Adolescents with ADD are experiencing the world in a way that is unique. The way that the see, hear, touch or feel (both physically and emotionally) does not usually match the way that others do.
What some people may find boring could be a source of never-ending fascination for someone with ADD; while other things (such as sitting in a classroom) can be almost impossible to focus on for someone with ADD.
Because of this, adolescents and children with ADD may have difficulty finding other people and role models they identify with. It’s important for them to have role models who they could look up to. The following is a by no means exhaustive list of well known figures who have had, or have displayed the symptoms of, Attention Deficit Disorder:
- Albert Einstein: While Einstein was never diagnosed, he certainly displayed some of the classic symptoms. Whether it was losing his keys, his penchant for rebelliousness, or notably never combing his hair, Einstein displayed many of the classic symptoms of ADHD, while becoming one of the most iconic scientific figures in modern history.
- Emily Dickinson:
I felt a cleaving in my mind
As if my brain had split;
I tried to match it, seam by seam,
But could not make them fit.
The thought behind I strove to join
Unto the thought before, ,
But sequence ravelled out of reach
Like balls upon a floor.
–Emily Dickinson (1864)
- Michael Phelps
At a young age, Michael Phelps showed a natural talent for swimming, yet struggled in school. It was with the help of his mother and teachers who were determined to find ways to help Michael learn succeed.
“They Will Make You Proud.” (n.d.). Retrieved December 14, 2016, from http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/1998.html
- Simone Biles
Simone Biles was diagnosed with ADD as a child, and with the support of her parents found ways to treat it, and go all the way to the Olympics in Rio 2016.
“Having ADHD and taking medication for it is nothing to be ashamed of.”
- Lisa Ling
While talking with an ADHD specialist while filming for one of her shows, journalist Lisa Ling began to relate to the symptoms of diagnosis. She was finally diagnosed at age 40 after years of living with ADHD
“I have always had a bit of a difficult time focusing on things that aren’t interesting to me, and I get really, really anxious before taking any kind of test or having any kind of evaluation,”
