I've had the opportunity to meet many peers and children with ADHD, as well as ADD and mixed afflictions. You might have, too, you just may not have know it.
I used to sub for special-ed in Jr., Sr. High school and afterwords. While in College I embarked on a career in psychology but took a left turn somewhere. Ending up on a different path to utilize my artistic talents. never the less I was acing all my classes, which seems like a complete brain burp now.
Having been considered different from others had it's draw-backs and it's amazement's...yet, I embrace both. So sharing this ADHD brain with others with or without thrills me to no end.
One of the most recent observances lately, has been of the differences, levels, and/or facets of ADHD. Specifically:
Two main:
Busy ones (the activity level that we are best known for) (fidgety)
Quiet ones (may be active, but aren't necessarily in the talk or physical category)
Further broken down:
Loud talkers
Fast talkers (I call it "fast speak" )
Talkative's (take a breath)
Mixed speaking (I call this "talking sideways")
The Physical: (2 categories)
The Pushers (tend to push someone [away])
The Pullers (tend to pull people toward - 'huggers')
Gentle ones (aren't in the physical category)
Obviously most of these differences occur with standard issue ADHD, but some of these elements come into play having ADHD mixed with other disorders like CAPD, NLD/NVLD, OCD, ODD, SCT, Dyscalcula, Dysgraphia, Dyslexia, and Conduct disorder, and tenancies toward the added others: Anxiety or GAD, Bioploar Disorder, and depression.
Naturally these take on different faces from childhood to teenage to adulthood.
Because of our activity level we are most sought out in the classroom and are forever getting called out or in trouble.
We tend to, inadvertently, alienate others who are bothered by, intolerant to and don't understand our excesses.
We are often called "dumb", "weird", or other such names, based on lack of others knowledge of our affliction.
Some of us even suffer low self-esteem based on the above mentioned.
Hopefully we can come to an understanding of how others perceive us and learn to make adjustments that help to elevate us as we swim against this bold current.
We are, in fact, some of the brightest, most fluent, and astute individuals that you might come across.
We have a different path to plow to attain the same base that 'normal' folk come from. And our struggles make us unique and stronger then you might give us credit for.
Much the same way a blind individual learns to make his/her way through the day, or a deaf individual learns to 'hear' the world around him/her.
We are no less disabled, yet... no less able.
