What It’s Really Like to Be a Writer With ADHD — And Why I Keep Going Anyway

I have been experiencing ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) since early childhood.

In my case, it manifested more in the hyperactivity component. My mind is so hyperactive; I’m unable to properly focus and concentrate on anything in particular.

It didn’t cause any real problems for me growing up, so I didn’t perceive it as being a serious problem requiring intervention.

However, as I entered university and was faced with a heavier and more taxing workload as part of my studies, the problems of having a lack of proper focus and concentration really became apparent to me.

That’s when I started truly recognizing it as an actual problem and started to take steps toward addressing as well as rectifying it.

When it comes to writing and reading, it is painfully as well as frustratingly hard for me to do so.

My mind simply refuses to quiet and calm down. Instead, my thoughts are racing non-stop. I get easily bored and distracted.

In that state of mind, it’s virtually impossible for me to properly read even one article or write a good portion for my article.

And so, I’ve been forcing my mind to focus enough so I can grow as a blogger and stick to my writing schedule.

But man, it takes a huge amount of willpower and discipline to get my mind into the required state.

This is especially when it comes to writing new articles, including this one.

Now, I’ve been receiving therapy for ADHD for a while, and recently I started medication.

Overall, my condition has improved, particularly my focus and concentration, albeit very slow and incremental.

All things considered, I’m fine with it. I understand my condition has quite a severe impact and requires a lot of time and effort to successfully overcome it.

The way I see it, despite my struggles, continuing to blog and engage with other bloggers is one of the most effective ways for me to spend my time and efforts daily.

At this point in time, getting a conventional job isn’t a viable option for me.

I also have bad social anxiety, which is linked to the ADHD.

This makes working a job with its own schedule and set of requirements and demands, plus the interaction with other people, not feasible for me....not at this particular stage of my life.

There have been many a time when I’ve felt really frustrated and resentful because of the sheer difficulty in focusing enough to properly think about and write my articles.

However, I feel by applying a fair amount of pressure on myself and forcing my mind to focus just enough to carry out such tasks, over time my focus and concentration will naturally improve.

As this happens, it’ll become less stressful as well as frustrating for me to write new articles and keep to my writing schedule.

And so, despite my hardships, I intend to not only persevere, but also grow and improve as a writer.

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