Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, are behaviors that I, and many other people, struggle with every day. Those with ADHD can have trouble getting work done, staying organized, or being impulsive. Unfortunately, when I was a child, some around me believed this must be caused by laziness, lack of discipline, or both. As a child, it hurt to be accused of lying by people I respected. I was already so frustrated with the confusion of why any effort on my part never made a difference. It was very hard to get the help I needed, but I finally learned that there was hope! Armed with the knowledge about myself and ADHD I could explain to others what problems I faced. Once I could communicate my trouble I was able to get the support and help I needed throughout school to become the successful college graduate I am today. I've learned a lot about ADHD and about myself over the past decade and then some. I hope that this can help a young person with ADHD, or the parent of one, to understand what ADHD is, what ADHD isn't, and how to talk about the frustrations we with ADHD face.
There are two parts to this article: The first deals with what goes on in the brain to cause ADHD, why ADHD affects the behaviors it does, and why certain medicines ease the frustrations of living with ADHD. The second part deals with my personal struggles, and tries to explain why it can be so difficult to explain the problems I faced.
