> Attention Deficit = Unable to suppress normal brain function enough to pay
> close attention to something nowhere near
> worth the attention.
Looking back at my childhood, this was a problem for me because I
usually got something the first time. The American education system is
design to repeat, repeat, repeat until enough kids see enough of the
pattern to be able to pass a test, but still never understand it.
Boring. I saw no value in doing homework because either I knew it or I
didn't and no amount of doing homework incorrectly was going to change
it. I was one of those know-it-all kids that didn't know how to shut
up. (nothing has changed there--you guys are my current victims).
What happened to me, though, was actually a little more weird. (wierd
if you follow the spelling rules). ADHD started kicking in with a
vengeance in my 30's and by the time I was 40, I was out of control. I
couldn't sit through meetings, conference calls and any training class
was completely off the charts for me. The hyperactivity wasn't a
problem through the childhood, but started becoming an issue about 10
years ago.
Add to this was a dramatic decrease in ability to focus and I knew I
had a problem. It was job affecting, for sure. I was able to keep the
problems down to a dull roar, but at some point I screwed up on a
major project the week before the Isle Royale Zuikofest and that was
the point where I realized I had a major problem. After Isle Royale, I
made appointments.
First thing done were tests to see if there were any links to my
migraines and whether there was some nasty thing growing inside the
skull. I was born with migraines, so nothing to worry about there.
Having the scans was tough. Trust me, I don't want to be alive when
I'm put in a coffin. Nothing was found inside the head other than
mushy gray stuff. This was accompanied with other tests which showed
no apparent cause of either issue. So, off to Iowa City I go to have a
bunch of tests done with some top dog guy there at the university
hospital. Those tests included everything from IQ to memory to
whatever. Hours worth of testing, interviews and so forth.
Anyway, cutting to the chase here... I have ADHD. I learned how to
control it and also learned how to recognize and compensate for the
work-affecting issues. Most of the time. It is cyclical and right now
is pretty bad. I sat in a conference the last two days and almost came
unglued. I had to play games on my cellphone just to keep from having
to run out the door. Some days, it can get really rough.
OK, enough of this for tonight. Time to head off to bed.
AG
--
_________________________________________________________________
Options: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/listinfo/olympus
Archives: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/private/olympus/
Themed Olympus Photo Exhibition: http://www.tope.nl/
|