Athletes, dancers, pilots, coders, artists, and others with ADHD can be passionate, dedicated, all-in, and focused. But what if their passion evaporates? We know those with ADHD can be very passionate. As I’ve learned over the years, ADHD is not so much a deficit of attention as it is a self-regulation issue. It’s interesting that for those with ADHD the passion is almost like a drug. The issue is not that they can’t pay attention; it’s actually that they can’t stop paying attention to it.
It’s wonderful to have a passion, but what is “passion”? In the context of ADHD, passion is something that fires up the interest; it comes easily. For example, dancers might say they feel at home on stage or they feel alive when they’re dancing. The same is true of athletes. The passion is what makes them dedicate hours and days to it and continue to suffer the physical strain on their bodies to be able to pursue it.
If you know someone whose passion has died or has been denied to them, please check out my podcast, “ADHD: When Passion is Lost,” on Attention Talk Radio in my interview with Dr. Michele Toner as we discuss the challenges and issues around passion, what to expect, and how to move forward. Here’s the link: http://tobtr.com/10040425