We are unique. We are unusual. We are people with ADHD.
Some people say we’re no more creative then others. Well, we may not be more creative, but if we aren’t, we are more likely to let our creativity flow unchecked. I call that a plus, though it does often preclude us doing other things we should be doing.
We also have drawbacks common to ourselves. We are more likely to miss appointments then those without ADHD. We are more susceptible to unwanted pregnancy and more likely to visit the emergency room.
What other things should we be on the look out for?
Glad you asked. Here’s a list, limited by space and my ability to perceive. Remember, these are generalizations and not applicable to every person with ADHD.
Ready? Good! Here we go.
The list:
- There’s a higher percentage of people with ADHD in jails than in the general public
- We’re more likely to be left handed or mixed dominant than others
- We often have had more jobs than others our age
- We often have had more hobbies than others our age
- We generally have worse oral health than the rest of the population
- We are more likely to have automobile accidents than the general population
- We often find the most creative environment is up against a deadline
- We can focus on a TV show that is nearly mindless, despite the fact that we are often of above average intelligence
- We can’t read a detailed book despite the fact that we may be very knowledgeable on the subject of the book
- We can sometimes listen to someone talk, and be completely oblivious to what they say.
- We can perform complicated deductions in our heads on occasion and at other times be unable to see an obvious pattern in a simple progression
- We are likely to get a brilliant idea and completely lose it in the same amount of time it took for it to pop into our mind
- We are likely to act impulsively on an idea we get because … #12
- We were probably the class clown in school
- We are more likely to be the ones to utter the words Hey, watch this!!!
- We have more boxes, baskets, bags and bins, and yet all our stuff is in piles on every available surface.
These are just a few, and admittedly some of them are my experience and observations, but I’ve had 50 years of being this way and a few years of observing others who ride with my tribe, so I’m standing by this list. You may have ADHD and not feel this list applies to you, but that’s okay. You’re part of the tribe if you have the symptoms and diagnosis, these are just the bonus apps that may have come with your operating system.