I'm sorry, what are we talking about?

I was chatting with a friend today, sharing with her that I was writing this blog. She found it interesting (in a good way, not in a furrowed-brow "hmmm. . .thhaat's interesting" kind of way) that I was documenting my experiences with ADHD and emerging from its throes through treatment. She asked a lot of questions, including "why?"

Good question, I thought. Why? 

Well, first, I love to tell a story.  Anyone who knows me at all will attest to that.  And with the verbal hyperactivity, and all, the more words I can use the better the story!  Right?  Okay, I guess it depends on the story and who you ask.  In any event, I do love to tell a story, and this is a huge part of my story.  Only I didn't actually know that until recently. 

Which leads me to my second reason.  Exploration.  I've spent four decades developing a certain picture of myself, my surroundings, and my relationships.  Much of that picture was not pleasant - not what I wanted for myself or my loved ones.  And now, after all this time, a little pill once a day is revealing to me that the picture was not what I thought it was. It might sound trite, but I now find myself in the scary and exciting position of having to rediscover myself without the distorted perception brought on by too little dopamine. 

A third reason is that I'm finding the journey rather fascinating.  My exploration reveals new experiences and insight every day, and I want to be able to remember it.  And if someone out there is struggling with similar issues and happens to stumble upon this page, and is somehow helped by it, that would be truly awesome.

But, as someone who has struggled a lifetime with a lack of focus, motivation, and stick-to-itivness, perhaps the reason most meaningful to me is simply that I can.

Having answered the "why," I, myself, still have a lot of questions about the "what."  And as I'm discovering answers to that question, I thought this might be a good place to share what I am only now learning.  After all, I certainly don't claim to be a professional - just a poster girl. 

The absolutely most informative compilation of information that I have come across so far on the Internet is here at  About.com.  I recommend it highly to anyone who might be interested to know what exactly I've been blithering about.  Definitely check out the myths section.  It's an eye-opener, and reassuring to those of us who kind of already sensed this stuff.

http://add.about.com/od/adhdthebasics/u/SymptomsDiagnosis.htm