ADD is also known as Attention Deficit Disorder. Many times this disorder is also called ADD/ADHD. I am one of the thousands of Americans who has been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. Those of you who know about this disorder know what a challenge each day is for me as I go about my daily routine and work. It is hard for me to pay attention to any one thing and if I find that boring or meaningless, I just move on to the next thing. This cycle occurs several times in a day and as a result my to-do list never gets completed.



However, suffering from ADD/ADHD does not mean that I have just bad traits in me. I have many positive traits, which I try to harness to overcome what I am lacking. I, like most people suffering from attention deficit disorder, am considered very creative. As surprising as it may sound but most people suffering from ADD/ADHD are creative and invariably when there is no outlet for the creativity, problems tend to increase.

In addition, I am sensitive and intuitive. When I say sensitive, you will not be able to see or observe this side of mine because usually I come across as insensitive. This is true for most people suffering from ADD/ADHD, especially males. Our society demands that men do not show their feelings and emotions and that is how we men appear -- emotionless and aggressive. The fact that most people suffering from ADD/ADHD rely on their feelings, they end up becoming very intuitive. This is also true for me but I cannot prove my gut feeling. So, I never speak much about my intuition though I am usually correct about many things.

However, living with ADD/ADHD is not easy. The positive facets of my personality are always hidden. What people end up seeing are the negative aspects of my personality and disorder because they are so apparent.

There are still many people who do not believe that ADD/ADHD exists. They think people like me are just lazy and do not want to take responsibility. But this is not true. ADD/ADHD is a reality for us and we have to live with it day in and day out without any cure. Just the symptoms can be controlled. I have trouble focusing on one thing at a time. The rest of the world views it as a problem. The problem lies in wanting to do multiple things at the same time but losing interest so fast that I am unable to complete even one task. In addition, there is the problem of getting organized. While this is a problem for everyone else, I do not view it as being disorganized. Having so many things that are unimportant at one given moment, means that some of the things will get misplaced. For instance, if my mobile rings, I do not worry about where my car key is. Because at that moment, the key is not important but the mobile is so I just dump the car key anywhere and end up misplacing it.

Time is an alien concept for me and everyone else who suffers from ADD/ADHD. This would explain why I never pay my bills on time or finish assignments on a stipulated date.

Having ADD/ADHD is difficult but that does not make me or thousands of other sufferers disabled. It is a disorder that the society has to accept and only then will we be accepted by the society for what and who we are.