Making ADHD your Superpower | George Cicci | TEDxWVU
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- čas přidán 15. 05. 2024
- After George Cicci was diagnosed with ADHD late in life, he set out to change the misconceptions surrounding individuals diagnosed with this disorder. In this TEDx talk, he argues that others diagnosed with ADHD should utilize their “superpower” as an advantageous characteristic at work and in everyday life. George Cicci took his late-in-life ADHD diagnosis as both an answer to his questions about his personal behavior and difficulties, and as an opportunity to hit the "restart" button on his life and make up for lost time. Since his diagnosis thirteen years ago, he has become obsessed with learning to hack “The Superpower” as he calls it and teaches others to do the same. He is currently exercising this superpower as the Chief Marketing Officer at Impakt Media, where he works with brands like NBC Sports, Lucas Oil Pro Motocross and Major League Baseball affiliates. In addition to this, he is finishing his book “ADHD Life Hacker: the Four Rules for Success” and is launching an online course in productivity for people with ADHD. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx
The GREATEST irony is that those of us with ADHD "appear to be ON drugs" if we're NOT ON DRUGS!
I was thinking the same. It's like, were he on speed he'd be cool as a cucumber probably. Back in the day I actually became acquainted with a number of 'tweekers' who actually did it to self medicate. Haven't met any people lately that consciously do that, probably thanks to the Medi-Cal expansion from the Affordable Care Act.
So true!
Omg yes, I have inattentive ADHD where people think I am high. This one time I was so calm and zoned out someone asked me if I am ok, I think she thought I was stoned.
I remember when I had 3 friends on drugs and I refused. Yet I seemed like the one that was on the drugs the most 😂 They told me that. Now looking back on it I realised wow that was my ADHD
@@damaito1829 have been told SEVERAL times that if I could "bottle" my "natural high" (ie unmedicated ADHD in an exciting environment) I'd make a fortune!
Good. It'd pay for my therapy bills!
Notice he's rocking back and forth throughout the entire talk. Classic ADHD
Its a cqlming mechanism and fidgeting to help stimulating
Yep. Self soothing to stay focused.
Very relatable
The Bored Enthusiast first thing i noticed lmaooo
I'm a 6'6" teacher with ADHD and a ruptured L5-S1. Now imagine how I sway. lol
The moment of overwhelm when you think it might just be easier to quit life than having to deal with the struggle
I feel that, but honestly I've given up the pride of living my life med free. Going to talk to a psychiatrist next week about trying stimulants and behavioral therapy. No shame in trying meds if you might have a chemical imbalance!! Much love, hope you get thru this
Same here man I think I might go see someone and try to get some adderall. I’ve tried it before and when I was on it i felt balanced I had motivation I was able to focus and finish a task lots of other things to
Home.
Find out more here "Healing ADD - See And Heal The 7 Types!" with Dr. Amen
exercise or die trying
“If we don’t feel stimulated we’ll find stimulation”.. true that!!! That’s why our lives are-at least mine is- never boring
Okay but FR! I've tried to explain to people that I'm not bored hanging out by myself because I always have things my brain wants to do and it never runs out, even if I'm having a bad day- if I have free time, my brain is already on what our next activity is! I only wish that stimulation applied to school work I'm not interested in XD
“If we don’t feel stimulated, we’ll find stimulation” OMG! This is a HUGELY IMPORTANT COMMENT because it's SPOT on, and it's the reason people with ADHD seek out activities, specifically to raise dopamine!!!
Thats why videogames, sports or any games in general, really attracts us. We are dopamine hunters. Even just chilling with your cousins and its quiet, you're like "man, its boring. Lets go walk around town.". I don't know if I have ADHD but I have all the major signs from failing in school / college(multiple) to failing in creating long relationships. Man, wish the little boy version of me from decades ago got the treatment sooner. Could've changed my entire life around. =/
Yes. Life is never boring. Even if we are alone. Just a mobile will do the job
To all the people who think that adhd is not real and it is just an excuse for some people to get away with their unruly behaviour, you don't understand and and you never will, how hard we have to work every day to be called an "average" how disappointing it is to not to be able to live up to your own potential, that's when you give up that's when you believe that maybe i was never worth it maybe this is me. Let others think whatever they want but you and me, we know the struggle is real and the best part is we are here for each other, don't give up keep trying, keep pushing harder and harder, one day when you're gonna make it, you'll know that you were worth it and none of them would ever matter.
Amazing April Not being able to live up to your own potential really resonates with me. I’ve felt like a failure for such a long time (over a decade) that I’ve pretty much given up.
adhd is b.s. they said over and over again my son has it ha! just big pharma and doctors that in incahoots with big pharma brain washing us into thinking it is real
A Mc, you might want to work on your writing skills, I have no idea what you are trying to say.
I reread what I wrote and if you do not understand it then maybe you need to work on your reading skills. either way have a good day/night. I am not going to argue with youoh and try to be more kind to others
A Mc lady you will never understand what it is like to have adhd why tf would your doctor lie to you pretty easy to determine whether someone has adhd or not
If you reading this and you have adhd
You are a warrior
Yeah we messy
Yeah we lose things
Yeah we impulsive.
But are brains force us into situations that will get us places.
The messiness of my brain makes me worried anytime I am unable to make a new friend or a person from my friends or known people that they hang out with leaves. I'm currently in university with twenty two years because my math grade was so bad that I wasn't accepted anywhere. And now that people started leaving my brain automatically says you can't do this.
for sure
Do you have heraing problem with adhd or its just me??
@@acephoenix8318 True!!! I can't remember anyone's name until i get to know them more for days. Even names simple as Anusha(Indian common name) its hard for me cuz when they are introducing themselves my brain is thinking about why is she wearing lipstick? why is she talking weird? wait am i judging her too fast? i dont even know her yet? should i introduce myself to her? but i only met her? wait I didn't come to canada to isolate myself from brown people?
Watching this because I lost motivation while writing thesis. Thank you for these words RyanThomson
Just got my diagnosis yesterday at 26 years old. I'm currently studying at university and I always thought I was just dumber than my friends because I had to work so much more to get worse grades than them... I'm still coming to terms with it so I'm looking through videos like this to learn and accept this.
Good luck my guy, just don't get overwhelmed by this positivity (I know, it sounds counterintuitive). For the vast majority of people ADHD is a curse, not a blessing. I for one would do a lot to no longer have it, but I can't.
I'm saying this so that if you ever feel like your ADHD is not a blessing: that's normal, it's what most of us feel
I got my diagnosis a year ago. I was resentful, having lost so much time and not knowing why my entire life felt like a constant struggle. Attention deficit isn't a good way to describe it, I've never had trouble paying attention and I would say I can focus better than others, but just couldn't control it. First day taking medication felt like waking up. Now I can direct that focus exactly where I want it and it's changed everything. Wishing you all the best in your journey.
I have ADHD and Dyslexia, and I just finished college at 28 after being a highschool dropout (diagnosed a few years ago). I honestly thought instructors were making a mistake everytime they passed me in a class because I was struggling so much in every class.
Somehow, I was the only one in my department to receive some award that I still don't understand what it is or how I got it.
I'm not saying it's fun or easy. I'm just saying it's possible, and you're probably doing better than your giving yourself credit for.
Yup feeling dumber is a big part but once you realize you're not then the advantages of ADHD take affect
@@classypotato9255 true, the curses have outweighed the blessings in my case, some cases are worse than others, then if you add the different IQ levels of ADHD people, someone with a lower IQ can struggle far more then ones with high IQ
I've been watching several videos on ADHD now. I feel so welcomed by the supportive comments. I've like a little family, that finally gets me. Feel damn good.
Looks like you have a border collie? Might be a coincidence, but I have found that many with ADHD own border collies. That may be because BCs are the ADHD breed of the dog world.. or at least they act like it-LOL.
I have 3 and I definitely have ADHD. 72 years and running.
What’s good to realize is that it can be your friend , if you can channel it to work for you. There are many good things about ADHD. Focusing on those and realizing them as useful super powers can make you feel grounded.
But it’s those ‘overwhelming’ moments that are the hardest. That’s when I hug my dogs. They understand and make it all feel ok. 🙂
That said.. BCs ROCK! 👍🏼
@@Rikkcas Hey! Thanks for the sweet message! My dog is a "Landser" and it's a type of Newfoundland dog.
Regarding the ADHD, I've received my diagnosis three months ago and I'm still struggling to find the positives. I know we're fun and it's never boring with us but in regards to my studies, I still measure my progress to the progress and behaviors of neurotypicals. I understand it's a journey and do you have any positives you could possibly list?
Have a wonderful day!
🤗
@@NerdyNerdUHeard Hi there! You didn't ask me, but I wanted to chime in. The ADHD mind is super creative in ways others are in awe about, it can problem solve with multiple solutions, tend to excel under pressure (A lot of my best work was done at the last minute), and so much more. It definitely takes different strategies to stay on task, keep to deadlines, compartmentalizing racing thoughts / brain dumping on paper, solid self esteem and self love, and a whole lot of self forgiveness. Love you extra hard through the process of understanding yourself and the brain we have. I hope this helps!!!
@@missmimideon2452 thank you so much xxx
I was diagnosed at age 10 and I am 24 years old now. Something I will never forget my psychiatrist told me most people with ADHD are hidden geniuses and some of the most successful people in history have it so if anything you think faster than others and we do have a superpower we just have to learn how to manage it. Thank you for this Ted Talk!!
Yes! Use that super power. I am lucky to be working in an industry where my bosses embrace my creativity and my genius ideas while being ADHD themselves so they understand the process. They gave me more responsibilities than I ever dared to give myself, yet I perform more than most in my industry. If you are watching this video you are on the path to success. Just keep going!
@@Dislob What industry are you in?
@@Shannon_Robbie custom fabrication / mechanical and electrical troubleshooting / equipment installation.
@@DislobI’m having a very similar experience. Construction management is perfect for people like us I’ve found. Project based so always changing, chaotic and new all the time. There is a massive need in the marketplace for people like us.
@@Dislob Re: "Genius".... I know at least a dozen people that are members of MENSA.
Every single one of them is ADHD. Some with bits and pieces of Autism spectrum.
I'm not saying Having ADHD automatically makes you a genius but I found the connection interesting with the people I know.
Irony : When he said "our normal" not your "normal", everyone felt it.
as someone said "we dont think outside teh box, we dont know there is a box"
@@tristantheoofer2 so true!!!
I would say that non ADHD people make you do things their way. "That way is the best" they say and when we can't or won't do things their way you hear "what's wrong with you" Adhd is bad enough but then people shame you and that's the loneliest feeling.
Being an ADHD person, entrepreneurship was the best decision I ever made. The inability to read, complete projects, and being put down by teachers and peers made life miserable until I realized that’s exactly why I need to work even harder and in return I will feel more full filled than ever before. If you have ADHD God gave you that so you can be innovative and fearless, don’t let other people who criticize you hold you back. Go out there and show the world what you’re made of!
This comment means alot to me😌
Thank you for this
same bro. did feel good in highschool, just didnt do anything :D
now i am 21 working on my own business and its no problem to work 4 or 6 hours straight ^^
Me too
I wish I could get to that point. Corporate America is so stressful with this disorder
The superpower bit comes at 10:35
[for some of you, that may be _why_ you're scrolling]
@@microwavabletoothbrush 😁
Thank you 🙏
😂
LMAO. I didn't even realize it until I got to this comment.
Lmao thanks
This explains why my highest graded college essays were always the ones I waited to do until like 4 hours before the due date
this is so real my mind just flashed back to high school reading this
Soooooo real just got goosebumps lol
Adhd is an old brain.
The Hunter's brain.
A gift I have taken a long time to embrace.
I used to resent the gremlins in my mind, making me forget, jumping to new tasks, abandoning hobbies on a whim....now I've given them all jobs and I am productive in 6 different ways at once most days
Woah wtf. I've never looked at it like that, but thanks man
What jobs?
@@trembling3674 The 'hunter vs. farmer' is a hypothesis proposed by Thom Hartmann, in his book Attention Deficit Disorder: a Different Perception. I read an article about it, really helped me shift my perspective about ADHD.
@@trembling3674 I actually like the idea of being a mighty hunter. Lmao
Check out the books of thom hartmann
I was never diagnosed with ADHD but I have most symptoms. I am smart but find things boring, I am extremely impatient so much that I don't cook. And my son has extreme ADHD. I have found my cure in daydreaming which I then turned to deep thinking. For me thinking is like reading a book. I need to deep think every 2 days in order to feel normal. Through deep thinking I am able to control my emotions and regain touch with my reality. Without it I feel overwhelming, I panic and I feel anxious.
i relate to you! i was diagnosed young but never believed in these labels yet now at 34 i am researching this. i relate to everything youve described. so impatient i wont cook yet il drive out for a burger and wait in the drive thru lol the daydreaming and deep thinking is right on the dot with me as well. it helps me as well. im such a dreamer and deep thinker with so much potential yet i never apply it. 💯💯💯😔
Same here
omgosh that's what I've been missing! I used to do that all the time, but now I am juggling so much and I forgot how important that is, thanks!!
Me too
Sir are you describing me?😆
I have adhd, &it feels more mundane than what he’s describing. It negatively effects my life in so many ways! Just a few examples are-
I’m almost always running late for everything, &I don’t manage time well AT ALL....
I start a million things but my “motivation” or enthusiasm dwindles, &I start something else without completing the other thing,...
I feel like I have epiphanies almost everyday, but then they don’t last...
I’m constantly overthinking things,& procrastination has been my middle name for as long as I can remember...
And whenever I feel overwhelmed, I just avoid doing the things that I need to do, but that I don’t want to do. I hate this about myself &it has caused so many problems in my life!
I also feel depressed when I’m overwhelmed, &it makes me just feel like a failure. I can’t image how I could turn these things into anything positive much less a “superpower”! I feel happy for him, but also jealous that this guy has done so well!!!💜
hey jessica, i hope you're doing fine. i have adhd too and i'm stuck in a rut, have been for about a month now. hang on! if there's something that has helped me recently (considering the daily epiphanies alternating with depressive states of confusion), it's Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg. I want to say that it's life changing... but we say that almost every day for something new, don't we? The Tiny Habits protocol has allowed me to keep doing little consistent things for over 2 weeks now. I highly recommend it!
I identify with everything you said!!!
In same 🚣♀️ now we found out how to deal with it. I don’t take meds I wonder if this guy is on meds.
I have a way I "focus" on tasks I need to do. I place a mental pin in the subject(took a bit to make it stick but worth it) and when I've caught that I'm distracted from the topic I pull back to the the pin. I started with a physical and once I had it I can use it more and more for mental stuff.
When I'm cleaning I make a focus point (ex. the desk) and I start cleaning the desk and 7 minutes later I'm in the bathroom organizing the cabinet. I remind myself I'm supposed to go back to the desk, so I finish the cabinet and go back to the desk. And 12 minutes later I'm in the closet or landry room. Finish and go back to the desk. 2 hours later my desk is almost clean but the bathroom is spotless my laundry is done my bed is made and have a pile of stuff that can go to goodwill.
On the running late thing I just set 5 alarms and know exactly how long it is gonna take me to get there and tell myself to leave 10 minutes early. And set 3 alarms for that time. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@@Dino-qt1mc- Thank u for telling me about this book! I’ve never heard of it before, but I just looked it up &it sounds like something that might actually help me! I like how it says “Tiny is mighty”& that small tiny changes can make huge life changes eventually! I’m excited to read it,& I hope that it will help me to at least start to pull myself up &out of this rut that I’ve been in for far too long!
having adhd it isnt even a problem watching this at 2X speed
Yup. I'm trying this now!
Maaaaaan! Now i am sure
Thnx you
Yeah, solid idea there.
I’m doing that right now and I understand everything that he is saying.
"People with ADHD experience overwhelm multiple times a day." I didnt realise that other people didnt.😂
Edit.: thanks for all the explanations guys, I get it now :)
Franny Cat it’s not that people without ADHD don’t experience being overwhelmed, it’s just that people with ADHD experience it differently or more regularly.
Look at depression for instance, it’s not the normal people never feel down. It’s just people with depression feel down more often and more intensely.
Well just like @Alex said its different from one who has a neurotypical brain, for the adhd brain its more pressing and more drastic. The overwhelm you feel with adhd has the intensity of experiencing a crisis. The overwhelm you feel over light, almost harmless mishaps may only slightly frustrate a normal person but for someone adhd it drives you up the wall with heightened anger and frustration, you immediately feel drained and depleted. It is very much like comparing the temporary sadness of a normal/mentally healthy person to the constantly reoccurring sorrow and despair of one with deep depression.
@@nkehndame2155 yeah and there's a lot more goin on in the brain. Ask a neurotypical how many thoughts they have
I always thought mental "overwhelmedness" was normal.
Everyone gets overwhelmed, but with ADHD ppl it freezes them on the spot. This can make u feel like a failure and get depressed. Brain dumping is the way!
He explained what one psychotherapist told me about my anxiety, the ADHD anxiety is not like a classic anxiety disorder, it's more a overwhelming and compensatory state as side effect of fast thinking and impulsivity of ADHD mind.
That's a really useful thought. Thank you for sharing!
Best advice for watching speeches with ADHD: Do something while listening. If there something to fix in the house or washing dishes etc. Plug in your headphones and listen while working. You will hyper focus. I myself love listening to podcasts while driving.
try it with 2x speed
I play video games while I listen. Same effect.
@@brandonmikowski2058 funny thing is that you play better.
absolutely - I listen to podcasts or books on tape .. it helps to multitask using different parts of your brain, so one doesn't distract the other.
A fidget toy also helps tremendously.
"I'm genetically incapable of sitting down, shutting up and being quiet"
I finally have a sentence that I can relate to truly, this is how it is.
This talk was really amazing. It's mind blowing that he talks about getting overwhelmed by too many thoughts. It happens to me all the time and I then think: "What's wrong with me, other people don't seem to experience that".
Thanks for watching, Dani. Yep, overwhelm is a killer. The important thing to remember is that just because other people aren't experiencing something it doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with you.
Happens to me too. I too recently discovered this was a symptom of ADHD as my ADHD had gotten progressively more evident.
@@GeorgeCicci That does not work for me, they don't get the dysfunctionality & well, people think what they think & I'm paranoid as well because of past experience of being shunned & ejected from every group I've ever been a part of
Dani Master I only have the racing thoughts sometimes not all the time. Working out helps me calm down. I’m not sure if I have ADHD though
Oh no. You're not alone. Here is one.
I love being able to channel my hyperfocus. When that happens I feel like an unstoppable God 😂 combine hyperfocus with a to do list and I feel close to being "normal."
would u give me some tips to help me manage my lack of focus or at least focus it on something productive, l cannot stop starting new things (this comment was written while studying, studying while working etc...)
I feel like our ability to impulsively tackle a long to do list on the spot, makes us more than normal. It’s very interesting.
The worst is hyper focusing on things and that have nothing to do at the moment and y o u j u s t c a n ' t s t o p
@@melissamacias3715 lmao yeah I struggled with this during finals week. Hyperfocus on Planet Zoo and creating habitats for my favorite animals instead of studying for statistics 😅
@@arikm8430 I can relate! We just tend to set aside what's boring and what takes effort to execute are things we _don't_ wanna do because we need stimulation!
Sometimes I feel that our brain is so much more complex than a neurotypical one :)
I was diagnosed a year ago. I’m a first generation high school graduate. I graduated with honors from a four year university in 2020. Now, I’m in my third (and final) year of law school at a top 25 law school on scholarship. We absolutely can succeed in academia and any other field we want when we focus on our strengths. My high school honors chemistry teacher told me I’d never graduate college. Don’t listen to the doubters. Don’t fear failure, be terrified of regret.
Can I ask how you manages such academic success? Did you have to study longer / harder for example compared with your peers? Or can you find hyperfocus easily/on demand? I'm always curious to hear how the few people with ADHD that achieve successful academic results especially at tertiary/university level and post grad like MBA & PHD.
"nobody with adhd is gentically capable of sitting down, shutting up and being quiet"
YES, THANK YOU!!!!
There was a time when the "adhd" person was the one who could run twnety miles with a message, was the best hunter, was the one who could hyperfocus by a seal hole, or was a genius who advanced the whole tribe... in our linear, post industrial revolution world, we've forgotten the usefulness of this characteristic.
Teanna Byerts Glad you can relate, but don't forget about us ADDers who CAN sit still, but space out while sitting there. Or we may just jump into other people's conversations out of curiosity and boredom. Inattentive types don't get as much attention. No pun intended. Lol!
waht who me???????? bwaaaa haaaa haaaaa... Queen of the Spaceout and Hyperfocus. First time I used a friends' computer to write a story they kept calling me for supper and I literally did not hear them, I was so focused on the story.
And then there are the myriad of people who have been diagnosed as ADHD as adults, but have co-morbid depression because of all of the coping mechanisms they developed whilst kids to try and cope with being an undiagnosed ADHD kid in an unADHD world.
I'm sitting down, being quiet, and only half paying attention to the speaker (not the one in this video, I'm being hypothetical), desperate to point out the seventeen things they've gotten wrong on the topic they're supposed to be an expert in. Yeah, I'm definitely more mentally restless than physically restless - but I would call it daydreaming, either... but maybe I need to expand my definition of daydreaming.
Thank YOU for watching Teanna!
Teanna Byerts a
It's so damn annoying i can't even watch this clip completely. I keep spacing out and have to rewind 😂
Eleazar Moraru
I watch doc films only bc i have to learn to keep my attention. That said, I rewind over and over in viewing films. I wanna get it all in. Drives my wife nuts
Eleazar Moraru try slowing down or speeding up the playback of the video.
Speed it up mama
IM NOT ALONE !!! WHAT
All the fuckin time! The struggle is real
this was super emotional. i broke down a bit when he talked about the "shutdown" i have never heard anybody describe me so perfectly....my god.
Same bro
Much love to you, brother. 🤜🤛
The trauma is real.
I was literally having one of those overwhelming moments just now. Frozen on my office chair; looking at my phone. Refreshing the CZcams home feed over and over because I didn’t know what to do with this feeling…then this video showed up. The Universe knew I needed it, and now I don’t feel so alone and overwhelmed❤️
Same 🖤
Good lak I feel the seme
It wasn't 'the universe' but the creator of the universe 🌌 taking care of you in that specific moment.
That stream of consciousness writing technique is very similar to how I dealt with ADHD in an academic environment - noticed it at school when I wrote a (very last minute) essay on Macbeth off the top of my head, and I got an A. This doesn't work at uni - BUT writing something is better than tearing your hair out writing nothing so I realised if I just start putting a huge quantity of stuff down I could get the ball rolling and then refine that later into what would become a pretty good assignment. The refining and research part is easy once the spear is in your hand. Picking it up is the hard part.
Thank you🙏
Thank you!! Came here while my thesis is waiting for me behind the tab of this browser...
I ended up doing the EXACT same thing in college - then got diagnosed a couple months later! So great to hear about someone else who successfully applied the same method. It’s hard to start, but it works!
This Mom of an ADHD kid thanks you!
This is totally me 😂
I started doing brain dumps on my own by accident. I started carrying a journal with me in my purse. I didn't realize this is why I was doing it O__O It definitely makes sense!
sparrowchild111 thank you for that!
Only thing I remember to carry is my phone, I brain dump streight into a text. Then delete it. I never realised that's what i was doing. I just know it works
I always do the exact same thing, that’s why I have so many tabs open on my phone’s browser with all the different thoughts/ideas that pop in my head
I’ve always used a digital notepad on all my phones. Thousands of notes, at least a couple per day lol and emails to myself.
I feel like writing when im overwhelmed,
But cant get rid of guilt for having ADD.
I feel not snart enought and people took advantage of me because i show in venerable
Hands down the most beautiful ADHD lecture I’ve heard
This is why I always leave projects to last minute... The stress triggers adrenaline which causes hyper-focus... My degree was made this way😂
This is so real
Same here....I wrote record 80 paged project just before submission day...
Always last momenter,😂
I almost didnt graduate, waited 3 years, but decided to do it a month before the deadline haahaha
Same i swear i remember i once made my full presentation during the class while pretending i had some internet issues, and then just freestyled what i said verbally 😂
I Always Thought I Was By Myself With This Kind Of Thinking.........
"the world is collapsing in on you and you want to run away whatever it is you are doing"
This almost cost my business. I was diagnose at the age of 33 and I now can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am back into a different business ideas.
My wife is now back into telling me "Stop trying to do everything"
Me too mate, me too!
Hey Carlo, thanks for watching the video. The same thing happened to me, I went from completely lost to burning myself out once I learned how to work with the Superpower instead of against it. What line of work are you in?
i've done two different uni, courses of different areas (architecture and social media) to finally decide to do an other uni on the area ive been working for 11 years (engineering). always trying to escape. glad it's family business so i didn't screw it up that much. obviously i'm tired of studying already. I was diagnosed a month ago, age 31. good luck!
How does one get over wanting to do everything...? Any ideas?
OMG this is so me, jumped from one business to another, done multiple courses. This morning I wanted to shut down my business and go look for a job and study another course. I'm so glad this popped up on my home page. Thank you too for sharing your experience.
he almost cried , i almost cried , thank you George
Thank you.
My dad explained this same idea set to me when I was a child. The analogy we used is the right tool for the right job. There isn’t anything wrong with us, but the power ADHD is capable of harnessing is not useful for every job, the same way you wouldn’t hammer a screw. “Put it away when you’re able and be reassured that when you need it, it’s there.” Truly life changing advice. From that point on you just need to build coping skills for the times you’re expected to behave in society. Stop telling kids they’re damaged, they aren’t.
I avoided getting “ANOTHER diagnosis” for years… got mine for ADHD yesterday at this glorious age of 37
35 years old, just diagnosed last week. The first day taking my meds...you would not believe how slow my brain felt.
hey.. i am considering taking meds but it scares me. what do you ythink?
Same. Like I could focus but I could not get faster. I would go to a shopping centre, stop in the middle of an alley and being like analyzing everything around me but not taking any decision about what I was analyzing. I felt like a zombie. I believe I was looking like pretty scary for other people...
And i hate it. I hate not having these random yet good and creative and funny thoughts and ideas that inspire me to do things, that inspire others and that help the world. I miss having these fast paced thoughts and i feel like a zombie all the time. I hate it so much
Yo i have adhd and it never stopped me man i became a lifeguard but before i had to break my limits so do it to man
It kind of feels like running through water m, but mentally, huh?
Great lecture. Thank you George.
I would like to point out one thing though.
4:24 "no one with ADHD is capable of sitting down,shutting up and being quiet". This is not true, and is actually the myth at the source of me not being diagnosed until 41 years old, despite what now seems to be very obvious symptoms. But through the years, I was misunderstood and it was thought that I didnt have ADHD because I wasnt outwardly hyper
Again, a great talk! I just wanted to point this out for those who may be under the same misunderstanding
Agreed, its usually the hyper that gets kids diagnosed straight away, the quiet ones go unnoticed until their 30/40 something relating to these videos
I had the same thing. I wasn't hyper but the symptoms are real.
This is so true! I was never the hyper ADHD kid, but had the feeling that I was somehow different from everyone i knew. Got my diagnosis at age 21, after failing everything I touched. I have over the last 4 years researched so much about ADHD, and what I found is there's 2 types of ADHD. The first is the commonly known hyper person who can's sit still for 2 seconds.
The second is what people know as ADD. But ADD is "not a thing", or said differently, it's still ADHD. With the second one your hyper activity is not outwards but inwards. That's why the second one is so hard to recognise, since you might seem as "a normal" person just having issues with motivation of laziness.
After getting my diagnosis I finally got a hold of myself, and now studying law at the university which I never thought would be a possibility. Not to say my life is pure bliss. I still struggle a lot with everyday chores and rutine, but knowing why I am the way I am is helping me to keep the fight going!
If you have ADHD then remember to love yourself and keep fighting!
Maybe it should be labeled as ADD(H), as in the Hyper is optional.
Same here
Today is the first time when I got to know that I have ADHD. I read almost all the research papers regarding this and the funny part is that it was also a symptom of ADHD, because I preferred research over sleep.
I woke up from coma and i discovered after recovering part of my memory that i ADHD. This help me more.
Coming from someone with ADHD This is spot on. I'm going to pass the notepad idea on to my son. Thank you.
Johnathon Aaron same here.
I think that I need to also have a notebook for my brain dump.... si much in my head that I think is important and don’t want to forget... yet often alludes my mind when I should be recalling something... a relatives birthday..for example..(whoops, that was last Friday..my bad!)
It's my pleasure. Thank you for watching.
There's a really great systematic method for it called bullet journaling and it's been a life changer for me. Just look up bullet journal.
Johnathon Aaron yes I agree it is so accurate AND I’m so glad he provides a solution unlike most adhd videos.
My school and parents held me back in 4th grade even though my reading and writing was at an 11th grade level but since I couldn't focus for a fraction of a minute on math I was way behind. That haunted me until I was 24, being raised feeling like I was "slow on the get go" but I'm 28 now and had enough, I'm in college for the first time ever and sure I barely scored high enough on my math accuplacer to not need extra classes but I did score 8/8 on my essay and aced the reading. I also self tutored myself for the math, To-Do lists are your best friend and you CAN do anything, the key is perceiving why you need to do the tasks you have no interest in so you can buckle down and do them.
On my way to a PhD in Clinical Psychology.
That must have sucked for you as a child
CONGRATULATIONS!!! AYE!! Have you disclosed your diagnosis with your professors? Took time and therapist advice, but the school can offer you a tutor and/or accommodations. I urge you to let them know about your struggle. I've become surprised by how many resources was out there!
I’m learning at 37 about myself, dancing was a way to escape the overwhelming darkness. Give yourself a little bit of time to work with your skills not against them. Having mixed skills and not being able to focus on anything is just a disaster for myself. Good luck ADHD brain, wishing you health success and happiness ❤
OMG, yes! That's what I do when I feel overwhelmed or if I can't concentrated. I just dance to a couple of thoughts, and then all that dopamine running in the system helps me do stuff that I was lacking focus for.
Wow! After having just diagnosed with ADHD at 32, I can’t be more thankful of being a member of this tribe.
Here’s what I did:
- I was invading games and making money since I was 7.
- I was having bad grates and being really bored of the schooling system (almost kicked out), but found my way in sports. Playing basketball in the best team in Greece (under 18yo), winning national championships.
- Struggling to graduate from the university of Economics (it took me 8 years instead of 4 and almost kicked out)
- Struggling to graduate from my Master program in Strategic Product Design (it took me 4 years instead of 2 and almost kicked out).
- Doing research and writing my thesis in two nights (usually it is supposed to take you more than 6 months).
- Being a relatively successful serial entrepreneur in 4 totally different industries (construction, manufacturing, consulting and tourism) and soon 😃 getting into the 5th industry (agriculture)
- Starting my foundation soon. 😃⌛️
- Working in ideas and projects that could push humanity and governments forward.
Now that I know that the way I think, act, react, focus, multitask, procrastinate is somehow “ordinary”, I am embracing this superpower and push the limits even further to create something extraordinary!
Let’s do it tribe!
ΠΑΡΗΣ
So how’s agriculture going?
@@trosenthal3711 Haha! Still procrastinating mate! Working on the rest businesses but that’s fine!
Playback speed 2x crew checkin in 😂
Lol 1.25 for me 😂😂 but English is my second language. Plus I’m still listening to him while reading the comments and now responding. 😂
It feels good not to be the only one!
Hahaha... not in this one... this one I'm watching at normal... but also eating and jotting down stuff
😂 every single CZcams video. Wish I could watch everything like this
Oh, thats why I would go in practice mode on guitar hero and put it on expert x2 😂
i get restless unless i watch it at 2x speed, i get lost in comments if the speed is anything less than 2x
“It’s not good enough that we saved the human race, and got us to here.” 😂 Grateful to George for showing the world the evolutionary advantage of ADHD, rather than its characterisation as pathology. Change the environment, not the person.
We’re the leaders, hunters, seekers, seers and protectors. We’ve always done it, and we’ll keep doing it. 💪
Let’s go!!
I am here balling my eyes out because I have done these things including a brain dump. I have never felt so understood in my life.
I found this while being totally depressed because I feel most don't understand me so it must be my fault.... thank you for explaining my feelings.
One thing that helps me is "inch-stones" - small achievable tasks that can be done in an hour or two. Cumulatively they get me to milestones that otherwise would be impossibly overwhelming. Manageable tasks like "find the form and see what information I need to gather". Those bits of information, completing the form, and submitting it would themselves also be inch-stones. Cuts the anxiety and often gives momentum to unexpectedly achieve the milestone.
I'm literally crying, I can relate to every second of this talk , and up until now i felt so alone as if there is no one understanding why i just shut down suddenly , why ican't be consistent at doing stuff because it makes me bored, why i have so many new ideas and so on.
Me too
"I don't have ADHD....I AM ADHD" i love that!
9:53 - The bagground noise stopped! That release! Omg this was a beautiful speech
Reading the comments was amazing, I am among my people!!! My heart goes out to all of us who navigate this every day...it really is not a n easy condition to deal with in spite of all the jokes out there. It has taken a huge huge toll on my life, and it is a constant struggle against my own brain and stereotypes or even just the judgement of my own family. So I am grateful for this video, and all those who also struggle...all the best to you!!!
After being called weird and annoying so often, one of my friends described me as a joy. Whaaaaat? He told me being around me was like having a basket of puppies! It was probably the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.
Adhd brain: I don't get you!!!
Dopamine: And you never will...
😂😂😂
*norephorine.
f
Ooooof
Also ADHD brain: hey you found some thing that gives you serotonin?
You: yeah?
Brain: congrats this will be one of your few sources of dopamine!
SOMEBODY FINALLY EXPLAINED THE SHUTTING DOWN THING PERFECTLY!! I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND THE WORDS AND THAT WAS IT! I literally almost cried because it was so shocking that someone knew the feeling. Thank you so much. I'm definitely gonna use that method, like, next class period.
“I’m genetically incapable of sitting down shutting up and being quiet, no one with ADHD is genetically capable of sitting down and being quiet” love it
Thanks Nikki!
get back to me. i feel same
I can do one of those at I time.
I can sit down or I can shut up or I can be quiet.
I absolutely can not do more then one. If I'm sitting I'm fidgeting...or I'm talking....or I'm thinking about 15+ things. But I have to do!
It depends on your type of ADD - inattentive or hyperactive. Both have their challenges, but I think the hyperactive “profile” is talked about more. No one makes a movie about the quiet, well-behaved, always trying to please kid in the back row of class.
@@iboe403 so true
ADHD has been a gift to me and finding the right doctor is key along with medication. Don’t let it cripple you because we can do it and we can be productive!
I found out I had adhd in grade four and I got my medication at 12 and I’m 12.5 now and your right it’s a gift
@@billy_wastaken1603 yo , I’m 15 and I do have trouble completing homework and stuff could you tell me the name of the medication? Thanks
@@jorgeet3049 I’m not sure what it’s called and diffrent meds work for diffrent people.
If you had to find a doctor and meds. How is it a gift and not a curse?
I think I have had 1000 Journals (or more) over my 65 years filled with ideas and until THIS video I felt shame for “losing” so many great ideas. I didn’t know until this year that I have ADHD and that just dumping into those journals was saving me. Now that I am revisiting a whole lifetime of both superpowers and failures, I am looking to use my last years to leave something valuable behind. You know, something I actually complete. 😌This video was super inspiring to me. Thank you.
I would like to read the things written by you.
I flippin love having ADHD. Its my super power.
I think I might be ADHD after being told from friends and family I was for 35 years lol... risk taker, impulsive, gets bored quickly, super hyperactive, always find a way to work on four projects at once simultaneously, ultra-passionate and enthusiastic.
Donelle Cole I think 🤔 my dad has adhd he starts focusing on more than one projects at the same time and finally fails i all of them 😝 He is just not made for that
100% correct . I cant cook because i get overwhelmed, but i can plaster your house perfectly in an organised manor. I failed maths ( really baldy) but i make money from trading. If you have adhd indentify what it is that you understand ..it could be anything from a musical instrument to baking and embrace it and try and earn from it . I self taught myself property investing and am successful at it something I thought was beyond me, you will find something that makes clear sense to you... follow it
In some ways i feel way too weird because of my ADHD. I'm glad someone like him makes me feel more "normal."
Mindset and perseverance is everything. I didn't understand the majority of what I read until I was in grade 12. I went to university (where I learned how to read) and post grad. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it.
"We ARE the fight or flight response"
That just explained so much!! I was diagnosed at 6, never medicated, never given the proper therapies. At 23 I struggle at work because I cannot for the life of me turn off fight or flight response at work. Everything is a reason to fight, flee, or freeze, and it doesn't help that I work in a loud, hectic, public-facing environment.
Your explanation of "they hear every little noise and go after it" explains a lot about why my work environment sets me off so much. My brain is attuned to pay attention to everything at once and stay alert and that leads to overload.
Where do you work? Usually headphones can do the trick up to a point...
That part about his daughter being frustrated when her dad couldn't find the keys? I felt that.
What an insightful speaker.
I will say that yes, as someone with severe ADHD that was unofficially diagnosed when I was 34 and officially tested and diagnosed when I struggled in my master's program at 46, you CAN sit down, shut up, and be quiet. Unfortunately, it happens when you have a toxic boss and it kills some of one's creativity.
Fortunately, I now work for a boss who also has ADHD and he has provided some guidelines to ensure the workplace is not disruptive for my neurotypical colleagues, while ensuring that I have the opportunity to be my quirky ADHD self.
I had an English teacher my sophomore year in HS who made us write a "flight of ideas" in a dedicated notebook at the start of class every day. We didn't have to show him, but almost everybody in that class hated this task. I didn't always like it because I didn't have anything to say. But it is something I've carried with me throughout my life because this guy is right...sometimes you NEED to empty your brain out so you can think about something else.
I was diagnosed with ADD when I was 38 years old and in college....it was 2 months before I received my bachelor's degree in behavioral science. I was surprised because I was getting great grades and I was on the deans list. Butnit explained so much and helped me realize why it was so hard and took me so much effort to get there. It explained why school had been so difficult as a child - the sheer will it took to stay on track and focus! I finally felt understood and seen. Now I am raising 3 boys through adoption 2 of whom have ADHD. I'm so glad that I knew about it before hand to recognize it in them and help them navigate this life with ADHD challenges. They are so bright...just have challenges with neurodiversity. It's all good!🥰
Fascinating. I actually keep a sheet of paper in my pocket every day that I use to write down things that I forget during school.
Having ADHD and making a tedx talk during 11 min before meds : yes
What I did during this video:
1:10 I scrolled through the comment section
2:06 I started researching topics on aritzia and consumerism
3:05 I started this list
4:57 I tuned back into the video
5:57 i went onto Facebook marketplace to search for a mini fridge
8:23 I've been tuned into the video for the past two mins
10:37 I made q tips with napkins to clean my ears
Lol lol lol ❤
thanks for suggesting a doable hack to overcome the urge to shift to another task impulsively, instead of cliched options like exercise and meditation
This explains why i can do a weeks assignment on 6 hours the day before deadline.
Sure, the assignment might not be super high quality, but it gets done and it gets accepted. I postponed it untill my "fight or flight" kicked in, i got overwhelmed but pushed through is severe stress.
Its not healthy...
The overwhelm shutdown... That is the thing that has stopped me more times than I can convey.
To me autism is like a superpower you cant control well mostly.
I love it
My eyes bouncing left then right on the train, this hit home and made my day.
for me, the “brain dump” was being on the verge of a meltdown and making a video of myself crying and talking about all the things i cannot deal with to something that wont judge me for being overly emotional. It ALWAYS helps me feel better (sometimes writing in a notepad isnt fast enough and it just makes me frustrated that my hand cant keep up)
This is really one of the first times in my 35 years of life that I've ever considered my ADHD an advantage. I've spent most of my life looking for new ways to manage it.
- Hyper-creative, yet focusless elementary school kid
- Diagnosed and medicated with high-dose Adderall at age 14
- Hated the side effects (lack of creativity, zero appetite, trouble sleeping, metallic taste in mouth, etc.) so I just stopped taking the meds
- I was in advanced art, music, and writing classes while flunking every math class
- Went through phases (punk, beat poet, hippie, drumliner, etc) nearly weekly in high school
- Struggled to keep my focus on my "boring" gen ed classes, dropped out of college, and started fixing sewing machines for a living
- Discovered a way to channel my passion for writing into a fruitful career in content marketing
- Learned how to "bicep curl" the muscle of my focus with mindfulness meditation at around age 29, started enjoying books for the first time in my life
- Also learned how to quiet my mind with long-distance running at age 34
- I need to start doing this all again with my extremely focus-challenged 4-year-old son
But now that I think about it, if I had just taken the pill and done as I was told, I wouldn't be the person I am ecstatic to be today. My impulsivity has led me to develop who I am. I wouldn't trade that for anything. Thanks, George.
First time in my life I felt like I’m not alone 😢 damn
Its pain tho with no reason😢
Thank you, I'm literally in tears. I've struggled with as an affliction since my ADHD diagnosis when I was 5. I began a carrer driving race cars fro the age of 10- until I fractured my neck at 24. Since then my life has been in shambles. No one gets me, i seem to speak a foreign language Since my accident. I damaged parts of my brain that helped me filter myself and caused me to be diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. And since i couldn't race i had no outlet to bleed off the overwhelming toughts ive had since birth. I also have a photographic memory and can remember most of my life since I was 1.5 years old and had my first traumatic experience of my right index finger tip being severed while studying the mechanisms of a lazy boy recliners footrest.
I believe these excercises could help me.
Good talk George, Thanks for this. as a company owner diagnosed at 32... you have said it well.
Minor threat? hockey? ADHD? are you me? I have been watching videos on ADHD for years, and this is by far the most insightful. I have never written to myself before, but i will start today. thank you so much.
It was never a curse, but a gift patiently waiting to be opened.
Why does everyone with adhd have a story of a teacher saying to their parents... Your son or daughter wont ever do something or will fail. The sad thing is teachers give up long before anyone else. Thats why these poor kids fail.
Your words are so true as to what we suffer. Those 3 traits move humanity forward.
My parents were told that because I hung out with boys all the time I would end up pregnant in high school.....they also told my parents that because I lied and stole in elementary school I would be in prison after turning 18 because of it, they were also told that I would never be able to be trusted......so instead of listening to me when I was telling the truth they were basically told to never trust me from the getgo......talk about having parents believing other people over your own flesh and blood......I stopped talking to my family at that point, I only discussed things with them when directly asked, gave them enough information to answer their questions, stopped talking to them about my feelings and what I wanted, I simply complied until I could finally get out from my home.....that didn't happen until I graduated college and got married (literally put my dream of being in a military band on the back burner when I met my later to be husband). I just wanted out.......then my dad turned and said to me that he was glad I chose marriage over the military because he felt I wasn't disciplined enough for it......I dread visiting my family, because it always turns into a shouting match of me sticking up for myself.....which is sad.
Thank you. Truly. I been doing more research on ADHD , and the research I do, the more depressed I get. They make seems like we're doomed. And the only way out, the only solution is pills ( which I'm not against). But this video reminded me, why I love my mind and who I am. Still struggling with ADHD but, soon I'll thank ADHD ;) instead of blaming.
Well yeah. My pills don’t seem to work though...
Look up the channel “how to adhd”
Thank you so much for watching the talk. There is a little bit of a down side but there are so many more positives to this gift. Best luck!
high me look up what Elliott hulse thinks of ADHD best video about the condition by far
You'll love it and blame it for the rest of your life. Thankfully there are some pretty cool things to experience in life.
For real tho check out “HOW TO ADHD” on CZcams and also let your doc know your medication isn’t working. Maybe a dose change or diff med altogether would help.
Constant novelty seeking? YES! Wow! I only learnt I had ADHD this year, but it completely explains so much about me... Heck, even the way I play guitar! Incredible. Most uplifting ADHD video I've seen so far.
Actually inattentive ADHD is quite capable of sitting down and being quite, thank you very much
Lol
yeah, this is true,
i dont know how you do it lol
i wanna do EVERYTHING AT ONCE ALWAYS
Amen, AbiandGenia!
AbiandGenia I was going to say exactly the same thing. I have ADHD primarily inattentive type, so I don't have the physical hyperactivity.
I think this guy is generalising way too much based on his personal experience rather than realising that actually it's not the same for everyone with ADHD.
(What I have probably used to be called ADD but now I think they like to categorise both types under the same umbrella).
You can have ADHD and be more on the hyperactive side or more on the inattentive, absent-minded, daydreamy, away with the fairies type (like me). The latter type is more often exhibited in girls and is more likely to be overlooked and not diagnosed until later in life.
You just lost the game. lol jking
I constantly sway back and forth while standing but never notice unless someone says something and that's all I could think about while watching this😂 also I've never been diagnosed but I'm thinking about going to my counselor at college. Maybe it's a coincidence this video was uploaded on my birthday??
Austin Collins I’m the same way. Constant swaying. Definitely get checked out. The diagnosis can lead to a deeper understanding of who you are.
@@GeorgeCicci yes...and embrace that part of you, since there is only one who can be that one you were purposed to be
I found this really helpful. I know exactly what that overwhelmed feeling feelings like. Me typing this is out of being overwhelmed.
This guy speaks so well it’s actually amazing
am i the only one who is like so deep in his thoughts( cuz i cant stop it ) that people need to scream my name to actually make me start pay attention to what tf is happening
WOW! What a great description into what ADHD feels and is like to have... Awesome positive channeling of your skills!!
Watched this a few years ago. Literally changed my life and perspective. Thank you!
Can't express how on point this was for me. His way of thinking will definitely benifit me in the future and i appreciate you all inviting this guy for this tedx talk.
Thank you for this video ! I wish I had addressed this 40 years ago. You described a typical day for me and I have struggled my whole life in trying to manage it, unfortunately unsuccessfully.
you ever just go downstairs to get something, forget what you're getting go back and then remember?
I’m not, I’m listening and crying 😢 because this is my story. I was told I would never be nothing. But here I am, Thank you Jesus. Lead Quality Associate in The Pharmaceutical Industry. God has been Good to me, I struggle with not wanting medicine but it’s time for me to stop running from that too. I’m ready to be healed.
I remember a Chemistry professor told me “you’re always two steps behind.” I had never taken Chemistry and was failing. Mid semester, I pulled myself to an A grade in spite of having ADHD and very little academic background. However, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed learning and I know that my ADHD had a lot to do with my hyper focus to learn.
THANK YOU FOR STANDING UP FOR US ADHDers!!!!!!!!!