When my family members ask me if I’m going to finish school it makes me feel all alone because I don’t know how to explain how I feel and not seem like a failure for not following through (at this point its partly the poor economic status and my degree ties in with the construction field – I don’t know if I should start all over in a different field or just finish it and have a great amount of educational debt).

I totally agree meds, counseling, self help, and awareness are not enough. But when I visit this website I can guarantee someone here is experiencing what I’m feeling at this moment – when I scroll through responses that seem to echo what I’m feeling it no longer makes me feel so alone.

For me, as Bryan, my childhood was rough. As many of you, I am emotionally sensitive. It strengthen the inward focus you discuss. Adulthood has been undoing the issues from my childhood as well as trying to live a life of significance.

I agree with Dave’s post, the answer for all of us is to realize our ADD gives us strengths that allow us to have meaningful lives. We need to focus on our strengths and manage our weakness. But also, to be easy on ourselves.

I agree with those who say that we live in a linear world. We think differently. It is not wrong just different. I hope to share my life example in the future.

I think this site is great. We need each others support.

~Bryan

I am sorry to read about this, but to your credit it shows how much you care for this man. That said, we all have an amount responsibility to the people we love and live with. If he was not willing to seek an official diagnosis and assistance, then by all rights, you can only do so much. You can lead to water, but you cannot make anyone drink. ADHD does not exclude us from responsibility. Seems to me your compassion is enormous, but his responsibility to you did not meet you half way. I hope I read your comment correctly. Being compassionate does not translate that you must accept any and all behavior, or for that matter live with it.

Bests,

Bryan

Unfortunately, I really don’t think this is all that uncommon and seems Riri was speaking of much the same above. We can’t make some people care, no matter how much we want to and to try forevermore just seems to cause more pain and anguish. In a perfect world things would be different, but alas, this isn’t a perfect world and as much as we want others to accept us for the way we are, maybe it’s best for us to start by accepting others for the way they are first and let go of the need for them to understand.

I will keep writing, you keep on reading

Bryan

Unfortunately, sometimes it just doesn’t pay to talk about it with certain people. Although we expect some kind of understanding and empathy, maybe even a little support, it doesn’t always happen. People react in their own ways. I have found it to be much better to seek out those who do understand, because if we try to get something from those we know will not support us then we are going to receive more pain. We can’t make anyone be what we want them to be, sometimes it’s better to not expect it of them, because, in the end we will just feel more alone and let down.

People are people, if we know certain people think a certain way and are not interested, or care, then it is best to go another way. It may hurt, it may feel like betrayal, but in the end – people are people.

Bryan