Meet Ben T., ADDitude's newest blogger, who was diagnosed with ADHD as a child but has only come into thriving with his ADHD traits, and managing his ADHD symptoms, as a young adult.
by Ben T.
Hi, my name is Ben and I have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD). Now you all say, "Hi, Ben!"
The truth is, this is not Alcoholics Anonymous, and I have not been sober during my 28-plus years on this planet. I am slobbering drunk with ADD/ADHD, so I hope you won't mind if I say anything silly (in this blog post or any to come in this new blog column in the future). After all, I am under the influence.
I am not your run-of-the-mill, post-college, post-having-kids, late-life-diagnosis ADD/ADHD adult -- I am actually your run-of-the-mill, diagnosed-in-elementary-school, tried-to-be-like-everyone-else-in-high-school, loathed-my-flaws, envied-my-peers, wished-I-was-someone-else (all the way up until my late 20s when I finally realized that this condition wasn't going away) ADD/ADHD adult. (Was that a run-on sentence?)
To be honest, I never liked my ADD/ADHD. We never really got along, me and him. In fact, I flat-out hated the guy. I wished, I prayed, I begged to have my curse taken away. It wasn't until very recently, with help from my girlfriend, that I came to realize that ADD/ADHD is not just responsible for some of my flaws -- it is also responsible for some of my gifts. It's a part of what makes me, me. And you know what? I like me: I am creative and compassionate, I can think outside the box at times when others are trapped inside it, I appreciate the small things (and at times get distracted by them), and I get a kick out of the big things.
My girlfriend turned me on to a website with attitude (yes, you guessed it, ADDitudeMag.com), and on this site I learned I am not alone in my struggles. I have come to realize that my gifts often go hand in hand with the symptoms of ADD/ADHD, and my flaws are merely some of the roadblocks on the otherwise limitless path life has placed me on.
So, come join me on my blog, as I learn how to navigate that path and learn to accept the journey. Drink up you ADDers: Cheers to a new start!