MONIQUE KOSKIE
Opinions Writer
When I was approached two years ago with the possibility that I might have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, my initial reaction was, “How can I, an adult woman, have something that affects young children?”
I was angry. The first picture that came to mind was the stereotype of a little boy, climbing the walls of his fifth grade classroom, disruptive and driving his teacher insane.
I was offended and confused: sure I liked to keep busy and things would easily bore me, but isn’t procrastination expected in college?
I was told to speak to my doctor to confirm or deny the diagnosis of ADHD. My doctor went through more tests that involved me and people who knew me best filling out a variety of questionnaires. At the end of all the questions and tests she, too, came to the same conclusion. Medication was suggested based on the information gathered by the tests in efforts to alleviate some of the discomfort caused by my diagnosis.
Once again my head started to spin. The idea of taking medication for something that is seen in young children and not associated with adults seemed silly; after all, I can surely control my own actions and behaviour.
I am a factual person and because I knew little on the subject of ADHD, I could not completely dismiss the idea that the diagnosis was incorrect or that medication would be warranted. I started to research my diagnosis.
I remember reading the posters in my doctor’s office about adults with learning disabilities and ADHD but I never gave it more than a passing thought. Now I was forced to confront the idea on those posters.
I started digging into the various reports, research journals and books. The first time I read about it I thought, “That’s you in a nut shell. How did you not see it?” The research regarding adults living with ADD/ADHD is relatively new and still developing. There are many myths regarding the subject, which contributed to my initial bias and resentment towards the idea.
There are four general categories that women tend to fall into. However, any combination is equally valid. It is important to remember men can share in many of these characteristics and that each person is unique and may have symptoms outside what is discussed here.
The Tomboy
These women and girls are physically active, drawn to more risk-taking activities, exploring and playing with their brothers or other boys in the neighbourhood and are less attracted to more girlish activities. But unlike many boys with ADHD, girls are usually more co-operative and work harder to please their teachers and co-workers.
Their handwriting is often messy and work is disorganized. Rather than suspected of having ADHD, they are often thought of as being lazy or not academically inclined.
The Daydreamer
These women represent the inattentive side of ADD/ADHD. They are often quiet and, while they seem to be listening to teachers or co-workers, their minds are lost in their own thoughts. Commonly forgetful and disorganized in completing their work, they become worried as assignments come due. They may seem easily overwhelmed, anxious and operate at a slower pace when compared to others.
The Talker
This category is a combination of both hyperactive and inattentive traits associated with ADHD. Commonly these women are hyper-talkative rather than hyperactive.
Their personality is described as silly, excitable, hyper-social and overemotional. They chatter constantly and have trouble staying quiet, interrupting others and jumping from topic to topic in conversation. They are active socially and tend to have friendships that seem to be full of drama.
Adoption of the “silly” personality can be an attempt to hide embarrassment for being disorganized and forgetful.
The Academically Intelligent
These women are highly intelligent (“book smart”) and, because of this, can be difficult to diagnose. Some of the common issues seen with people suffering with ADD/ADHD are losing track of assignment or deadlines. However, as their school or life becomes more demanding and complicated, problems with concentration, organization and follow-through begin to reveal themselves.
If you think you have ADD/ADHD there are tools you can put in place to help relieve organization, study skills, stress and anxiety issues felt in your day to day life. The Disabilities Services for Students at University of Saskatchewan has excellent resources and tools that can aid in your success while attending U of S.
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