ADHD is like having a racecar brain*. That’s a stick shift. On surface streets.
It can be the most frustrating thing in the world, or the best (if you know how to drive it!) If you don’t know you have ADHD, you may look around you at all the other cars that are driving “normally” down the road. You may think to yourself, why are they able to go so fast, when I keep stalling?!?
When you learn that your car operates a little differently than most, you are able to get the most out of the impressive engine. In the meantime, you stall. A lot. This may cause you to question if you are a good driver, if you have been given faulty equipment, or if you should even be allowed on the road!
When you realize that you can’t compare yourself to typical cars that run on automatic, you start to realize what you have been equipped with. You have a roll-cage, because, let’s face it—you may crash a bit more often! You have an impressive engine that can go for miles. Having a stick shift ultimately gives you more control, but learning to use it can take time!
Buckle up, and enjoy the ride!
*Idea adapted from “Delivered from Distraction” by Edward Hallowell, M.D., and John Ratey, M.D.