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Hello brains!

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I say that to you because...[br]if you think about it.

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It wasn't really you[br]that decided to come here today.

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It was your brain.

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And whether you decided [br]to walk or drive, take a taxi, ride a bike

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That decision was decided[br]by your brain.

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Behavior, all behavior,[br]is affected by your brain.

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This is a story about my brain.

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So, I was a smart kid. By 18 months I[br]was speaking in full sentences.

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By third grade I was scoring [br]post high school on standardized tests.

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I had as all my teacher's agreed,[br]so much potential.

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I was also struggling.[br]I didn't have many... any friends.

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Outside of books.[br]I was easily overwhelmed.

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I spaced out in class.[br]I lost things, constantly.

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And trying to get my brain to focus on [br]something I wasn't excited about...

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was like trying to nail Jell-O[br]to the wall.

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But I was smart.[br]So nobody was worried.

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It wasn't until middle school [br]when I was responsible for

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getting myself to classes on time,[br]and remembering to bring my own homework.

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That being smart wasn't enough anymore,[br]and my grades started to suffer.

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My mom took me to the doctor[br]and after a comprehensive evaluation.

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I was diagnosed with[br]attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

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ADHD.

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If you're not familiar with ADHD [br]it has three primary characteristics.

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Inattention, impulsivity, [br]and hyperactivity.

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Some people with ADHD [br]have more of the inattentive presentation.

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Those are the daydreamers,[br]the space cadets.

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Some have more of [br]the hyperactive/impulsive presentation.

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Those are the kids that usually[br]get diagnosed early.

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But, the most common presentation[br]is a combination of both.

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My doctor and my parents decided [br]that given my shiny new diagnosis.

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Maybe stimulant medication would succeed,[br]where spankings and lectures had failed.

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So I tried it.[br]And it worked.

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The first time I took my medication [br]it was like putting on glasses.

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And realizing I could see, [br]without squinting.

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I could focus!

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Without changing anything [br]my GPA went up a full point.

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Honestly it was kind of miraculous.[br]By 14 I had friends, that liked me.

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By 15 I had published my first poem.[br]I got a boyfriend.

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By 17 I knew I wanted [br]to be a journalist.

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My local college had a program that would[br]guarantee admission to USC.

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They had a really [br]great journalism program.