Thank you for this video, Hank! I diagnosed myself with ADHD- inattentive at 30 and I'm still trying to figure out how to get through the hardest parts of living in my brain and working with it to survive and thrive. It's a lot of trial and error but I'm working hard and also found How to ADHD a few months back. What a gift! Thanks for being so honest and I'm so glad you had amazing help and support and have created a life in which your brain thrives. That is so hopeful to hear!
I love the fact that the internet has so much info about ADHD now because people have gone from "you are clumsy, easily distracted, forgetful, desperate, take forever reading, kind of rude and always start stuff but never finish it" to just asking "do you gave ADHD?"
Thank you for sharing your experience Hank. I was recently diagnosed with inattentive ADHD/ADD at 46. One large part of my getting diagnosed was How to ADHD's RUclips channel. What you described is basically my ADHD life. I also identify as an HSP, so sensory overload is definitely a thing and now that I know more about this stuff I identify with being along spectrums of Dyscalculia, Dispraxia, Aphantasia and Alexithymia. I would not have done as well without a father who was an educator. I still have a lot self-esteem issues and underlying trauma from being different. Getting diagnosed helped immensely as it changed how I felt about myself - there's finally an explanation and I am not alone.
TLDR: acknowledging and seeking help with mental disorders is not weakness and medication prescribed by a good therapist will likely only help you. I was diagnosed with ADHD about 10 years ago. I initially went on medication and then stopped because I didn't like the side-effects. For years I struggled with all of the most common effects of ADHD and developed increasingly crazy coping strategies. It wasn't until about 2 years ago when I went back into grad school and was working full time in a math focused career that I finally felt defeated and went back for therapy and medication. I felt defeated by and sad that I couldn't just get by like everyone else. I had always felt smart and had gotten by enough to function but it seemed apparent that I just wasn't good enough anymore. It was stressing me out and making me depressed. Almost immediately after beginning the therapy sessions and medication I experienced a near complete turn around. My memory and attentiveness improved, my fidgeting almost completely stopped, I was able to keep a schedule, it was easier for me to focus and I was less annoyed when my focus was broken. It was like night and day. While medication isn't the answer for everyone, my life has SUBSTANTIALLY improved because of it and I wish I could go back and see what my undergraduate degree would have been like with it. If anyone is questioning whether or not their ADHD is "serious" enough for medication, please go talk to a mental health provider.
The worst period of my life was being prescribed Adderall as a child. Like you, I couldn't handle the side effects. Now that I'm 21, I've had this internal debate about going back on medication more than once. I've learned to adapt my environment better, and I'm coping day to day. (It's been 10 years since I stopped taking medication.) I guess my question is... How are you doing with side effects now? I went through a major depression and the craziest appetite ever when I was medicated. The possibility of going through that again is really scary for me.
Depression is the worst though because not only do you feel bad for seeking mental help when you shouldn't but also depression is seen as something you should just overcome but it's a chemical imbalance that needs medication or a change in lifestyle to correct. Depression also causes the victim to feel like seeking help is pointless because that's what depression does, it depresses one's thoughts. So the idea of seeking help may come to mind but it is quickly replaced with negative thoughts and so they have the hardest time working up the motivation to seek help. Couple that with an anxiety of say public spaces or just interaction with people in general and the victim will find it very hard or near impossible to get help. The one thing that can really help someone who is depressed is friends or family that reach out to help them because they will likely not get the help themselves.
My son (13) has had anxiety, depression and panic attacks since he was very young. It wasn't until this year that we realized he is sensitive to salicylates (the chemical in fruit, most vegetables, aspirin, honey and spices). Taking those out of his diet has been like magic. He is so calm and happy now.
thank you. thank you thank you thank you thank you. I just can't form any thought that isn't thank you right now. my son is 8 and he's been diagnosed with sensory processing disorder and adhd and sometimes I feel so discouraged and I hit a wall and I wonder if he will ever master the mindfulness side of it. we just started him on a low dose of medication. and I don't see the change I though I would and I still watch him struggle everyday. it's so scary to not know what is going to happen. I don't want to ever put him in a box and think he's incapable of becoming a successful functioning adult. I can't even put into words how much of a weight you lifted off my shoulders hearing that you struggle with sensory processing issues as well. Seeing a grown, functioning, successful person talking about this is exactly what I needed right now. thank you so much for talking about this. thank you for giving me hope for my son's future and relighting the drive I have to get him the accommodations and tools that he needs to thrive. I'm so excited for him to watch this video! also while I'm at it. thank you for nerd con and for stopping and saying hello to me on your way out of the hotel. I'm sure you were exhausted. thank you thank you thank you.
It's obvious that you guys have great parents. When I first came across your channel "Crash Course" in 2019 I thought to myself, these guys are TOO MUCH. I meant that in both a positive and negative way. On the negative: your energy levels were exhausting to me because I am the total opposite. I move and think and listen sloooowly. On the positive: your passion for teaching is incredible and it completely matches my passion for learning. So, I adjusted my speedometer to keep up. In a nutshell, I love you guys and am glad I found you. XOXO from a big fan
Thank you for making this. I always wondered if you have it because people always complain about how fast you talk. But I love it because it is the same speed as my brain so I don't get bored in the middle of your sentences. I have ADHD and I would love to welcome you to the tribe.
You made me cry. I don't know how someone as successful as you are have coped with undiagnosed ADHD for so long. My ADHD has destroyed my life at least 3 times over. But there is one thing us Brains learn to become and that's resilient. You give me hope that success (long term) is within my grasp and not unachievable due to my ADHD.
Thank you, you put this very well. I am in my 40s and was diagnosed a couple of years ago with ADHD. I managed to do pretty well regardless, but never quite understood why some things were difficult. I have seen tooamy people who are doing well saying that people should not take meds, or that just need better parenting or environment to accentuate their skills. The understanding of the condition has helped me see the positive and negative aspects, and how if I was rich enough getting a personal assistant to handle the stuff I am not so good at would be worth Evey penny. I decided to try the meds and found them to help me a lot, and not anywhere near as scary as they are made to be. We should understand that people can have ADHD and not be impacted by it, and others are. We should in no way br critical of any one in how they handle it. Just the diagnosis for me was not a label, it helped me to understand myself more than ever and to be in more control. I was diagnosed after I realized my son had all the same issues that I did. He is really smart, I now can be there for him to help him make best use of his brain.
I was diagnosed in College and what took so long for my diagnosis was people telling me I was just really smart and that just made me furious. I am almost 21 now and for almost 19 years I was unable to get the resources I needed because people insisted I couldn’t possibly have it. If I have got diagnosed earlier a lot of things could have been way easier now.
Thank you very much for making this video, my son was diagnosed with a sensory processing disorder late last year. While I know my family and I can deal with it and help him figure out how to work himself, my wife has been very depressed wondering if he would still be able to lead good/full life. This video has brought her a little bit of hope, which is always needed. Thanks again, Phil
As an AuDHD person, I did often wonder why I related to the Green brothers so viscerally. Interestingly I do relate to John more but that’s maybe because the autism part of my brain has symptoms of anxiety and OCD (mostly checking for me), and special interests that make me think of how John talks about TB. John has also mentioned hearing the buzzing from lights, which is something I wear noise dampeners for. Sometimes though I’m definitely a Hank Green, when I’m excited about a new book, or new information I’ve unraveled or uncovered for myself, I talk like how Hank talks about any significant science news ever.
Hi hank!!! I have adult ADHD (probably as a child too but was just diagnosed two years ago, I'm 21) and this video meant a lot to me. I too have found some things in the difference of my brain that i love and help me. Would you ever consider an official diagnosis and/or medication? It helped me a lot and it made possibe for me to start med school. Love from Colombia. Memento mori
I'm thinking about it. I think it will come down to whether I feel like my behavior is negatively affecting my parenting ability. So far so good though, (I think!)
As someone who got medicated for ADHD at age 28, even if it isn't necessarily negatively affecting your life, getting the medication can make a HUGE difference in just... day-to-day brain energy and ability to handle a lot of information/input. (But it might also not be worth it, thanks to side-effects and other factors, sadly it doesn't work for everyone.)
Hi Hank! Thank you so much for this video! I do not have ADHD, but I do have generalized anxiety disorder. For me, managing my anxiety really has been about figuring out how to live in my own head. I do take medication, which helps, but I also have figured out what situations I can handle and when I do need help. Taking the steps to figure out how I can function the best without my anxiety taking over has been really difficult, but I'm starting to get the hang of it. It can be exhausting to live in my own head, but now I know that other people can relate. I'm glad you shared this with us.
hank, I don't know how obvious this is to you, it's probably have considered/know, but like, a lot of what you're describing sounds a lot like, or possibly overlaps with ASD/asperger's. it certainly resonates with me as a person who has it. I have to agree with the idea that people who are lucky to be given help makes a massive difference, like I was disagnosed when I was 16 and prior to that my mum did a lot of work doing the form filling and pushing for me to get as much help and diagnosis. but I really think a lot of people don't realise they have things like ADHD or asperger's which is why I think it should be taught in schools so kids know their strengths and weaknesses early on, even though everybody is different and even within a certain disorder and neurological difference, they're widely diverse
I am very happy that you have come out and spoke about your ADD/ADHD. Living within one's on brain can make you see the world differently, and others are not entirely sure on how to approach you. I'm glad that I am finding more people that come up with different strategies and ways to cope with the "disorder" and turn it into an advantage. 👌🏾
I have sensory processing disorder too....I have a tendency to irrationally feel like I'm the only person in the world with these 'problems' but watching this video and reading the comments has made me feel less alone. Thank You.
I was finally officially diagnosed AuDHD (autism + ADHD) 3 years ago at the age of 35. Not having the supports I needed as a kid meant having to figure out workarounds for my brain’s wiring all on my own. Meds help, but support is what I really needed (and still do).
I've been watching her channel for awhile now and it's great for learning skills to manage ADHD and stuff. I definitely recommend it and I enjoyed watching this video Hank!
Im a 31 year old man, and i wasnt diagnosed with ADHD until about 27, after I dropped out of college as a 5 year softmore and after ruining things with my then-fiancée. I escaped diagnosis for years. When i was little, i was in small Catholic schools where i got plenty of attention, and my parents were always active in their kids' school work. There were warning signs. I could never pay attention, and doodled constantly. I never had projects done on time. I was honestly scared of school, despite really liking art and reading But my brother suddenly died when i was 11 and he was 16. It was a car accident. Within a few months i developed a depressive disorder and suicidal ideation. I was hospitalized, and diagnosed with major depression, and that was credited with the behavioral problems i would have in high school. Of course, i was depressed and grieving, without a doubt. But by the time i was an upperclassman in high school and underclassman in college, i wasnt grieving but i was still having problems. No antidepressant made a difference in my cognitive performance. Ive been on nearly a dozen different kinds of meds before losing my parents' insurance. I failed every other class i took, and after half a decade of feeling like and idiot i couldn't take it anymore. I became so dejected and bitter i ruined the only serious relationship I've managed to have as an adult. Thats the hardest. Not that she left, but that i was so shitty she had to leave, for her own sake. Ive only ever made about $700/mo or so, and have only been on Adderall a little while, it's like wiping the fog off a windshield. Its hard to get on it as an adult (and never ever ever tell your doc you used to smoke weed. Ever). If anyone has read all this, the lesson here is 1) american healthcare is shit even with obamacare and we need single payer now and 2) help your mentally ill friends get help asap
Yaaaaaas I LOVE How To ADHD!!! I found her a month or two ago and just mainlined her videos. She makes me feel so much better about the things that frustrate me about myself. And it's really cool to know that you struggle with these issues as well (especially the being on time to things, I struggled with that for a looooooooooong time and finally had to teach myself how to be on time). It makes me feel like anything is possible. :)
Yessss How to ADHD is an amazing channel, thank you so much for giving them a shoutout! I've been following them since I found out I probably had ADD, when they only had like 5000 subs.
I know this is a 3 year old video, but the exact same trajectory of diagnosis happened with me, I was diagnosed with Sensory Integration Disorder (now called SPD I think) at 6 yrs old, went about getting help for that, only to grow up and realize (at 20) I also have ADHD ! I’ve never run across anyone else also in such a specific situation!!
Hank , at 50 + I was diagnosed and if you can manage without meds and know that you are ? Then I strongly recommend using the drug free method and diet exercise and sleep consistency , unfortunately I also have some depression with bipolar disorder that for a multitude of reasons it just became unmanageable. The depression meds for me was a roller coaster that I thought would never end or at least “not good”. About 4 years of testing meds , doctors and psychologists, counseling and Psychiatrist I’ve found a somewhat level spot , but if anything tips the scale it can really cause the days ahead to become a struggle to keep the train on the tracks let alone on time ! So the sooner we find a happy place and know what can derail us and manage or avoid certain situations and keep those supporting you knowing that there making a deference and you appreciate every thing they do. Someday”s I need to write it on paper over and over just to get going. Lol what ever works The twitching toes are the best ! Lol good luck on that !!
That's why my socks usually have holes after just a while of wearing them?!? This explains so much. Love how you pointed out that you had privileges that not many people have. It's pretty thoughtful of you :)
My hand writing has always been TERRIBLE and I'm the exact same way with focus: it's hard to focus on things, but once I do, I hate being disrupted and get irrationally upset about it. My feet are pretty wiggly too, but it's not too bad, but I have a hard time sitting at a desk for too long and my legs get wiggly.
I love Jessica McCabe's videos! She helped me so much. I've never been diagnosed with ADHD because I wasn't disruptive as a child and had good grades... But I really liked to learn new stuff and if I thought we didn't learn anything of value, I would just draw, because that was my knack. If I was cocky, I was either cute or lazy, depending on the teacher's appreciation. So yeah, diagnoses are pretty subjective, but I'm struggling with about the same shortcomings, except that, instead of dyslexia, I'm prone to panic attacks and burnouts from trying to keep up with everyone's pace. -_-
I've been on shit RUclips for too long and really thought this would be click bait. It wasn't. I also have an SPD, as well as autism and possibly ADHD. Good video!
"When I'm forced to disengage from that focus I get irrationally angry" is the most relatable thing I have ever heard. Most of my stuff can be explained away as Dyslexia which i have been diagnosed with but that one never quite fit so I just thought it was my personality or something... really nice hearing someone else does that too.
My son has it and ASD. Labels are SO HARD!!!! Frustrating! I have a few of my own. Keeping him doing at this time, with his schoolwork is a lot more complicated then I was expecting and my respect for his teachers amplified! I am going to be checking out ALL your videos on this! If you have any advice, I am ALL EARS!!!! I have 6 children and 5 are in school. Well, home at school?!
Thank you for this. As an adult who was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 38, and the parent of a daughter with ADHD as well, what you are saying about learning to live with the way your brain differs from the "norm" is what it's all about.
I agree. I kind of dislike pseudo-self-diagnosis videos that casually cast the idea of a real diagnosis aside. If he really has ADHD related problems, and they really are inconveniencing the people he cares about, he should want to get diagnosed and try at least a couple of treatment options. I didn't want to be who I was before I started my treatment... I thought I did, but I didn't really. I dislike the idea of romanticizing "I'm just broken, it's cute."
your symptoms are almost identical to my boyfriend's, and he has a pretty solid diagnosis of dyspraxia. it also makes him crazy good at outside the box thinking, 3D visualisation, pattern finding etc. I don't think he'd change it given the choice :)
I did not know this about you after years and years of vlogbrothers. This is almost identical to my experience with my own sensory disorder, so thanks for sharing... :)
I watched this, and it was like I was listening to myself talk. (Well, a cuter version of myself, admittedly, but almost everything he said applied exactly to me. I, too, got a lot of help and had a computer from a young age and programming became a way for me to work productively with my ADHD.) I also manage mine with daily mindfulness meditation (usually two sessions of 20 minutes each, and sometimes longer ones or more if time permits) and strenuous cardiovascular exercise, which slows my mind down and allows me to focus on one thing at a time instead of scatterbrainedly trying to do one thing for three minutes, and then something else for ten, and then something for four, etc, which leads to me not making any progress on any of them and just feeling completely overwhelmed and uncomfortably stimulated.
As someone who did get a diagnosis (Aspergers) I can tell you that at least for me it was very much a shelf where I could put all of my problems as a person and be like: "I can't change that, it's my aspergers". If I hadn't been diagnosed I might have found it equally easy to call it aspects of my personality that can't be changed, but of cause the diagnosis was there. I've learned that there are aspects of my personality that can be changed, one small step at a time. Sometimes it feels impossible, sometimes I take those steps and discover that it's a lot easier than I'd built it up to be. Either way I've gotten to a point where It's more accurate to describe me simply as introvert (with some other characteristics), than as someone with a mental disorder.
Great video! Love How To ADHD. Her videos have been a valuable source to me in not feeling alone or like a failure since simple everyday thins ARE a struggle for me. Hiring a maid, a cook, and a personal assistant would be awesome! but economically that just doesn't fly for us. It is great that you have been able to get help from others for your short comings and excel at all the things that make you amazing! :-) :-) :-)
Hank, thank you so much for this video. I was officially diagnosed with ADHD (the crazy diagnosing test w/ all the bells and whistles, too, not just some talking with a psychiatrist) back in November, and it's been hard. College is an especially difficult environment, and I often find myself a month or more behind in classes. I'm still trying to figure out how to manage my brain for this environment.
I play your video on 2 speed, because I think most people talk to slow, and I get distracted, most people on two speed I still get distracted, but you talk fast enough I can pay attention. I dont think I have adhd, but I can relate to a point, especially with sensory information.
Hi Hank! Thanks so much for this video. I have Cerebral Palsy. ADD and other learning disabilities often come along with it. I've been tested twice. The first results were inconclusive and the second test showed that I have a mathematical learning disability but not ADD. Despite the results, I know there's something there. I'm always late, drive around the house in my chair while on the phone, and will start multiple projects at the same time.
Wordt part for me is procrastinating. It really is an abysmal feeling knowing you love engineering and physics and math but when sitting and doing homework you are incapable of doing it despite the deep urge for success. It's like watching a loved one sabotage themselves and not being able to help. Just started taking medication and getting cognitive behavioral therapy and starting a turor next semester. Hopefully it will help. Getting pretty tired of watching my life go by.
I can totally relate to what Hank is saying about sensory disabilities. I have dyspraxia and it is sometimes frustrating to deal with. I am a nerdfighter that has two learning disabilities epilepsy & dyspraxia.
My school tried to diagnose me with ADD when I was in grade 6 and my family took it as an affront 😅 now in my 30s I am on medication to treat it and living my best life 🎉
We are very very similar... Down to the terrible handwriting :'D I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome and I've definitely gotten through it like you have.
Getting the ability to use a word processor to do my college exams was the BIGGEST thing for me. I remember writing, in agony, and complete sincereity, "I promise I know the answer to this question, but I am out of time and my hand is screaming in pain." Further, I was a computer science major, and they used to have us write out source code solutions in freehand, and that is the ANTITHESIS of how any sane person develops sourcecode. It is an iterative process that requires cutting and pasting, insertions and deletions, and it is downright criminal to make someone do that with a plain piece of paper in an exam setting. The ability to do such a thing is entirely unrelated to developing code, and that has been true since we switched from producing punchcards to using edlin. If you're reading this and having troubles in college, especially in the US, look into your school's learning assistive services program. Getting help from them changed everything for me.
You barely dodged that bullet. If you had been born when your brother was, you would have been in the first wave of "if you don't put your kid on meds, he/she will be suspended" Glad you are managing it though and have support. (I know old posts, but it just popped up)
Get yourself diagnosed you sure look like one of us. I recently went on medication and it is rather like when you turn off the internet and wifi on your smartphone and then you turn it on and all these messages and emails come through ding ding ding. You get all these realisations of what happened to you in the past. Even if I come off the meds I have a different viewpoint on myself now. Now that I can get stuff done I am going to really let RIP with the creativity which I have in spades. By the way your president (very stable genius) and our new prime minister are for sure ADHDers. Politics is a combat zone "never fly in a straight line in a combat zone" perfect. David-Paul
Hank my friend your content is the most relatable. Lots of your videos just match my adhd thought patterns hey let me explain the entire history of this one topic also I painted a bunch of fish and I’m covered in paint laying on the floor you know what rhymes with floor? Lol the writing thing is definitely relatable as well I had the same experience growing up but the difference is I couldn’t pay attention to learning how to type properly thankfully that’s no longer a huge detriment due to voice to text and similar tech.
i found out i had adhd 9 months ago. Since i started treating it, im getting to a point where i actually have long term angency and im still working with executive function. I hope to hone in the benefits and move to a place where my adhd is an advantage
Came here from your TikTok. Sounds a bit like dyspraxia as well. My son has ADHD, SPD, Dyspraxia which is like the umbrella over dysgraphia, dyslexia, dyscalculia.
I feel that way too, if I had been born 20 years later I probably would have a few diagnoses. Instead I grew up as the "terrible child!" Which is funny now. I'm not sure which would have been better, being forced to figure out how to function probably made me stronger...but a little more understanding might have made me much a happier teen.
Towmorrow I'm getting the results of my ADHD test. And I am so nervous. Because what if it isn't ADHD? Would I be taken seriously? And what if it is ADHD? I would be understood more in school I think, but I'd also have to live with this label. Well at least I have tonight to overthink everything and not be able to sleep. Also, if I don't have ADHD people with ADHD deserve the uttermost respect possible.
I find my adhd mostly annoying. The rage, the "day dreaming" during class... It's like "professor explaining something important" "Lucía's head is in freakin Canada for all we know" aaaaaand I missed the explanation, that study session is gonna be fun... u.u
I love this vid! Thank you for making it. I've always known there's something (not) wrong with me. I just do things a lil differently. I have my own order. It's not 1 2 3 4. It's 1 3 5 4. If that makes any sense. BTW this is a generalization. I didn't attend kindergarten for reasons only my stay at home mother can't explain. I hit first grade knowing nothing. I couldn't even spell nor write my own name. I was tested and was found to be on a 2nd to 3rd grade level. When my teacher found I can answer any level question but not write. She took me out the classroom and spanked me hard on my ass with a weapon (paddle). She got fired. I wrote backward and was eventually diagnosed as having dyslexia. I've never had help, I just knew my brain works the way it does and I've overcmae it. Or have I?
I have a question on a future video you might want to do, one on misophonia! It would help people b/c many people don't know that they have it, just think there's something wrong with them, and it's also very interesting
you can have both "not having enough sensory" and "having too much sensory" at the same time or switch between them all of the time I am living proof of that fact and it is not great
@@annabelcrescibene4257 Me literally fearing that for no reason right now lol. Kind of funny how a brain tumor seems to be the universal fear for hypochondriacs.
As a woman with ADHD this video makes me very happy. I found out recently that my mother tried to get me diagnosed when I was a child, but was told "girls don't get ADHD". My whole life I have struggled with self-esteem and self-image issues with no idea why. I just assumed I was broken or stupid. It wasn't until my 30s that I got an official diagnosis and medication. Being able to think for the first time in my life is incredible. While so many things in the past now make sense, I do mourn all the missed opportunities and ruined friendships. I can't help but think, "Where would I be if...?"
P.S. THIS OMG SO MUCH THIS!!! "I've struggled with worrying that if I get diagnosed, I will blame the disorder instead of myself and let that excuse my behavior. I know that's dumb, because if I'm being impaired by something, I should know and take the steps to reduce that impairment. But part of me always wants to believe that I'm strong and smart enough to handle any curve ball I get thrown without letting myself or other people down" You are not alone, and for the love of all things holy, please read, "You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Crazy, or Stupid?" www.amazon.com/You-Mean-Lazy-Stupid-Crazy/dp/0743264487".
I know this is an older comment thread but I just wanted to say I know exactly how you feel from how you felt during childhood and youth and only recently figuring out on my own that I have it (I'm 36). So many things could've been different back then but I am glad I even discovered this at all and didn't reach the end of my life not knowing I have a tribe! (Jessica's video that he referenced is what helped everything fall into place)
WHAT, I swear every diagnosis I hear feels and says the exact same thing I'm saying. I'm just worried that if I don't have correct diagnosis I could either be just dumb or worse, be bi-polar
I've been a questioning if I'm autistic more and more over the years, and finally this year I had collected enough data to feel like I might have an answer... so I went to get tested for confirmation and wow, look at that, I'm autistic. It's nice actually :) I finally have answers to so many disparate questions in my life.
I got diagnosed with ADHD when I was in college after taking an abnormal psych class and realizing "wait, this is ME." Turns out, because girls present less often with the hyperactive symptoms, I wasn't diagnosed as a kid. Neither was my older sister, who didn't realize she had it until I talked to her about my diagnosis. She was FORTY. She (and my mom, who probably also has it) had built up some pretty bulletproof coping mechanisms throughout life, but it also cemented patterns and habits that were really destructive to her life, personally and professionally. We're both medicated now, and it's such a huge change. I'm extremely appreciative that knowing this about myself will probably help me avoid some of the pitfalls that befell them. And MAN do I get pissed at assholes who say ADHD doesn't exist, or that the medications that treat it are "basically crack". Maybe with YOUR brain chemistry, Nathan Neurotypical, but if they didn't help me I wouldn't take them.
+Cee Bee yeah I heard that's how it used to be in the early 90's, celebrities such as Mathew Perry and people where all on prescription drugs and thought the same thing then got addicted.
TheluckyBoxer 313 Actually, most studies on adhd-medication show that medical treatment for adhd LESSENS the risk for substance abuse (because a lot of patients without medication will turn to illegal drugs as self medication, which is unsafe and addicting). Also, the medicine is not addictive. A lot of patients are dependent on it however, much like a lot of diabetics are dependent on insuline.
Cee Bee wait and see? I was diagnosed nine years ago and have been medicated since then, and my older sister has been medicated for six years. It's demonstrable how being medicated has improved our lives. How much longer should I "wait and see," another decade?
While it's certainly possible for ADHDers to abuse their meds (like most any drugs), most of us would rather maintain our dosages at a healthy level, because this is how we function in society! I don't want the key to my functionality to itself become a burden! I had my dosage increased while I studied for the bar exam, but when I got back to my dull, unchallenging job, I told my doctor I wanted to go back to my old dosage because I had a bunch of unused dopamine and norepinephrine in my brain that made me feel erratic and made sleep difficult. That's not the feeling I want my meds to cause, so I don't take more than I need.
Learned a lot about how my brain works only recently by reading the book about adult ADD/ADHD called Driven to Distraction...and I'm 48 years old. I'm in a foreign country where access to proper treatment may be not possible. I'm doing well with my coping strategies. Just another part of...me, and what I have to do during the day to do what I have to do.
The best definition of disability I’ve ever hear is: A disability is the mismatch between a person’s abilities (or features) and their environment; I love this one because it highlights that disabilities are often highly contextual.
I’ve struggled with this my whole life and keep feeling like there’s a place I belong, if only I could find it, that wouldn’t make me feel like there’s something wrong with me. That maybe I’m brilliant but just misunderstood. It can be very lonely and isolating when you are not seen, when no one “gets you”. I still want to shine like everybody else, and contribute in some way. It would be nice if I could feel good about myself, too - if I could be what I see is possible and not with limitations and barriers cast upon me. Thank you for this 🙏🩷🌸🌿
really encourage everyone to understand the Social Model of Disability...it's this, but also goes one step further to the question of WHY is the environment so difficult for neurodiverse people
“But here’s the general thing about psychological disorders…disorders are only classified as disorders when they’re ongoing, frustrating impairments.” This quote was what I needed to hear today.
Maybe no one will read this but, I was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia at 19 in my second semester of my senior year of high school. I've always been an average student, getting Cs wasn't a rare occurrence but no one ever suspected anything. I just thought that taking 2-3 hours on one assignment was because of my depression and anxiety and OID. I only got tested because I did REALLY bad on the ACT (standardized test to go to college in the US) and after spending thousands to get my diagnosis, it really cleared stuff up for me. I can't imagine how much better as school I could have been if I was diagnosed as a kid, and I think it wasn't caught because I'm a girl and was taught to sit quietly with my hands to myself. I thought I was just stupid because I couldn't read out loud or spell, and still in college I struggle to get work done. But now I know I'm not alone, getting that diagnosed changed me and I can catch myself when I have bad days or weeks. I wish more people would openly discuss learning disabilities in girls and women because it often gets over looked because the symptoms are different. Thank you for making this video
This episode of vlogbrothers brought to you by Hank's Toes! Hank's Toes: They're goin' right now!
I cant stop thinking about toes now
this made me laugh out loud, well done!
My toes were going when he said that
This is likely the case at this very moment!
So this is why DFTBA socks are so quality
+Betsy Anderson Hahahahah! They do last much longer than the average sock!
They also have much better designs.
Foreshadowing
I love your shout out to How To ADHD, she has great videos and a helpful channel in general
David Keebler +
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David Keebler dito. She has been one of the best things for my ADHD
**scrolling through the comments while video is still playing**
what did he say? something about adhd? glad i dont have that!
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This video has single handedly given me a break down but also kinda changed my life. Thank you.
I have my assessment for ADHD this Sunday! Awesome video Hank!
Silvia Sapora I'm hANK.
Silvia Sapora Hey, good luck! I hope you figure out whatever is going on in your brain!
PokéCenter i'm now officially diagnosed!!
Silvia Sapora High five!
Thank you for this video, Hank! I diagnosed myself with ADHD- inattentive at 30 and I'm still trying to figure out how to get through the hardest parts of living in my brain and working with it to survive and thrive. It's a lot of trial and error but I'm working hard and also found How to ADHD a few months back. What a gift! Thanks for being so honest and I'm so glad you had amazing help and support and have created a life in which your brain thrives. That is so hopeful to hear!
I love the fact that the internet has so much info about ADHD now because people have gone from "you are clumsy, easily distracted, forgetful, desperate, take forever reading, kind of rude and always start stuff but never finish it" to just asking "do you gave ADHD?"
Thank you for sharing your experience Hank. I was recently diagnosed with inattentive ADHD/ADD at 46. One large part of my getting diagnosed was How to ADHD's RUclips channel. What you described is basically my ADHD life. I also identify as an HSP, so sensory overload is definitely a thing and now that I know more about this stuff I identify with being along spectrums of Dyscalculia, Dispraxia, Aphantasia and Alexithymia. I would not have done as well without a father who was an educator. I still have a lot self-esteem issues and underlying trauma from being different. Getting diagnosed helped immensely as it changed how I felt about myself - there's finally an explanation and I am not alone.
TLDR: acknowledging and seeking help with mental disorders is not weakness and medication prescribed by a good therapist will likely only help you.
I was diagnosed with ADHD about 10 years ago. I initially went on medication and then stopped because I didn't like the side-effects. For years I struggled with all of the most common effects of ADHD and developed increasingly crazy coping strategies. It wasn't until about 2 years ago when I went back into grad school and was working full time in a math focused career that I finally felt defeated and went back for therapy and medication.
I felt defeated by and sad that I couldn't just get by like everyone else. I had always felt smart and had gotten by enough to function but it seemed apparent that I just wasn't good enough anymore. It was stressing me out and making me depressed. Almost immediately after beginning the therapy sessions and medication I experienced a near complete turn around. My memory and attentiveness improved, my fidgeting almost completely stopped, I was able to keep a schedule, it was easier for me to focus and I was less annoyed when my focus was broken.
It was like night and day. While medication isn't the answer for everyone, my life has SUBSTANTIALLY improved because of it and I wish I could go back and see what my undergraduate degree would have been like with it. If anyone is questioning whether or not their ADHD is "serious" enough for medication, please go talk to a mental health provider.
You are awesome.
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The worst period of my life was being prescribed Adderall as a child. Like you, I couldn't handle the side effects. Now that I'm 21, I've had this internal debate about going back on medication more than once. I've learned to adapt my environment better, and I'm coping day to day. (It's been 10 years since I stopped taking medication.)
I guess my question is... How are you doing with side effects now? I went through a major depression and the craziest appetite ever when I was medicated. The possibility of going through that again is really scary for me.
Depression is the worst though because not only do you feel bad for seeking mental help when you shouldn't but also depression is seen as something you should just overcome but it's a chemical imbalance that needs medication or a change in lifestyle to correct. Depression also causes the victim to feel like seeking help is pointless because that's what depression does, it depresses one's thoughts. So the idea of seeking help may come to mind but it is quickly replaced with negative thoughts and so they have the hardest time working up the motivation to seek help. Couple that with an anxiety of say public spaces or just interaction with people in general and the victim will find it very hard or near impossible to get help. The one thing that can really help someone who is depressed is friends or family that reach out to help them because they will likely not get the help themselves.
My son (13) has had anxiety, depression and panic attacks since he was very young. It wasn't until this year that we realized he is sensitive to salicylates (the chemical in fruit, most vegetables, aspirin, honey and spices). Taking those out of his diet has been like magic. He is so calm and happy now.
thank you. thank you thank you thank you thank you. I just can't form any thought that isn't thank you right now. my son is 8 and he's been diagnosed with sensory processing disorder and adhd and sometimes I feel so discouraged and I hit a wall and I wonder if he will ever master the mindfulness side of it. we just started him on a low dose of medication. and I don't see the change I though I would and I still watch him struggle everyday. it's so scary to not know what is going to happen. I don't want to ever put him in a box and think he's incapable of becoming a successful functioning adult. I can't even put into words how much of a weight you lifted off my shoulders hearing that you struggle with sensory processing issues as well. Seeing a grown, functioning, successful person talking about this is exactly what I needed right now. thank you so much for talking about this. thank you for giving me hope for my son's future and relighting the drive I have to get him the accommodations and tools that he needs to thrive. I'm so excited for him to watch this video!
also while I'm at it. thank you for nerd con and for stopping and saying hello to me on your way out of the hotel. I'm sure you were exhausted. thank you thank you thank you.
It's obvious that you guys have great parents.
When I first came across your channel "Crash Course" in 2019 I thought to myself, these guys are TOO MUCH. I meant that in both a positive and negative way. On the negative: your energy levels were exhausting to me because I am the total opposite. I move and think and listen sloooowly. On the positive: your passion for teaching is incredible and it completely matches my passion for learning. So, I adjusted my speedometer to keep up.
In a nutshell, I love you guys and am glad I found you.
XOXO from a big fan
This explains a lot about why so much of how you talk about living your life has been so helpful to me
Thank you for making this. I always wondered if you have it because people always complain about how fast you talk. But I love it because it is the same speed as my brain so I don't get bored in the middle of your sentences. I have ADHD and I would love to welcome you to the tribe.
You made me cry.
I don't know how someone as successful as you are have coped with undiagnosed ADHD for so long.
My ADHD has destroyed my life at least 3 times over.
But there is one thing us Brains learn to become and that's resilient.
You give me hope that success (long term) is within my grasp and not unachievable due to my ADHD.
Thank you, you put this very well. I am in my 40s and was diagnosed a couple of years ago with ADHD. I managed to do pretty well regardless, but never quite understood why some things were difficult. I have seen tooamy people who are doing well saying that people should not take meds, or that just need better parenting or environment to accentuate their skills. The understanding of the condition has helped me see the positive and negative aspects, and how if I was rich enough getting a personal assistant to handle the stuff I am not so good at would be worth Evey penny. I decided to try the meds and found them to help me a lot, and not anywhere near as scary as they are made to be. We should understand that people can have ADHD and not be impacted by it, and others are. We should in no way br critical of any one in how they handle it. Just the diagnosis for me was not a label, it helped me to understand myself more than ever and to be in more control.
I was diagnosed after I realized my son had all the same issues that I did. He is really smart, I now can be there for him to help him make best use of his brain.
I was diagnosed in College and what took so long for my diagnosis was people telling me I was just really smart and that just made me furious. I am almost 21 now and for almost 19 years I was unable to get the resources I needed because people insisted I couldn’t possibly have it. If I have got diagnosed earlier a lot of things could have been way easier now.
Thank you very much for making this video, my son was diagnosed with a sensory processing disorder late last year.
While I know my family and I can deal with it and help him figure out how to work himself, my wife has been very depressed wondering if he would still be able to lead good/full life. This video has brought her a little bit of hope, which is always needed.
Thanks again,
Phil
As an AuDHD person, I did often wonder why I related to the Green brothers so viscerally. Interestingly I do relate to John more but that’s maybe because the autism part of my brain has symptoms of anxiety and OCD (mostly checking for me), and special interests that make me think of how John talks about TB. John has also mentioned hearing the buzzing from lights, which is something I wear noise dampeners for.
Sometimes though I’m definitely a Hank Green, when I’m excited about a new book, or new information I’ve unraveled or uncovered for myself, I talk like how Hank talks about any significant science news ever.
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Hi hank!!! I have adult ADHD (probably as a child too but was just diagnosed two years ago, I'm 21) and this video meant a lot to me. I too have found some things in the difference of my brain that i love and help me. Would you ever consider an official diagnosis and/or medication? It helped me a lot and it made possibe for me to start med school. Love from Colombia. Memento mori
I'm thinking about it. I think it will come down to whether I feel like my behavior is negatively affecting my parenting ability. So far so good though, (I think!)
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As someone who got medicated for ADHD at age 28, even if it isn't necessarily negatively affecting your life, getting the medication can make a HUGE difference in just... day-to-day brain energy and ability to handle a lot of information/input. (But it might also not be worth it, thanks to side-effects and other factors, sadly it doesn't work for everyone.)
Who's subscribe to ' how to ADHD'
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Hi Hank! Thank you so much for this video! I do not have ADHD, but I do have generalized anxiety disorder. For me, managing my anxiety really has been about figuring out how to live in my own head. I do take medication, which helps, but I also have figured out what situations I can handle and when I do need help. Taking the steps to figure out how I can function the best without my anxiety taking over has been really difficult, but I'm starting to get the hang of it. It can be exhausting to live in my own head, but now I know that other people can relate. I'm glad you shared this with us.
hank, I don't know how obvious this is to you, it's probably have considered/know, but like, a lot of what you're describing sounds a lot like, or possibly overlaps with ASD/asperger's. it certainly resonates with me as a person who has it. I have to agree with the idea that people who are lucky to be given help makes a massive difference, like I was disagnosed when I was 16 and prior to that my mum did a lot of work doing the form filling and pushing for me to get as much help and diagnosis. but I really think a lot of people don't realise they have things like ADHD or asperger's which is why I think it should be taught in schools so kids know their strengths and weaknesses early on, even though everybody is different and even within a certain disorder and neurological difference, they're widely diverse
I am very happy that you have come out and spoke about your ADD/ADHD. Living within one's on brain can make you see the world differently, and others are not entirely sure on how to approach you. I'm glad that I am finding more people that come up with different strategies and ways to cope with the "disorder" and turn it into an advantage. 👌🏾
I have sensory processing disorder too....I have a tendency to irrationally feel like I'm the only person in the world with these 'problems' but watching this video and reading the comments has made me feel less alone. Thank You.
I wasn't diagnosed with ADHD until I was in my 50's. It's amazing how many light bulbs turn on looking back on the past now. ☺
I was finally officially diagnosed AuDHD (autism + ADHD) 3 years ago at the age of 35. Not having the supports I needed as a kid meant having to figure out workarounds for my brain’s wiring all on my own. Meds help, but support is what I really needed (and still do).
Dysgraphia is not talked about much, but yea I learned to type also.
hey we can start a dysgraphic nerdfighter club, I can't even type well enough so I have to dictate every test I take, i type my classwork though
I've been watching her channel for awhile now and it's great for learning skills to manage ADHD and stuff. I definitely recommend it and I enjoyed watching this video Hank!
Im a 31 year old man, and i wasnt diagnosed with ADHD until about 27, after I dropped out of college as a 5 year softmore and after ruining things with my then-fiancée.
I escaped diagnosis for years. When i was little, i was in small Catholic schools where i got plenty of attention, and my parents were always active in their kids' school work.
There were warning signs. I could never pay attention, and doodled constantly. I never had projects done on time. I was honestly scared of school, despite really liking art and reading
But my brother suddenly died when i was 11 and he was 16. It was a car accident. Within a few months i developed a depressive disorder and suicidal ideation. I was hospitalized, and diagnosed with major depression, and that was credited with the behavioral problems i would have in high school.
Of course, i was depressed and grieving, without a doubt. But by the time i was an upperclassman in high school and underclassman in college, i wasnt grieving but i was still having problems. No antidepressant made a difference in my cognitive performance. Ive been on nearly a dozen different kinds of meds before losing my parents' insurance.
I failed every other class i took, and after half a decade of feeling like and idiot i couldn't take it anymore. I became so dejected and bitter i ruined the only serious relationship I've managed to have as an adult. Thats the hardest. Not that she left, but that i was so shitty she had to leave, for her own sake.
Ive only ever made about $700/mo or so, and have only been on Adderall a little while, it's like wiping the fog off a windshield. Its hard to get on it as an adult (and never ever ever tell your doc you used to smoke weed. Ever).
If anyone has read all this, the lesson here is 1) american healthcare is shit even with obamacare and we need single payer now and 2) help your mentally ill friends get help asap
Yaaaaaas I LOVE How To ADHD!!! I found her a month or two ago and just mainlined her videos. She makes me feel so much better about the things that frustrate me about myself. And it's really cool to know that you struggle with these issues as well (especially the being on time to things, I struggled with that for a looooooooooong time and finally had to teach myself how to be on time). It makes me feel like anything is possible. :)
Yessss How to ADHD is an amazing channel, thank you so much for giving them a shoutout! I've been following them since I found out I probably had ADD, when they only had like 5000 subs.
I expected a better comment section from a vlogbrothers video :(
I know this is a 3 year old video, but the exact same trajectory of diagnosis happened with me, I was diagnosed with Sensory Integration Disorder (now called SPD I think) at 6 yrs old, went about getting help for that, only to grow up and realize (at 20) I also have ADHD ! I’ve never run across anyone else also in such a specific situation!!
Hank , at 50 + I was diagnosed and if you can manage without meds and know that you are ? Then I strongly recommend using the drug free method and diet exercise and sleep consistency , unfortunately I also have some depression with bipolar disorder that for a multitude of reasons it just became unmanageable. The depression meds for me was a roller coaster that I thought would never end or at least “not good”. About 4 years of testing meds , doctors and psychologists, counseling and Psychiatrist I’ve found a somewhat level spot , but if anything tips the scale it can really cause the days ahead to become a struggle to keep the train on the tracks let alone on time !
So the sooner we find a happy place and know what can derail us and manage or avoid certain situations and keep those supporting you knowing that there making a deference and you appreciate every thing they do. Someday”s I need to write it on paper over and over just to get going. Lol what ever works
The twitching toes are the best !
Lol good luck on that !!
That's why my socks usually have holes after just a while of wearing them?!? This explains so much.
Love how you pointed out that you had privileges that not many people have. It's pretty thoughtful of you :)
My hand writing has always been TERRIBLE and I'm the exact same way with focus: it's hard to focus on things, but once I do, I hate being disrupted and get irrationally upset about it. My feet are pretty wiggly too, but it's not too bad, but I have a hard time sitting at a desk for too long and my legs get wiggly.
OMG the rage that comes with being forcefully disengaged from something you're really stuck on is incredible...
I love Jessica McCabe's videos! She helped me so much. I've never been diagnosed with ADHD because I wasn't disruptive as a child and had good grades... But I really liked to learn new stuff and if I thought we didn't learn anything of value, I would just draw, because that was my knack. If I was cocky, I was either cute or lazy, depending on the teacher's appreciation. So yeah, diagnoses are pretty subjective, but I'm struggling with about the same shortcomings, except that, instead of dyslexia, I'm prone to panic attacks and burnouts from trying to keep up with everyone's pace. -_-
I've been on shit RUclips for too long and really thought this would be click bait. It wasn't. I also have an SPD, as well as autism and possibly ADHD. Good video!
"When I'm forced to disengage from that focus I get irrationally angry" is the most relatable thing I have ever heard. Most of my stuff can be explained away as Dyslexia which i have been diagnosed with but that one never quite fit so I just thought it was my personality or something... really nice hearing someone else does that too.
My son has it and ASD. Labels are SO HARD!!!! Frustrating! I have a few of my own. Keeping him doing at this time, with his schoolwork is a lot more complicated then I was expecting and my respect for his teachers amplified! I am going to be checking out ALL your videos on this! If you have any advice, I am ALL EARS!!!! I have 6 children and 5 are in school. Well, home at school?!
Thank you for this. As an adult who was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 38, and the parent of a daughter with ADHD as well, what you are saying about learning to live with the way your brain differs from the "norm" is what it's all about.
You should probably still see a doctor and ask if you should be diagnosed. medication really helps.
I agree. I kind of dislike pseudo-self-diagnosis videos that casually cast the idea of a real diagnosis aside. If he really has ADHD related problems, and they really are inconveniencing the people he cares about, he should want to get diagnosed and try at least a couple of treatment options. I didn't want to be who I was before I started my treatment... I thought I did, but I didn't really. I dislike the idea of romanticizing "I'm just broken, it's cute."
your symptoms are almost identical to my boyfriend's, and he has a pretty solid diagnosis of dyspraxia. it also makes him crazy good at outside the box thinking, 3D visualisation, pattern finding etc. I don't think he'd change it given the choice :)
Love this video, not because I can relate to it, but because it's real and honest take on a situation which attracts a lot of disingenuous reporting.
The nice thing about hyperfixating on calligraphy is that you have amazing hand writing
It finally makes sense why I can actually learn all the things when you're doing the videos....thank you, Hank, for being you!
I did not know this about you after years and years of vlogbrothers. This is almost identical to my experience with my own sensory disorder, so thanks for sharing... :)
I watched this, and it was like I was listening to myself talk.
(Well, a cuter version of myself, admittedly, but almost everything he said applied exactly to me. I, too, got a lot of help and had a computer from a young age and programming became a way for me to work productively with my ADHD.)
I also manage mine with daily mindfulness meditation (usually two sessions of 20 minutes each, and sometimes longer ones or more if time permits) and strenuous cardiovascular exercise, which slows my mind down and allows me to focus on one thing at a time instead of scatterbrainedly trying to do one thing for three minutes, and then something else for ten, and then something for four, etc, which leads to me not making any progress on any of them and just feeling completely overwhelmed and uncomfortably stimulated.
As someone who did get a diagnosis (Aspergers) I can tell you that at least for me it was very much a shelf where I could put all of my problems as a person and be like: "I can't change that, it's my aspergers". If I hadn't been diagnosed I might have found it equally easy to call it aspects of my personality that can't be changed, but of cause the diagnosis was there.
I've learned that there are aspects of my personality that can be changed, one small step at a time. Sometimes it feels impossible, sometimes I take those steps and discover that it's a lot easier than I'd built it up to be. Either way I've gotten to a point where It's more accurate to describe me simply as introvert (with some other characteristics), than as someone with a mental disorder.
My attention drifted from this video four times before I managed to stay focused long enough to finish it.
Great video! Love How To ADHD. Her videos have been a valuable source to me in not feeling alone or like a failure since simple everyday thins ARE a struggle for me. Hiring a maid, a cook, and a personal assistant would be awesome! but economically that just doesn't fly for us. It is great that you have been able to get help from others for your short comings and excel at all the things that make you amazing! :-) :-) :-)
Hank, thank you so much for this video. I was officially diagnosed with ADHD (the crazy diagnosing test w/ all the bells and whistles, too, not just some talking with a psychiatrist) back in November, and it's been hard. College is an especially difficult environment, and I often find myself a month or more behind in classes. I'm still trying to figure out how to manage my brain for this environment.
I play your video on 2 speed, because I think most people talk to slow, and I get distracted, most people on two speed I still get distracted, but you talk fast enough I can pay attention. I dont think I have adhd, but I can relate to a point, especially with sensory information.
The sock thing. All of my shoes have holes in the lining where my toes go.
Hi Hank! Thanks so much for this video. I have Cerebral Palsy. ADD and other learning disabilities often come along with it. I've been tested twice. The first results were inconclusive and the second test showed that I have a mathematical learning disability but not ADD. Despite the results, I know there's something there. I'm always late, drive around the house in my chair while on the phone, and will start multiple projects at the same time.
Wordt part for me is procrastinating. It really is an abysmal feeling knowing you love engineering and physics and math but when sitting and doing homework you are incapable of doing it despite the deep urge for success. It's like watching a loved one sabotage themselves and not being able to help. Just started taking medication and getting cognitive behavioral therapy and starting a turor next semester. Hopefully it will help. Getting pretty tired of watching my life go by.
I can totally relate to what Hank is saying about sensory disabilities. I have dyspraxia and it is sometimes frustrating to deal with. I am a nerdfighter that has two learning disabilities epilepsy & dyspraxia.
My school tried to diagnose me with ADD when I was in grade 6 and my family took it as an affront 😅 now in my 30s I am on medication to treat it and living my best life 🎉
We are very very similar... Down to the terrible handwriting :'D I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome and I've definitely gotten through it like you have.
Getting the ability to use a word processor to do my college exams was the BIGGEST thing for me. I remember writing, in agony, and complete sincereity, "I promise I know the answer to this question, but I am out of time and my hand is screaming in pain."
Further, I was a computer science major, and they used to have us write out source code solutions in freehand, and that is the ANTITHESIS of how any sane person develops sourcecode. It is an iterative process that requires cutting and pasting, insertions and deletions, and it is downright criminal to make someone do that with a plain piece of paper in an exam setting. The ability to do such a thing is entirely unrelated to developing code, and that has been true since we switched from producing punchcards to using edlin.
If you're reading this and having troubles in college, especially in the US, look into your school's learning assistive services program. Getting help from them changed everything for me.
Thank you so much, Hank. I deeply appreciate this!
You barely dodged that bullet. If you had been born when your brother was, you would have been in the first wave of "if you don't put your kid on meds, he/she will be suspended" Glad you are managing it though and have support. (I know old posts, but it just popped up)
Nutrition is also incredibly important. Speaking from experience.
Yes, we all have it apparently. Easily the most over "diagnosed" disorder. A lot of it being self-diagnosed. "Oh my god! I have ADHD...I can't cope."
I'm in the middle of having a crisis because of my ADHD so thanks for the vid i appreciate it.
Get yourself diagnosed you sure look like one of us. I recently went on medication and it is rather like when you turn off the internet and wifi on your smartphone and then you turn it on and all these messages and emails come through ding ding ding. You get all these realisations of what happened to you in the past. Even if I come off the meds I have a different viewpoint on myself now. Now that I can get stuff done I am going to really let RIP with the creativity which I have in spades. By the way your president (very stable genius) and our new prime minister are for sure ADHDers. Politics is a combat zone "never fly in a straight line in a combat zone" perfect.
David-Paul
Hank my friend your content is the most relatable. Lots of your videos just match my adhd thought patterns hey let me explain the entire history of this one topic also I painted a bunch of fish and I’m covered in paint laying on the floor you know what rhymes with floor? Lol the writing thing is definitely relatable as well I had the same experience growing up but the difference is I couldn’t pay attention to learning how to type properly thankfully that’s no longer a huge detriment due to voice to text and similar tech.
i found out i had adhd 9 months ago. Since i started treating it, im getting to a point where i actually have long term angency and im still working with executive function. I hope to hone in the benefits and move to a place where my adhd is an advantage
Came here from your TikTok. Sounds a bit like dyspraxia as well. My son has ADHD, SPD, Dyspraxia which is like the umbrella over dysgraphia, dyslexia, dyscalculia.
I feel that way too, if I had been born 20 years later I probably would have a few diagnoses. Instead I grew up as the "terrible child!" Which is funny now. I'm not sure which would have been better, being forced to figure out how to function probably made me stronger...but a little more understanding might have made me much a happier teen.
I just realized how you guys got the idea for the psych channel
I took Adderall once,man at 32 my drug days are way gone,but being honest it made me focus,it was a helluva drug
I find myself having ADHD, Dyslexia, Misophonia, and depression which at least partly comes as a result of the first three.
Okay, but I love that poster behind him. "Why buy anything else when you could be buying books?"
Another great video, Hank!
Thank you for introducing me to How to ADHD
ADHD is the best happened in my life thank god
I'm with you dude.
as a girl with sensory processing issues, i enjoyed this video as the symptoms can over lap
Towmorrow I'm getting the results of my ADHD test. And I am so nervous. Because what if it isn't ADHD? Would I be taken seriously?
And what if it is ADHD? I would be understood more in school I think, but I'd also have to live with this label.
Well at least I have tonight to overthink everything and not be able to sleep.
Also, if I don't have ADHD people with ADHD deserve the uttermost respect possible.
I find my adhd mostly annoying. The rage, the "day dreaming" during class... It's like "professor explaining something important" "Lucía's head is in freakin Canada for all we know" aaaaaand I missed the explanation, that study session is gonna be fun... u.u
I love this vid! Thank you for making it. I've always known there's something (not) wrong with me. I just do things a lil differently. I have my own order. It's not 1 2 3 4. It's 1 3 5 4. If that makes any sense. BTW this is a generalization. I didn't attend kindergarten for reasons only my stay at home mother can't explain. I hit first grade knowing nothing. I couldn't even spell nor write my own name. I was tested and was found to be on a 2nd to 3rd grade level. When my teacher found I can answer any level question but not write. She took me out the classroom and spanked me hard on my ass with a weapon (paddle). She got fired. I wrote backward and was eventually diagnosed as having dyslexia. I've never had help, I just knew my brain works the way it does and I've overcmae it. Or have I?
being allowed to use a computer instead of writing is part of my IED, it's great
like 2 hours later returning to this tab ... click play and he says "attention issues!"
The parents Green sound lovely
I have ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder, ACHOO syndrome and hearing loss.
I have a question on a future video you might want to do, one on misophonia! It would help people b/c many people don't know that they have it, just think there's something wrong with them, and it's also very interesting
Wish I was diagnosed at 7. The inability to manage the correct pressure in your head causes foggiest. The brain has only 1 second of reserve oxygen.
you can have both "not having enough sensory" and "having too much sensory" at the same time or switch between them all of the time
I am living proof of that fact and it is not great
I also have adult ADHD! Thank you for this video, Hank.
me, watching this three and a half years ago: wow these symptoms sound like me!
me, now with an ADHD diagnosis: ohhhhh it was the ADHD
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Same
same
I just got my diagnosis too!
well, for some reason my parents thought i was "making an excuse" for my bad grades and refused to get me diagnosed lol (life do be like that)
whenever I Google my symptoms for anything I always end up reading that I'm going to die
aren't we all?
That is likely a true statement.
You have a brain tumor don’t ya know
Hey Baman
@@annabelcrescibene4257 Me literally fearing that for no reason right now lol. Kind of funny how a brain tumor seems to be the universal fear for hypochondriacs.
As a woman with ADHD this video makes me very happy. I found out recently that my mother tried to get me diagnosed when I was a child, but was told "girls don't get ADHD". My whole life I have struggled with self-esteem and self-image issues with no idea why. I just assumed I was broken or stupid. It wasn't until my 30s that I got an official diagnosis and medication. Being able to think for the first time in my life is incredible. While so many things in the past now make sense, I do mourn all the missed opportunities and ruined friendships. I can't help but think, "Where would I be if...?"
P.S. THIS OMG SO MUCH THIS!!!
"I've struggled with worrying that if I get diagnosed, I will blame the disorder instead of myself and let that excuse my behavior. I know that's dumb, because if I'm being impaired by something, I should know and take the steps to reduce that impairment. But part of me always wants to believe that I'm strong and smart enough to handle any curve ball I get thrown without letting myself or other people down"
You are not alone, and for the love of all things holy, please read, "You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Crazy, or Stupid?" www.amazon.com/You-Mean-Lazy-Stupid-Crazy/dp/0743264487".
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27yr old woman here and I just got diagnosed this year! I also saw that part in the description and mentioned it in my comment!
I know this is an older comment thread but I just wanted to say I know exactly how you feel from how you felt during childhood and youth and only recently figuring out on my own that I have it (I'm 36). So many things could've been different back then but I am glad I even discovered this at all and didn't reach the end of my life not knowing I have a tribe! (Jessica's video that he referenced is what helped everything fall into place)
WHAT, I swear every diagnosis I hear feels and says the exact same thing I'm saying. I'm just worried that if I don't have correct diagnosis I could either be just dumb or worse, be bi-polar
I was looking into the Autism spectrum for my granddaughter, and I found myself. : O
Someone suggested i had traits and that's when i found myself on the suspectrum.
That’s similar to my mum. She found out she had adhd when she went to get my brother and I diagnosed
I've been a questioning if I'm autistic more and more over the years, and finally this year I had collected enough data to feel like I might have an answer... so I went to get tested for confirmation and wow, look at that, I'm autistic. It's nice actually :) I finally have answers to so many disparate questions in my life.
@@theyxaj It does help to know, and may turn up resources that could help in life. Happy for you ; )
@@theyxaj how does one go about getting diagnosed as an adult? I can't seem to find reliable or straight forward info on how to do it. 🙁
I got diagnosed with ADHD when I was in college after taking an abnormal psych class and realizing "wait, this is ME." Turns out, because girls present less often with the hyperactive symptoms, I wasn't diagnosed as a kid. Neither was my older sister, who didn't realize she had it until I talked to her about my diagnosis. She was FORTY. She (and my mom, who probably also has it) had built up some pretty bulletproof coping mechanisms throughout life, but it also cemented patterns and habits that were really destructive to her life, personally and professionally. We're both medicated now, and it's such a huge change. I'm extremely appreciative that knowing this about myself will probably help me avoid some of the pitfalls that befell them.
And MAN do I get pissed at assholes who say ADHD doesn't exist, or that the medications that treat it are "basically crack". Maybe with YOUR brain chemistry, Nathan Neurotypical, but if they didn't help me I wouldn't take them.
+Cee Bee yeah I heard that's how it used to be in the early 90's, celebrities such as Mathew Perry and people where all on prescription drugs and thought the same thing then got addicted.
TheluckyBoxer 313 Actually, most studies on adhd-medication show that medical treatment for adhd LESSENS the risk for substance abuse (because a lot of patients without medication will turn to illegal drugs as self medication, which is unsafe and addicting). Also, the medicine is not addictive. A lot of patients are dependent on it however, much like a lot of diabetics are dependent on insuline.
Cee Bee wait and see? I was diagnosed nine years ago and have been medicated since then, and my older sister has been medicated for six years. It's demonstrable how being medicated has improved our lives. How much longer should I "wait and see," another decade?
While it's certainly possible for ADHDers to abuse their meds (like most any drugs), most of us would rather maintain our dosages at a healthy level, because this is how we function in society! I don't want the key to my functionality to itself become a burden! I had my dosage increased while I studied for the bar exam, but when I got back to my dull, unchallenging job, I told my doctor I wanted to go back to my old dosage because I had a bunch of unused dopamine and norepinephrine in my brain that made me feel erratic and made sleep difficult. That's not the feeling I want my meds to cause, so I don't take more than I need.
Learned a lot about how my brain works only recently by reading the book about adult ADD/ADHD called Driven to Distraction...and I'm 48 years old. I'm in a foreign country where access to proper treatment may be not possible. I'm doing well with my coping strategies. Just another part of...me, and what I have to do during the day to do what I have to do.
So basically, Hank should've gone to Camp Half-Blood but missed his opportunity.
ADHD can be caused by other things than being a demi-god. ;)
probably Athena
nerd life this comment wins best comment of the day, thanks for this!
Half blood in the organism?! How terrible! ;P
@@ragnkja unfortunately. Being a half-blood can be sucky but also. Powers
"I get irrationally angry"
*HANK SMASSSHHH!!!*
ADHD can be tough but it can be useful too. The problem is when it also comes with Anxiety and Depression. I call them the Unholy Trinity.
Im in this comment and I don’t like it
@@kathyanegron8891 Sorry to hear that. Unfortunately I cannot untag you from this comment. XD
Jade Damboise Rail 😂 LMFAO!
Like me VERY probably. I just want some hope, I wish there is treatment
@@cyper89 There are treatments, the first step is to get diagnosed.
The best definition of disability I’ve ever hear is: A disability is the mismatch between a person’s abilities (or features) and their environment; I love this one because it highlights that disabilities are often highly contextual.
I’ve struggled with this my whole life and keep feeling like there’s a place I belong, if only I could find it, that wouldn’t make me feel like there’s something wrong with me. That maybe I’m brilliant but just misunderstood. It can be very lonely and isolating when you are not seen, when no one “gets you”. I still want to shine like everybody else, and contribute in some way. It would be nice if I could feel good about myself, too - if I could be what I see is possible and not with limitations and barriers cast upon me. Thank you for this 🙏🩷🌸🌿
really encourage everyone to understand the Social Model of Disability...it's this, but also goes one step further to the question of WHY is the environment so difficult for neurodiverse people
“But here’s the general thing about psychological disorders…disorders are only classified as disorders when they’re ongoing, frustrating impairments.” This quote was what I needed to hear today.
Maybe no one will read this but, I was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia at 19 in my second semester of my senior year of high school. I've always been an average student, getting Cs wasn't a rare occurrence but no one ever suspected anything. I just thought that taking 2-3 hours on one assignment was because of my depression and anxiety and OID. I only got tested because I did REALLY bad on the ACT (standardized test to go to college in the US) and after spending thousands to get my diagnosis, it really cleared stuff up for me. I can't imagine how much better as school I could have been if I was diagnosed as a kid, and I think it wasn't caught because I'm a girl and was taught to sit quietly with my hands to myself. I thought I was just stupid because I couldn't read out loud or spell, and still in college I struggle to get work done. But now I know I'm not alone, getting that diagnosed changed me and I can catch myself when I have bad days or weeks. I wish more people would openly discuss learning disabilities in girls and women because it often gets over looked because the symptoms are different. Thank you for making this video
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Same thing happened to me! I was 17
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