Q I got 95 per cent in my Class X board exams, but my subsequent performance has been poor. I got 60 per cent in Plus Two. I have just appeared for my first year bachelor’s exams and I do not hope to score more than 60 per cent. I was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) when I was in high school. Do you think the disorder is preventing me from working hard? My parents are really worried about me. My mother often gets angry with me and is then in tears. Please help.
Name withheld
ADHD has nothing to do with the intellect of a person. As the name suggests, a person with ADHD has difficulty in paying attention and may also be a bit disorganised in life; he or she may act impulsively and may seem to act without thinking. The disorder may make you commit more careless mistakes, you may have trouble in focusing on a particular task for a long period of time or even have trouble organising tasks and activities. However, ADHD does not prevent you from working hard and doing academically well. By understanding ADHD, you can learn to manage your life better.
Since you have ADHD, you may have to make an effort to stay organised. Thus you could try the following:
1. Break the bigger tasks into smaller ones
2. Try taking notes in the classroom to help you focus
3. You could use headphones while studying so that you don’t get distracted
4. Try using a smartphone or a diary to write all the things — a To-Do list — that need to be done in a particular day
5. Give yourself small rewards for accomplishing tasks
6. Set your clock for 20 minutes and try to focus upon a task during that time. Continue to set 20 minute targets and take small breaks in between
7. Do physical exercise to channelise your extra energy. You could also use a stress ball to keep using that energy
8. Listen to music and learn to play drums as the rhy-thm will help you get focused
9. Colour code your things at your study and your living room. This may help you stay organised
Remind yourself of your past success — how you scored 95 per cent in the Class X board exams — to motivate yourself. Sometimes, when things are a little difficult, we give up rather than work harder. I would encourage you to not become disheartened and continue to make efforts towards your academics. It is difficult when our parents become worried and agitated. May-be you could request your parents to not get worked up. Share with them how you are trying hard to move in the right direction.
