Distracted

It's been a year and a half since I started this blog and I've written one post. To say I've been distracted is an understatement. At least I've been consistent.

There are a couple of reasons why I've dropped the ball here. One is that I am a classic example of distractibility. My brain tries to take in everything at once and ends up bouncing from one thing to another. I think I want to start a blog about ADD Women, but then I think of four other topics I'd like to cover in a blog and I start them only to be distracted by something else. One of the theories is that the ADD brain needs stimulation so much, it will create its own if it doesn't have enough to keep it going. (The good news is that the person with ADD can be a great multi-tasker. Note the words "can be." This is true only if the ADDer has learned how to make the most of this character trait. More about that in future blog entries.)

The second reason why I didn't keep up with this blog is that I don't have enough self-confidence. I'm convinced that I don't have anything interesting or important to add to the discussion about women with ADD. Or that I don't have the talent to write about it in a clear and entertaining way. (One thing an ADDer abhors is boredom.) What does that have to do with ADD? Nothing directly. It's just that people with ADD often suffer self-esteem problems because they've been berated all their lives for being the way that they are. "Pay attention! Sit still! What's the matter with you?"

There is no magic wand that makes it easy to live with ADD (or to understand someone who has it). There are medications that help, but I'm convinced that the real hope comes from learning 1) to accept yourself the way you are, and 2) to work around and with your "condition" to find alternate ways of coping. For example, if you know that you're easily bored, mix up your day's activities. Think in terms of finishing a job step by step instead of all at one time. Find creative ways to make your tasks less boring.

One important thing to remember is that there is no one right way to cope with ADD, because we all experience it differently. What distracts or bores you is different than that which distracts or bores me. Because we have different interests, we won't choose the same things to liven up our lives. (Some people are thrilled by stamp collecting, for instance, while another person is into extreme sports.) So, the bottom line is: the better you know yourself, the more easily you'll be able to find ways that work for you.