ADD and being a DJ

[Boricua_33015]

I have ADD. I can't focus for sh*t. I hate it! My mind goes off and races. As much as I try to focus I still get bits and peices of information and I have to put it all together with my conscious mind to get "the whole picture". In being a DJ's case I can't focus on the most important thing, being a DJ so I can get the girl. Instead my mind get lost in its own thoughts.

My psychologist who I haven't seen in months told me that ADD is developed, and not something that you are born with. It is developed at a young age, usually when a child is very smart. SO smart and ahead of the class in school that the child does not need to develop essential learning skills like focusing... that is, at that age. Then as time goes on and school gets harder, since they have not developed any learning skills school gets really hard for them. Therefore I think if I know exactly what to do to cure this I can do it WITHOUT taking any medication. Maybe some focusing exersices, to MAKE you focus so that with practice I can start focusing better on things. I think most depression, and "MIND DISEASES" can be cured in some way without medications.

I beleive that the reason why I am so self conscious of everything is because I have ADD, thus making me extremely shy also because I am super conscious of my own thinking, peoples judgements, what is going on around me and my environment, and basically I am so aware of everything that its even scary, and with being aware of everything even brings its own thoughts. This makes it very hard to focus. I am not self conscious of just being in the presence of people, but I am self conscious ALL THE TIME, even when I am alone. I am also very conscious of my own thinking. Alot of times I am thinking of thinking. I know its weird, but right now as I am also writing this I am superconscious of my every thought inside my head so I can explain this.

DJs on this forum have even told me this, that my posts are usually just alot of streams of consiousness.

Its like my mind tries its hardest to be conscious of everything. My ADD is different than other people. Perhaps mine is more developed because I have thought of remedies but have become tramautized by societies harsh views of people with ADD that now my mind is just trying to be consious of everything I guess to try to prevent me from talking like a maniac switching from subject to subject and sounding like a fool.

I actually used to be a "talking maniac switching from subject to subject sounding like a fool" from elementary to middle school and beginning of my 9th grade year. But people ripped on me so much that I made an attempt to be more consious of what I say before I say it, but now its gotten so far that its just me being conscious of EVERYTHING. My mind get overwhelmed...... I am having trouble explaining all this because it is crazy!

Ok do you guys have a pounding headache yet? lol

FVCK! How many times have I said the word conscious already? lol

All this is really starting to make me feel depressed and hopeless because I am not up to par with everyone else. Just think, I can't even become a true DJ with this sh*t. Damn then what the hell am I doing on this earth. Am I just a useless human being? I do have a high IQ though......

Anyways, I would like to hear the thoughts of you guys with ADD. How does it affect you? Does anyone know at least of any excersices to help focusing. Anyone who would like to help me?

 

[BobbDobbs]

I used to worry about ADD, but now I just think about something else. (joke, sorry )

 

[Boricua_33015]

**** man you should be a comedian! That was the funniest thing I ever seen on this board!! (sarcarsm)

Seriously man this is no joke. This is serious. What you said is a useless space on this thread.

 

[MetalFortress]

Good GRIEF

Stop blaming medical conditions for your shyness. ADD does not cause you to be as self conscious as you are. You even answered that yourself, saying that your tendency to talk and talk and talk and you getting ripped for it ended up plunging you into shyness and self consciousness. The only thing to fear is fear itself, and the only thing to be self conscious about is self consciousness itself. It's true. I have mild autism and mild tourette's syndrome, and I ain't letting it stop me, so don't tell me your ADD is stopping you from being a true DJ.

The best way to go is to face that fear, let yourself ramble a bit, and show fear that it has NOTHING on you. If you let fear defeat you you will be like this for the rest of your life, but if you defeat fear then you will understand the meaning of true confidence.

 

[WatchMeWalk]

I know have ADD. Self-diagnosed since I have more trust in myself than some Prozac-pushing quack. For me, it manifests in social situations in two ways:
1. I quickly lose interest in conversations and group activities. VERY quickly.
2. I blurt out the damndest comments imaginable.
Since I discovered this site, I've been able to adapt my "handicap" to DJ situations. In my AFC days, I would feel left out and self-conscience in group settings since I had very little to contribute to conversations. Now, I feel secure knowing I don't have to be the center of attention. All I have to do is nod my head and occaisionally ask questions (that's the 70/30 ratio advised here). When I lose interest, I just excuse myself and find something else to do. This keeps HBs intrigued since I don't linger, groping for something to say. As for blurting stuff out, most of it is actually pretty damn funny and insightful. However, I can overdo with the C+F and say something mean. (shrugs)It happens. She'll get over it...

And one more thing, don't ever use a mental condition (with the exception of schizophrenia) as a self-defeating excuse or a cheap way to earn sympathy.

 

[One on One]

I have the same problem, although I was never diagnosed with ADD. I was very smart and things came to me easily so I guess I never learned to focus. Now, I can hardly focus on anything unless I am 100% interested in the topic. I posted something about this in Anything Else a few days ago about how I can be extremely charismatic and charming to people, but then I get bored in 5 minutes and I stop talking. I really don't know what can help, but I guess practice makes perfect. It's harder to learn skills like concentrating later in life, but try to take control of your own life and stay away from pills.

 

[netman]

I am self conscious ALL THE TIME, even when I am alone. I am also very conscious of my own thinking. A lot of times I am thinking of thinking.

I don't have ADD (at least I don't think so) but I too suffer from the consciousness of being conscious. I think about everything and every thought going through everyone's head, and it doesn't help my cause with me and my g/f. I've been burned in the past, so now in my current LTR I constantly analyze everything she says and does, and I can't help it.

In my head, I think that I'm trying to protect myself, but my AFC funk shines through sometimes when I get jealous about stupid things and I start worrying about the little things. And if we have a little argument about anything, she could let it go easily, but me I'll think about that incident all day, analyzing and trying to decipher what's going through her head, and I'll bring it up that night because for some reason I need "closure" on the subject. Stupid, huh? It drives her nuts!!!

He who cares the most about a relationship has lost all control over it.

I saw this quote somewhere and it runs through my mind every single time I think about my LTR and the stupid AFC things I do that expose my insecurities and lack of confidence, and could be misinterpreted as that I care too much, when in reality I'm just being too consious for my own good

It is indeed hard to be a DJ with this problem, but every day I try to be more conscious of my over-analyzing (was that an oxymoron?) and the only thing that helps is to force myself not to care.

 

[chlywly]

Add is an excuse for lazy kids parents to not have to kick their butts to work harder Otherwise EVERYONE has ADD....

Just be happy, and RELAX! take yoga if you have to, that should ease your mind.... Meditate, if your mind controls you.

Mind used to.

www.sivasakti.com

 

[Dee-Zy]

Originally posted by chlywly
Add is an excuse for lazy kids parents to not have to kick their butts to work harder Otherwise EVERYONE has ADD....

Just be happy, and RELAX! take yoga if you have to, that should ease your mind.... Meditate, if your mind controls you.

Mind used to.

www.sivasakti.com

Originally posted by DJ IronGirevik
Stop blaming medical conditions for your shyness. ADD does not cause you to be as self conscious as you are. You even answered that yourself, saying that your tendency to talk and talk and talk and you getting ripped for it ended up plunging you into shyness and self consciousness. The only thing to fear is fear itself, and the only thing to be self conscious about is self consciousness itself. It's true. I have mild autism and mild tourette's syndrome, and I ain't letting it stop me, so don't tell me your ADD is stopping you from being a true DJ.

The best way to go is to face that fear, let yourself ramble a bit, and show fear that it has NOTHING on you. If you let fear defeat you you will be like this for the rest of your life, but if you defeat fear then you will understand the meaning of true confidence.

ADD is an DISORDER - it's pathological behavior. Meaning it affects the individual in such manner that life cannot be lived 'normally'. ADD insn't a joke.

As for you Bori - All I can do is empathized cuz I studied disorders last semester N I can understand how rough this is but I can't help you. U have more chances with a psychiatrist.

 

[chlywly]

Psychiatrists twiddle with your MIND, a very powerful and COMPLICATED tool, they do not know exactly what they are doing and often leave a mess in there which well doesnt FIX anything, and only helps to confuse you or have you become dependant on their help.

I say Try YOGA..... What you have describe doesn't sound like ADD, i'm no medical expert, but still I say try Yoga.

www.sivasakti.org



I for one, having OVER analysed evertything, every little detail in and of life my WHOLE LIFE, fell into a DEEP DARK depression, about the point of life not too long ago.......

What got me out? yoga..... Psychiatrists ? NO, Myself, with help of yoga.

So I speak from experience.

 

[Industry]

Joke:

How many kids does it take to change a light bulb?

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Hey you want to go bike riding?

 

[Boricua_33015]

Originally posted by chlywly
Add is an excuse for lazy kids parents to not have to kick their butts to work harder Otherwise EVERYONE has ADD....

Just be happy, and RELAX! take yoga if you have to, that should ease your mind.... Meditate, if your mind controls you.

Mind used to.

www.sivasakti.com

Its not an excuse for lazy kids. Was I lazy in 1st grade when I was one of the rare people that can read perfectly? I always read for the class in first grade because I was the best at reading while others would struggle on the word THE!

I made straight A's in spelling and in all my classes in elementary. As soon as I hit 7th grade everything went downhill and now in high school it takes a massive amount of effort just to get a B in some of my classes.

Trust me, its not laziness. If I wanted to be lazy I could by just sleeping in all my classes. Instead I try to focus on the teacher but then 10 seconds later I start thinking about something else without realizing it and I just missed everything the teacher just said 5 seconds ago and I have to backtrack and all that stuff to figure out the whole picture. Sometimes I don't even start thinking about something else, it just feels like there are gaps in my attention and I try as hard as I can to stay focused.

About the yoga, I dont do yoga, but I DO meditate. I am working on quieting the mind. Sure that could help with the switching from subject to subject but it does not help my FOCUS. And that is what I am trying to get help here on. FOCUS.

 

[chlywly]

Yoga will help your focus BIG TIME, helped me focus, Martial arts as well.

 

[So pimp its scary]

ADD is a real disorder, but a big reason why the disorder exists comes down to bad parenting.

Bad parents that then take their (bad?) kids to a psych major who's studied add in a book partially funded by the same companies that makes the drugs, or the doctors are sent ads in the mail explaining why X drug should be prescribed to their patients.

my 2 c

 

[JustDoItAlways]

ADD is real, but half the males on the planet have it.

Just forget about it, forget about the psychologists and the drugs.

You are just you, ADD and all.

Move on from there.

I am a little older than you guys and would have been diagnosed with it in my younger years but it wasn't "in vogue" back then. My mother and my grade school teachers will verify it if anyone wants to check on what they went through.

Eventually rose above it just like the other half of male species has done throughout history. I personally think women like it anyway so why worry about it.

 

[DjDreamer]

Look on the brightside.

Having ADD means you're never bored.

Women don't like being around persons who are constantly bored therefore you have the potential of establishing succesful relationships.

Originally posted by Boricua_33015: Alot of times I am thinking of thinking. I know its weird, but right now as I am also writing this I am superconscious of my every thought inside my head so I can explain this.

You don't like the fact that your thougths are well defined? You want to dumb yourself down?

You just need to learn how to relax...don't allow yourself to be zombified due to the pharmaceutical companies wanting to get richer.

 

[LilJuan]

Originally posted by chlywly
Add is an excuse for lazy kids parents to not have to kick their butts to work harder Otherwise EVERYONE has ADD....


www.sivasakti.com

There's not way you can be this god damn ignorant

 

[Boricua_33015]

You don't like the fact that your thougths are well defined? You want to dumb yourself down?

Well Im certainly not complaining about that. I am very openminded because of this and I tend to recognize whenever I am thinking a bad thought.

What I can't recognize though is my emotions. Because they are not verbalized, they are just feelings that I get that just happen unconsciously.

Although being conscious of my own thoughts are good but it definately slows down my thinking first of all because it makes all my thinking conscious and you know that consious thinking is slower and just being conscious of everything in general preoccupies my mind all the time and it doesn't help my focus and it just makes me seem like something is always on my mind.

It doesn't help at all when I am talking to a person, (not just girls, but anyone) and I get super self conscious of everything and this itself makes me more bound to make mistakes when I talk.... I dont know how to explain this.... I tend to say what I want to say incoherently. Not really mumble, but I would use the wrong words, mispronouncing them, and I would end up having to repeat myself.

Its like I am trying to say something but I cant SPIT IT OUT!

Whenever I talk to someone it seems like something is on my mind and I tend to zone out alot or space out. Whatever.

About being too aware of everything. I ts sometimes scary. I tend to be more aware when I am in the presence of other people. Sometimes I would say something about something that happened or just something in the environment and the person would be like "damn I would've never noticed that". I can use this to my advantage alot.

I know I shouldn't let these things slow me down but I just have to work on making these things less apparent.

 

[Kingz28]

I never thought about ADD like you have talked about in the thread.. Back in like 3rd grade or something I would always get close to perfect scores on those mastery tests we had to take. I would even finish 2-3 phonics workbooks a day, when the other kids took atleast a week to finish one. My teacher quickly ran out of things for me to do. I noticed that as I got older I had a problem paying attention and sitting down to do homework, but it was never noticed by my parents or teachers because I was naturally sort of smart so I got decent grades without doing much at all. Now I'm in college and I still can't concentrate. I tried aderrall one night and I went to the library and read Shakespeare's Othello in one sitting, without lifting my head from the book, and then wrote an 8 page paper. It was really weird, I've never been able to get that much work done in such a short amount of time. This ADD or whatever I may have or not have or imagine in my head also keeps me from doing other things... working, lifting weights, etc.. I just lose interest really fast. Is it that difficult to get maybe a trial dose of ADD medication from a doctor to try for a while, and see if maybe my grades in school pickup a bit? I can't try and explain this 'problem' to anyone without them laughing and saying everyone has ADD, deal with it, or something along those lines..

 

[Kingz28]

I dont know how to explain this.... I tend to say what I want to say incoherently. Not really mumble, but I would use the wrong words, mispronouncing them, and I would end up having to repeat myself.

Its like I am trying to say something but I cant SPIT IT OUT!

I have this same problem, and I don't know why. Lately I've been trying to talk, but it comes out all jumbled and mumbled and confused. Meanwhile in my head, I'm a genius, and everything makes sense... I just can't put it to use. Some of you may notice I can't even type out real sentences anymore, I just use phrases followed by "..."

It really is frustrating, and I don't know what the hell to do about it. Maybe it's God's payback for all the years of me making fun of my brothers "speech impediment"