ADHD at 33 | Perry Dripps | TEDxPSU

Perry Dripps was recently diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 33. In his talk, he discusses the idea of distractions in our world and how they inhibit not just those with ADHD, but also those without it. As a member of the Sustainability Institute, an avid cook, guitarist, and hiker, Perry explains how pursuing our passions can help us refocus. Throughout his talk, he describes how we can change society to be more conducive to a healthy and productive environment for all. Note: this talk was recorded according to local and national COVID-19 safety guidelines without a live audience (clapping was added in post-production). Educator, Sustainability Professional, Musician, and Cook. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@hellgast0]

The worst thing is when people say it's not real. They call you lazy or an attention seeker. You just need to try harder, you are smart enough... Ive been feeling like im stuck in my life right now and im only 27! I havent officially been diagnosed with adhd, but i just feel it explains all my struggled Ive had in my life. And I feel like im in a crowded street screaming for help and everyone just keeps walking.

[@jillybean651]

I was diagnosed at 50 and feel like my life passed me by because no one ever figured out I had ADHD. I also hate when people say it’s not real, especially now that I can put a name on it. I hate when I try to explain an obstacle I’m trying to overcome and the other person (usually my mom 🙄) says that “everyone goes through that.” What I want to say to you is if you feel you have ADHD or some type of mental condition, please try to get diagnosed sooner rather than later. Also, realize you’re not alone and I believe you 😊.

[@1wolsk]

Or the "You have so much potential..." If it makes you feel better, all of us ADHD-ers understand that you put in more effort than the average person!

[@1wolsk]

@@jillybean651 This almost makes me laugh. When I'd had the assessment done by a family member who'd known me from childhood, I remember hearing them talk to themselves while answering the questions: "Well everybody does that." "Oh, compared to her brother, she has no problems with this." "This sounds like me and I'm normal." My results were all skewed because their view was from that of an ADHD couple with ADHD kids who'd all been told they're normal their whole life. I had to get a second opinion for my diagnosis. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@pdripps8866]

I can totally relate and I’m sorry you’ve been feeling so stuck. Stuck is a good word because that is absolutely how I would explain not understanding myself or others not understanding why I can’t do something. Know that you are worthy of the self love that everyone else is entitled to ❤️

[@megankahts4679]

@@jillybean651 Hi! Thank you for sharing your struggles! Im 30 and recently diagnosed. My mom reacted exactly the same way, and it was very triggering for me, made the self doubt swirl through me. Sometimes parents don't want to acknowledge that their children aren't perfect, or that they have a problem that the parent missed, or a million other reasons. Its often the ones that really love us that are in the most denial.

[@Anton-os5lk]

The confidence and the constant mood swings is the worst for me. One moment I can be in the presence of my friend group and life of the party. One moment I can feel like everyone hates me and that I cannot connect to any human being ever. Its really horrible and im working on it and I got wonderful people in my life, eternaly greatful

[@jliller]

"One moment I can feel like everyone hates me and that I cannot connect to any human being ever." If you have Asperger's co-morbid with your ADHD that last part may unfortunately be partly true.

[@piposanchez]

This past month I somehow got into a youtube hole of ADHD, and it's been one of the best things to happen to me in my life. I'm starting to learn so much more about myself, why I do/struggle with things constantly etc. Massive euraka moment.

[@chuuchuububble1572]

same thing is happening to me right now! So much is suddenly making sense.

[@colivri336]

Me too. And focusing on... Wait. Im distracted.

[@izzie_dibia1237]

This is me. I'm starting to connect the dots and realize why I am who i am and I behave the way I behave

[@chuuchuububble1572]

@@izzie_dibia1237 yees. A lot of the things which make me me are just conntected to my (possible) adhd lol. The funny thing now is that I started to catch myself when I behave in certain ways and realize its because of adhd

[@MauricioMejicanos]

It happened to me last Friday! So, I'm still trying to understand it. I'm 31 years old and I'm not sure where to start, any suggestions?

[@hadilaliryani8998]

My problem is that I’m driven by fear to get the simples things done. Fear of being scolded or getting into an argument. And that is the root of all my anxiety. The part of feeling INADEQUATE is a HUGE one, because I’m constantly blaming myself for struggling to get basic things done, and I end up feeling drained, unable to do things that I enjoy. I also keep feeling stuck in my place.

[@bhoopalani7256]

I go through that and everything else he said...this fear is also part of rsd which is often a byproduct of adhd. Rsd is rejection sensitivity dysphoria..

[@Hmy8799]

I relate to this soso much-I don’t know if it’s a fear of being scolded or what it is, as it’s subconscious-because I become quickly “paralyzed” (or stuck in place) as I become overwhelmed with anxiety. Then end up having not gotten the simplest of tasks done! Have been working on it though and slowly seeing a bit of progress. I think it’s because I decided to stop putting pressure on myself (which is hard to kick, but for my situation necessary)-and only allowed myself to “try” and get veeery small “tasks” done, sometimes they could hardly be considered tasks haha, but I’ve seen slow improvements! Def wouldn’t be noticeable to anyone other than me though, haha.

[@TheInfantry98]

That’s not ADHD. That’s anxiety and cowardice

[@brentt6714]

I've found that I can pay much better attention to KZbin videos when I crank up the speed. My mind usually drifts off when listening to someone, even if they're talking about a topic I'm interested in. If you have this same issue try changing the speed on your videos to 1.5x and let me know how it goes.

[@1wolsk]

The hyperactive/impulsive side doesn't necessarily mean physically hyperactive.

[@pdripps8866]

Thanks for mentioning this! I am definitely no expert, but I think impulsive thinking could absolutely apply, even if there aren’t physical manifestations like your leg bouncing on the edge of your seat.

[@1wolsk]

@@pdripps8866 The psychologist who'd diagnosed me told me I definitely have combined-type ADHD despite no major physical hyperactivity. You're correct that impulsively is part of that.

[@ericae8365]

I can talk someone's face clean off if I'm feeling good and that is my manifestation of hyperactivity... I suspect many others can relate.

[@joelman1989]

Yeah and hyperactivity can be in the mind (racing thoughts) or it can be as simple as walking fast, fidgeting, walking around, or restlessness.

[@coopcoo]

Like buying a motorcycle on a whim and learning everything there is to customize it yourself, riding it all the time to now, changed one thing on it and sitting in a garage for almost 2 years lol ADHD is wild

[@jliller]

One of the big challenges is we don't talk very much about how we think. If you grow up with trains of thought running through your mind constantly you just assume that's how everyone thinks. I was in my mid-30s before I ever heard someone explain that no, most people's minds are not like that.

[@grantarcillas355]

The talk is a reflection of how I live my life today. I am not yet diagnosed with ADHD for the reason of financial status. I’ve been browsing sites about this, from the symptoms down to the treatment processes. It feels so sad when others mocked you and you started to doubt yourself for the things that had happened. Your friends seem not enjoying your presence coz you radiate something that makes them aloof of you. At 23, currently employed, my boss notices me working confused, cannot focus on what he says, easily gets distracted when there’s something just pop up, doing mails with errors, getting overwhelm on unexpected tasks and writing down notes in an disorganized way. That’s why I always ended up pitying myself. *Sighs* We all get through this. 😞❤️

[@JavierNavarroPrez]

I was highly creative in my youth. I painted without any instruction or guidance and I also wrote short stories. All that was utterly ignored by my environment and peers so I ended up leaving it. Now I'm more organized and productive with a serious job but feel mostly depressed and some of it I think is lacking creative outlets.

[@coolstoryari8538]

This is exactly story of my life… I used to sit on end of room and draw the Disney from my bed sheets on paper, casually perfectly drawing, when I never even acknowledged my skill or those around me.. today I cannot even come to terms to believe in my self That I can draw…. Ps you’re never alone.. thank you sharing this, the mountains I was supposed to be climbing all my life, I always ended up carrying.

[@waynejones7769]

Piano here but it was a lifetime ago...glad I'm not alone

[@mustwintv9494]

ADHD is superpower I'm lucky to be part of 3% in this world for mission to innovate and solve problems to makd this world better .

[@thatnikkiyouknow]

I feel like this entire talk could have been my own. Every element of this speaks to parts of myself and my life. Kindred spirit ♥️

[@pdripps8866]

I’m so glad what I shared resonated with you. I think that is great that you were able to recognize parts of yourself and hopefully realize you are not alone in the struggle 🙏

[@SmartSpidE52]

34 and started meds 2-3 months ago. I was really having a go at work I got months behind on things and found myself going from emails to google to documents to policies to job listings to new things in psychology to music lyrics then realized 2 min before shift is over and got almost nothing done. Had this my entire life but for some reason it got worse this last year or two. Almost caught back up at work. Sat down and wondered where all my time at work went to….. come to find out I am an ordained minister, private investigator, concealed carry permit, two other side jobs and a few other certifications and all work certifications were done. I guess I was getting ready to land on my feet if I lost this one lol

[@KripaJaboy]

Thank you💓, i could see myself in there.

[@GoldenVicki]

I was diagnosed in grade school. Mom took me off the medication because she said it made me zombie-like. I hadn't seen another physician for my ADHD until my forties. I really wish I had known to get help earlier in life. What bothers me most is when people say they may have "a little ADHD" too because they forget things or struggle to focus due to stress.

[@jennynordin2730]

Thanks for such a great video. People with ADHD tend to be creative and I have found my passion in art and creating things. It is also important to find a job that you are suited for and that you like because there are a lot of jobs that are horrible for people with ADHD. I once had a desk job that I hated because I couldn’t stay on task or focused. I have owned a daycare for the last 10 years and it is fast paced, different every day, keeps my brain going nonstop and I really enjoy it.

[@bloodhoundgang1642]

very true..

[@kevin933]

This guy is like my spirit animal who has crossed over to the other side. I hope to join him there one day.

[@judemadeanotherchannel]

I believe in you 😊

[@emmanueloshaddai3259]

Any chance there’s been progress?

[@tebohosefatsa6627]

Heartfelt speech thanks!

[@mustwintv9494]

Me best day as entrepreneur when I found myself having ADHD

[@joelman1989]

I liked this talk but I wonder how practical his advice is for people with ADHD. After all, ADHD is a disorder of executive functioning. A non ADHD brain can take a complex task like “follow your passion” or “exercise” and break it into actionable parts. An ADHD brain has a hard time doing that without medication and therapy. This might be more discouraging than encouraging to some. And not really practical to many. I’ve found that if you’re going to give advice to someone with adhd. It’s best to start with actionable goals that they can track progress with. Anything that brings the consequences/rewards of the action right in front of them. Things like “meditate for 3 minutes before bed. Take a 10 minute walk 3 times a week and track your steps. Enroll in certification course. Write a resume. Etc.

[@jliller]

I think the talk is aimed at people who know people with ADHD, not so much the people who have ADHD.

[@TheInfantry98]

I was diagnosed twice at 7yrs old and again at 27yrs old. I earned a bachelors degree, combat veteran, NREMT-B certified, Wilderness EMT, completed TECC school as an brand new EMT-B. Make ADHD an asset

[@davidsandoval9760]

I'm glad someone spread the word 🙏

[@mmminno]

I can relate to you so much! All of this was very well said 🙂

[@garogaryvoskorian2619]

There's difference between being not interested and interested. Other peoples label should not become your own belief! They can't understand you yet they want to define you

[@mrararatovich]

Garo jan, well said

[@deborahstone1296]

Wow you are so right

[@Exventory]

My 7th grade science has reached a new level

[@kayladoes]

Thank you Perry, for offering some solutions that can help alleviate my motor mind! Hearing about nature and exercise, as well as focusing on what we’re good at are amazing ideas. I loved your talk and I was able to focus on it! Thanks!

[@kaseyshockey7704]

Ahhh... 😊🌻... The wood's.. the water... The 🎶 music.. Well said. Turning 33 with ADHD and a lil boy who has it as well. 😟 How do I help him not be like me??

[@LeonBosset]

I don't know about all that, but my advice is to definitely go do what you love! Get past whatever obstacle you have to.

[@Hmy8799]

I love this speech. Great reminder of the necessity for putting our passions at the center of life. I’ve been loooost with brain fog galore (obvious ADHD since childhood+ mold toxicity on top of late stage Lyme yay😁) haha but I SO needed THIS MESSAGE to find the strength to get out of bed during the day and try to implement habits and routines based on what I enjoy so I can finally start going to bed feeling some sense of accomplishment instead of the whole “tomorrow I will do it” which I’ve been doing for three years😬

[@loisreiter9056]

QA r ex

[@Hmy8799]

@@loisreiter9056 say whaaaa

[@mudandglitter1609]

ADHD combined with Lyme is a memory nightmare. I know you posted this a year ago, but I hope you are doing well. I was just diagnosed at 44, and I have had Lyme 3 times. Twice it was diagnosed late stage. I can absolutely empathize. My heart and thoughts are with you. You got this!

[@zubiatahseen5508]

I relate to this soooo much. Specially the interest in cooking!!

[@MaddieFrankX]

Me too. I love cooking so much! I guess it is a fun activity for people with ADHD because you can hyperfocus into doing something that will give you and instant reward.

[@piposanchez]

I recently bought an Instant Pot pressure cooker. Has been one of the best decisions ever. It's turned cooking from a time consuming chore to something that excites me, trying to perfect my favourite recipes, experimenting to see which are the fastest to cook etc.

[@louiandrews7]

i have adhd and asd and i understand what its like this is amazing i love it when people are open about there disabilities its not a weakness sometimes it makes u special and different not in a bad way but its lovely

[@DianaWanMa]

What's the difference between asd and adhd? I suspect I have both my noone believes me and I have to explain myself why I think I have ASD too

[@pdripps8866]

Thank you for sharing @louiandrews! Absolutely, I do not want to downplay the challenges... but the key is that we all have tremendous gifts to offer. You should be proud of those gifts! it’s not just up to us but really up to community and society to withhold judgment and help one another thrive.

[@pdripps8866]

@@DianaWanMa Hi Diana! Thanks for your question. I am not an expert by any means but there are definitely similarities between the two, particularly that both ASD and ADHD affect people to varying degrees. In other words, they are both on a spectrum. Autism Spectrum Disorders primarily affects social communication whereas ADHD often impacts things like inhibition and organization, but there are symptoms like talking excessively that can lead to challenges in social communication and our interactions with others. Hope this helps a bit!

[@DianaWanMa]

@@pdripps8866 Hi Perry and yes, it helps a lot, thank you!!

[@1wolsk]

@@pdripps8866 Fun fact: Research has shown a high number of ASD folks having clinically significant levels of ADHD. This research is relatively new (as ASD and ADHD originally weren't allowed to both be diagnosed in one person before the most recent DSM), but research suggests at least 1/3 and as high as 3/4 ASD individuals also have ADHD.

[@jliller]

I'm sure exercise is good for mental health. The problem is that for someone with ADHD, especially iADHD+ASD, exercise can be incredibly boring. The hump between "exercise is tiring" and "exercise feels great and I'm eager to do it" can be pretty large and take awhile to get from the former to the latter.

[@itsallagame2013]

Give it a shot. It does help. Find a sport that you enjoy 😵‍💫🫤

[@HayleyJane]

I like to run through the woods and pretend I’m escaping a prison. I’m the same way. I have to find a way to make exercise exciting!

[@tangoz811]

I really want to watch it but.. I cant

[@melaniecascante6177]

So what about this: I'm a musician too, music is my passion but sadly because of adhd I abandoned my bachelor degree in music performance so now I can't make a living of that in the country I live in. So I started learning how to code in a bootcamp but the stress I felt was SO overwhelming I got sick and had to take a temporary leave. I'm waiting to get diagnosed officially on June the 20th. Can't wait to get answers. Doing what you love is great but sometimes it's not enough to make a living and you just have to be able to do something else even if it's not your passion. With adhd that can be really hard 😢

[@sp123]

Try to get counselling/medication to help you finish school. Don't give up!

[@juzores1]

The worst thing is when your psychiatric doesn't believe you have an ADHD

[@deBASHmode]

This is where second opinions are critical. If that doesn’t help, time to search for a new doc.

[@Stephaniemickle]

Then find another one who will actually listen to you. I had to fight to finally be evaluated as the prior 2 therapists I saw just chalked up my adhd as me being “just an overwhelmed mom” and it’s so much more than that, obviously. And I finally got my diagnosis just a month ago and I’m almost 34. Hang in there, but definitely if you feel as if you’re cries for help aren’t being heard, find someone to listen.

[@G36Jeff]

Tell them ur not here for adderall. You want help.

[@G36Jeff]

@@Stephaniemickle what do you take for it now. Please tell me please. Even if it’s adderal

[@rawminimalist9043]

This explains why I function better in the woods in Jamaica.

[@Sunny-kl8wy]

Who else is on here listing and scrolling through the internets at the same time 😂

[@tanglewife]

Sorry can you repeat all that for me? I was playing pool on my phone whilst thinking about a load of paintings I've gotta finish, and didn't take in a word of it!

[@bluedale6563]

i thought i had Borderline personality disorder but i now think its ADHD I AM GOING TO GET CHECKED OUT

[@robertcoffman667]

Mr. Dripps presented an interesting point for how he uses cardiovascular exercise to help manage his symptoms to complete tasks. A systematic review by Xiang Nu in 2017 looking at 30 studies confirmed the validity of this statement. The American college of sports medicine has found numerous studies that have shown weight lifting exercises to have similar effects as cardiovascular exercise throughout different systems in the body. I wonder if diagnosed people can use weight lifting as a means to manage ADHD symptoms. Is anyone aware of people diagnosed with ADHD who use weight lifting to manage their symptoms?

[@DhruvBurman]

"I immediately drift off" I hear playing in the background as I 'watch' this video in PIP mode scrolling on Instagram.

[@mohaimenulimam4587]

Where to find his music and songs?

[@jaggergossett9019]

Thats my teacher

[@127MCG]

Una pena que no se tenga subtitulado en español 💔

[@shiftybat7318]

Ha, I also grew up on an island, walked the local woods, play music, and love cooking. Like a dog I only do things that will give me immediate sensory pleasure or I will be punished for Not doing it. I am also deemed a failure by my family because I can't maintain a career.

[@user-bv8bk9ni7j]

I am 34 .... I just want to know do I need to take meds? Iscare of AD .... Other parts I am ok

[@Dancestar1981]

No you don’t have to take meds you can use caffeine and energy drinks to help

[@yunicelennar7626]

@@Dancestar1981 this is not healthy advice. There are diagnosed people with ADHD who do not take meds, but that is a decision they make with their doctor. There are different types of ADHD medication, not all of them are like adderall. Finding a reliable and supportive doctor is a good start. Get diagnosis, discuss your needs. Look into possible accomodations. For example, some universities offer longer deadlines if you can provide a diagnosis. You don’t need to be scared. Being neurodivergent is also ok.

[@teodor6835]

A syndrome of paradoxes

[@OhJodi69]

I can't tell if this guy's presentation is meandering, or if it's me, lol

[@MuhammadAhmad-qt6yq]

6:28-PASSION ENERGY, EXERCUSE FOR ADHDPATIENT WHAT THEYYYYY YYYYYYY ENJOY DOING

[@emmanueloshaddai3259]

No one wants to be “normal“. Let’s be careful while in this rabbit hole to not let that skew your self assessment. At the end of the day everyone has something that makes them special. I’m saying this to myself first.

[@canadasweetie]

Funny. Though everyone is different the majority of people fit into this “ normal” say if thinking or being. For me, I always wanted to just be “ normal.” Yet I am not. I do have ADHD. It is a real struggle: as he talked about distraction etc.

[@jliller]

Most people say they don't want to be normal, but in reality most people are. Most people want the same things (just look at a sampling of profiles from a dating website) and have broadly similiar tastes. If they didn't "pop music" wouldn't exist and fads wouldn't happen.

[@ajxtc2]

U need to have passion in the first place lol.

[@Dancestar1981]

You just have to have the opportunity to discover your own

[@vincentschmitt392]

absolute nonsense.

[@olofbenjaminsson9188]

Why?

[@jliller]

absolutely useless comment.