By Members of the Delta Collegiate Team
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a misunderstood and misdiagnosed disability affecting people of all ages. Symptoms of ADHD can include having trouble concentrating or focusing, organizational problems, difficulty sitting still, and many others. Because symptoms present themselves differently in males and females, males are diagnosed more often than females. This is because symptoms are usually more noticeable and more disruptive in males.
It often coexists with other mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders such as anxiety, depression, or autism. ADHD rarely exists on its own, only about 25% of the time. It comes in three categories: inattentive, formerly known as ADD- hyperactive, which is most associated with ADHD; and combined, where both hyperactive and inattentive symptoms are present.
Heather- There is a lot I want to say about ADHD, but I’ve only got two paragraphs right now to do so. First, ADHD is not a quirky, fun disability to have. Our brains are literally wired differently than the average person. It’s not called a neurological disorder for no reason. There is very little fun involved in living with ADHD. Do I sound angry? I am a little. Mostly I’m angry about the misinformation and misunderstanding of ADHD.
For me personally, ADHD is an everyday struggle in one form or another. The ADHD paralysis keeps me from completing tasks on time. The rejection sensitivity makes it hard to trust my own emotions with reality, causing me to become a perfectionist with raging anxiety and often masking my genuine emotions. The constant need for external stimulation and being easily distracted make learning difficult. My innate ability to easily overshare and then regret it later and feel immense shame. (This right here is most likely a prime example.) These are just small examples of ADHD difficulties I do not wish upon anyone.
Vincent- Growing up with ADHD is such a dread. You’ll have moments where you’re giving your undivided attention to someone, like your teacher or friends, and they think you’re normal because you’re listening attentively. Then something so small enters your sight or mind, and you will start focusing on that, which leads to another focus, then you start losing the attention of your first focus. You begin getting labels tossed at you, such as “lazy,” “annoying,” or “talking too much.” It hurts because you care, but you just lost your focus. “Oh, just take your pills.” The pills don’t stop the fact that your mind can still bounce from topic to topic. It makes you focus harder on the topics you’re jumping to. The only positive that I can find with it is that when awkward moments are going on with a group of people, it’s easier for the ADHD one to change the topic.
Onnie- Ever since I realized I had ADHD, I have seen how it affects every aspect of my life. From how I speak to people, to the intensity of my interests, to why small tasks seem so daunting, I can pinpoint exactly where that neurological disorder manifests. Don’t get me wrong, I certainly don’t hate having this disorder, but I can’t say life has been easy. For myself and many others, even getting validation that a malfunction in my brain is causing my actions (or inactions) is enough to put me at ease. Now, ADHD isn’t all bad. It can be nice finding a community in this neuro-divergence. Beyond just joking about it with others, I can see how people are struggling exactly as I am.
If there were any one thing I would tell people regarding ADHD, it’s that you should consider getting tested for it if you think there is a chance you have it. You are not lazy, you are not stupid, and you are not alone.
Courtney – For me, ADHD has its ups and downs. More downs than ups, for sure. I am someone who started being treated for ADHD as an adult. I never noticed how my little things could be attributed to ADHD—like, telling a story with ten little stories inside—getting lost in the middle of a story, and going on and on until I found my way back. Ever heard someone that just can’t stop talking, even when they probably want to? That’s me. I talk to fill the silence. I can’t handle silence, whether it is music, T.V., or the fan at night. On the same note, I have a short fuse for certain noises; birds chirping or water dripping set me off. Working on ten different projects at a time, all that get pieced together in the end. Here’s a big one for me that has caused many problems in my life, fidgeting. I can’t sit. Still, I can’t keep my hands from moving or my legs from bouncing. This is very common with ADHD, so much so that many fidget toys are available now. Even remembering to take my ADHD medication is a hardship as my brain just forgets; I can think to myself to take it repeatedly, and then the entire day will pass without meds.
I often tell a joke: “I had a fun ADHD moment.” And by that, I usually mean I took advantage of my ADHD and was able to focus on one task obsessively to completion. For instance, I recently moved and spent about seven hours organizing and unpacking while I searched for a picture of my recently passed dog. The goal was to find the photo, and the bonus was unpacking and organizing. Finally, something that is hard to understand and even harder to manage is the emotional rollercoaster that ADHD brings with it. From happy and laughing one minute to crying and freaking out the next. Take time this month to learn about ADHD; even if you are not impacted by yourself, many people you know just might be.
If you think you may have ADHD, speak with your primary care doctor and ask about taking an assessment test. Therapy and medication are excellent ways to manage the symptoms.
If you are a student at Delta who is already diagnosed and struggling, contact Disability Resources at disabilityresources@delta.edu or call them at 989-686-9794. They will help you set up accommodations for classes tailored to your needs.
