Personal Essay by Madison Corley, Graphic Design by Ivory Nguyen & London Marchman

In the world of education, there is an ongoing discussion over the topic of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, more commonly known as ADHD. The first thought that may come to mind when hearing about ADHD could very possibly be the image of a hyperactive, loud and distracted child but I’m here to tell you that anyone can have ADHD. Take it from me— I developed ADHD.

ADHD & Me

For me, my story with ADHD started out a bit different than those who were born with this condition. Back in my younger years, I was in the middle of cheerleading practice with my All-Star team. It was only two days before a huge competition when I bumped heads with another cheerleader mid-tumble pass and received a skull fracture and a concussion that booked me a one-way ticket on a medical emergency helicopter to Houston, Texas. I was scared out of my mind from my near-death experience, but that was only half the battle.

When I went back to school about three months later, I started to become more distracted during lessons, less interested in the material, and more interested in anything other than what I was supposed to be focused on. Eventually, my grades began to suffer. My mother decided to take me to a psychiatrist, where I was then diagnosed with ADHD. I was in complete and total denial. There was no way that I had ADHD. However, as time went on I began to understand that ADHD is nowhere near as taboo as I thought it was.

Learning to Live with ADHD

From the initial development to the medications, everything was a huge adjustment. During this time, I began to act very out of character and all over the place. I found myself feeling like I was on a rabbit chase with each new thought that came to my mind in the middle of class. I was put on medication that made me feel a bit wonky, but more focused and productive. I learned that I had to eat before taking my medication; I couldn’t take it past noon or I would still be awake at 3 in the morning. I even had to make myself eat even if I wasn’t hungry. Although my situation can be understood by many people who have ADHD, not everyone’s situation or experience is going to be the exact same as mine. This journey has quite literally taken me years to understand and I still struggle to this day with not allowing my medication to make me act any less like myself. There are still countless days where it’s difficult to describe what I am feeling.

Fresh Start

Having a fresh and positive mindset is the most helpful in all stages and cases of ADHD. Whether I am on or off of my medication, I try to tell myself every day that this disorder does not define me in any way, no matter how difficult the situation may appear to be.

“Take life day by day, don’t ever allow this disorder define who you are, and as always, be positive in all that you do. You are more than this part of you.”

My “fresh start” came from transitioning my mindset to one that was geared towards my flaws, to asking myself, “What can I do to make my life feel like I am more than my disorder?” and quite honestly, asking myself that very question every day has completely changed my outlook on life. My ADHD experience from day one has been a whirlwind. However, my struggles and victories are very similar to many people who also suffer from this common disorder—the struggles of not being able to comprehend what is being taught to you no matter how hard you try, and the victories of being able to finish homework in a single session or hold a conversation that doesn’t take a hard left turn in the middle of a story.

My advice: take life day by day, don’t ever allow this disorder define who you are, and as always, be positive in all that you do. You are more than this part of you.

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Photo courtesy of Jamie Street via Unsplash

I Have ADHD And Here's My Story

“Take life day by day, don’t ever allow this disorder define who you are, and as always, be positive in all that you do. You are more than this part of you.”