Attention Deficit Disorder-A glimpse inside the mind

The story of Dustin

10 pm. He’s finally wound down enough (thanks to medication) to consider lying down for sleep. (Head hits the pillow)

“I’m so exhausted!!!” (toss, turn, fidget) “I did terrible on that test today…I studied and I knew the answers. I couldn’t concentrate. Every time Brandon tapped that pencil on his desk I forgot what I was thinking and had to start all over….oh snap! I forgot to brush my teeth!. (Gets up, brushes teeth)…”Oh, I left my shoes out. Mom will be so mad”…(Picks up his shoes, puts them in his closet, sees toy airplane he’s been looking for, gets it out and starts to play…Mom comes in…)

“Dustin it’s 11pm! What are you doing still up? You have school tomorrow.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot” (Goes back to bed, wide awake) “Why doesn’t Rory like me? He thinks I’m stupid. he never wants to play with me. I have to go to the bathroom”. (Gets up, goes to the bathroom)…(back to bed). Head hits the pillow. “Ugh! I’m soooo tired”. (Restlessly tosses and turns). “I wish I had a switch in my brain so I could just turn it off…I have to finish that project. It’s due Friday…Mike’s birthday party is Saturday. I can’t wait…Only 2 more months ’til my birthday…I want that new bike…that movie was good….I did terrible on that test today…Brandon tapping that pencil…did I brush my teeth?–Oh yeah, I did….Boy, Mom sure was mad.

12pm Brandon is finally asleep…4am Brandon wakes up hearing a car horn outside. “Wonder what that was? Stupid loud people at night!…I’ve got that project Friday. I still need to read the rest of that book about dinosaurs”

And on and on it goes. His thoughts cycle around. He dozes 30 minutes and wakes up at 6am unable to sleep any more. At 7am he is dragging already, trying to get ready for school. Walks by the TV, stops and stares, dazed, distracted and tired, but wired and keyed up at the same time from lack of sleep due to adrenaline, irritable from fatigue, he gets into a scuffle with a kid on the bus, makes it to school on time, barely, only to realize he left his homework on the dining room table right beside his cereal he forgot to finish eating.