ADDavid

Hi Royalene,
I could write a book on my struggles. I will try to answer all of your questions the best that I can. I barely finished high school. The classes I could keep interest in, ex. art, chemistry, creative writing, I would excel. But I couldn't keep focus on any of the other classes. I rarely got C's, mostly A's and F's. I had to repeat the 10th grade due to lack of attendance, I just didn't have the focus, structure or self esteem to even try. College was good in the beginnning due to the newness and challenge. It became the same monster until I started self medicating (unknowingly) with crystal meth. But, that just took me down even lower in the long run. I did 4 years of college with only about 1 1/2 years of credit to show for it. The classes I did pass though were always highly scored. I gave it up and joined the Navy, which turned out to be the structure I needed but resented. I did 8 1/2 years as an Electronics Technician and an Air Traffic Controller. I loved both jobs, because I figured out how to make guitar amp circuits and loved the adrenaline rush of controlling air craft. Pretty scary, huh? My struggle was always the daydreaming. I was very shy in school (in class settings, I would be very comfortable around the friends that I had). I was also very bored. I never had the hyperactivity that I can remember, but, my parents say I was a whirlwind when I was a young child. It was lost when the dreaming started. I couldn't build many friendships due to never being able to hold a conversation for a period of time. the list goes on and on.
One thing that not knowing about ADD at that age (and I hope that parents who read this get something from this part) was, my parents always wanted to talk and would have these "discussions" when I would be less than tolerable. Which was most of the time. My mind has so many things going through at once that it is extremely dificult to decipher one thought from the next. that led to terrible confusion and contempt when my parents wanted an answer right then. All I could ever seem to say was "I don't know". Every argument would have atleast 20 of those. So try and understand kids when they get backed up against a wall to give them a little breathing room to think. It may take a couple of days. Just remind them the problem still exists, but let them have time to think. I still have this problem with my wife. I still say alot of I don't know's.
Now, I work for a phone company and have a great job that is consistently different from week to week. It is what I need and helps to to keep my attention. I have always been clever enough to hide or otherwise fit in through the manipulation of myself or others, my ADD. I think this is why I made it this far with out knowing. It would have been longer if I hadn't had a friend that has it.
Good luck to you and your son Royalene, Iwill keep in touch. david