122| Making Friends with Adult ADHD

Please join us as we welcome Alex Hofeldt back to the show. Some of you may recognize him from the Beautiful Dust Specks Podcast. This week Eric and Alex discuss the effect ADHD has on Making friends and social situations, such as remembering names, conversation, and general awkwardness.

For people with ADHD, life can be very difficult when in social situations. This is even more so the case in small to large groups of people. We cannot expect everyone we know and interact with to factor our "condition" into everything we say think or feel. People are generally impatient when it comes to these things and for those who are interested in fitting in, this can be a very disheartening circumstance.

Forgetting names is common and people can sometimes feel they are not regarded highly enough by you for you to take the time to actually remember their name. Blurting out can be considered rude in that it is generally taken as an interruption. Sometimes people with ADHD are just different and therefore misunderstood. This can even be the case with other people with ADHD.

Those of us with ADHD do tend to stand out and it can be frustrating when one day our peers depend on us for entertainment and the next day just can't seem to deal with us. Some of us have been in a similar circumstance when we are treated as the court jester among our "friends", as if we are there for the sole purpose of their amusement when they want us to perform.

Eric Tivers (host of ADHD reWired) was kind enough to try to help Alex with his specific problems in this area.

Alex mentions many of the problems as stated above and goes further with some more specific things.

Eric offered Alex what I felt was some really sound advice. It was not just general tips we have all heard before. It was catered to his specific problems, which is what an ADHD coach should always do. Alex was kind enough to agree to come back on the show to discuss how his problem has changed as a result of the coaching Eric provided him. Please stay tuned to ADHD reWired for the follow-up with Alex.

On a personal note:

"During this episode I found myself able to identify with Alex. I felt and still feel a strong empathy for him. I was reminded of the being in similar situations during certain times in my life. Alex held nothing back and was very forthcoming in the things he shared. I am happy to know the ADHD community has a person like Alex in it. His honesty was inspiring and I was reminded of the reason for my own commitment to spread awareness about one of the most treatable mental disorders we know of."

T.