We love our friends and family, but unless they have AD(H)D, there is no way in H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks that they’ll ever have any clue of what we go through. Sometimes they think they’re helping us with their advice and tips, when they’re actually making things worse. They “attack” so we withdraw. We withdraw so they attack. They attack so we withdraw….on and on. It’s an endless cycle, and probably not the best thing for our mental health (or theirs for that matter).
I finally had to educate everyone around me to stop attacking me and giving me advice. “I HATE YOUR AWFUL ADVICE!!! YOU DON’T EVEN SPEAK MY LANGUAGE!!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING??? IS THAT FRENCH?!?!” For those that didn’t want to be educated, I tossed them back in the river…don’t need ’em…too small to eat. A great friend and fellow ADHD’er wrote this to me in an email, and I think it says it all. How sad for us. How can we change this?
“Well, I’m climbing out of this place (again) and I’m sure it won’t be the last time. I’m so grateful for your words. Members of my own family have said I’m a “horrible person” because I “shut them out”. Some friends, the one’s who say things like “life is too short, get over it” and “take your meds” and claim I’m seeking attention with my pathetic loser ways…they are not really on my radar but their words stick with me. Funny. So I seek new people who I haven’t alienated and who think my bubbly bursts of energy and fearlessness are charming. Those who I haven’t let down yet. Those who haven’t seen me as dark matter but only supernova. Ha ha. Suckers.”
We are the freaking SUPERNOVAS and whether the rest of the world likes it or not, it’s time for us to finally shine! Now, where’s that damn match I had lying around…I know it’s here somewhere…where did I set that thing? CRAP!