I’ve recently self-diagnosed ADHD. But it feels like such a stupid name and it’s kind of embarrassing to say “I have adhd”.

SONG: Penn Holderson “You Might Have ADHD”

As I’m learning, ADHD is one of the disorders that has been so misunderstood – and mismanaged – in our country.

When someone uses those letters, I get the image of a young boy bouncing off the walls, refusing to sit still, not listening. And that can be part of it for some people – but it is an incomplete picture and doesn’t nearly cover the full spectrum.

What is ADHD?

I recently heard it referred to as VAST: Variable Attention Stimulus Trait. Someone else referred to it as a regulatory dysfunction.

VAST/ADHD is better explained as executive dysfunction. Inflow says this:

“Executive functions are controlled by the brain’s frontal lobe, which is responsible for: 

• Planning and organization 
• Emotional and behavioral control 
• Working memory³
• Personality 
• Problem-solving
• Attention 
• Social skills 
• Flexible thinking 
• Conscious movement 

It looks like this:

• Emotional disregulation
  • I am wired to feel everything on a grand scale and have trouble calming down when overwhelmed.
  • I have passionate and intense thoughts and feelings – I experience both happiness and criticism more powerfully than most people.
  • I often feel like I’m not equal to others – not good enough, smart enough, productive enough.
• Self Control
  • I can make rash decisions – my ability to be decisive can override logic. (That said – when I’m overwhelmed, I can’t make decisions)
  • I have a short attention span – especially when something is repetitive or boring. I make mistakes, have a hard time finishing tasks and lose track in conversations and reading.
  • I can procrastinate like a pro – not because I’m lazy, but because I need a rush of adrenaline and dopamine to accomplish boring tasks (waiting until the last minute gives me that).
• Executive dysfunction
  • Time blindness – Now and not now – nothing else.
  • Organization is hard – persistent clutter and chaos contribute to feeling overwhelmed and out of control.
  • Low working memory – I lose things, I forget things, I often can’t focus on specific tasks

Do some or all of these sound familiar? Maybe you have VAST/ADHD too. And that’s not a bad thing.

As I learn more about it – how it affects my world in both positive and negative ways – I’ll share more. For now – here are a few resources for you to check out.

INFLOW ADHD ASSESSMENT

AMEN CLINIC BRAIN TYPE ASSESSMENT

ADHD IS AWESOME

EMOTIONAL FLOODING & THE ADHD BRAIN (ADDEPT)

PS – ADHD is a type of neurodivergent brain; meaning my brain doesn’t work the same as the neurotypical brain. Autism is another neurodivergent brain type. My daughter was recently diagnosed both autistic and adhd. Her traits are amazing! But not fitting in with the rest of society can cause a ton of anxiety and make us feel broken. We are working to fix that.

STAY TUNED!