Fear, Survival Skills and ADHD

Perhaps there was a time when certain fears protected us and even, yes, seemingly comforted us. We may never have realized the comfort of a certain fear and yet it is there because we are even more fearful of letting it go. Our fear can become our proverbial blanket of safety.

When I was a kid growing up with undiagnosed ADD (ADHD inattentive) I had many fears that became like close, protective friends. These fears helped me stay alert for signs of trouble and by staying alert for signs of trouble I was better able to accomplish assignments, stay out of fights and make sure I was early for important things, such as, dinner. When punished, chastised, ridiculed and in general trouble often enough, we develop, quite naturally, survival skills which may (and usually do) involve FEAR. It is helpful at first, apparently life saving at times; however, the reality of such continuous apprehension is not life saving and can become inhibiting, create stress and lead to depression.

Sometimes it’s a good idea to step back and examine our fears, why they are there and where they came from – what generated them in the first place? By examining our fears for their original purpose, we can find ways to relieve ourselves of them in healthy ways and live more fulfilling lives.

I pride myself for the survival skills I learned growing up; however, as an adult it became necessary to realize that some of those survival skills are no longer necessary and they can, in fact, actually hinder me as an adult. What about you? Are you still embracing any fears that no longer serve their original purpose? If so, what purpose do they serve now?

~Bryan

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