Dealing with Stress

Stress. Everybody gets it, right? So what's the big deal? Besides the health implications stress has on most people, stress can have a detrimental impact on people who are already dealing with ADHD. "Stress exerts a strong negative influence on the functioning of adults with [ADHD]. Times of high stress, including periods of increased demands, fatigue, illness, conflict, or frustration, tend to be periods in which the symptoms of [ADHD] worsen. During periods of stress, the [ADHD] adult is likely to be less organized, more absentminded, less efficient, and more prone to error and temper outbursts. In times of low stress, the functioning of [ADHD] adults tends to improve. A good place to begin reducing the stress in your life is with a 'stress assessment.'" (Adventures in Fast Forward:  Life, Love, and Work for the ADD Adult by Kathleen G. Nadeau, page 63).

"Your focus needs more focus."

I can't focus on anything today. I've found myself spacing out in the middle of a conversation, even though normally I'd be really interested in the topic. I can hardly concentrate on this post. My focus needs more focus, to quote Mr. Han from The Karate Kid remake. I suppose that's what I get for letting my medicine run out.

What Time Is It???

The other day I was talking to a fellow ADHDer, and we noticed that we have something in common:  neither of us have a good grasp of time (time? what's that?). We found that we both can never judge how much time it takes us to get ready for something, and so we are frequently late because we don't know when we should start getting ready.

I got thinking about this, and started wondering about it. Are people with ADHD always late because they're always procrastinating? Or is the root of the problem simply that they can't tell time? I dug up my copy of Adventures in Fast Forward:  Life, Love, and Work for the ADD Adult by Kathleen G. Nadeau and found the section on time management. This is what I found under "chronic lateness":

I'm not random...

So I saw this photo on firstcovers.com, and thought this was a perfect description for all of us ADHDers. We aren't random, we just think too fast for the normal brain!!

Lines and Circles

I'm starting to think that people with ADHD think in circles. Seriously. I know it sounds weird, but hear me out. I've noticed that when my ADHD is acting up, I have a hard time doing the things I set out to do. For example, I get on the computer with the intention of checking my email and then doing my homework, and then maybe some writing after that. So I get on to check my email. The first email is an advertisement from the bookstore. I see some books on it that I'm interested in, so I get on the internet to check out the bookstore's website. While I'm looking to see what these books are about and how much they cost, I realize that I haven't updated my goodreads yet (yes, I'm that much of a bookworm). So I get onto goodreads.com to do just that. But halfway through I realize that I haven't rated and shelved some of the books I've already added. So I start doing that. Then I see a book on there that I realized I haven't read the sequel to yet, and really want to. So I log on to the library's website to put it on hold. Only when I get there, I realize that I have a hold at the library that I haven't picked up yet. As well as a few others I've forgotten to put on hold. As I go to do that, I wonder why the library hadn't notified me of my hold yet, so I go to check my email to see if they had emailed me. And I realize that I haven't finished checking my email yet, so I go to the next email....

Excuse My Dust

Just so you know, I'm kind of playing around with site design. I really want to make this site my own, so I'm working on making it look beautimous (and yes, I spelled that wrong on purpose). So don't mind me. Besides, I have ADHD. I like variety. So don't be surprised if I've changed things around a month from now. Or if the background changes every six weeks or so. Because that's the way I am (my desktop wallpaper changes irregularly). If you don't like it, deal with it. Not that you could really do anything about it...

Anyways, sorry about the mess!

Disabled? Me?

I was thinking about the name of ADHD. It stands for "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder," right? So, what I want to know is, is a disorder a disability? When I was first diagnosed, a few years ago, I met with the Disability Services at my school, and they were able to get me a note to get accommodations. Not that I really need accommodations; I just need people who understand what's going on and can give me a little wiggle room when meds and stuff get in the way. So, apparently, by law or something, ADHD is considered is disability. So...yay? Ugh? How am I supposed to feel about this?