real lives
was diagnosed as having Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as a child, but my
mom chose not to medicate me. They used to think
that ADHD was a childhood condition and that when you
turned 13, your brain would magically develop executive
functioning skills overnight. The truth is that it stays
with you, but your symptoms change. By my
20s I knew I had to do something about
it. My life was simply not working.
I was disorganised, always running
late and never able to finish tasks.
Getting through each day felt
overwhelming. I was burnt out
and depressed.
‘I’ve chosen not to take
medication anymore and it’s
working for me. I’ve learnt to
live with my challenges and I have
plenty of weird little rituals that I use
to feed my sensory needs. At work,
for example, I slip off my shoe and rub my heel on the
carpet, or rock in my chair – little things like this stop
my mind from drifting. If I’m attending a medical conference,
you’ll always find me sitting at the back so I can leave if
I need to without disturbing anyone; I also always have
a pen and paper to take notes, which keeps me listening,
and if my mind starts to wander, I doodle. I’m a fidgeter. I’ve
learnt to bounce my leg because the movement keeps me
engaged and because I physically
cannot sit still. I don’t even realise
I’ve got up out of a chair sometimes.
‘At home, it’s not as easy to avoid
distractions. I’ll be doing something and
then, for instance, notice that I’ve left
a coffee cup in my bedroom. So I’ll get
it and put it in the sink. Then I’ll realise
I need to fi nish doing the dishes so I’ll get
started on that. Then I’ll see something in
the kitchen that should be in the bedroom, so
I’ll stop doing the dishes and take the item to
the bedroom, where I’ll realise I need to make
the bed... I can go on for hours like that without
fi nishing one task completely. I have notebooks
all over my house that I use to write down personal
reminders. It can be physically exhausting and
mentally draining but, because I’m so hyperactive,
I still seem to have energy at the end of the day. I fi nd
meditating in the morning before work helps me a lot,
as does taking frequent breaks during the day.
‘I have an 11-year-old son. Being a mother isn’t easy for
anyone, and especially for people with ADHD. I am easily
overwhelmed so I have to focus on staying calm, for him.
Remembering he needs a clean uniform and lunch box may
seem simple, but when you’re so busy trying to navigate your
own life, it’s easy to drop the ball. I’ve had to set up routines
to remind me of all the little things I need to do for him daily.
‘Relationships aren’t particularly easy for me either,
because I have no fi lter. People with ADHD can also come
off as aloof and insensitive, although I am an empathetic
person – sometimes too much I think. My forgetfulness can
also be diffi cult for another person to live with.’ewassm
no wor n was
sor an se a wa s runn n
a e an never a e o n s
as s e n rou eac
a e overw e m n
- DR MORWESI MAHLANGU, 36,
CORPORATE GENERAL PRACTITIONER
38 MARIECLAIRE.CO.ZA JAN/FEB 2018