𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 & 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬

4. Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

"Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental health disorder that can cause above-normal levels of hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. People with ADHD may also have trouble focusing their attention on a single task or sitting still for long periods of time."

A pretty descriptive definition of the disorder from Healthline.com above, probably better than some I've seen while researching. So to start off, I'll list some basic symptoms of ADHD that I have.

I tend to interrupt people a lot. So if I have a conversation with someone and I think of something to say, I'll usually just blurt it out. That comes from also not being able to wait my turn on things - which is a trait that most ADHDers tend to exhibit. I actually try really hard to not interrupt though but whenever I don't, I also forget whatever it was I was going to say. But yeah, waiting is a real hardship for me because I have virtually no patience whatsoever.

Also, as I mentioned in my previous chapter, I have issues controlling my emotions which is not only an Asperger trait but also an ADHD one.

One of my worst problems though is fidgeting! I literally cannot stay still! Whenever I'm sitting down, I'm always bouncing my leg or tapping my foot or moving somehow. It's actually annoyed people to a point which is kind of bothersome since I can't really control it. I've actually found though that using a stress ball really helps with that. It gives my hands something to do and keeps me moderately calmer.

It can sometimes also be hard to finish things for me - which is why sometimes I leave books unfinished, movies unfinished, TV shows, different projects.

Also, playing quietly was very hard as a child - I remember being 'shush'ed quite a lot by my mother for that haha :P But trying to not be noisy while playing was a near impossible thing for me.

A symptom I've never been able to shake though is paying attention. Being able to focus on different tasks or what I'm doing is infinitely hard and even as I've aged, it's not an easy thing to deal with. Often, I forget what I'm doing or sometimes even when I talk to people, it can be hard to focus on the conversation. Especially when I get distracted by other noises around me. That was especially hard in my school days though - if I was sitting by the window and it was open? It was a very bad thing for me haha :P Instead of doing actual schoolwork, I'd just end up staring out the window at whatever was going on out there lol. That symptom goes pretty hand-in-hand with daydreaming though.

Although, being honest, I don't mind my daydreaming because I have a very vivid imagination and it helps me be creative that way. So I don't find that one something that I really "struggle" with, so to speak. Except of course when I want to search something online and I totally space out and can't remember :P

I have managed to be more organized now that I'm older though - which was not an easy task in childhood at all! I'd lose things constantly and I was extremely messy. That's sometimes still true but I try really hard for it not to be now lol.

As I mentioned in my chapter on Asperger Syndrome, reading social cues can also be a problem with people who have ADHD. So it's an overlapping problem for me personally.

Time management is a real issue I struggle with - I probably spend way too much time on the internet because truth be told, I lose track of time easily. Or sometimes I can be really late to things. For example, if there's something I need to go do, most times I'll write it down because if I don't, I completely forget.

Being impulsive can also be a problem - I tend to do whatever pops into my head and I don't tend to think of the consequences of those actions. Whether it's hurtful, inappropriate or even if it's dangerous.

Multitasking is also hard - one example is reading and listening to music. That is something I can't do at all! My sister who doesn't have ADHD can and it kind of amazes me because I really can't see how that's possible. At least, it isn't for me.

And lastly, a symptom that I have that I think is a little less known about for people who have ADHD is being able to fall asleep. I'm a self-professed insomniac for sure! lol. Whenever I have too much caffeine and especially sugar before bed, it takes me ages to fall asleep. No matter where I am or what I'm doing, I'm always the last one to fall asleep. That's because it generally takes me, on average, about an hour or better to fall asleep. And that's every night. There are a few exceptions though, if I'm really tired then I'll fall asleep as fast as 30 minutes. And at the worst end of that, it's taken me 3 hours to fall asleep. It's actually super frustrating but I've heard taking natural meds like melatonin may help with that, although I can't recommend it myself because I've never tried it.

So that's about all I can think of on things I deal with on a day-to-day basis. But if I think of something else, I'll be sure to edit and add it lol :) Next up, I'll be talking about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or 'OCD'. I hope y'all will check it out! :)