Shoshi Week 3: A love letter to ADHD



Dear ADHD,


You are a developmental disorder that impairs many aspects of everyday life for me and many others like me. In most people's minds, you are characterized by a little boy who cannot sit still and is challenging to manage. In reality, many different kinds of people can have you.


Realistically, you don’t affect boys and girls the same way, but most people don't pay attention to that. It is estimated that one in ten girls carry you around with them, yet, statistically, only one girl acquires a diagnosis for every four boys who receive a diagnosis. In contrast to how boys will act out in class or stand and walk around to get energy out, girls retreat to their imaginations and minds as a way of dealing with their impulsivity and under-stimulation in class. Due to this difference, it is more difficult for girls to get diagnosed at a young age, causing many to remain undiagnosed for a long time. 


Truthfully, you are a frustrating and isolating condition no matter the gender of the person who carries you with them. We often struggle in school due to our inability to concentrate and lack of proper stimulation. Difficulty finishing assignments and regularly forgetting to turn in homework are just a few issues caused by our executive functioning. As a result, we can quickly and easily fall behind in our studies, ending up labeled as lazy and just needing to work harder. As much as I woud like to say it has gotten easier to work with you as I have gotten older, I can’t. While it’s hard to work with and annoying, you are still a part of me and not something I think I will ever be ashamed of.

 

Sincerely, 

An ADHD Card Holder since 2012

Comments

  1. AnonymousSeptember 19, 2022 at 5:13 PM

    This is so interesting. I almost had to get tested for ADHD last year when I kept not being able to finish my chemistry tests in time, but I think I'm just slow. I feel bad that people with ADHD have to go through these struggles.

    ReplyDelete

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