I’ve thought hard about posting this, but I’ve recently been diagnosed with ADHD.
Here’s a summary of what it’s like, so if you have a friend, colleague, or family member, spare a thought.
Getting the diagnosis past 40 years old has been happily eye opening.
There’s a lot of chatter with many adults getting diagnosed late in life, as we now have a better understanding of what ADHD is. After a close family member was diagnosed, my wife read the symptoms on a leaflet, looked up, and just said, “That’s you.”
🎉 It’s not that we can’t concentrate; it’s the length of time we can concentrate.
This, for me, was and is the hardest part. I always thought I was a daydreamer, an inattentive kid, unable to retain concentration when others can. Looking back, it affected my school, grades, and outcomes, but I’m very happy with who I am and where it has gotten me in life.
Many say the best jobs for someone with ADHD are in Sales and being an Entrepreneur, so landing in recruitment and then running my own company has suited me well.
Coping mechanisms have been built over time, but frustrations as to why I can’t focus for long periods and retain knowledge are at the core.
🎉 Hyperfocus
So, the absolute opposite of “can’t focus” is flipping to hyperfocus for a very short period, with gaming, toys, or even homework (cramming it in) as prime examples.
🎉 Dopamine Hits (Alcohol Doesn’t Help)
I’m sure there are statistics for ADHD vs. Alcoholism, and you can Google it (not going into it here), but your brain is looking for a dopamine hit. Instagram and social media don’t help, but alcohol is strongly linked to people with ADHD. I’m happy to say I’ve learned to enjoy a nice glass of Australian Shiraz and stop when content. Some others can’t.
🎉 Ignoring the List (Sorry, Wife)
You get easily overwhelmed with a series of tasks and lists, so what do you do? Ignore the tasks/list and just do something else less overwhelming. My wife saw me/my brain shut down the other week when I got overwhelmed, and I had to break down each task, process, and project to start again.
So, when I was in recruitment and I had six different roles, 100 applicants, clients calling, candidates calling, KPIs to meet, managers asking questions… just writing brings back memories, I struggled. It often took a lot longer to get the basic tasks completed.
🎉 Seeming Impatient/Impulsive
Often, we don’t have the calm patience of someone without ADHD and either just do it, finish others’ sentences, predict the ending of a story, or impulse buy ; it’s all linked.
🎉 Often Overwhelmed in Social Situations
I’m a pretty confident guy, but it mainly stems from being in so many social situations. I’ve built up an armoury of good coping mechanisms. Often, when networking or meeting new people, I do struggle, so I just drop the anxiety and talk (impatience), hyperfocus on the event, and flit between conversations.
It’s not a neurodiversity; it’s a superpower!
#adhd #superpower