ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) Awareness Month: My Experiences and Thoughts

October is ADHD Awareness Month, so I've decided to make a video to spread awareness regarding ADHD that can potentially help others that are affected by it directly or know someone who is. In this video I'll give you some general info, and also talk about my experiences with this condition.

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[nintendowiids]

I'm in uni at my 6th year and ADHD has affected my academics so much that I'm stuck in a cycle of self hate and low self-esteem. I'm only passing like 1 class per semester since I just procrastinate everything, get demotivated when I fail my first exam, and just rinse and repeat.

[morenteria]

Jay, we love you my friend. You have our support and we're proud of you! Thank you for your time in making videos and for sharing something so private. I'm sure your bravery will rub off on someone.

[AaronWeissRocks]

I'm so happy to see this video from your channel. In the last three months I have been diagnosed as ADD as an adult. I look back at my early life and the symptoms were always there. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[ForrestRhoads]

It is very brave of you to do this. It is hard to open up to strangers. But you are helping the community in a profound way. Some of the brightest, most accomplished people I know have wrestled with this application.

[jumpman]

Damn. Literally in tears listening to you talk about how hard it is and that "glass" wall that seems impossible to get through. I'm a software development student and it's so frustrating for me that I want to program but can't seem to finish my HW sometimes. This is very motivating. Thank you.

[pabloredondocrespolc]

You are brave and inspirational!! Congratulations!! I admire your work and tutorials!! Thanks!!

[LasVegasVocalist]

Thank you so much for sharing, Jay. I too was diagnosed with ADHD (as a child) and took Ritalin for quite a long time until I had a heart attack from it. I have not been same since. Please, research your meds carefully.

[MySqueezingArm]

I was diagnosed ADHD at 7 years old. My parents decided that was wrong, and to instead say I was lazy and not in challenging enough courses. Managed to take harder classes, skating by on test grades with a 20% of homework turned in. Sought help as an adult, managed to double my income and tackle some life goals.

I totally understand Jay, thank you for sharing your story.

[glopez]

This is a great video. I was diagnosed with ADHD not long ago, and getting treated for it helped me immensely. It helps alot with depression and anxiety. Many people don't realize this, including myself. If depression is things that happened in your past, and anxiety is about things that haven't really happened, thinking in the present moment will help with this, and most treatment for ADHD does exactly this.

[francisbelanger]

Thanks for opening up. I feed so related, the glass analogy is spot on. I was diagnosed with ADD as an adult because my kids also had it.

[gerald]

Thanks for making this video. My son was very active at 2 years old. By 3 he hardly slept. We did seek professional help at U of M. While waiting for the appointment to come up a child psychiatrist was on an afternoon show. This was around 1977. He spoke about the things you brought up in your video. He also mentioned how some children are hypersensitive to preservatives in foods such as cereals. I think one of them was BHT. He recommended trying a diet without these chemicals. We did and in one month my son was calm, able to focus, and slept through the night. We cancelled the appointment. He did eventually grow out of it. But in the meantime a trip to grandmas and giving him whatever he wanted proved the doctor was correct. In a few days he was back to being hyper again.

[vnomik]

this video was MUCH more helpful, in terms of real-life, than any other video about computers ever made out there, in general. THANK you for sharing and pls keep growing this nice character of yours, we need more people like you and I really mean it

[jarnobot]

This is such a great video! I've been diagnosed with both ADD and Aspergers, although I think ADD affects my life more. I've been having a hard time finishing my Software Engineering study because of it, which has resulted in debt, damaged relationships and depression.
On the bright side, it's getting better and without my ADD's hyperfocus and aspergers I would've probably never gotten so much into Linux. I'm sure that a lot of what I've learned is going to be very helpful in my future job(s).

I think you did a great job on getting the important information out there! I'm also really happy that you specifically mentioned getting help from a professional that's specialized in ADHD. In my experience that makes all the difference. I'm also really happy to see you referred to HowToADHD in the description, Jessica is great!
Respect to you and take care!

[totoplopp]

Thank you so much for the video!!! As a computer science student who just started out with getting help, this made me feel a lot better!!!

[kapilgidwani]

Love to you brother.. You are a nice man. You are lucky you got treatment. Many people have lost their childhood due to the pain and embarrassment they get due to ADD and Tourette syndrome.

[Bob-zgzf]

👏🏻
Very honest!
You are an excellent man, bro.

[ppkus]

Man, I can’t believe this.... I share EXACTLY the same situations you described, I am literally crying my eye balls out.... I will look for help too I had no idea I had this

[jpwillm]

Hello Jay,
Generous and equally gifted people like you should indeed be careful not to fall into the trap of hyperactivity.
This is what you do and I've noticed it for a while in your tone of voice.
That said, currently there is an anti-hyperactivity campaign that should benefit the pharmaceutical industry ...
When we no longer manage to analyze ourselves objectively, loving and wise people will help us to set up our "balancing meter". Your video is really helpful in this.
Thank you again for your great videos and for the clear explanations in English that even a French (Alsatian) like me can understand 8-)
----
Bonjour Jay,
Les personnes généreuses et aussi douées comme vous doivent effectivement faire attention de ne pas tomber dans le piège de l'hyperactivité.
C'est ce que vous faites et je l'ai remarqué depuis un moment dans le ton de votre voix.
Ceci dit, actuellement il y a une campagne anti-hyperactivité qui doit bien profiter à l'industrie pharmaceutique...
Quand on n'arrive plus à s'analyser objectivement soi-même, des personnes aimantes et sages nous aideront à paramétrer notre "équilibromètre". Votre vidéo est vraiment utile en cela.
Merci encore pour vos super vidéos et pour les explications claires dans un anglais que même un français (alsacien) comme moi peut comprendre 8-)

[BrucesWorldofStuff]

Yep that's been me for 67 years. Then you have the depression that goes with it. I always start something and then just stop 1/2 way through all 10 projects and then there is the joy of starting something new like you said. Also the joy of finally finishing a project!!!
If it can't hold my attention then it will never happen. I like read something and after 2 paragraphs I had no idea what I read because my mind was on something else! Excellent!
I always call it "CRS" "Can't Remember Stuff" (not really that "S") when I forget stuff.
Then there is the true moments of pure clarity about stuff that happened 10 years ago... Fantastic!
Then there is the "Shiny Moments"... Be like doing something and all of a sudden you see something "Shiny" and off your mind goes!

I worked at Walmart as a stocker for years and I would be stocking the shelves and all of a sudden I would see something that interests me and I would just stop and stare at it like in a trance, My manager would come by and would say, "Hay Bruce, it's done being Shiny! "...Then we would both laugh and go on working... :-)
Yep one thing for sure when I am focused stand back! But when I am done, I am done!
Yes We make good Techs and Mechanics because of the " WoW I fixed that! " it was interesting at the time and keeps you focused... That is rewarding in itself and depressing too! It's like that rolling coaster that you love to hate! :-)
It may have taken me a week to start it but when I do, Wow...

So Jay I am there for ya. I have 3 kids the same way and my son "N" law just told me 2 weeks ago at 35 years old his doctor told him he has ADHD / ADD. Which I already know that, , , :-(
Anyway that's my ADHD / ADD ramble is done Jay.
Thanks for the video!
That took some doing I bet... Godbless!
LLAP

[TheRealDasluft]

Love the shirt. My son has adhd and it has affected him since he was a child and your shirt just nails adhd