Throughout elementary and middle school, it was always very hard for me to stay on task and pay attention when the teachers were talking. I struggled to complete a task all the way through, and got distracted by almost everything. If i was trying to read a book, and someone across the room was talking, I could not focus on what I was reading until they stopped talking. If I had a list of things I was supposed to do I would move on to the next thing before even finishing the first. My grades started dropping, not because i did not understand the material, but because i could not complete the work without rushing through or getting distracted. Finally, one day my teacher decided to set up a meeting with my parents. This teacher brought up the possibility of ADD or ADHD. My parents did not really know what this was, but felt that it was important to look into it. So, they asked my doctor, who decided to set up an appointment with a psychologist. After the appointment i was sent with an evaluation packet for all of my teachers. Once that was returned to the doctor, I was diagnosed with ADHD. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It is classified as a disorder, but can also be seen as a learning disability or a mental illness. When I was first diagnosed, a lot of things started to make since. This was why I struggled to pay attention, had issues with honesty, and could never sit still. After being diagnosed we were given many tools to help me cope with my disorder and began the long journey of finding a medication that was right for me. I tried many different medicines, until we eventually found the one that helps me succeed. To this day i take my medicine daily, and it not only helps with my ADHD but also with anxiety. It helps me with the big things like focusing on school, and with the small things like not getting so overwhelmed when i have more than one thing on my mind. ADHD was my biggest obstacle, but it has also been my biggest success for overcoming it.
