When to Speak Up for Adults with ADHD

Learning when to speak up for adults with ADHD is a complex issue. It can be due to expressive language issues, and also due to the fear of being judged by others. We have so many great ideas and solutions to problems, it’s now more important than ever, that we voice our opinions in whatever shape or form we can.

The following pin was created for Pinterest, and inspired by a comment I received on a pin I did about a year ago. A lot has changed in that time. We are at a turning point in our society and our civilisation as a whole. Speaking up, is what’s going to help us move through this awkward phase into a phase where we can actually thrive instead of just surviving.

So let’s have a look at why it’s so important our ideas and opinions are communicated and heard.

Learning to Speak up For Adults with ADHD

ADHD & Out of the Box Thinking

One of the major benefits of having ADHD is that we are full of ideas. Learning to manage these ideas and plan effectively can be difficult but sharing our ideas in the first place is essential in today’s world. Right now, more than ever, the world needs ideas that come from ‘outside the box’ thinking. If you have a great idea, voice it. Share it with whoever will listen and don’t give up if you think it’s worth pursuing.

Divergent thinking is something we are losing at a rapid rate as everyone is pushed into the ‘societal norm’ so to speak. Be divergent. Be diverse. Think differently. Embrace it.

Gutidentity on Etsy – Divergent Thinkers Wanted Poster

Click the image to get your copy.

Divergent Thinkers Wanted by Gutidentity on Etsy

ADHD in the Workplace – Make our voice heard

People with ADHD often find working environments difficult. This is because we often have ideas that no one else thinks of which can make sharing ‘different’ ideas difficult. This can be due to expressive language issues or just plain lack of confidence. Our mouths often run away with us but this is a good thing.

My suggestion to anyone else out there with ADHD, would be to try to share your ideas verbally but if you can’t, share them in written form. I know that I am always much better at expressing my ideas and opinions when I write things down. It helps me organise my thoughts more easily, and therefore be better able to get my point across. Do what works for you and your situation!

We come in peace

Quite often, having ADHD makes us feel like an alien of sorts. Weirdish from those around us. It’s difficult to explain. But it’s time to start embracing the alien within because what we have to say is often very important. It just might not come out in a coherent form all of the time. But don’t give up trying to get your point across. It’s time to stop worrying about what other people think, embrace our differences, and say what needs to be said.

Our Opinion Matters

When I was growing up, I was constantly told by teachers in the mainstream school system that I voiced my opinion too much. I’ve gotten in a lot of trouble at school for talking too much. My report cards are a testament to that! But this is no one’s fault. It’s a systemic problem that has seen very little change over the years. In fact, it’s worse than ever today and continues on this trajectory.

The current education system is attempting to make everyone squeeze into the same mould. Pigeonholed and conforming into learning the same old story. It’s not for lack of teachers trying that’s for sure. It’s a top-down problem where any criticism of ‘the system’, falls on deaf ears. If you’re ‘in’ the system it’s extremely hard to speak up! That’s why I am able to write this now.

But we could sit around complaining about it until the cows come home but what will that achieve? A big fat nothing! Until people like you and I actually say something about it, nothing will change.

Unfortunately, this lack of constructive change is still the case to this very day. Except now we have lots of children with ADHD being medicated in schools. To me, this is just a form of chemical restraint as it stops children from asking questions and keeps them quiet. But it’s not the teacher’s fault or the parents. It’s because the current system isn’t designed for children to ask lots of questions. There’s just not enough time to answer them all however valid they may be.

I’ve been on both sides of the coin. One as a student with ADHD, and the other as the teacher. Go figure! But if we don’t ask questions about why something is happening, because we can’t take the time to address such questions, we won’t have any real change. What’s made it worse over the years is that class sizes have increased and teacher load in terms of the curriculum, workload, coupled with a steady increase in behavioural issues, have all increased dramatically. We have lost our way in the current education system and it needs a complete revamp in my eyes.

Opinions and its effect on creativity

Creativity and the ability to ask questions and voice our opinions have been quashed over time. It’s time to start having a real hard look at how we are teaching our future generations, and really ask ourselves if what we are doing currently is actually working. We can ask ourselves – do we think it’s getting better or worse? That’s a good starting point. Are we killing creativity and becoming sheep? Take a step back and LOOK.

Now more than ever it’s important to speak our truth. That may sound cheesy but if we know that something feels right (or wrong), we shouldn’t let other people’s beliefs or expectations get in the way. Now is the time to voice our opinion more than ever. What do we really think and how can we communicate this to others?

Important Stuff

Often people with ADHD will voice their opinions and talk about things that other people don’t like to talk about. I think that’s one of the greatest things about ADHD. If we can get our ideas out there by any means possible, and talk about topics that most people like to avoid, we can at least start the conversation as to what we feel strongly about. Think of it like planting a seed. Every idea starts with a thought and grows from there. Be the SEED.

With so many important issues and pressing topics going on in the world today, there are some topics that many don’t want to talk about. It’s either too difficult emotionally, or it’s stuff that’s considered to be taboo. But if we start addressing some of these issues, we will start to see some change. If you like talking about important stuff as much as I do, stuff that just feels right, keep doing it!

World issues

I could talk about this topic for thousands of years if I had them. My friends will attest to this – bless them 😉 I’m passionate and feel the urge to speak up for those less fortunate than I am while trying to solve the world’s problems. There are so many things happening in the world today that we need solutions for, and we need them quickly.

But for some reason (draw your own conclusions here), important world issues are being swept under the carpet in response to the global crisis that we are facing right now. The more people talk about it, the more change we will see. If we don’t speak up, who will?

use our adhd Moral Compass

Yes. The above image is back to front and so is my life but who cares. Over my 20 years of teaching, and also having ADHD myself, I’ve taught many different children with ADHD. One thing I’ve noticed though is that many of the students I’ve taught with ADHD, and the adults I’ve come across, have a strong moral compass. They have a strong feeling of what is right and what is wrong and this often goes hand-in-hand with empathy.

We possess the ability to put ourselves in the shoes of another which is something I’ve noticed to be more pronounced in those with ADHD. This is a good thing. It might make us a little more emotional and sensitive, but again, it’s a good thing.

I initially created this website ‘Gutidentity‘ to examine the gut microbiome and how it influences the brain. It has diverged slightly into other areas, but the main theme remains the same. We have our ‘gut’ for a reason. And our ‘gut’ usually gives us a reaction or an instinct for something. It’s time to start using our gut instinct to speak about things that we know are right and use our strong moral compass as a tool.

Moral of the story

Speak up! Do what feels right in your heart and go with it.

While learning how to speak up for us adults with ADHD can be a complicated issue, it is achievable. Don’t let expressive language issues, or the fear of being judged by others, stop you from doing or believing what you want to ‘feel’ is right. Go with your GUT. Follow your HEART. We have so many great ideas and solutions to problems, it’s now more important than ever, that our voices are heard through whatever means we can.

Speak up and be the change our world so desperately needs right now!

If you’re struggling with life and want to improve how you feel, check out my products on Etsy. I create these products based on strategies I try myself and through my daily experiences with ADHD. If you want change, check them out.

The Ultimate Adult ADHD Personal Development Bundle

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This bundle is perfect for the newly diagnosed as each strategy is broken down into manageable chunks to help guide the user through based on strengths.