Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is mostly of genetic origin. Symptoms are categorized as inattentive or hyperactive, but people can experience both in all sorts of forms — which means there is a spectrum of presentations. Lisa, a young girl who wants to become a writer, will help us understand what it means to grow up with ADHD.
Her story shows how her atypical brain makes it harder to achieve her dreams. During early childhood, Lisa has a tough time paying attention. She gets distracted, starts daydreaming, and frequently forgets or loses things.
Because her senses pick up too much information for her brain to process, she gets overwhelmed and as a result, she often cries or becomes frustrated. Her parents, who don’t know better, scold her instead of helping her deal with the pain. In primary school, Lisa can’t sit still and often disrupts the class.
She is smart, but besides English and the arts, has bad grades. It is not long before Lisa is branded as lazy — as someone who doesn't use her potential. It’s also hard for Lisa to make friends.
She feels different and is bullied. The few friends she has tell her that she is too emotional, but admire her enthusiasm. In middle school, Lisa starts doodling to help her stay focused but her teacher doesn’t like that and scolds her, because he thinks she is distracted.
And so she masks her inattention and puts all her energy into nodding and making eye contact. But by doing so, she loses her concentration entirely and ends up not listening at all. This is where she turns inwards and develops a passion for creative writing.
During high school, her mind starts racing — with a thousand thoughts in her head. She now wears headphones, to isolate the noise and calm herself down. But when she has her period even that doesn’t help anymore and she goes through intense mood swings.
She begins binge eating and starts smoking. At age 19, Lisa gets into a top literature program. But the responsibilities of everyday life are overwhelming.
She feels burned out, stops showering, cleaning up, and going to class. One evening, she tells her best friend that she can’t handle it anymore. All her life she has been too different to ever fit in.
All her life she felt like a burden to others. Her friend tells her about a psychiatrist, and as a last resort, Lisa goes to see her. The psychiatrist first thinks it's depression.
But then, asking about Lisa’s childhood and family history, she notices something else and requests more tests. A few weeks later, Lisa is diagnosed with ADHD and depression. The doctor explains to Lisa that ADHD is not limited to the most well-known symptoms.
For example, people with ADHD also have deficits in their executive functions, such as working memory, time perception, or emotional regulation. Some also get sleepy when drinking coffee! However, they often also have higher levels of creativity, are more caring, and are more curious than their peers, making them great artists or scientists.
Plus, they react more calmly to stressful situations — some become fearless firefighters or outstanding surgeons. The psychiatrist goes on to explain that ADHD symptoms can be treated with medication and therapy and that regular sleep and exercise can help too. When Lisa takes her first pill the next day, she bursts into tears.
For the first time in her life, her mind is quiet. It does not take an effort for her to get up and shower. She realizes that, throughout her whole life, she has spent so much energy trying to do things that others do without even thinking.
Although medication helps, Lisa knows that it is not enough. She has to make changes to her life and find work that plays to her strengths. By the time she is 30, she learns to accept and appreciate her neurodivergence, and her atypical mind is celebrated after the publication of her first novel.
What do you think? If you had - or have- ADHD would you adapt your brain to your life by taking pills, going to therapy, and masking your behaviors? Or is the solution to accept your differences and adopt a lifestyle that fits who you are?
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