That’s a question I get quite a bit: Do I really have ADHD? When I say yes, the next comment is somewhat of a question/statement: “Then it must not be that severe.” Or, the next question will be “What medication are you on? It seems to be working great!” Of course, when I say I do not take any medication, I often get a stunned look of profound amazement.
Perception is not a correct answer. Perception is just what we think from what we see and hear on the surface of things. Making decisions from perception is most often a mistake. A lot of new ideas fail because they are based on false perceptions, businesses fail for the same reason and so do human relationships.
The biggest problem we must overcome is
perception. Perception is deception. Intuition based on perception can be problematic too. Kids with ADHD can use perception to pass through a lot of problems, because intuitively kids know that what people perceive is what they believe and it is usually wrong, even though they think it is right. No, they are not simply little deceivers, just trying to find ways out of trouble, the quickest and seemingly easiest way. A lot of thought and consideration goes into creating a perception, sometimes more effort than it would take than to, for example, genuinely clean up a room. Oh, that’s truly frustrating for an ADHD parent. Isn’t it?
If you go into a child’s room and it looks very clean, then it must be. However, a wise parent knows to look under the bed and open the closet. If all areas are cleaned up after investigation, then that is no longer simply a perception, it is fact. Fact is far more powerful than perception, because it is based on investigation. Investigating takes time and not too many people have the time. Therefore, perception is a form of exhaustion too. Who has the time to get the facts straight? The need for quick answers and instant results is the reason it takes so much time to get things right.
Now, here is the reason for this article: I have ADHD.
It hasn’t been easy, it was not fun growing up with undiagnosed ADD and I went through a lot of struggles and suffering to get to where I am today. That said, it is easy to perceive otherwise because I do a lot and accomplish a lot here on the web. You see the end results. If you have read my memoir, then you know the truth, what I went through and how I got here. I found my way through ADHD and how to make ADHD work for me, which includes hyper focusing, controlling distractions and getting myself motivated. What’s more is I have learned to do all of these things without medication. That doesn’t mean medication doesn’t work or isn’t good for others. It means there is a lot more to it than what it may seem. It means, yes, I have ADHD.
The easy way out for a lot of people (and not just those with ADHD) is to perceive what we ‘want’ to perceive as reality. This could mean to observe that someone else had it, or has it, easier or a less severe situation, that way we can reinforce our own justifications. Because, we know deep inside that if he or she can do it, especially if they had it severely challenging, then so can we. Our perceptions also make us feel better. Most of all, perceptions allow us to keep the status quo.
If we want to get better and improve in anything we must break the status quo and that means clearing the fog of perceptions which we naturally embrace. The most important aspect of perceptions is that most of us do not actually realize that we base many of our beliefs and decisions on them – that is the ultimate reason why I have overcome and learned to control many of my ADHD symptoms, not to mention PTSD and Depression. I do believe that others can too. That is the reason I published my book and continue to write my blog.
~Bryan
