impulsive side of things that's what got me worried that I was not as good as I belived ( driving ) maybe I was a risk taker. But then my partner and pysch pointed out my impulsive side of things was more in other ways such as , I and people around always thought I was good a making money or thinking outside the box where I would invest money in crazy ideas and when I got lucky as they worked it become away of life.
But I realise it was impulsive now not just that side oif things but others things aswel talking , acting etc..
For me I never went looking for a ADHD diagnosis as I did not no it went into adult hood it was more my life come to a stop ( it didn't but it felt like it ) as just felt trapped , bored , and nothing todo. My handling stress and prescher and most of all focus started to hit home and I started to understand my racing thoughts was not a good thing , this turned to anxiety.
After reading up I believed everyone with ADHD has good things about them and something they are good at whether you know it or not or have found it or not. KEEP LOOKING IT WILL COME !
I found since finding out I have it now ( even tho I had it as a child ) I put myself down and blame things on it. Then I look back its not been all bad and the future is even brighter now.
The reason I started meds was simple for my family ! They put up me my ways for so long it must of been hard. But since starting meds I see they benefit me more then I thought I'm still just as good at the things I was good at ! But also better at the things I was not ie. Focus , claiming , thinking before I act ( impulsive ) , racing thoughts are more under control.
I'm no better at things that I was good at which to me proves that I must of been good at them and ADHD helped me as I hyper focus on things I found I loved.
I look at untreated ADHD as just holding me back in things I did not think I wanted to do but I find treated ADHD helps you understand many things and take other things in to account and understand more.
Being good at something dose not have to be being rich or world best at something like sport etc..
It just could be something like cooking , gardening , drawing etc...something that when you do it you become hyper focus when your hyper focused it can lead to other problems ( not knowing when to stop etc.. ) but if you work with the things your hyper focused on I believe they are the things your good at and could be the best at !
Just my way of thinking if course and each person is different
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donnie
Member's not posted much yet
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Post by donnie on Jul 30, 2014 12:54:47 GMT
I love that I think about things differently to most people. It was rubbish at school because everything was based around thinking in the "normal" way but now it's a good thing! I always see things differently to my colleagues. Sense of humour is quite often linked to ADD and I'm glad to be regarded as funny inspite of it porobably developing from a defense tactic when I was younger. Also something I owe to ADD is being good at cleaning windows. Getting distracted at school and work by the windowcleaner subconsiously tought me that skill.
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Post by shapes on Jul 30, 2014 17:05:50 GMT
I thought we got a free car and a mansion from the government? Did the Daily Mail lie?
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Post by GeorgeF on Jul 30, 2014 19:03:23 GMT
Do you think it's coincidence we're all 'a bit clever'?
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Post by fuzzywuzzy on Jul 30, 2014 21:30:15 GMT
If the rabble on here are anything to go by, I'd say a 'bit clever' was very apt, if we're representative, that is.... But if that anecdotal evidence is too flimsy....the paediatrician that my daughter had to see at the hospital, as part of the Statementing process, I.e. He gets to see literally hundreds of children, with all different ailments, said... " All the ADHD kids we see are super bright"And, finally, as I've posted before, by the age of 30, over 30% of ADHDers set up their own business.... much higher than the rate for the general population....and that's not just cos we's not good at taking orders....it's because our ability to think outside the box allows us to come up with the entrepreneurial ideas....and we've got the oompf or drive to do it... (I know all the negatives, of course, before I get shot down, it's just that this thread is looking for benefits)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2014 22:30:36 GMT
I thought we got a free car and a mansion from the government? Did the Daily Mail lie? A most excellent post. I actually laughed out loud (and woke the dog up).
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Post by .... on Jul 30, 2014 22:48:19 GMT
Most people with ADHD are pretty smart, all the not-so-smart ADHDers were: Eaten by dinosaurs at an early age Killed after climbing really interesting looking volcanoes Fell from really tall trees Were the first of their tribe to get poisoned by odd berries and mushrooms And were generally killed before 'elf and safety was invented All the ADHDer's in existence today, are the best of the gene pool
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Post by resprayedmonger on Jul 31, 2014 0:13:11 GMT
Benefits to ADHD ? Whats the alternative (if we could have a choice) I know i wouldn't want to be a generic NT. On the whole they are dull and boring, they herd together like sheep have boring interests which is usually telly and go on about people being rude. I have lead a bull in a china shop life and the older i get the worse it seems to get. It is not that i refuse to settle down it is that i simply can't settle down; there is far to much to do. The difficulty is trying to fit in with the norm but apart from that i wouldn't want to be dumbed down. At the end of the day people take drugs to get the energy we have so i am happy to stay the same as i am
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Post by supine on Jul 31, 2014 8:49:10 GMT
On the point of being clever and ADHD, I have it on good authority that the prisons are full of people with ADHD who are not blessed with an above average intelligence. Think of ADHD as a multiplier. If you are clever, you are really clever (but impulsive and prone to self destructive behavior), but if you are a bit slow, you are really slow and also prone to self-destructive behavior. If you are lucky and you are one of the clever ones, you stand a chance of becoming aware enough to work around some of the limitations of ADHD. In addition to raw intelligence, mental stability based on family environment (being a son of a bi-polar mother for example can wreak havoc on your development as a child) plays a big factor, as does general attitude towards life (i.e. are you naturally predisposed to believe negative comments from strangers and ignore praise from people you trust, or are you happy to go your own way and sod everyone else ) Being ADHD generally means we pass through many states of mind, some positive, some negative. In any given situation the results can be either be really negative, a bit negative, neutral, a bit positive or really positive. If you can find some way of eliminating the really negative as much as possible, it's amazing how much of a difference it makes to your overall well-being and state of mind. The meds I am on have really helped reduce the really negative things (in terms of frequency) so although they do still happen, I generally still make progress overall and that improves my state of mind, which in turn helps to reduce the really negative outcomes. This is the power behind positive thinking I believe, ymmv
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Post by carly31 on Jul 31, 2014 10:35:42 GMT
You know, it's funny you should mention this. I had a follow up adhd appt yesterday and I left there feeling so happy that I cried a few times on the way home. I really wanted to tell all my friends but I thought they might think I'm being arrogant by telling them that my specialist told me that I'm better than okay and that Id be an asset to any team. there's nothing wrong with me just because I have ADHD, in fact he said it's people with ADHD that change things, we're an asset to the team if we can learn to harness the energy (what with being in an understanding work environment etc) He said that ADHD doesn't always have to be pathological. He said he often sees people with hyperactivity excel at their treatment because it's new and they hyperfocus to understand every last detail to gain insight and suddenly there's all these things we can do to help us not be so forgetful and disorganised. I know I have difficulties and that's why I wanted a diagnosis, so I could get reasonable adjustments under the equalities act. I never imagined that the mental health service would diagnose me in such a positive way, maybe I'v just been lucky here. Given the life I've had I am surprised I'm still alive, but I am and I'm actually thriving. He reckons it's the ADHD that's kept me alive, it keeps me moving forwards, forward in life, forward in healing, just generally moving forward in a range of different annoying paces! I would recommend therapy. It is very good for the emotional trauma we face when growing up. These experiences are the building blocks of our identity and quite frankly, they're a load of bollocks because they are somebody else's views of us, their value judgement, they're not who we are and the quicker you can smash them out of the way the quicker you can put your own blocks back into place and be who you really are. I noticed that there are lots of knowledgeable people on this forum to!
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Post by fuzzywuzzy on Jul 31, 2014 14:50:25 GMT
Yes, I'm quite sure untold number of prisoners have ADHD, largely unknowingly, and of course, untreated, but not so clever? I'm not so sure..... That same paediatrician that told me that all the ADHD kids they see are super bright, also told me that they're failing in all aspects of life, but that once they get treatment, of all different types, " they fly"
I'm guessing most of those in prison just got caged before anyone knew they had the potential to fly My uncle was one of them......went to prison 3 times...... went on, eventually, to be a multimillionaire
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Mike1986
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Post by Mike1986 on Aug 1, 2014 8:49:17 GMT
Warning: I apologise if repeating something that has been said before that I have missed... I also warn that this gets quite negative. I will not be offended if you decide not to read it :-)
I am sure there are benefits to my ADHD but creating the environment to capitalise on these is the hard part.
I think the OP was referring to the 90% of people saying ADHD is a blessing as well as a curse are referring to the hyper side... Where as some of us just don't get that. I have not experience hyper focus and I do not have lots of energy and my episodes of fast switching between different interests usually consists of walking from room to room in my house, not knowing what to do first, then I will spend ages looking for the perfect fit screwdriver for my project... then go out to by the perfect screw... then not get the perfect screw but go to three different shops, buy things I don't need for three different projects I haven't started... then I will run out of steam, sit with my laptop and spend the next couple of hours rearranging my bookmarks with five different online tools and services, so that I can find and read the most helpful articles or watch the most inspiring TED talks or study maths with the Khan academy... but still do none of those things...
Rather than bouncing from one thing to another because they interest or distract me; I am falling away from things because they do not interest me. Rather than it being bright and alive and inspired, I feel like I am falling down a well, hitting my head on the sides, spiralling down and down until I reach the inevitable rock bottom of porn, just to give me that dopamine boost that will get me off the sofa just in time for my partner to get home and leaves me with the realisation that I have:
-Achieved nothing -Wasted time -Wasted energy -Wasted fuel -Wasted sexual arousal
and will end up neglecting my housework, neglecting my future, neglecting my partner and generally feeling like a failure.
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unohoncho
Member's posted somewhat
Inattentive Clown waiting for an ECG and blood tests
Posts: 70
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Post by unohoncho on Aug 1, 2014 9:25:54 GMT
I think I may be able to reap some alleged benefits once I've had my assessment and hopefully can start to make headway into leading a somewhat normal'ish kind of life, I certainly relate to what you say Mike1986 about wandering from room to room... I'm my worst enemy when I'm unsupervised
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Post by blaze on Aug 5, 2014 14:27:24 GMT
Re benefits, i think im a bit bloody mindedly focused on the benefits.
I tried reading the link the otherday but had to cry after 'energy' (im almost allway cronicly tired from working so hard to manange my adhd & as adhd has high links to cfs i think energy is a stupidly hurtful one)
I like my nd brain, while my iq plain is v up and down (verbal off the chart and performance average) overall i have a guenus level iq and was a member of junior mensa as a kid. I find im a creative person, creative problem solver, out of the box thinker, i am highly intuative and a natural empath and have high emotional intelligence, i connect well to people, communicate alot of compassion, these strengths are generaly assosiated w adhd adults and all things that have been great benefit to work and help alot as a parent/partner/friend.
I think i stubornly cling to the positives because otherwise the negatives seem to big. Its often hard to explain the negatives in a way that other can understand, i can do everything 'normal' people can, its jst that it takes me 100 tines the effort and thats devastatingly exhausting and means every single thing is an uphill battle, even the supposed fun stuff if i ever time for it is still so much energy its work.
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