Posted by viridis on October 15, 2002, at 3:01:22
In reply to ADD characterisitcs: ??? for both Jo Ann + Veridis, posted by IsoM on October 13, 2002, at 2:49:22
Hi IsoM,
Funny you should mention the sensitivity to tactile stimuli. I've always been "itchy" -- not because of allergies, or skin conditions, etc.; I'm just hypersensitive to certain touch sensations. For example, I can't stand the feeling of wool against my skin -- I can even feel a wool sweater through a shirt, or a wool blanket through a sheet. I can't avoid the urge to scratch at any minor irritation.
I also know what you mean about hyperfocusing on things that interest you, yet drifting off when things aren't interesting. I can get incredibly into some projects, whereas other minor tasks take me forever to finish, because I keep getting distracted. It does often help to have someone to interact with to keep me on target; it just depends on how interesting and important the subject is. And often, a prod from someone (e.g., a report is overdue, etc.) will get me rolling on something, and wondering why it took me so long to get around to it if it turns out to be pretty simple.
There are a lot of contradictions -- my office can be a mess and I may forget to pay my bills, yet I'm meticulous about documenting lab work, labelling tubes with every possible piece of information in two places, etc. It all depends on what I consider interesting and important, and this can vary quite a bit from day to day or week to week. If a book doesn't grab my attention early on, I'll forget about it and drift off, but if I get into it I'll often read the whole thing in one sitting. I can't just watch TV -- I have to be reading, doing something on the computer, or whatever at the same time, just tuning in to the TV when something especially interesting comes on.
Re: careers: I tried some different paths before getting into research; I was an English major for a while, thought about starting my own business, had various hobbies, etc. But I've always been fascinated with biology, and many of my hobbies have involved nature, keeping animals, growing plants, etc. So, I followed my instincts and eventually got a PhD. I often thought about quitting -- between anxiety, depression, and attention problems, it was frequently very difficult without the right medications. But I did manage to get through, and finally I'm pretty balanced with the right combination of meds. The key was finding a treatment that doesn't make me more anxious, or dull me out, or make me lose interest in the things that fascinate me.
What I do is tedious at times, but it is quite diverse -- my days range fom lab work, to writing, to teaching, to supervising students, to PR, to endless meetings, committee responsibilities, etc. I also get to travel a reasonable amount (sometimes to pretty exotic places), and have a lot of flexibility with my schedule. Some days I'll work 18 or even 24 hours, but unless I have a meeting, appointment, etc., I can show up the next day when I want.
Although I'm "specialized" in a sense, biology is an incredibly diverse field, and I'm involved in all sorts of projects -- too many, really, to be able to keep up with all of them. Some get done, others don't pan out or fall by the wayside, but overall it's quite rewarding. I keep saying that I'll scale back, but then something new and interesting comes along...
Really, it seems that a fairly high proportion of my colleagues (including some of the most successful and/or interesting) have some degree of ADD. I'm not sure ADD is all bad -- maybe it's just another way of seeing the world, often finding more to interest you than the average person does. Fortunately, my ADD seems to be only moderately severe, and medication that helps me focus a bit better without taking away my interest in life has been a great help (Adderall, plus Klonopin for anxiety). I doubt I'll ever be the super-organized, always-on-time type, but I'm not sure if I'd want to be.
I do envy you living in Vancouver. I really enjoy wet weather, although I can sympathize about the clothes etc. -- I hate being in wet clothes. Sometimes I think I'll retire in the Okanagan (where I spent a lot of time when I was young), or in a drier part of the island. I do enjoy visiting BC when I get the chance, and still miss it, although it's been years since I lived there.
Anyway, time to stop writing -- it's 2:30 in the morning and I still have at least an hour's worth of work left that I brought home to meet a deadline tomorrow (I intended to get it done earlier, but got distracted...). It's been great talking with someone who shares so many similarities!
All the best,
Viridis
poster:viridis
thread:122401
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021012/msgs/123722.html