For example, the other day I was in a conversation with friends about how my children were adjusting to school this year. I suddenly (and seemingly out of the blue) say, "You know, I don't like brussel sprouts." My friends look at me as if I were from Mars. But, in my mind, it really made sense. I was thinking about my children and that brought Thomas, my son, to mind. He told me the other day that he didn't like brussel sprouts which really surprised me, because he eats them. He informed me he just eats them because they're there. My brussel sprout comment, which came out of the blue, stopped the whole conversation and I had to explain where that thought came from. I know my friends will never truly understand - nor do I really expect them to.
Many ADDers blurt out whatever happens to come to mind. It's almost as if we're compelled to say it. We can't stop it. It's out of our mouths before we've thought through the consequences. As you can imagine, this can lead to some pretty sticky interpersonal problems. I'm sure this impulsivity in speech as well as in other areas is at least part of the cause of the higher divorce rate among those with ADHD.
Why are those with ADD impulsive in speech? Sometimes I'll jump in and say something for fear I'll forget it if it doesn't get said. I know I have a difficult time not interrupting conversations simply because of my forgetfulness. Or I just feel like I have to say something. It's fighting to get out -there's an urgency to say it - even if it's not an urgent matter.
Another area that ADDers have difficulty with is waiting. You've seen people waiting in line - tapping one foot and then the other, looking at their watch, getting more and more frustrated the longer they have to wait. I'd bet that many of these folks have ADHD. It's not in our impulsive nature to wait, so it is an extremely difficult task.
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