Yesterday I ran in to two ‘old’ friends at lunch. We talked about our children, what’s happened to each of us in the past few years and what we’re doing now. At one point one woman casually commented that ‘she had ADD’ as part of the conversation flow. When it got to my turn to share my new business (to them), that I coach people about attention and that many of my clients live with ADHD, they had lots of questions, especially the ‘big’ one: ‘Hey, do you think I have ADHD?’
It’s one thing to tell a friend there’s a green thing in their teeth but something completely different to say ‘you have ADHD’. Early in the game I did suggest to a friend that she probably lived with ADHD. I was so excited about what I was learning that I couldn’t help but apply it to everyone. It was way better than sharing a cookie. It was life changing information! But believe me she was not happy that I shared with her my joy at her disability.
So among other things I said ‘There are three markers of an attention disorder – inattentiveness, impulsivity and distractibility not counting hyperactivity.’ And I let them take it from there, all of us laughing at all the ways they were impulsive and distracted. What I didn’t say was that I’m attracted to people with ADHD because I live with it. Like is attracted to like. They concluded that it didn’t matter to them anyway because they weren’t having to make a living. And that’s where it stands with anyone – it’s only a problem to live with ADHD if it interferes with your life. But it can make you creative and impulsively available to family and friends and it is a source of fun and laughter, too.
What’s your favorite ADD moment?