kashiichan’s Reviews > The (Slightly Distracted) Woman’s Guide to Living with an Adult ADHD Diagnosis > Status Update

"I often forget my brain works more quickly and makes links really efficiently, and I get frustrated people don't do things at my pace. This can lead to conflict which is hard. I find I often switch off from slow-paced conversations, either that or inside my head I'm shouting ‘Speed up!’ or ‘Summarize!’ or ‘Get to the point!’"

"I can trick my brain into thinking that I am back in these [happy] places, and then I can't think about the things that are making me feel stressed or anxious because my brain cannot hold two thoughts at the same time (the same way a radio cannot play two channels at the same time)."

"…when I was a child, I would cry very easily if I was upset (I still do). This was sometimes misinterpreted as “attention seeking”, sometimes even manipulative, as I was seen to be trying to garner sympathy to distract from my misdemeanors."

"…that I need to put more effort in, but actually I think I have to put an awful lot of effort into life already. It is exhausting." — Miriam

"Having ADHD means I have to work harder at many things that other people seem to find easy. In my work, I overthink and overplan. But I get good results generally, so people seem to have high expectations of me. So when I come to do something again, it takes a lot of effort and time to get it right. People, including myself, often tell me…"

"My ADHD without a doubt has also helped me in my work and past career as I was so driven by my hyperfocus. I never knew the whys of it, but I loved the buzz of focusing on something so intensely. Now I know my strengths so much more, I'm able to choose between things that make me avoidant and instead try to only do things that drive that hyperfocus." — Michele

"I have always thought I either work at 200% or 10%"

"I sometimes experience the frustration of having profound insights in sessions and then forgetting them midway. Over time, I've learned to let it flow and trust that the thought will return." — Louise

"…my phone, as it will keep me awake if I try to hold it in my head until morning. In meetings, I have learned to write copious notes or bullet points because I can keep track of the thoughts as they float in and out of my brain… I can easily lose the thread of conversations if I am trying too hard not to interrupt and keep the thing I want to say in my head before it leaves again."

"…or clue of what I need to do before evaporating again. This means I have to act on things immediately, or I have to write them down. Or, when the “vapour” clears and the memory or thought reappears, I have to jump on this too. I will often reach for my phone just as I am drifting off to sleep to check an email I realise I have forgotten to reply to or a task I need to do. I have to check or make a note on…"