Impulsiveness + Technology = OOPS!

Posted by DeniseJoy to Adult ADHD Life 12 months ago | 0 Comments | Post a reply

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There is only one problem with technology… the €œSEND € button. Personally, I think that the €œSEND € €œENTERS € and €œOKAY € buttons should all have a 24hour ADHD recall button.  I even have the perfect name for it… the €œOOPS € button.  It will be able to take back anything that you have sent off into cyberspace.  Within a 24 hour period, it will enable you to un-tweet; de-mail; un-post; redo or read-thru.  We could come away looking incredibly mature and responsible €” for a change!

Lack of impulse control is a hallmark symptom of ADHD, and no matter the age group €” be it ADDorable nipper, angry ADDolescent or ancient ADDult €” we all struggle with impulse control at some stage.  Some learn the hard lessons early with not too much repetition, while others are slow learners and continually bang their heads against the same old brick wall again, and again and…  Seriously, are you really going to make me say it?  Surely you get the picture!

I €(tm)m sitting at my keyboard, hanging my head sheepishly.  Yup, you got it…I fit into the 2nd group.  I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult - not the ancient type, well, not THEN anyway.  I was thrilled to know that my impulse issues were not my fault, but something justifiably not quite right in the head €” ummm sorry, neurological pathways. 

Enter the miracle that is Ritalin and voila €” nary an impulsive moment again! HA, I wish! Read the small print.  Ritalin reduces the impulsivity rate of ADDers €” but doesn €(tm)t magically take away the habits of a lifetime.  Are you a Tactless-Tessie;  Are you are a loud mouth Know-it-all?  Sorry to be the bearer of bad news - no drug in the world can remedy that.  Nope, it €(tm)s not going to happen.

A lifetime of being impulsive and not being able to control it doesn €(tm)t just fade away.  Each time we react without thinking of the consequences, we are building the highway to a habit. These habits become ingrained and entrenched into the very core of our being.  They become who we are; our personalities; our characters.  Many people grow to accept, embrace and sometimes even revel in these traits that we feel define us, but many more of us just use those feelings to rationalize our rashness.  Self esteem can plummet, and self worth flies out the window with the last tweet.

The best way to deal with impulse is by learning the skills desperately needed, but hopelessly missed along our ADDled life path. Remember, pills don €(tm)t give you skills.  So then why take the meds in the 1st place? Well, the way I see it (and have experienced it) the meds are the closest thing that we €(tm)ll ever get to that €œOOPS € button.  Meds can give us that one second pause - which is often all that is needed €” and why would you want to take that huge ADDvantage away?

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