It is a known fact that ADHD predominantly inattentive (ADHD-PI, also known as just ADD) "patients" are mistaken as lazy; a lack of interest in tasks perceived as tedious in not the same as a general aversion to work. However, this fact is not as widely known as it should. That's where we come in.
That's right; I'm going to destroy this common misconception. To achieve this, I shall become the test subject and tell you what is going on inside my brain as I face different kinds of tasks. Here's the list in no particular order:
Work (employment)
This one is hard to explain. Even when I've worked at places I absolutely hate, getting there is never an issue. I'm thinking maybe because society has been implanting this "work or die" mantra in my brain since Kindergarten. However overall performance is greatly affected by how much I hate it, especially tardiness. I probably stall a lot in the morning, trying to do as many interesting things at home before I embark on an odyssey of boredom.
Here's a rather amusing anecdote: I've had great paying jobs but I never earned any incentives because of below-average performance (which eventually got me fired), but now that I have a rather satisfying minimum-wage job, I'm making just as much because of the massive incentives I'm raking in for being so awesome.
If your brain is rigged like mine, doing interesting work is a far better incentive than cold cash in any form (salary raise, overtime, incentive, commissions, and not getting fired).
I suspect most ADHD/ADHDPI folks are labeled as lazy when they force themselves into jobs they hate only because of unrealistic standards. School teaches you to get good grades so you can get into a good college so you can get a well-paying white-collar job. This horrible fallacy has been the undoing of mankind.
Speaking of white collar, most ADD (specially the hyperactive type) people turn out better on jobs requiring physical activities; how is that lazy?
Physical exercise, sports
I was the fat kid of the house. During my teenage years, at times, I'd decide to work out but the delayed gratification (and the pain) threw me off. I never did any actual exercise until I decided to enlist in the Army at the age of 29. It was quite a humiliating experience but once I developed enough muscle to do that one pushup, I quickly got the hang of it. However I noticed I was never able to get to the point of muscle failure, and I'd take "breaks" with complete disregard for the Drill Sergeant yelling rude things about my mother (I really drove them mad). I never graduated finished my training because of this, and eventually got discharged. I continued to exercise on my own for a while, gradually stopping.
Today I understand the benefits of physical exercise a lot better and that alone is great motivation, but I'll use things like being tired from work (desk work) or simply not having the time as excuses not to do anything.
Children with ADD should be taught the importance of physical exercise at an early age and should definitely get involved in sports. If I had any interest in sports at all I'd probably have no issues with exercising, because it'd be fun.
Household chores
First of all, I cleaned, like, last week, ok? And it's not that messy. I put that there because I like it there and then it's more accessible when I need it and I'm in a hurry. No, I don't know where the keys are.
Cleaning is incredibly boring and I only feel like doing it when it's too messy. Usually having someone else to help keep things neat helps me stay organized, but usually that someone gets tired of finding my underwear in the bathroom floor (right next to the hamper) and goes on strike. Then it all becomes a big mess again.
Having people come over is another great incentive to sweep stuff under the furniture. I can clean up the biggest messes in minutes just as long as there are no distractions.
Social situations.
I've developed a pathological fear of social situations, probably developed after years of constantly sticking my foot in my mouth whenever I opened it. I generally avoid parties and such unless it's with close friends and family.
I am very friendly but I never go out of my way to establish a connection with a stranger. I will get along great with the people that surround me on a daily basis even when we have nothing in common, but I guess I somehow think trying to be friends with someone whom I will never see again is a waste of energy.
I also noticed I never call anyone on the phone. Maybe I assume there'll be plenty to talk about when we meet face to face, or maybe I'm afraid of (tedious) small talk.
Other Tedious tasks
I generally will steer clear from anything boring and repetitive unless there is a reward that greatly compensates for the wasted time. It has to be something big and for now otherwise I figure I can live without it.
Other strenuous activity
Strenuous is not the same as tedious. I don't mind the hard work as long as it complies with the guidelines in the previous paragraph. Long walks, stairs, heavy lifting, running… It's all good as long as there's something interesting about it.
I have a general feeling most people are lazy (for example when I'm the only one that doesn't take the elevator), which is ironic because that's what everybody else thinks about me.
Conclusion
To me (and I suspect, all others with ADHD) everything is about the journey, and rarely the destination. And I'm not saying this phrase because I heard it from some philosopher and liked it. It is literally the way my brain works. I'd rather do a fun thing or free than being rewarded for something pointless.
If you have ADHD and think completely different, by all means, post a comment! We all want to know what's going on inside your brain too!
