“You always have your head in the clouds'' or “You’re so scatterbrained” are two of the lines I’ve heard throughout my childhood, and still to this day, hear the most frequently. What’s especially intriguing about this is the fact that I’ve never gotten round to answering why I keep behaving like this. Every time, I reached a dead end.
It wasn’t until recently that I’ve done some research into Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD, and into ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). What was until then a mere fact I had been ignorant of, suddenly became a shocking reality. After all the self-diagnosis I’ve conducted while reading Internet articles (which I do not advise), I realized that what seemed normal to me was under the umbrella terms of ADD and ADHD.
Look me dead in my (virtual) eyes and tell me you haven’t met someone who doesn’t do at least one of the following: bounce their leg all the time, fidget with all kinds of objects, bite their nails with no stress trigger, tap their foot on the ground repetitively, talk too much or when they’re not supposed to, interrupt you, have an uncontrollable stutter, or talk ‘too fast’. Chances are, if statistics don’t lie, that you have a friend who does the things listed above. These are common symptoms in those with ADHD, which affects 1 in 10 teenagers. While all this may only be the tip of the iceberg, they could be a somewhat reliable indicator of an underlying disorder like those mentioned.
So why do some people always have their heads up in the clouds? Why are they disorganized and forgetful? And why do some act ‘rude’ in social situations? Ignorants might say that those who are like that aren’t disciplined enough. Uneducated. Lazy. Careless. Why are there kids who wildly overreact and burst into tears at a minor inconvenience? Why are there adults and teenagers who are unable to take criticism without lashing out? It is all because of disorders like ADD and ADHD. Of course, a very important disclaimer is: unless clinically tested, these conditions are not to be used as excuses for the behaviors presented above.
What I want you to take away from this is the fact that disorders like this are increasingly common in our day and age. It’s an epidemic. Shorter attention spans, countless distractions, and a crazily fast-paced rhythm of living have brought about the perfect environment for mental illnesses to develop. And the young ones are the most vulnerable. Yes, you and me, your friend, your brother or sister. We shouldn’t be paid special attention to, but instead, the attention should be directed towards the issue.
Just because some neurotransmitters don’t work exactly how they should, entire generations are shaped in vastly different ways. We’re all subject to that. But we’re not victims. We’re fighters. We’re unique. Each one of us. Even you.
Editor
Parv Melissa
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