As i said in my subject line, I was encouraged to reach out and join a group to talk more "openly" as part of my therapy. Since we live in a very rural area in Northern MN (the nearest McDonalds is an hour away) a online forum was suggested. I have never given it much thought so I will try to do my best. Also, Ive never talked to anyone besides my fiancee and some family about my psychiatric issues, so if I say something wrong, or ignorant, just let me know. Not that I care if people think poorly of me, I just like information so I would prefer to have it corrected if needed.
My name is James and I guess for my intro I will just give a rundown of my diagnosed issues, and the ones I am working on with my shrink.
-ADHD (diagnosed as a child, rediagnosed as an adult)
-Anger issues (a couple of court ordered anger management sessions)
-SPD (Sensory processing disorder) I can't touch certain textures without feeling like I am being burnt, and certain types of noises loud, soft, or sudden it all depends on the noise feels like I'm getting drilled through the skull with a power tool.
-Void of certain emotions- Sympathy, sadness, grief, excitement, compassion and many other "Gray area emotions" as I call them, I don't feel, or truly understand. I know what they are and can recognize them in others, just don't process what about a situation would make them feel that way. I do feel some extremes; extreme anger, happiness, and anxiety/stress.
-Panic/anxiety disorder/heightened fight or flight reflex- large crowds overwhelm me, I need to be able to have an exit path, being touched unexpectedly (there are a few people who can touch me, (my fiancee and nieces and nephew are the only people who can grab, hug, or hold me without extreme discomfort), or feeling trapped or in a situation thats completely out of my control. I can't shop very well, ride with someone else driving, or go into malls or events without my panic meds. The MRI's and brain scans I had to take after having a seizure show the primal fight or flight part of my brain being abnormal, which mixed with the ADHD, they said it easy to spot why I have these issues.
There are more but this is my second time writing, first draft was way to much redundant info. I am trying to write this freehand and with my ADHD i ramble if I don't have an outline for anything I write.
Other things about me that aren't as bad i guess. I have done multiple studies and test by mental health facilities for gauging my intelligence level, and I score pretty high. My IQ test was 168, but I don't consider myself special, I can't stay focused long enough to achieve anything with this, So to me its just a number that says I'm not dumb, I'm just to unfocused or undedicated enough to get anything amazing done. I also have an issue with the written English language. For some reason I have never had the ability to completely master grammar, plus my spelling can be horrid because I am thinking faster then I type so often make mistakes.
My primary goal in life right now is trying to find something I can do for the rest of my life and enjoy without fear of getting bored or switching, because I found a different job that caught my interest. I would love to finish my bachelors or higher in college if I could dedicate to one thing. I am 3 months from 30 and have had around 23 different jobs. From cashier to zookeeper and everything from construction to cashier in the middle. Right now I sell insurance. Besides some of the occupational issues the ADHD causes like organization issues and being late for stuff, when I start a new job I get really into it. I learn everything I can, like I have short term OCD with the subject. Employers think its great because I can learn their systems, and my job duties so quickly I barely need training. Then around months 4-7 depending on the job, I completely loose interest and feel I have nothing else to gain from it, and leave for whatever catches my eye next. So finding something I could go back to college for, or start doing that I could stick with till retirement sounds amazing to me.
So thanks for reading I guess it was a lot if you made it to the end. I would love to hear peoples input on finding a career path when you have ADHD or too many interests. Or if anyone has questions about anything I am supposed to learn to share, so I get better at explaining my issues, without just getting angry someone noticed. I just would enjoy others besides my fiancee, who understand the way my brain works, maybe even relate, and who maybe I can work on trying to help others out as well.