A.D.D. Random Thinking

Brain rambling has been my lifelong affliction.  It doesn't bother me when, in a conversation, I change subjects several times. My daughter, Lauren, will comment, “Well, that was random, Jans.”  Not random to me.  My brain works like a TV remote rapidly clicking between stations.  When you’re on a new station, you talk about it, right? 
Getting stuff accomplished is a challenge.  I start by picking something up in the always messy office that goes in the kitchen and then I see the phone and remember to call my Mom who reminds me that I missed a family get together yesterday…

It’s genetic.  My sister Bridget thinks about something then starts talking about it as if everyone else is following the same inward conversation, and her husband will say, “Who is “he” and where is ‘there?”

I think I have some of the ‘H’ (hyperactivity) of ADHD as well.  People comment on how thin I am.  Of course I am.  Not only do I forget to eat, but I can’t stop moving—noticeable to unlucky seatmates on airplanes when I change positions like a hyper-caffeinated contortionist.  Once, on a 6 hour flight, I finally fell asleep after driving my seatmate to drink, when the smiling flight attendant jabbed me, “Would you like to eat?!”  I glared, “No!!!”  My seatmate glared at him as well. I can’t sit still in church or a baseball game either.  At a movie, I have to order popcorn—I like it a lot, but mostly, it’s something TO DO.

I wanted to see if ADD meds would help. It took me years to remember to ask my doc, and he said I would need a psychiatric evaluation.  So it took several more years to get around to finding a shrink and then actually calling for an appointment.  And this Psych doc wanted me to come five times for crying out loud.  I went to the first appointment, but naturally missed the second.   She said  she was going to charge me anyway.  I said I missed the appointment because I HAVE ADD!!!—that didn’t fly.  Eventually I was prescribed the meds and darn if they didn’t help—if I remembered to take them… Then I read some article that the meds aren’t so great for adults for some reason or other—death, I think; so I quit taking them altogether and I’m back thinking and moving like a pinball machine.

If my house were more organized I might not always be losing things, especially in my always messy office which I'm going to clean right now...or maybe I'll call my son, Ryan, to see if it's tomorrow or Friday that I'm suppose to have lunch with him...But where is that darn phone???

   ©2011, Jana B. Patrick