Comments for Sherra.net http://sherra.net One Grand Adventure After Another Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:15:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Poor Working Memory & ADHD by Sherra http://sherra.net/2011/02/poor-working-memory-adhd/#comment-38 Sherra Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:15:14 +0000 http://sherra.net/?p=195#comment-38 Diane, I accepted the diagnosis before it was officially given! (I was diagnosed a year ago this past November. I was 36.) When my therapist asked if I had ever been tested for or diagnosed with ADHD I told him I had not and I said "What could you do if I had it anyway? You can't give ADHD meds to adults." When he gave me an odd look and said, "Yes you can," my head immediately began spinning! As soon as I got home I researched for hours. The next week when I was officially tested & diagnosed I cried when I got home. I went through a whole range of emotions all at once. <strong>Relief</strong> to finally know WHY I did all the things I thought were so weird & why I struggled with (or couldn't do at all) the tasks "everyone else" seemed to do so effortlessly. I was <strong>angry</strong> that no one had figured this out before. I was <strong>excited</strong> at the possibility I might not have to struggle as much with certain aspects of my life. I was <strong>sad</strong> at the thought of how my life COULD have turned out if I'd "known then what I know now." (I have a high IQ & excelled at many things academically, but, had been told over and over again "You could do so much better if you just applied yourself/tried harder/weren't so lazy.") As for your daughter not having the hyper-active part much anymore, I'd bet she may struggle with it more than you realize. Her "body" may not be as active, but is she a pen clicker, doodler, foot tapper, hair fidgeter? That's how most "hyper-active" ADHD kids end up as adults. I do all of the above when I don't take my meds. I even did things I didn't REALIZE I did until I found myself NOT doing them after I started taking my Adderall. When I would go out to eat I would ALWAYS play with my straw wrapper...folding it up really tiny then eventually tearing it into dozens of tiny little pieces before the food got there. I didn't even realize I was doing it at the time until I'd look down and there would be all these little pieces of paper in front of me! I haven't destroyed a single innocent straw wrapper since November 2009 when I began taking Adderall. Yes, I know certain jobs are much more suited to ADHD adults. I had very few "symptoms" when I was a corrections officer, partly because I was on such a set schedule with just about everything. And, when I was an "office worker" I got bored easily & looked for "challenging" tasks as often as possible. If the filing was "a mess" when I started working somewhere, I'd dive in and tackle "making it right" but then quickly get bored after the challenging part was over and the day-to-day upkeep of the filing started. "That form is so old and horrible looking from being repeatedly photocopied. Would you like me to create a new, fresh one?" There is NO WAY I'd be happy at all in a factory job. Too many people, even those who are "close" to someone with ADHD, don't realize how much of an impact ADHD has on basically EVERY aspect of the ADHD person's life (and therefore the family of that person). If the ADHD person was belittled ("you're just lazy", "you need to try harder", "why can't you just <insert "easy" task>") and punished for the things they truly did not even realize they were doing at the time or have much control over if they did realize it, let alone know HOW to "fix it", then often that person grows up with serious "baggage" like low self-esteem and depression. (Why do you think I was in therapy in the first place?) LOL...look at me being "brief" again...not! ;-) Diane, I accepted the diagnosis before it was officially given! (I was diagnosed a year ago this past November. I was 36.) When my therapist asked if I had ever been tested for or diagnosed with ADHD I told him I had not and I said “What could you do if I had it anyway? You can’t give ADHD meds to adults.” When he gave me an odd look and said, “Yes you can,” my head immediately began spinning! As soon as I got home I researched for hours. The next week when I was officially tested & diagnosed I cried when I got home. I went through a whole range of emotions all at once. Relief to finally know WHY I did all the things I thought were so weird & why I struggled with (or couldn’t do at all) the tasks “everyone else” seemed to do so effortlessly. I was angry that no one had figured this out before. I was excited at the possibility I might not have to struggle as much with certain aspects of my life. I was sad at the thought of how my life COULD have turned out if I’d “known then what I know now.” (I have a high IQ & excelled at many things academically, but, had been told over and over again “You could do so much better if you just applied yourself/tried harder/weren’t so lazy.”)

As for your daughter not having the hyper-active part much anymore, I’d bet she may struggle with it more than you realize. Her “body” may not be as active, but is she a pen clicker, doodler, foot tapper, hair fidgeter? That’s how most “hyper-active” ADHD kids end up as adults. I do all of the above when I don’t take my meds. I even did things I didn’t REALIZE I did until I found myself NOT doing them after I started taking my Adderall. When I would go out to eat I would ALWAYS play with my straw wrapper…folding it up really tiny then eventually tearing it into dozens of tiny little pieces before the food got there. I didn’t even realize I was doing it at the time until I’d look down and there would be all these little pieces of paper in front of me! I haven’t destroyed a single innocent straw wrapper since November 2009 when I began taking Adderall.

Yes, I know certain jobs are much more suited to ADHD adults. I had very few “symptoms” when I was a corrections officer, partly because I was on such a set schedule with just about everything. And, when I was an “office worker” I got bored easily & looked for “challenging” tasks as often as possible. If the filing was “a mess” when I started working somewhere, I’d dive in and tackle “making it right” but then quickly get bored after the challenging part was over and the day-to-day upkeep of the filing started. “That form is so old and horrible looking from being repeatedly photocopied. Would you like me to create a new, fresh one?” There is NO WAY I’d be happy at all in a factory job.

Too many people, even those who are “close” to someone with ADHD, don’t realize how much of an impact ADHD has on basically EVERY aspect of the ADHD person’s life (and therefore the family of that person). If the ADHD person was belittled (“you’re just lazy”, “you need to try harder”, “why can’t you just “) and punished for the things they truly did not even realize they were doing at the time or have much control over if they did realize it, let alone know HOW to “fix it”, then often that person grows up with serious “baggage” like low self-esteem and depression. (Why do you think I was in therapy in the first place?)

LOL…look at me being “brief” again…not! ;-)

]]> Comment on Poor Working Memory & ADHD by Diane Coville http://sherra.net/2011/02/poor-working-memory-adhd/#comment-37 Diane Coville Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:16:20 +0000 http://sherra.net/?p=195#comment-37 My daughter, Bethany, was diagnosed at age 10 with ADHD. Everything you have described above fits her to a T. The hyper-active part has pretty much disappeared unless she feeds herself sugar or red dye foods. She will be 21 next week. You can imagine since I am organized, think ahead and logical that I have to stiffle myself more often than not because it frustrates me often that she still hasn't researched and learned a way of coping with her disability. And learning from past experiences and learning to do things differently - ahhhhh no comment here either. At what point did you accept the diagnosis and make a conscious decision to educate yourself and learn coping skills to find work-arounds? I am hoping "sometime soon" mu daughter will learn that having this "invisible" disability is not the end of the world - there are ways to excel despite her difficulties and actually recognize some of the benefits like a much sharper attention span in specific situations where others could not. Did you know that ADHD sufferers excel as police, Emergency workers, television producers, etc where they would flounder in an office job or in a factory job on a line... My daughter, Bethany, was diagnosed at age 10 with ADHD. Everything you have described above fits her to a T. The hyper-active part has pretty much disappeared unless she feeds herself sugar or red dye foods. She will be 21 next week. You can imagine since I am organized, think ahead and logical that I have to stiffle myself more often than not because it frustrates me often that she still hasn’t researched and learned a way of coping with her disability. And learning from past experiences and learning to do things differently – ahhhhh no comment here either. At what point did you accept the diagnosis and make a conscious decision to educate yourself and learn coping skills to find work-arounds? I am hoping “sometime soon” mu daughter will learn that having this “invisible” disability is not the end of the world – there are ways to excel despite her difficulties and actually recognize some of the benefits like a much sharper attention span in specific situations where others could not. Did you know that ADHD sufferers excel as police, Emergency workers, television producers, etc where they would flounder in an office job or in a factory job on a line…

]]> Comment on My ER Visit Update by Jennifer http://sherra.net/2010/05/my-er-visit-update/#comment-10 Jennifer Tue, 01 Jun 2010 19:08:06 +0000 http://sherra.net/?p=137#comment-10 Quite a story. Take care of yourself. You'll be in my thoughts and prayers. Jennifer Quite a story. Take care of yourself. You’ll be in my thoughts and prayers.

Jennifer

]]> Comment on My ER Visit Update by Eydie http://sherra.net/2010/05/my-er-visit-update/#comment-9 Eydie Tue, 01 Jun 2010 03:10:12 +0000 http://sherra.net/?p=137#comment-9 What a story, Sherra! It's about time that your condition has finally been documented - maybe now you'll find out how you can treat this. Take it easy and keep up your positive attitude! Eydie :) What a story, Sherra! It’s about time that your condition has finally been documented – maybe now you’ll find out how you can treat this.

Take it easy and keep up your positive attitude!

Eydie :)

]]> Comment on My ER Visit Update by Emily http://sherra.net/2010/05/my-er-visit-update/#comment-8 Emily Tue, 01 Jun 2010 01:19:46 +0000 http://sherra.net/?p=137#comment-8 OMG! I don't even know what to say about this whole ordeal except PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF and get this checked out AND let us know what's going on. OMG! I don’t even know what to say about this whole ordeal except PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF and get this checked out AND let us know what’s going on.

]]> Comment on My ER Visit Update by admin http://sherra.net/2010/05/my-er-visit-update/#comment-7 admin Mon, 31 May 2010 21:35:31 +0000 http://sherra.net/?p=137#comment-7 Dana, this is ME you're talking about - you think I'm NOT going to tell people what's happening? I'm the over-sharer of the bunch. Dana, this is ME you’re talking about – you think I’m NOT going to tell people what’s happening? I’m the over-sharer of the bunch.

]]> Comment on My ER Visit Update by Dana Fortier http://sherra.net/2010/05/my-er-visit-update/#comment-6 Dana Fortier Mon, 31 May 2010 19:49:02 +0000 http://sherra.net/?p=137#comment-6 OMG! I don't even know what to say about this whole ordeal except PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF and get this checked out AND let us know what's going on. OMG! I don’t even know what to say about this whole ordeal except PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF and get this checked out AND let us know what’s going on.

]]> Comment on April Fool's Day – And I'm Not Even Dressed Yet by admin http://sherra.net/2010/04/april-fools-day-and-im-not-even-dressed-yet/#comment-5 admin Thu, 01 Apr 2010 19:52:50 +0000 http://sherra.net/?p=132#comment-5 Well, I did get 2 gallons, so if you need some, just run right on over here. ;-) Well, I did get 2 gallons, so if you need some, just run right on over here. ;-)

]]> Comment on April Fool's Day – And I'm Not Even Dressed Yet by Terri http://sherra.net/2010/04/april-fools-day-and-im-not-even-dressed-yet/#comment-4 Terri Thu, 01 Apr 2010 19:48:02 +0000 http://sherra.net/?p=132#comment-4 Hey, I need milk, too. Can you grab some for me while you're out? *hugs* Hey, I need milk, too. Can you grab some for me while you’re out? *hugs*

]]> Comment on April Fool's Day – And I'm Not Even Dressed Yet by Sherra.Net April Fool’s Day and I’m Not Even Dressed Yet http://sherra.net/2010/04/april-fools-day-and-im-not-even-dressed-yet/#comment-3 Sherra.Net April Fool’s Day and I’m Not Even Dressed Yet Thu, 01 Apr 2010 18:07:56 +0000 http://sherra.net/?p=132#comment-3 [...] pop 3 pills into my mouth at once. One of them fell on the floor & has yet to be found. …Read More… Cancel [...] [...] pop 3 pills into my mouth at once. One of them fell on the floor & has yet to be found. …Read More… Cancel [...]

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