My Struggles With ADHD

I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was in the 3rd grade. ADHD stands for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Some of the symptoms include having difficulty paying attention,  having too much energy, moving and talking too much, impulsivity, or having difficulty with self-control. Having ADHD can come with many different symptoms based on who you are. For example, my sister and I both have ADHD, but it presents itself in very different ways. She is more of a high functioning type of ADHD then I am. She was able to be in all honors classes and keep up well. Meanwhile, I had to be in some pull out classes growing up and have something called an IEP. Which basically helps gives me the tools I need to get my work done. Whether it was less answer choices on a test or having someone take notes for me. It was very hard for me to feel good about myself though. I always felt like I wasn't smart enough or I couldn't keep up with the other kids and I was really overwhelmed. A lot of people would say things like the pull out classes were the "easier" classes or they weren't real classes. I felt really stupid. Logically I knew I learned everything they did just at a slower more broken down version, but emotionally words hurt. Even though learning wasn't always easy for me, having an IEP with all the best accommodations really helped. It doesn't work for everyone, but I also found the right stimulant helped me espeically during school hours when I was younger. Looking back I don't regret it and it wasn't about what other people would say even though in school that seems to be the only things that matters, it was about getting the best education for yourself.