ADHD

People who claim having ADHD has benefits or is a super power are just saying it to make it sound less bad. The reality is that ADHD sucks. It's not impossible to deal with most of the time once you learn more about yourself and how your ADHD impacts you and what can help you manage the symptoms. Every individual is different. And sometimes we just have to accept that we mess up and that, although we are responsible for those mess ups and we have to work extra hard to blend in and try not to mess up too badly, it's also a handicap that we didn't ask for.

I don't get why people say they have certain positive traits thanks to their ADHD. Why can't it be because they themselves, as people, are good at something? Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses and every individual is unique. ADHD makes things more difficult, but not impossible. We just have to work with what we have and all we can do is try to find ways to get what we want in a way that works for us.

Is that shitty ability to concatenate bad situations a symptom? Because damn... I don't know how can I defy luck so much.

This may be a not well-liked opinion, but I think ADHD is severely overdiagnosed. And I believe the biggest reason for that is our extremely competitive society. And also a misunderstanding about what it means to be happy or fulfilled.

Another reason could be that people who do not have ADHD share some of the symptoms because of how our society interacts with technology/media.

People are looking for an explanation why they can't reach what they believe is a necessity. But it's often just a bar that is way too high for the average person. And it should actually be okay to not reach it.

There is probably a bunch of other health issues that also share this problem.

If ADHD is a superpower for someone, it quite obviously isn't a mental health issue for them (anymore). They either never had it in the first place or they have gotten rid of it.

I was diagnosed a few years ago. I disagree with you. Yes, there are some things that are harder for me to do. But, I'm really good at my EMS job, and a significant portion of the most competent individuals I work with are also ADHD. I would not be as good as I am without being ADHD. Though, it would have been easier to get through the class to get my license without it.

I feel you. And what helped me the most was to start taking Methylphenidate.

It's definitely not, but I like to be optimistic so while I'd never call it a super power I do celebrate things that it makes easier for me.

So first off, on a personal note, I just wanna take a second and acknowledge that it sounds like you're really "in it." You're feeling the familiar frustration, and the shame. That little voice in the back of your head that whispers, "I'm not enough" is loud and clear right now. It sounds like you've had a lot going on, maybe you're burntout, and you're sick of feeling like a failure? All of that is totally valid, and it makes sense why you'd feel that way given the lifetime of negative reinforcement you've received, the recent diagnosis, and all the pressure to just be able to do what others can. I think most of us here, especially those of us that were also diagnosed as adults, can relate to those feelings in a big way. I know I can. I'm really sorry that you're going through that. :(

On a discussion-oriented note, generally speaking, I think it's important to be able to see ADHD holistically. It is a debilitating disability and it is comorbid with some really awesome/interesting qualities. It is not a superpower, but it is also not all bad, either; it's not just one thing, it's a whole-ass neurotype that comes with all the quirks and kinks any other brain has.

Your experience might be that you don't believe the trade-off is worth it, and you know, most days I would agree with you. I think most people here would. The truth is, though, it's really no better or worse than any other brain in terms of being a good, functional brain. ADHD is not an illness. We are only disabled insofar as society is disabling to us. The world was not built for us, and until we make some more equitable, systemic changes, we will continue to struggle. Just as modern buildings need to include wheelchair ramps and wider doorframes for people with walking aids, the future of society needs to include us in its design. We need accommodation to be able to thrive, and under the right conditions, it would not at all be out of the question.

None of this is meant to absolve us of accountability or responsibility, and it's not to say that nothing is really our fault, or that the pain we experience isn't valid. I just mean to say that we spend a lot of time beating ourselves up and commiseratting getting beat down by the world, which is completely understandable, but is there a different conversation that might be more beneficial to us? How can we educate our bosses and teachers and parents about us? How do we make sure that kids are being appropriately diagnosed, and that girls and children of color get diagnosed, as well? What could an ADHD/Autism-friendly work environment look like? What about ADHD/Autism-friendly supermarkets? How can we change stigma, expectations, and our environments to be better? Don't we deserve better? Yes, having ADHD sucks as it stands, but does it have to?

That's just my 2¢, anyway.

I randomly got interested in a niche industry and started hyperfocusing on learning about it in my free time, without any intent other than indulging my curiosity. Sometime afterwards I was looking for work and saw an opportunity in that industry. I responded and was able to come across like a highly experienced enthusiast whom specialised in the field the company needed experience in. They hired me and I quickly became the most senior person in the company in technical areas related to the industry. It was a large pay increase, the company is great and I've been with them for many years now. None of it would've happened without my highly inquisitive nature, which I consider as a positive effect of my ADHD. The specific opportunity coming up was still complete luck. But given the number of tangents I've gone on in the past, diving deep into learning the intricacies of some niche or hobby, I'd likely be open to similar kinds of opportunities in those areas in ways I've never even considered. I've always thought of it as just 'going with the flow', but I think for the average neurotypical person it's often unreasonable to think that would actually get you far in life.

When I was younger, it could feel like a super power when I could hyper focus on something, but as I grow older, my body is showing clear signs of long term damage from substance abuse as self medication as well as getting fat from food binges following 12 hours hyper focus sessions.

It turns out eating 3600 calories in one meal is worse than 3 800 calories meals. Who would've thunk.

Eventually, the "good job" stops coming. The little oversights start to pile up. It's not a super power. It's damaging physically to act like it is.

I love the hyper focus, but the fucking thing is slowly killing me.

The fact that you even have the hyperfocus to try and fix the technical aspect was due to adhd. Most people don't even bother to understand the computer they're using.

It is a superpower, just not in the mandatory education decree we live in nowadays.

I guess the worst part must be that everybody sees you as defficient, when actually it's the society they build which blocks and hurts your hyperfast brain.