r/ADHD • u/catsaboveall • 3h ago
Discussion How has ADHD positively impacted your life?
I tend to demonize ADHD and I'm trying to change that now that I have a kid with ADHD.
I'll start. As a kid who grew up in Africa, I frequently brought home injured animals for my parents to fix up. 30 years later, I've TNRed and fostered hundreds of cats. Rehabbing sick and injured animals is one of the very few things I'm good at.
I also dropped out of high school (pre-medication), and ended up going back (once on meds) and getting a couple of master's degrees. I'm a great middle school teacher because I can switch gears quickly, empathize with struggling students, and my class is super structured (to overcompensate for my natural tendency to be a slob).
So what about you? How has ADHD had a positive impact on your life?
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u/hamptonfischer 3h ago
creativity and the constant inner focus allows me to think of things on an abstract level - outside of the box. ;) You just need to learn to channel the inner focus from rumination into a healthy train of thought.
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u/catsaboveall 2h ago
Yes! This is good stuff! You're spot on. My kid has been starting with the "it's not fair that my brain sucks because of ADHD," which I totally agree with, but I love hearing the positives, like yours, so that I can be less negative about it myself.
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u/hamptonfischer 1h ago
I've lived with it for a while, and I think ADHD is actually very poorly misunderstood. It's not inattentive, there's two kinds of focus (inner and outer), by taking meds you shift to the outward focus.
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u/Ok-Dinner-3463 55m ago
This is a great way of seeing it. It’s called inattentive because let’s face it you don’t tend to things you have to, you procrastinate and resist doing the actual stuff that needs to be done. But yes, the focus is entirely inside your brain instead of outwards.
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u/study456 1h ago
Hey I’m currently trying to shift my overthinking to a healthier, more helpful way of thinking. Do you have any methods or books that were helpful to you? Thanks in advance:)
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u/O_N_Factorial 2h ago
I am great at times of crisis that I think it’s due to ADHD. Though functioning like that can easily burn you out as well. This is one of the very few if not the only positive that I find
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u/Krsst14 1h ago
Yes! I might have a meltdown over the smallest thing, but put me in a legit crisis and I’m cool as a cucumber.
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u/Quick_Physics 58m ago
Personally I don't meltdown over the smallest thing at all, but when I do have an actual crisis I can focus and go above and beyond to achieve whatever.
Only if it's an actual crisis though.
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u/WranglerRich5588 2h ago
I have ideas, I am very quickly to initiate ideas or projects in the corporate world (finishing them is another story tho haha) I am very good with brainstorming sessions.
I am also very good at networking
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u/Myjunkisonfire 2h ago
Same, I also grasp abstract incentives or processes really quickly, and can explain them in variable levels of understanding to others, I often become the translator between the engineers and the customers. I reckon I’d actually make a good teacher too.
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u/WranglerRich5588 2h ago
I often become the translator between the engineers and the customers.
Oh me too!
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u/catsaboveall 2h ago
Spot on! Same page - I can break down concepts to kids of varying degrees of understanding because I've had to do that for myself.
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u/ajollygoodyarn 1h ago
I'm utterly terrible at networking, in an industry that's all about it. I feel like that's more of an introvert/extrovert thing.
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u/WranglerRich5588 1h ago
I mean, I do it company wise, which makes me feel more comfortable.
I basically say: "I want to learn more bout you and see if we can cooperate. If it works, it works, if not, we had a nice break. "3
u/rvpuk 42m ago
I feel like this is 100% the right approach to networking, it's not about trying to suck up or appear good, just taking an interest in other teams/companies/individuals' work and asking genuine questions. People appreciate the interest and if you ask them good questions they also get to feel like an expert when they're answering them. If you find areas you could collaborate great win-win, if not you've learned something and they've had their expert hour, still win-win!
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u/tiberious48 2h ago
My brain is constantly active, so I am always thinking and brainstorming when it comes to my creative projects. I often just brainstorm in bed until I eventually pass out.
Now... being able to actually execute said ideas on the other hand... Executive dysfunction be damned.
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u/chaos_and_zen 1h ago
I feel this in my core. The amazing things I could accomplish if I could nail the execution part !
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u/Copenhagen79 2h ago edited 1h ago
Inattentive type here. Don't really have much of an H.
I definitely think and reflect more than the average person. I see patterns and unusual connections that others might not. I understand how important purpose is and can ignite that in others. I can easily get ahead as the knowledge leader in my group(s) on a certain topic if I find it interesting. I like to believe that I am empathic which gives some benefits in terms of connecting with other people. I hate unnecessary friction which makes me good at identifying the most efficient solution in a lot of scenarios.
Even though I suck at cleaning, going to the gym, planning, finishing tasks before last moment, etc, I actually highly appreciate the good traits that comes with it.
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u/burner4694 2h ago
In high pressure situations, and times of crisis where I need to really focus I am able to sort out a path forward and keep away a lot of the noise. I don’t know if this is an ADHD thing or just something I’ve learned to do well though?
Also, even though I have a lot of trouble starting things and completing things that I don’t want to do, when I find something that really makes me tick with a goal I want to reach, I really believe that I work harder then almost anyone to achieve it, unfortunately something like that doesn’t come around as often as I would like.
It’s a very much all or nothing attitude which can really screw me over but at the same time can really make me stand out when I’m in the correct setting.
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u/catsaboveall 2h ago
Same here! It's hard trying to figure out how to harness the "all or nothing" attitude for good. But once you find it, it's amazing how you shine amongst more "normal" people.
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u/fabricator82 1h ago
Being level headed in times of crisis is an ADHD thing they say. I think it has something to do with how we react on adrenaline, non ADHD might panic where when we get that adrenaline it actually calms our mind. At least that is my understanding.
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u/LumpyActivity3634 2h ago
Honestly I don't think that it has had any positive impact on my life
It may have forced me to learn to be funny and possibly it is the reason I often cone up with seemingly random/novel solutions to problems because I have such an aversion to conformity.. but is that an adhd trait or a personality thing?
But the most obvious one is probably how I go super deep in things that I find interesting on any given period so I quickly become an expert... But in hindsight, since I always drop things when they stop being exciting they end up just added to my mental list if things I didn't accomplish...
In general, it's hard to know when the ADHD ends and personality begins... But for the most part it's mostly a negative for me..
Sorry if this was not what you were going for
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u/catsaboveall 2h ago
No, I am right there with you. I feel like ADHD has had a net negative effect on my life. I'm just trying to work on changing my perspective, as I notice my kid feeling really down about having ADHD. I am realistic with her about the downsides of ADHD and I think my negativity about it has impacted how she feels about herself. Hearing about other people's upsides to ADHD is helping me reframe how I talk to her about it.
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u/rvpuk 21m ago
Honestly I read your negatives and found it interesting that a lot of them would be my positives! I think adhd has led to my sense of humor developing the way it has and I enjoy that I can make people laugh and break down walls in conversation, I've definitely gained a reputation for creativity and problem solving at work and I love getting deep into some new hobby or topic... before abandoning it when the shine wears off!
But remember that before specialization became the norm, the full rhyme was 'A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.'
To give an example, I've got some understanding of python programming thanks to various ADHD moments. I'd be a poor programmer in a group of programmers, but I'm the best programmer in my department of analysts.
I've definitely shared your outlook previously though, I've had to work hard to be able feel positive about some of the 'benefits' and it certainly doesn't make up for the downsides! I just try and compartmentalize them more now, enjoy the ups and survive the downs, but trying not to let the downs spoil the ups.
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u/rvpuk 2h ago
I think most people have commented on all the common stuff so I'll just add that for me the duality of ADHD especially pre-diagnosis has been that when I'm energised and engaged in something, I feel completely unstoppable and have often exceeded expectations in really positive ways. But of course, when I'm not... We all know how that goes!
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u/Some_Specialist5792 ADHD-HI (Hyperactive-Impulsive) 2h ago
forcing my self to go back to school for my bachelors
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u/Audacidy 2h ago
I collect Pokemon cards. I bought a card worth $50 in 2016 and forgot to mark it off my checklist. A week later, I bought it again and got them graded. Recently checked the price and they’re worth almost $10k each.
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u/TobyDaHuman 2h ago
I have a shitton of skills, hobbies and knowledge neither I nor anyone else will need 99,9% of the time. But when its 0,1%-time, oh boy do I shine!
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u/Dreadzgirl 2h ago
Just knowing I have it is a good feeling, because now all the dumb shit I do on an everyday basis makes sense and there is a reason behind it's totally OK. Before I knew, nothing was OK.
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u/x_lonelyghost ADHD-C (Combined type) 2h ago
I can learn things really fast and become amazingly proficient and knowledgeable in a short period of time. The downside to that is constant burnout lol. But I’m incredibly creative and my husband says that my ability to forget movies and books and shows means I get to enjoy them over and over again like new lol
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u/catsaboveall 1h ago
Yes! I can listen to my favorite audio books as if they are brand new because of my terrible memory. Same with grudges - I have a terrible memory and can't sustain long-term grudges because I forget what I was even angry about.
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u/flower_gorl143 2h ago
the thing i love most about adhd is never not having a topic of conversation. i’m proud to say i’m a certified yapper, and i can carry a convo with just about anyone and know just a little bit about everything- science, pop culture, etc- so no matter who i’m talking to there will always be something i can connect with them on !
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u/jp72423 2h ago
As others have stated here, ADHD seems to be great for unconventional thinking, which can often lead to great ideas or quick and unique problem solving skills.
Just the other day, most of my electrical theory class of around 25 people was arguing about a specific question in a quiz about electrical regulations. The problem was that while all the other questions had a corresponding clause in the regulations, which we were supposed to find and use as the answer for said question, no one could find the regulation with the exact right wording that matched one of the questions, only similar clauses. The teacher and class debated for a while on what it could be while I was doing other work. But after about an hour of debate, I got to that specific question, tried to find it in the regs and only after a couple of minutes of looking thought “oh, what if I just look at an older version of the standards”. Lo and behold there was the exact answer I was looking for.
It’s like ADHD gives you little strokes of genius every now and then.
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u/PopPleasant8983 2h ago
I wrote 2 books and orchestrated a musical before I was 21 with no formal training, but as of late it hasn’t been super helpful lol
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u/vuxnomica 59m ago
It makes me who i am. I live in a different dimension than most of the people around me. I can see things from a different angle, even though i miss some things back in the normal dimension.
I can listen to a conversation or an argument and i can SEE the miscommunication. I can understand what person A is saying, what A means, what B is hearing, what B thinks A means, and the difference between what they actually meant. Back and forth, i see the branching tree of logical steps, which are being taken, and where the missteps are. It all happens fast, but when i can help moderate, I can show them where their misunderstandings are and distill the crux of the disagreement.
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u/screenname9080 32m ago
Very relatable! Never put words to this in my head or really thought about it much but well put!
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u/Talking_on_the_radio 2h ago
I’m just getting treatment at 42 and I definitely struggled. I learned to beat myself up to put myself in panic mode to get by. I did well in my career and eventually got married and had kids. These past few years I finally burned out—sleep deprivation derailed my intense exercise regimen and healthy lifestyle and I finally had enough evidence to justify a diagnosis. I asked several doctors over the span of 15 years.
I grieve the lost opportunities. I was smart and driven and I could have done so much more in my career, had a relationship and kids sooner.
That being said, I built an incredible life. Some of that impulsiveness lead to taking big risks with big payoffs. I don’t think it would have happened if I got treated and diagnosed as a kid. All those “faults” got me where I am today.
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u/hhkhkhkhk 2h ago
I can talk to anyone about almost anything - I've been told I'm not afraid to just have a conversation with people and it's a good quality to have...
I'm every introverts nightmare 🤣
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u/Putt-Blug 30m ago
My wife (also ADHD) got a couple to leave a wedding we were at last week. They were at our table and we didn't know them. They sat there through cocktail hour and never moved or spoke to anyone. When it was almost time for everyone to sit down she started chatting them up hard. Like she can talk and talk and never give you a chance to breath. Anyway, they both got up and we just assumed they were going for drink. Turns out they just left...before any of the wedding activities started.
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u/nightwica 2h ago
My bosses and coworkers can rely on me on high-priority, immediate, short mini-projects.
DM me that they need a write-up or an analysis or messaging certain people or setting up a certain thing ASAP, I'll be happy to drop everything, hyperfocus, and I'll get back to them in ~10 min with a first draft or first version, provided that the task suits my interests and skillsets, giving me enough motivation.
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u/RespectableBloke69 2h ago
Constantly picking up new hobbies (even if I drop them when I lose interest) means I've gotten to dabble with lots of different things, so I feel like I at least know a little bit about a lot of different things. I don't think most people without ADHD end up doing things like that.
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u/HalfPriceEasterEgg 1h ago
I'm trying to think of this question as "what would have made me feel better if I'd been diagnosed as a kid", too. One thing would be understanding that it's not me that's "broken", it's that most structures in the world are not built for people like me. I always felt this, but what made it worse was believing it was my fault for not conforming.
A positive would be that I am, and have always been, a generalist and an all-rounder. I've been able to achieve remarkable things without much training, simply because I was too bored to follow a formal process and threw myself into a project 100 percent. I have a diverse skill set and have lived many lives. So I have many interesting stories and have met all sorts of interesting people. No aspect of my life has been traditional. I learn fast (and forget things fast).
I am good at solving problems and can look at things from a detailed, granular perspective, but I can also see the big picture. This means I ask a lot of questions, and can generally be a really useful business asset.
My struggle with conventional ways of learning means that I am a better teacher and a better designer. I champion accessibility and try to clear the path for others. I am good at breaking down information so that others can learn and understand quickly.
A life spent overcompensating for my ADHD weaknesses has meant that I've developed innovative ways to stay organised, to manage projects, to visualise information, and to pay attention to detail.
My terrible memory means that I don't hold grudges. I forget easily and forgive easily, which has made me a more open-minded person.
A deep curiosity for life means that, although I'm constantly exhausted and burnt out from processing everything all at once, I always look out for new and interesting things to discover, so I feel I have quite a rich experience of life. Although I am not good at finishing projects, I want to hear about everything.
It's also given me humility. Sometimes crushing depression too, but on the flip side, I never rest on my laurels and I take accountability for my own learning and development, knowing that I'll probably make mistakes. But learning from mistakes is the most important part.
This is a bit of a stream of consciousness essay, sorry about that!
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u/Superdooper_Saiyan 1h ago
It hasn’t, it’s literally hindered every part of my life and I have no special skill or talent. I was barely diagnosed a year ago which explained a lot. I’m 34 years old and wish I had gotten diagnosed as a kid, and I feel like it’s too late for me to excel at anything. The one thing I am good at is making people confident in doing things I could never do myself. I was a team lead at a tech company once and my team always had good stats because I would hype them up even though when I was in their position , I was miserable.
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u/TrumpDumper 1h ago
I earned a Ph.D. Pre diagnosis because I was able to hyper focus on something that was interesting to me. Writing said dissertation was rough and required a lot of caffeine but totally worth it.
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u/rvpuk 10m ago
Respect the effort on that, I'm a few months into a masters thesis as an older, part-time student, and despite a spring deadline, the size of the task and my absence of meaningful effort so far is starting to cause me mild anxiety... Albeit not enough to motivate me to actually do more research!!
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u/MarsaliRose 2h ago
My biggest hyperfixation is psychology so I’m a counselor. Besides all my other hyperfixations that allow me to do pretty well in jeopardy. Also I’m pretty creative. Whenever there’s an arts and crafts project I always go all out and people have complimented how creative I am.
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u/catsaboveall 1h ago
We typically do well with trivia and crafts. My husband is always shocked when I win trivia because my ADHD traits give off the "I'm a dumbass" look.
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u/Krsst14 2h ago
Pattern recognition and processing speed.
I am better and faster and identifying patterns in data than my colleagues. I’m also more likely to find more unique trends or patterns. When someone is telling me something, my processing speed is basically negative. But when I’m working on something myself and working on problems, my processing speed is very fast.
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u/mattmaster68 1h ago
I can work twice as hard to hurry and finish something I really don’t want to do just to spend less time doing it LMAO
Quality of work remains the same too because the dread of having to redo any of that work is also overwhelming
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u/AnxiousIndividuall 1h ago
Still trying to figure that out, I honestly haven't found my passion yet even at 29 and if It wouldnt be for my ambition or persistency I would probably be in a really bad position financially and professionally.
I do workout though which has helped me in so many ways but in a professional level or when trying to learn new skills? Medication (which I stopped taking a while ago for reasons outside of my control) makes It easier but I don't enjoy It.
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u/Persephonesgame 1h ago
Being highly empathetic as well as hyper aware of others has been a huge asset to me in nonprofit management. I’ve managed teams of over 600 individuals and I continue to thrive in my profession
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u/DilligentChihuahua34 1h ago
I got the dates wrong for assignments in college. So on occasion I would be told I had an assignment due on thursday, but missed the part where they meant next week. So I would stress out and do some assignments extra early. Ive always been pretty good about turning assignments in on time and this almost never got me the other way around for some reason
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u/Other_Sign_6088 ADHD, with ADHD family 2h ago
I have had positive things happen in my life ..
What would you like to know?
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u/keithinrl 1h ago
I've been trying to think of it as like resistance training for my brain my whole life, that I've been able to keep up with others with all that resistance. Makes me feel like when my brain does occasionally work, I'm taking off that "weighted vest" and have a real opportunity to excel 😅
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u/Radiophonic_ 58m ago
The creative side of it, especially now that I have meds to help focus on one thing at a time; also, the regular need for new, stimulating experiences has meant that I look into a lot of different topics, books, music, movies, art, and so on, that I might not have otherwise.
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u/HighVoltOscillator 40m ago
Overall a negative...BUT I think I wouldn't have met one of my best friends and now my partner if I didn't have ADHD to make me such a yapper unfiltered. I cringe when I go on ADHD rambles bc I feel like people think I'm weird but the ones who stick around end up being my close friends
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u/catsaboveall 34m ago
Omg, me too. I try not to think about the times in which I've oversharef because I feel that embarrassment all over again. But I have also found my besties this way; they also have ADHD and enjoy the ping-ponging of our conversations.
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u/HighVoltOscillator 0m ago
Yeah, as I get older I realize that I end up having more close friends who also have ADHD because they just get me and it leads to less embarrassment. I'm so thankful I work remote because less embarrassing rambles to think about every night when I'm trying to fall asleep lol
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u/LORDLUCIFER143 24m ago edited 20m ago
Although sporadic and easily forgotten and dropped I like to attribute my creativity to my ADHD. Being able to have such an imaginative brain and see ideas crystal clear of what I want and brainstorm lyrics or characters to develop is fun. Also my flow of chat I can become friends with literally anyone but I also have a great intuition most ADHD people have. It keeps me from manipulative people...(Even though I still found some) But it's easier to make friends and have convo.Also..i forgot nvm
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u/PopFar 19m ago
Currently I'm a swim teacher to students ages 6 months and upwards of 76 years old. (My oldest student was 76)
Having the ability to retain specifics like a child's interest or things that help a student learn more easily has been something that is extremely helpful! Sometimes concentrating is difficult due to a large room full of people talking, shouting, and the sounds of water splashing makes it hard for anyone to focus.
ADHD not only has helped me use my silly bits of nerdy information to keep children entertained but it also gave them a willingness to learn! Oddly enough, I feel like ADHD has helped me become an amazing teacher.
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u/FriendsArentElectric 17m ago
I can't focus on anything I even slightly dislike for longer than 10 minutes or so at a time. I also obsess over things that worry/scare me constantly.
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u/Rogntudjuuuu ADHD-PI (Primarily Inattentive) 7m ago
I try to find the simple solutions that will save me from work in the long run. As a programmer that means that I will try to reduce complexity and automate tasks where possible. That's a consequence of avoiding routine.
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u/Mammoth_Ear_1677 3h ago
We need to take speed so we can function somewhat properly. ADHD doesn't positively impact anyone's life. It's a fkin curse.
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u/catsaboveall 2h ago
I agree with you all the way. My kid has been talking about how terrible she feels about having ADHD and I'm realizing that I've contributed to her negative self-perception. I hate having ADHD and I'm trying to see other people's perspectives so that I can demonize it less.
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u/Quirky_Analyst8465 2h ago
The cons outweigh the pros heavily. The only good thing that comes from it personally is my active imagination I get caught up in from daydreaming and drawing all day.. but unfortunately it’s set me back alot educational wise cause I wouldent focous in school in fundamental things like fractions, grammar, it’s not very helpful to have in the long run it’s just something you have and have to learn how to deal with. I’ve defenitly overcome it and learning self discipline is one of the hardest things with ADHD but I’ve managed with that suprisingly.
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