The Top 10 List
I believe there are many people who work in the high tech industry who have ADD, much more than the average of the population. Approximately five per
cent of the population has ADD and 85 per cent of adults with ADD don’t know they have it. It seems to me ADD and the technology industry is a
natural fit. The constant change of the high tech world can be stressful and troubling for some people but it’s often stimulating and energizing for
the ADDer. A great source of Dopamine hits. Although, there are no specific statistics a number of other ADD experts I’ve talked to agree with my
observation.
Many people only see the many problems associated with ADD, and many people, especially men avoid getting diagnosed for ADD. The delay in getting
diagnosed is that some people portray it as an almost totally pathological condition, and they view it as just a weakness.
To put it into perspective, I thought I’d write a list of some advantages of having ADD in the wired world to help people in the industry recognize
and develop their ADD related strengths as well as managing their ADD challenges.
I will go thru these considering I supposedly have ADD.. So I am told.. I will let you guys fill in the rest.
1. The Ability to Hyperfocus.
Hours of full engagement and concentration in a task, IF you find it interesting. You can get into the zone and be totally immersed in what you’re
doing while the outside world disappears. When I went on the net for the first time in 1993 at an Internet cafe I got on the machine at 8 pm and
around 4 am decided it was time to go home.
This is very very kick ass thing I have.. But there is a big downside to this also.
Case in point.. actually 2..
Upside:
I wanted to learn 3d to add a car into a fame called GTA III. I learned about 5 yrs of 3d in less than 8 months..
Downside:
I have a site called studyof911.com. I have had this site since august and I barely am touching it. I have had someone else do it because I don't
want to learn php/mysql and other misc things like that to do cool things on the site that should be done. The reason is because its alot of coding
and words and such.. Nothing to get around real fast.. Unlike 3d where you pull something and learn.
Now granted this isn't the 1st time I ran into this issue, 3/4 yrs back I faced this same issue and the same results. There are some thing people
with ADD will not do.. altho I don't condone using drugs to achieve this either, prescription or otherwise.
2. Rapid Fire Mind.
Your brain processes information at hyperspeed. You can do things in 30 minutes on a computer that might take other people hours. Downside if you’re
stuck with an old machine and not enough RAM you’ll be frustrated cause it can’t keep up with the speed of your brain.
This goes with above. Reason I learned 3d real fast is cause I wanted to see the outcome of what would happen in game. So I worked very hard and very
fast at trying to do this.
On the flip side its a bitch cause if you don't want to do it you wont. Unless you are forced at gunpoint to do it... Even then it wont help much.
3. Multitasking at Will.
Able to run 14 apps at a time and effortlessly switch between each without breaking a sweat. Able to do several projects at a time with ease.
4. High Energy Level.
You’re able to keep going on a project (if it’s interesting, ADDers are more into creative and entrepreneurial activities than clerical and
repetitive ones). 14-hour days? No problem. Adrenaline is my fuel source
This is true in both cases. At the time I could do about 8 things at 1 time. I was also able to stay and do this 24 32 sometimes 48 hrs at some kicks
with very little time for sleep.
5. Highly Creative.
Able to think beyond the idea of a box. This comes naturally for ADDers, while others pay thousands of dollars to try and learn this. Since you take
in more information than the average person, and you’re easily distractible, you’re more likely to view a problem from many different angles than
vanilla people (non ADDers), and therefore come up with more possible solutions to a problem. Need an idea generator? Find an ADDer.
I guess this speaks for itself.. Things I have done/learned in 10 yrs.
3d art.(I cant draw for crap however on paper...)
Internet Radio
CT's (Conspiracy Theories) (To most CT'ists I have a question? Do you think about most things you talk about on ats or try and chat about things to
other people to try and find a clean answer instead of just forming an opinion?)
Art Site
Painting Cars, Bodywork also.
Fascination with Death(NO I am not going to kill myself any century soon.. Sorry..)
History ( A true sense, not something a book tells me...)
Anyway since I am getting bored typing this.. I will maybe fill in the rest later or something..
I don't feel ADD is a problem, I consider it a gift, kinda like those kids in school that went to "
Gifted" classes cause they were smart or
something.. I think ADD is way better than that, if you can keep an ADD'ers attention on something, they can be VERY VERY smart in a short amount of
time.
I also don't think drugs are the answer to this problem, I think that people have to seriously look at ADD and try and work with the people who have
it instead of suppressing it.. Plus most of the drugs that they have out for these things are not even good for you..
So to parents who have kids with ADD try and make it fun for both of you, see what your kid is into, and have him try and excel at it until he gets
bored.. Then try and find something else for him to do..
[edit on 12/2/2006 by ThichHeaded]
