ADHD—Explained by Adults with ADHD

Compiled and edited by Cynthia Hammer, MSW

I have trouble organizing, prioritizing, managing time, switching from one activity/state to another, and directing my attention. I am messy and forgetful. I am easily overwhelmed, always run late, do one thing obsessively until it is nearly perfect, drift off when my mind should be focused on one thing, and have trouble working without explicit instructions.

~ Roger

I procrastinate excessively. I have trouble retaining spoken instructions. I might miss things with written instructions, but with spoken instructions, I am guaranteed to forget something. I score high on IQ tests but feel stupid most of the time. I am inconsistent in my work and am underemployed.

~ Nancy

I am an introvert. Spending time around people is exhausting. If I work a full day, I do not have the energy for social interactions. I experience overload and partial shutdowns, and sometimes I am unable to speak when stressed. I wasn’t diagnosed with ADHD until my late 20's, but I am doing well now. I think knowledge and treatment are essential because they changed my life in ways I never knew needed to be changed. I thought I was just pathetic, unmotivated, and stupid. Wrong! I just was not stimulated or interested enough to engage.

~ Paul

My ADHD gets in my way sometimes and causes me to be less than my potential. It is frustrating, but I have accepted that it is how things are. I am not depressed or angry about it. Some people are tall; others are short. It is just what was in the cards for me. Fortunately, I am smart and have succeeded in life despite my challenges. It has taken me longer, and I have had to try harder, but it could be worse. I am content with who I am.

~ Susan

My emotional dysregulation is a significant impairment. I internalize and ruminate over and over about trivial things people say or do. It is called Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria. Sometimes I remain in a "bad mood" for days or weeks until I get over what bothers me or something else that takes its place.

~ Peter

I daydream. My thoughts jump or bounce around like popcorn. When I do something, I know it takes me a lot more time than other people need to take. When I compare myself to other people, I fall short. I fail more often, even though I try harder. My failures lead to shame which I try to hide from others. I avoid intimacy because then others will discover my perceived flaws.

~ Mary

I thought I just needed to try harder. That is what everyone told me. Because I am smart and tried hard, I was successful despite my undiagnosed ADHD. They always said I was not living up to my potential in school, and they were right. Now that I am on medication, I try just as hard and am much better at everything. It is remarkable. Sometimes I wonder how much better my life would have been if I had known sooner. I am sad about the things I missed out on due to being undiagnosed. I still have challenges. I get lost in my thoughts and have trouble staying on track. Following directions sequentially is not easy, and I must keep retracing my steps.

~ Steve

I know that doing things that are not immediately gratifying is difficult because we become bored out of our minds due to a dopamine/serotonin deficiency. That is why we are drawn to novelty and excitement; they provide the stimulation our brains constantly look for.

People do not understand that the inattention of someone with ADHD is not for lack of trying. It is like depression, although I am not sad; I just am not motivated and cannot do anything, even things I want to do. Then my doctor said, "Here's more SSRIs! If that does not work, you might have bipolar or something. He never mentioned ADHD.

~ Cindy

People with ADHD struggle with certain activities because the part of our brains that does this stuff is underdeveloped. Getting the impetus to do a job you rationally know is important, but you know won't be enjoyable, is exactly the kind of thing we're terrible at, particularly if the job will take sustained mental attention (e.g., writing a term paper, completing tax forms).

~ Ralph

The new doctor I have treating my ADHD says it is a gift. I do not feel it is, though. The executive functioning part of ADHD is a huge struggle. It causes problems in my home and working life. When I have medicated appropriately, I can utilize my whole self. Not only am I more productive, but I feel as if I realize my full potential. I am present, and I retain more and have better conversations.

~ Mike

I have the inattentive type of ADHD. I would not say it is a gift or a curse; it just is. Paying attention and not procrastinating would have made my life easier, but would the tradeoff have been less creativity and curiosity? I will never know. I regret not getting diagnosed and treated much sooner, but without ADHD, I would be a different person. How can I hate it when it is part of who I am? I am trying to accept myself as I am.

~ Gail

I know I have many talents. I am intelligent and have a college degree. Any job does not keep my interest long-term, so I have had many different positions in my life. I like the experience I have gained from that, but I envy coworkers who traveled a straight path in creating their career success.

I know I could do much more with my life as I have many valuable skills. However, I cannot utilize them because I cannot get past my poor time management and inconsistency with detailed work. I hate that I cannot control what I hyper-focus on. I spend many late nights doing stupid, time-wasting activities and pay for them in the morning at work when I am trying to be an adult.

~ Joe