ADHD As A Difference In Cognition, Not A Disorder: Stephen Tonti at TEDxCMU
3,161,470
Published 2013-04-10
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)
All Comments (21)
-
You know you have ADHD when you can't focus on a video without going to the comments during the video.
-
Damn, this guy got lucky with concerned teachers and involved parents.
-
Teachers who understand ADHD are SO important!!!
-
I am happy that his parents could afford all of those sports & hobbies for him. This is not the case for many, many youngsters.
-
"I have a hard time completing things that don't excite me" Story of my life. Hyperfocusing feels like a superpower though. When i'm in the zone I CANNOT fail
-
I have been labeled, “jack of all trades and master of none”
-
Just got diagnosed with ADHD at 26 and I feel like my entire life makes sense now! I’m on a journey now to harness it and use it towards good. I’m happy to be apart of this groups of awesome people!
-
I’m a teacher with ADHD and it makes me better at my job. I have more energy, I’m super creative, I know what it’s like to be a kid with ADHD trying to learn so I know how to teach and support kids that are attention different 😊
-
Just because you have a short attention span and you are this free spirited creative person doesn't mean you understand what the worst of this can be like. Having a bunch of "skills" isn't so great anymore when you have hundreds of unfinished projects. You can clearly see in the comment section those who actually have this problem. Yeah, there are some cool and admittedly glorified perks to ADHD but this shit is not fun when you are an adult and can't get your life under control.
-
the first time I've felt confident about my ADHD... thanks for this video
-
Adhd for me has done nothing but hold me back and make life harder. I don't hate myself or want to give up because of it but it's not just a different way of thinking. This is a privileged guy that had a lot of support and was luck enough to be nurtured and helped. These are always the example of someone who has ADHD but grew up with a lot of luck when it came to treating it young. Many many people didn't have that luck and struggle even trying to do the things they love or to take care of basic needs. I'm so frustrated that the only people I tend to see are the success stories that fail to explain that many people still suffer and struggle and can't match their success because they never had and still don't have the support they did.
-
I’m going to put this nicely: l have ADHD, I’m thirteen and watching this on my old iPad, with my ADHD,I can use my imagination and different way of thinking to bend the world to my will, but only when I’m on my medication, the medication tones down my ADHD enough to be able to use some of my symptoms as perks. I don’t know about others but the medication tones my severe ADHD enough that I can manage it and actually function as a human being.
-
"Something has to grab my attention, peak my curiosity, and then I can hyper-focus. This is a good thing and a bad thing. It's a bad thing because I have a hard time completing things that don't excite me." Yep!
-
"I can read a 500-page novel that I love much faster than a one page article I don't care for" Damn, that's my entire life. I just got diagnosed a couple days ago haha Edit: 3 years later and it turns out I can read fine when I have ADHD meds. I have a master's degree now lmao
-
I am a 21 year old poet, nursing student, PCT in a psych hospital with a history in culinary arts, painting, pottery and childcare, who also studies Korean, goes hiking, rock climbing, marathon running, contra dancing, biking and attends two separate youth groups on week nights. Got diagnosed with ADHD last month. Thanks for speaking my thoughts to the world! I'm glad I found this video!
-
I think I lost my ability to hyperfocus. I can't seem to focus on anything anymore and nothing excites me... All these sucsess adhd stories makes me wonder how they found their passion... I just like sleeping and daydreaming and all the emotions real life brings is just to overwelming...
-
I have ADHD and I'm playing this video by 1.5 speed (to not loose focus, you know)
-
I'm hyperfocused on the terrible sound quality of his mike.
-
I have ADHD and I couldn't concentrate on this guy's talk for very long and gave up before the end. It is too painful for me to hear about what a great time he had growing up thanks to what incredibly amazing parents and teachers he had. I'm 40 and only found out that I have adhd last year after self-diagnosis. I have had a lifetime filled with suffering, pain, loneliness and deep and long-lasting, chronic depression. I feel broken by life. I have no confidence and no self belief and have been left traumatised by my life experiences. It is too painful for me to hear of a person like this who had all the support in the world and as a result has come out thriving in life.
-
I know I'm capable of incredible things. ADHD made that possible but also destroys my capacity to complete tasks involved getting those done. Anxiety, ADHD, Dyslexia..... got medicated finally at 31. It really does help. But only if I can get myself in the right frame of mind. I've found over the years, that the old adage "like riding a bike" rings true with the things I've learned. I reach back through the rolidex in my mind and pull the needed skill when necessary. But I never stick with it. Trying to find my true interest has always been a difficult task. If you ever need to verify your adhd with yourself. Tally up what you have learned, see how that measures up to "normal" people. Pretty good indicator is being a "jack/jill of all trades". Everyone I know that shares add/adhd, has this in common. Over contain a wealth of knowledge they rarely utilize. I do think that my biggest hold back from doing things I enjoy, is financial. Normal folks say something like "well go get a good job and make the money to support your hobby". They really don't get it. The mundane tasks involved with doing so make it incredibly difficult. Don't get the wrong idea, I've held jobs for long stretches. But that's just it. They are jobs, tasks, chores.... nothing that gets me excited. It's taken me 20 minutes to write this because I keep going back and forth. At first I was excited to share with other who might benefit. Now it's becoming a chore. So I'm probably gonna stop now 🙃 BTW below was typed before the 2nd half of what I wrote above. Fun like that is adhd in a nutshell Skills I've developed from adhd hyperfocusing. These are self taught or learned from my pops: Welding and fabrication Automotive diagnostic and repair ATV repair Construction Machining and precision engineering Electrical engineering Structural engineering Scale model building Computer sciences Phone repair HVAC diagnostics and repair Mental health psychology in adolescent children Paint and auto body .........lots more In relation to jobs offering educational resources: Plastics engineering Hydraulic machinery operation and repair Associate management Team leader skillset Base medical understanding and principles Mental health and depression understanding, in relation to aggression and addiction principles. Customer service and sales (highest rated associate in that company😄) Food and welfare assistance Low income housing guide Lots more here too, just getting bored of this now 😅 ADHD is a curse sometimes, but it's blessing too. Use it to your advantage from time to time. Hope you have a great day!
