Do You Have ADHD?

It’s time for me to set the record straight.  I am often asked, “Do you have ADHD?”  All my life I have said no, and for good reason…no one told me I did.  Or at least I was listening to them…  Yea, maybe that’s it!

Now it’s time to talk about the elephant in the room.

All my life I have been dodging labels…  And for a good portion of my life, I have been fighting the label associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.  In fact, during my recent ADHD Strategy Series , I professed that I did not have ADHD.

So what is it then?

I’ve known my whole life that I have been different.  I know that I do things differently, and I tend to upset some people along the way.  I don’t really follow the rules…but I don’t blatantly break them either.  You might say I create my own set of rules¹.  That’s never been a problem for me, and it’s never caused a problem in my life (at least to any degree that I cared).

I’ve been called “gruff” and “forthright,” but for all the people I apparently upset, there are many who like knowing where they stand with me.  You’ll never have to worry about that with me.

To truly have ADHD, according to the DSM-IV, symptoms need to cause “significant impairment” in life.

That’s where I have a problem with ADHD.

Has it interfered with my life?  Nope!  I have never been fired…  Never had detention in school…  Never missed appointments…  And was never a behavioral problem…

I have very rewarding relationships and enjoy life for the most part.  Does that mean I don’t have my fair share of struggles?  Not at all!

In fact, as a child, I was identified as gifted and talented.  I was given every opportunity to succeed, and people even embraced my differences.

Hmm…  Could that have helped me?

According to a lot of people I respect, including many of my colleagues in the ADHD community, I do in fact have ADHD.  And if that’s the case, I’m in good company.  Many of the people I respect the most in this world, have ADHD.  So I take it as a compliment.

Tomorrow: I’ll continue unraveling this thread a little bit further…

1. Author and investor, Robert T. Kiyosaki, shares in one of his books that to be truly successful in life, you must create your own rules.

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