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Let's be vulnerable for a moment. While it is not something I tend to broadcast, I have ADHD, and I've known it since kindergarten (over three decades now!). The situation is not an issue. I work well despite the challenges that ADHD presents. In reality, there are several benefits to having ADHD.
There are some obvious downsides, especially around executive functioning and distractibility. Most days, I do just fine. I eat well, exercise, have a routine, and work to ensure I set myself up for success. I also take medication to help support my efforts. There was a long period when I did not use medication. During this time, I earned my undergraduate and graduate degrees and achieved a lot, personally and professionally. I decided to go back on medication for several reasons, but that is not what this post is about.
The medication I am on is used mainly for managing blood pressure. One of the side effects is drowsiness as my blood pressure drops. Since it is a 24-hour medication, I take it before going to sleep, and when I wake up, the tiredness is gone, and I gain all of the benefits of the medication without the downsides. It is a pretty good situation. I also take several supplements in the morning. I take one when I wake up and the rest after breakfast. On Sunday, I woke up tired and went on a routine auto-pilot. Instead of taking my morning supplement, I reached for my ADHD medication and took another dose without noticing. By the time I realized what I had done, it was two hours later. Not only was I drowsy, but I had doubled an already high dosage. I got light-headed and quite dizzy, in addition to other concerns that are difficult to catch if I take too high of a dosage. My Sunday plans changed quickly as my wife drove me to the doctor, where they monitored my vital signs for almost two hours. At one point, my pulse was down to 59 bpm (my resting rate is between 65 and 70), and my blood pressure had dropped to 83/60 - for context, a healthy blood pressure is a little less than 120/80. Everything is good now, and I'm back to normal. However, the doctor told me not to take my medication for a day to allow my body to recover.
And this is really what this post is about. So far, today has been a little rough. After almost a year of utilizing this medication to help me during my day, not having this support is noticeable. I am moving slower, getting distracted easily, and way behind schedule. I will utilize my medication again this evening, so this is not a long-term issue, but for now, it is noticeable. In the end, this situation is out of my control. I have to show up today how I am able and make the best out of the less-than-optimal situation. I will accomplish what I can, but I will not feel shame for not being where I want to be. The same with yesterday after getting back from the doctor. I had so much I wanted to do. Instead, I took a substantial nap (hard to do anything else when you are not getting enough oxygen to your brain) and allowed myself to recover. And as I look forward to my jury duty on Wednesday, I will take that lack of control in stride. If we try to control what is outside our control, we set ourselves up for misery and disappointment.
(Photo Credit: dima_goroziya)
My current situation reminds me of a quote from Marcus Aurelius' Meditations. "Do now what nature demands of you. Get right to it if that's in your power. Don't look around to see if people will know about it. Don't await the perfection of Plato's Republic, but be satisfied with even the smallest step forward and regard the outcome as a small thing."
Meet yourself where you are, and frame your success and progress in that reality. It will all work out. Just keep moving forward at the pace you can.
Are you looking for some help and guidance on this path? Need help discovering your path? Reach out today, and we will get started moving you from overwhelm and uncertainty to clarity and direction.
Tom Chapman, TruePath Discovery Coaching
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