Like many of you, I belong to a number of groups online that have nothing to do with Attention Deficit Disorder. Many of them are related to personal interests of mine, like cooking, crafts, and decorating. I’ve never mentioned the subject of AD/HD to anyone on those boards because it’s not relevant.The other day, though, someone asked for advice in regards to AD/HD, and I felt I had to say something. I was a little hesitant, though, because I didn’t know how the women on the board would react, both to what I had to say and to the fact that I have ADD. You see, in the past I’ve sometimes mentioned my AD/HD when it seemed appropriate, and I’m not sure it’s always been a good decision. I don’t like hiding who I am, but at the same time, I don’t feel that people need to know all the details of my personal life. I’ve found that people’s perception of my intelligence often drops considerably once they know I have AD/HD.I’ve always told my kids that it’s their decision to tell or not, and that it’s OK to use their AD/HD as an explanation, but not an excuse. I try to live by the same rule myself, although I admit that the line between explanation and excuse is sometimes very fine.As for the lady on the board, my desire to help her and her child was greater than my fear of what everyone would think. I offered help, she gratefully accepted, and everything was fine.
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