The name is misleading because individuals with ADHD don’t necessarily suffer from an attention deficit, but slightly from the lack to focus their attention.
ADHD coach Brett Thornhill says, “It’s like your brain is constantly switching between 30 different channels and someone else has the remote control.”
The stereotype of somebody with ADHD is a hyperactive kid who cannot concentrate in school, has seemingly limitless energy, and is continuously moving, fidgeting, and talking. But ADHD can also be the person with their head within the clouds, the daydreamer. They are easily distracted and have trouble sustaining their attention. With ADHD, you will have more hyperactive symptoms, more inattentive symptoms, or a mixture of each. In addition to those types, ADHD exists on a spectrum and may affect people in other ways and to different degrees. All three types affect the person’s ability to operate in multiple situations. ADHD may be very real, very difficult, and may often be debilitating.
I actually have the combined type of ADHD, meaning I experience symptoms of each hyperactivity and inattention without either being significantly more pronounced. Although I did well in class, almost every report card mentioned that I used to be a chatterbox. When I wasn’t talking, I used to be staring out the window, doodling, or doing homework for an additional class. None of those behaviors were considered problematic based on my grades. This is common in women and girls with inattentive ADHD.
Since my moment of free fall, I’ve been on solid ground. I’ve built a successful business, improved my financial situation, and been within the happiest and healthiest relationship of my life. As it seems, the issue was never me or my undiagnosed ADHD, however the indisputable fact that society is not designed to accommodate everyone who deviates from the norm. Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t indicate that my privilege played an enormous part on this end result as well.
In this chapter, we’ll address a few of the common challenges of managing money with ADHD and the way to work along with your brain as an alternative of against it. I would like to indicate that there may be loads of research currently being done on ADHD, particularly in women, so a few of this information may change as recent findings emerge. It’s vital to notice that everybody experiences their ADHD in a different way and a few of the money issues I speak about may not apply to you. Whether you are reading this chapter for yourself or to support another person in your life with ADHD, give yourself the space and beauty to experiment and find what works.
How ADHD affects your money
I opened a $10,000 line of credit while I used to be in college to cover a few of my student expenses. I remember considering I might only use $1,000 and pay the a reimbursement once I got back to my full-time summer job. But it only took me two months to completely utilize that $10,000 line of credit because I could not curb my impulse purchases.
Yes, I do know, I ponder how that was possible too. Before my diagnosis, I felt so out of it more often than not that I spent money simply to feel good. That credit limit was the gateway to much more spending, and before I knew it, I maxed out my bank card, had two lines of credit, and my student loans.
So I ended up $35,000 in debt, $15,000 of which was in high interest. I checked out my bank card statement and couldn’t remember even half of the purchases I’d made. It gave the look of everyone around me had seen through every little thing, and I used to be in free fall.
