Why Some Things Stick

It annoys me how prevalent ADHD is in every aspect of my psyche. Really. I’d like to have some qualities and faults which don’t fall directly in line with how ADHD brains work. I used to think I was a special, albeit broken, snowflake. (Not in the political sense, I just mean in the special and unique sense) But nope, even thinking you’re different than everyone else is a symptom of ADHD. If I think about the things that make me uniquely me, it’s ADHD every single time. It seems like the only uncommon thing about me is that ADHD medicine doesn’t work super well to relieve my symptoms. But everything else?

Procrastination: ADHD
Self loathing: ADHD
Unreliable: ADHD
SUPER reliable in an emergency: ADHD
Above average pattern recognition: ADHD
Superb problem-solving skills: ADHD
Self-deprecating humor: ADHD
Moody: ADHD
Hyperfocus: ADHD
Outside the box thinking: ADHD
Extreme good looks: ADHD
Sarcasm about physical appearance: ADHD

OK, the last couple were jokes. But even that, being funny — a pretty common ADHDer trait. One of the biggest trends with folks who have ADHD is that they only stick with a subject while it’s interesting. Once it gets boring, they can’t (like, actually can’t) focus on it. This is why most folks with ADHD will burn through hobbies and jobs like crazy. I’m no exception here either. But there are a few long-standing passions in my life, and I’ve been trying to figure out why they exist.

Off the top of my head, there are things like Linux, bird feeders/cameras, technology in general, writing, and my wife/family. I know, family doesn’t seem like it qualifies as a “hobby”, but folks with ADHD often have real struggles with romantic relationships. They fall deeply in love (extreme emotions: Another ADHD thing), but once the novelty of the relationship wears off, they lose interest. That hasn’t happened to me. Plus the other things listed have been a sort of staple in my life while so many other hobbies and interests have come and gone. And I’ve been trying to figure out why.

Perhaps it’s because those things are all fairly dynamic and ever changing. Linux is really just a vehicle for all the various software-related hobbies I’ve had over the years. I’ve upgraded and changed the bird feeder cameras dozens of times over the years. Technology is constantly changing. And writing is different every time. Family though? Relationships aren’t easy by any means, but they’re not exactly brand new every day. That “success” doesn’t really fit the same mold as the others.

Maybe it’s not the constant change at all. Maybe it’s the challenge. Relationships are certainly challenging. Attracting birds and getting good video of them is difficult. Writing well is hard. But Linux and technology? I don’t mean to sound arrogant, but no, they’re not difficult or challenging anymore. Yet I still remain interested.

I’d like to have a great answer to finish off this post. Some kernel of wisdom, which peels back the mysteries of the universe just a bit. Heck, even a hint so I might leverage some sort of brain hack to stay excited about the things I SHOULD be focusing on. But no. I have no idea.

I’ve lost interest in this blog post. See you later.

(hehehehe, ok, that was just my attempt at a clever closing)