Comments on: Thriving or just Surviving with ADHD – Sometimes the past gets in the way http://www.adderworld.com/blog1/2009/04/09/thriving-or-just-surviving-with-adhd-sometimes-the-past-gets-in-the-way/ Bryan Hutchinson's thoughts about ADD ADHD Attention Deficit Disorder and other stuff Sun, 06 May 2012 01:22:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Olga http://www.adderworld.com/blog1/2009/04/09/thriving-or-just-surviving-with-adhd-sometimes-the-past-gets-in-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-21720 Olga Sun, 31 May 2009 22:14:13 +0000 http://adderworld.com/blog1/?p=1315#comment-21720 THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME THAT ITS THOSE WITHOUT THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WITH ADHD HAVB A GIFT THAT OTHERS DONT. I SEE IT AS MY GIFT, BEING ABLE TO HELP AND UNDERSTAND THOSE WHO DONT YET KNOW THEY SUFFER FROM THE SAME PROBLEM, ITS AMAZING TO GET THE THANKS WHEN THEY REALIZE THEY ARENT CRAZY, THEY ARENT STUPID AS A MATTER OF FACT WE ARE SOME OF THE BRIGHTESS PEOPLE ON EARTH, JUST MISUNDERSTOOD. WHEN THIS GIFT IS USED APPROPRIATELY ITS A TRUE BLESSING. I REFUSE TO DENY THIS SO CALLED ILLNESS, BECAUSE FOR ME AS I SAID BEFORE ITS A GIFT THAT MANY SHARE BUT ARE ASHAMED OF.. WE ARE THE ENTRPRENEURS OF THIS WORLD! THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME THAT ITS THOSE WITHOUT THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WITH ADHD HAVB A GIFT THAT OTHERS DONT. I SEE IT AS MY GIFT, BEING ABLE TO HELP AND UNDERSTAND THOSE WHO DONT YET KNOW THEY SUFFER FROM THE SAME PROBLEM, ITS AMAZING TO GET THE THANKS WHEN THEY REALIZE THEY ARENT CRAZY, THEY ARENT STUPID AS A MATTER OF FACT WE ARE SOME OF THE BRIGHTESS PEOPLE ON EARTH, JUST MISUNDERSTOOD. WHEN THIS GIFT IS USED APPROPRIATELY ITS A TRUE BLESSING. I REFUSE TO DENY THIS SO CALLED ILLNESS, BECAUSE FOR ME AS I SAID BEFORE ITS A GIFT THAT MANY SHARE BUT ARE ASHAMED OF.. WE ARE THE ENTRPRENEURS OF THIS WORLD!

]]> By: Michael http://www.adderworld.com/blog1/2009/04/09/thriving-or-just-surviving-with-adhd-sometimes-the-past-gets-in-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-21702 Michael Sun, 31 May 2009 12:38:15 +0000 http://adderworld.com/blog1/?p=1315#comment-21702 Bryan; Reading your words this morning gave me that good epiphanal shiver up my spine - especially "Sometimes the past never goes away and lives within us day to day, keeping us in a constant crouch – ready to jump at any given moment…". As a man who suffered ADHD in school before they even had a name for it (graduated in 1979), those primal responses of 'fight or flight' and depression linger into the year of my 30th reunion. What saddens me is the lack of understanding or empathy from those that do not share our condition, and see it instead as a copout. Until the non-ADHD folk can empathize and accept that we aren't bad, merely different, I am afraid that the recriminations, lost patience, lost jobs lost opportunities - will continue. THANK YOU for your attempts at informing others about who we are! Bryan; Reading your words this morning gave me that good epiphanal shiver up my spine – especially “Sometimes the past never goes away and lives within us day to day, keeping us in a constant crouch – ready to jump at any given moment…”. As a man who suffered ADHD in school before they even had a name for it (graduated in 1979), those primal responses of ‘fight or flight’ and depression linger into the year of my 30th reunion.

What saddens me is the lack of understanding or empathy from those that do not share our condition, and see it instead as a copout. Until the non-ADHD folk can empathize and accept that we aren’t bad, merely different, I am afraid that the recriminations, lost patience, lost jobs lost opportunities – will continue.
THANK YOU for your attempts at informing others about who we are!

]]> By: Debbie Tolleson http://www.adderworld.com/blog1/2009/04/09/thriving-or-just-surviving-with-adhd-sometimes-the-past-gets-in-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-21668 Debbie Tolleson Sat, 30 May 2009 19:42:57 +0000 http://adderworld.com/blog1/?p=1315#comment-21668 I think you are spying on me! Even though I know there are many people in the world with ADD it still amazes me when someone just describes things perfectly. I have always done the surviving thing. I "go with the flow", "fake it till I make it", "roll with the punches", or however else anyone wants to put it. I rarely ever feel that I am thriving. Even when I do, just as you said, there is always that feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop. I try to be positive and I now have much more confidence in what I can do, but the feeling of impending failure still seems to lurk in the back round. I'd love to stomp it in the ground for good. Any ideas on how to get to that point? Great article! Keep up the good work! I think you are spying on me! Even though I know there are many people in the world with ADD it still amazes me when someone just describes things perfectly. I have always done the surviving thing. I “go with the flow”, “fake it till I make it”, “roll with the punches”, or however else anyone wants to put it. I rarely ever feel that I am thriving. Even when I do, just as you said, there is always that feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop. I try to be positive and I now have much more confidence in what I can do, but the feeling of impending failure still seems to lurk in the back round. I’d love to stomp it in the ground for good. Any ideas on how to get to that point? Great article! Keep up the good work!

]]> By: Bryan http://www.adderworld.com/blog1/2009/04/09/thriving-or-just-surviving-with-adhd-sometimes-the-past-gets-in-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-21662 Bryan Sat, 30 May 2009 18:29:45 +0000 http://adderworld.com/blog1/?p=1315#comment-21662 Well said David and well done! Congrats! Well said David and well done! Congrats!

]]> By: David Phillips http://www.adderworld.com/blog1/2009/04/09/thriving-or-just-surviving-with-adhd-sometimes-the-past-gets-in-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-21659 David Phillips Sat, 30 May 2009 18:07:22 +0000 http://adderworld.com/blog1/?p=1315#comment-21659 A meditation practice grounded in mindfulness helped me to move from surviving to thriving several years ago, though I was resisting treatment of my ADHD at the time. Then, I started effective treatment and eventually got the courage to explore a part-time Master's program while working full-time. Graduated two weeks ago with a 3.84 GPA and am making plans to do a doctoral program starting late 2010. Every moment holds the opportunity to forge one's own future, in spite of the past. A meditation practice grounded in mindfulness helped me to move from surviving to thriving several years ago, though I was resisting treatment of my ADHD at the time. Then, I started effective treatment and eventually got the courage to explore a part-time Master’s program while working full-time. Graduated two weeks ago with a 3.84 GPA and am making plans to do a doctoral program starting late 2010.

Every moment holds the opportunity to forge one’s own future, in spite of the past.

]]> By: Laurie Siegel http://www.adderworld.com/blog1/2009/04/09/thriving-or-just-surviving-with-adhd-sometimes-the-past-gets-in-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-19326 Laurie Siegel Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:18:20 +0000 http://adderworld.com/blog1/?p=1315#comment-19326 Whenever I have a monumental idea, I either forget it or dismiss it, before writing it down. I think get it, Brian. By default, we have become Zen masters, and in many ways our experience, is parallel to the novice graduate. The very thought of being present in the moment, however elusive, is the only logical way to live. That's really all we have, today, this very moment. The past is too painful to dwell on and the future only blurs my vision. There are days when it feels like I'm barely clinging but at least I have a grasp. It's an open-minded realization capable of laughing at itself. For is does not wish away pain and suffering, seeking an opening for light to shine through. It is the sum of our experience, when we can acknowledge and accept that not only are we not perfect, but we do fit well in our imperfect surroundings. "If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane." Jimmy Buffett Whenever I have a monumental idea, I either forget it or dismiss it, before writing it down. I think get it, Brian.
By default, we have become Zen masters, and in many ways our experience, is parallel to the novice graduate. The very thought of being present in the moment, however elusive, is the only logical way to live. That’s really all we have, today, this very moment. The past is too painful to dwell on and the future only blurs my vision.
There are days when it feels like I’m barely clinging but at least I have a grasp. It’s an open-minded realization capable of laughing at itself. For is does not wish away pain and suffering, seeking an opening for light to shine through. It is the sum of our experience, when we can acknowledge and accept that not only are we not perfect, but we do fit well in our imperfect surroundings.
“If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane.”
Jimmy Buffett

]]> By: Melissa Raines http://www.adderworld.com/blog1/2009/04/09/thriving-or-just-surviving-with-adhd-sometimes-the-past-gets-in-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-19257 Melissa Raines Sat, 11 Apr 2009 20:27:01 +0000 http://adderworld.com/blog1/?p=1315#comment-19257 Absolutely loved the artical of Thriving or Surviving with ADD/ ADHD - every single bit of the artical hit home for me . I consider myself as a Survivor as well as Thriving . As one of the lyrics of my favorite song say - I aint dead , I aint done, I aint fold here I am shorty !! Absolutely loved the artical of Thriving or Surviving with ADD/ ADHD – every single bit of the artical hit home for me . I consider myself as a Survivor as well as Thriving . As one of the lyrics of my favorite song say – I aint dead , I aint done, I aint fold here I am shorty !!

]]>