I am sitting at an airport waiting for my flight at 7:40pm. It's now 5:35pm and I've already exhausted a ton of boredom-curing strategies. I've listened to music. I've played on the computer. I've played phone games. I've listed to an audiobook. I'm still bored. What can I do?
Living with Adult ADHD
Sitting in class, I drift sometimes. There are days when attention is just not something that I can find in the recesses of my brain. I look and look, but it eludes me. I need to know the content being presented in lectures, though, so what do I do? I multi-task.
I mentioned a few weeks ago that I feed the hyperactivity monster list-weasels and friend-weasels when I get super hyper. I handle my inattention in a very similar way - I don't try to ignore it, I get myself down and dirty in it.
A reader recently asked me a really great question: how do I know my adult ADHD medication is working? I love this question! I'm going to take it in two parts. First, how I knew that ADHD medication was right for me and, second, what it feels like every day. This could be very different for other people, of course, but this is how medication makes me feel.
I've been very honest with you all since I started blogging with HealthyPlace. I think I've earned the right to say something I know to be true that I don't believe in, don't you? Here it is: You can never plan too much. Plan, plan, plan for everything when you have Adult ADHD.
Let's hold off the discussion of Level 2 hyperactivity until I make a brief note of clarification. I am not saying that the four levels of ADHD hyperactivity are the be all and end all of adult ADHD. They are merely levels that happen when one enters the hyperactive state. I know some folks experience no hyperactivity as adults and if they do, they might experience more inside the brain hyperactivity, rather than bouncing off the walls. In the future, I plan on doing some posts about inattentiveness and other facets of Adult ADHD. I just so happen to be going through a hyper-cycle myself and writing about it is what struck my fancy.
The question of whether or not to take stimulant medications for adult ADHD has been discussed vigorously. I believe strongly that taking Ritalin, or the equivalent at times, has helped me to function as the adult I want to be. I spent 2009 mostly not taking any stimulants and not only did my work ethic become nonexistent, but I didn't like myself as much. I look forward to hearing your opinions on this!
Wow - I wish I knew how to do that, don't you!?!?! No, seriously, I'm not very good at consistently getting my hyper brain under control, but I have a few strategies that have worked in the past. My Adult ADHD brain is a monster sometimes and it needs to be fed a weasel or two to be satisfied. Bear in mind, the weasel is a vegan mock-weasel.
Navigating changes in a relationship where one member has Adult ADHD can be tough. In part one of this series, my wife and I discussed how a solution called previewing helped me handle change. Here, we talk about how we've managed to ameliorate my grumpiness when it comes to unexpected change and planning for it. Please pardon my wife's cuteness and do not let it distract from the possibly important message.
I love music and I love having ADHD, though it can get out of control at times. For example, I am SUPER HYPER today. It's the first day of my spring break week; I need the structure school provides, plus I miss my lab partner. On days like today, classical piano is on my music menu. Tomorrow, when I inevitably come down from the hyperness of today, fellow ADHD'er Justin Timberlake is what I'll order.
I can still feel the chilly sea breeze on my face as I sat on a chaise lounge chair by the marsh next to my back yard. Little did I know I was beginning a lifelong coping strategy that would help my ADHD well into adulthood.