Member-only story
How to Feel Better About ADHD
It’s a biological difference, not a personality flaw
I was at an end of the school year party last night. One of my sons goes to a school for kids with Learning Differences. The parents are open about their kids’ differences and struggles, and we talk freely. One parent was telling me that her son is going to sleep away camp for the first time. But, she was so worried about how the people at camp might perceive him that she wasn’t sleeping at night. She worried that they might not understand his ADHD symptoms, and he would be asked to go home early.
Another parent mentioned a recent situation with their child who has ADHD. This child thrives at school. But, they were going to a large family gathering last weekend. Lots of family members, especially older ones who do not “believe in ADHD.” The child had so much anxiety about what people would say about him or his behavior at the party. When they got there, he refused to get out of the car.
These stories are all too common within communities of people with Learning Differences. Sometimes the hardest part of having a Learning Difference is not the symptoms. It is how people perceive, react, or look down on the challenges.
