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Adult ADHD Is the Love Buster

Relationships are all or nothing for adults with ADHD. Either we're fixated, or we're bored and indifferent.
Adult ADHD Blog | Wednesday December 10th - 2:35pm | More December 2008 Blogs
 
Jane D.

Looking back to the failed relationships, so common among adults with attention deficit disorder (ADD / ADHD), I can see as clearly as day that I grew bored of these guys. Bored not just because of their quirks, but because I truly lost interest—much as it is with everyone else.

It is the semi-sadistic and perhaps indifferent man who catches my attention. The sister says that I want the abuse. I wonder if it isn't ADHD and the fear. I picked up a book the other day about ADHD and relationships, written by a fellow ADDer. I read the whole thing and kept nodding and saying, "Yes, yes, yes, that's me."

I am a hopeless romantic, suffering from black-and-white-cookie thinking (AKA all or nothing). I either click with someone or I don't. I need a man with spice, whatever that means. I need someone kind of indifferent—maybe because I need my space.

I wish they had a Build-A-Man workshop, because I'm getting pretty discouraged. I remain a serial dater, and not a day goes by when I am not struggling to stay streamlined and focused.

I wish that the stupid ex-boyfriend had listened to me when I tried to tell him why I was so paranoid about him being perennially late; it was the fear of dating another adult with ADHD. He started humming the Tigger song from Winnie the Pooh, and blamed scattered thinking on creativity. In many ways, it was a slap in the face. The sister says he sounds immature, but who knows? Maybe he has ADD, too, and he just didn't want to face reality.

3 Comments:

  • Posted by Joanna88 - Jan 9 2009 @ 11:11 AM
    Relationship Rescue for Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder
    The book is probably Dare to Forgive by Dr. Edward Hallowell.
    I'd also recommend these other two books that are great for both the ADD person and the non-ADD partner.
    Is It You, Me, or A.D.D. by Gina Pera
    A.D.D. and Romance by Halverstadt (oldie but goodie). Good luck.

  • Posted by Penraddin - Dec 16 2008 @ 10:14 AM
    book on add relationships
    What book was it on add and relationships that you read and said "oh yes, that is me"? I am interested in reading it. I have said that what i need is a data, as in Data from Star Trek. An incredibly intelligent robot/man that i find intelligent and interesting and a good bedmate-- that i can click over into "sleep mode" and put into the closet when my life becomes too complicated or i lose interest. Unfortunately, they have not developed one yet. :P

  • Posted by jess - Dec 10 2008 @ 5:42 PM
    ADD pairs
    Actually, I'm in a relationship with an ADD guy. I knew he was at the time, but didn't know I was until a few months ago. I guess it's the reason neither of us got bored with each other and probably were attracted to each other in the first place. And despite what anyone might think, we hardly ever fight. We've lived together now for 2.5 years and even though we have our share of challenges, I couldn't ask for a better partner. Don't give up. I think you do need to click with someone - and that person is probably out there. Just don't settle for anything less. :)
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