Hello brains!
I say that to you because... if you think about it.
It wasn't really you that decided to come here today.
It was your brain.
And whether you decided to walk or drive, take a taxi, ride a bike
That decision was decided by your brain.
Behavior, all behavior, is affected by your brain.
This is a story about my brain.
So, I was a smart kid. By 18 months I was speaking in full sentences.
By third grade I was scoring post high school on standardized tests.
I had as all my teacher's agreed, so much potential.
I was also struggling. I didn't have many... any friends.
Outside of books. I was easily overwhelmed.
I spaced out in class. I lost things, constantly.
And trying to get my brain to focus on something I wasn't excited about...
was like trying to nail Jell-O to the wall.
But I was smart. So nobody was worried.
It wasn't until middle school when I was responsible for
getting myself to classes on time, and remembering to bring my own homework.
That being smart wasn't enough anymore, and my grades started to suffer.
My mom took me to the doctor and after a comprehensive evaluation.
I was diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
ADHD.
If you're not familiar with ADHD it has three primary characteristics.
Inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.
Some people with ADHD have more of the inattentive presentation.
Those are the daydreamers, the space cadets.
Some have more of the hyperactive/impulsive presentation.
Those are the kids that usually get diagnosed early.
But, the most common presentation is a combination of both.
My doctor and my parents decided that given my shiny new diagnosis.
Maybe stimulant medication would succeed, where spankings and lectures had failed.
So I tried it. And it worked.
The first time I took my medication it was like putting on glasses.
And realizing I could see, without squinting.