I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was seven. It has affected me all my life in good ways and bad. The stereotype for ADHD in kids is that they are super hyper, have poor social skills, and can’t concentrate, but not all kids and teens are like that. Each person is different, and ADHD affects everyone in a different way.

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It’s commonly known as a disorder that causes people to get distracted easily, have impulsivity, difficulty concentrating, and it also makes it hard to think through situations to make the right decisions. ADHD has to do with the chemistry of the brain, and right now there is no cure.

I started off at very small private school as a kid, and switching to Boston Latin Academy was a huge change. Becoming accustomed to a large exam school with about 1,300 kids while feeling like the only girl in the school that had a behavioral disorder was diffucult. ADHD set me apart from other kids at my school and has helped me learn about myself. I struggled a lot with finishing homework, studying long hours for tests, telling my friends and teachers, and trying to keep myself organized.

Now as I’m becoming older, I have embraced my disorder and I’m proud of it because it makes part of my identity. That’s why I had to write a blog about it; because it’s part of who I am and I want to share it with those who don’t know about ADHD and those who need someone to relate to. ADHD is so underrated, and most people don’t understand what it is and how it affects someone who has to live with it for the rest of their life. It can get hard for me to concentrate, stay in control under stress, and think through situations, but I have learned to push through these obstacles. I’ve had people ask me if I was stupid or retarded because I had it, and ADHD does not make me stupid, it just takes me a little bit more time to complete tasks. So to put it in perspective; living life with ADHD is a marathon – not a sprint. It’s important for people to understand other people’s mindsets and ways of thinking because it makes up a part of who they are and defines them as an individual.

My name is Alexa and I have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It’s a part of me but not all of me.

-Alexa