Anne Marie ADHD Official Blog

 I used to think I was just really bad at adulting. Other people seemed to be functioning at a level far beyond me. Sometimes, simply taking a shower becomes an elaborate task that my mind somehow feels overwhelmed with. First, I have to wash and condition my hair, and my hair is so thick and full so it's a process getting all the product distributed evenly in my hair. Then I have to think about what soap I'm going to use, or maybe I'll go with a body scrub or body wash this time? My face wash (which I know they say you aren't supposed to wash your face in the shower because you really should be washing your face with cold water and not warm water), and what kind I will use today. However, if I didn't wash my face in the shower, I would simply not get it done. Therefore, even though I know it dries out your skin to do so, I wash my face in the shower. There's the task of finding a towel and a washcloth, deciding what you are going to wear. Figuring out if I'

 It's 11:40 PM. I should be in bed. When you have ADHD, you are supposed to have a set sleep and wake cycle. I am supposed to be in bed by 10pm and wake up between 5 and 6am. I'm a morning person, and that's my schedule. My brain, however, had other things in mind. I'm lying in bed, listening to the rustling slumber of my dog and my fiancé. I graze my arm with my fingernail, searching for the rough and bumpy texture of that scab I've had on my arm for the last two years or more because I won't stop picking at it. My throat is dry, craving the instant satisfaction of nicotine to enter my body and make me feel calm, or relaxed, or whatever it is that my intense nicotine addiction does for the chemicals in my brain. Did you know that adults with ADHD are twice as likely to be long-term cigarette smokers than non-ADHD adults? This makes sense. Stimulants, and stimulation of the brain in someone with ADHD does not make them feel like they are driven by a motor, or hy

About a week ago, I embarked on the journey of a lifetime. I'm not talking about some grand travels to Europe or camping in the mountains. I'm talking about leaving social media. I made the conscious decision to leave social media recently, for a wealth of reasons. Firstly, I don't really feel that the site was giving me much value lately. The only reason most of us are on social media sites anymore is to keep in touch with family and friends, some of whom we may not have their phone numbers. Social media bridges that gap for many with applications like Facebook Messenger, allowing others to instantly message or call someone even without their phone number. I see the benefit in that, I do. However, I also see how social media has become this breeding ground for some not so logical or even good reasons. The majority of my time spent on Facebook was scrolling through the News and Video feeds, and what I discovered in those places goes from sad and depressing to absolutely sho

 One of the first things I learned after being diagnosed as an adult with ADHD was that there were many symptoms of the disorder that I did not even realize were actual symptoms of ADHD. One of the biggest surprises to me was the symptom of "hyperfocus". ADHD by name alone indicates a "deficit" or inability to concentrate and focus. However, hyperfocus is a symptom of ADHD that is often overlooked. Hyperfocus is when you are so concentrated and focused on something, that you block out everything else and work on whatever that task is continuously. For me personally, my artistic endeavors, hobbies, and crafts, have always been big passions for me. I can recall many times where I would spend hours on an art project or hobby and completely lose track of time. Often, this would lead me to forget important things like taking a break to eat dinner, sleeping, or even doing my homework or other important tasks that needed my attention. Hyperfocus in persons with ADHD happen

 Recently, I have helped my fiancé start his small business, and he is now starting to get good business. I am excited for the many opportunities this affords us and am hopeful for our future plans. I've never actually taken a business class or went to school for business, but I have been able to get a sense firsthand and just how much it requires to start a small business. It has been a valuable and educational process for me. I am also happy that Rick has found his ideal job situation, running his own small business. I am currently going back to school because my interest is becoming a therapist. I originally went to school and received my Bachelor's in English and my Master's in Teaching. Now, I am going back to school for Psychology, which I think is one of the best decisions I've made in my life. I'm so passionate about mental health and helping others, and Rick is passionate about the cleaning business. Little by little we are finding our way, and I'm exci

     I can't tell you how many times I've actually created a blog, began the blog with this hopeful "new beginnings" or "new adventure" post, and then posted on it for a week and forgot about it. Maybe this is part of my ADHD brain being the type that starts projects and never finishes them to completion, but maybe it's also that I just didn't have the best reason or intention to start a blog in the first place. Anyway, I am here now, and that's the important thing.      To begin, I just want to give you a little background about why I am here. I know that blogs aren't the most used types of social media on the internet anymore, but I've found a sense, or a yearning, to go back to previous decades on the internet, where the complications of modern social media weren't among us; where we could just write a simple blog post, and we had AIM to chat with our friends if we didn't have their phone numbers. A bit nostalgic to think about