Paris Blues:
Hmmmm…so then if the ADD is affecting my function to focus, than that must be the cause for my not comprehending! I mean, if I was focused, would I be able to comprehend stuff? How can you comprehend things if you’re not focused! LOL!
You physician would be able to diagnose that. ADD is the inability to focus, but it is also possible your brain is unable to comprehend for other reasons besides the ADD.
Comprehension is the ability to understand what it is you are taking in - either by sound, sight, touch, smell.
Attention is the ability to focus on a sight, sound, touch, smell long enough to take in the message so that you can process it.
It’s like the Memory Card game. When your opponent flips two cards to see if they are a match, you only have a short period of time to take in whatever is on that card. Your brain might be able to see the entire image and identify it completely (say, it’s a coffee cup)…or your brain sees the entire image but only processes the handle of the cup, not the whole cup…or it takes in the background colors and not the image at all.
Now with the ADD the problem is that while that card is exposed as much as you’d like to just look at the card to take in as much information as you can, your brain jumps over to the music playing in the background, or the loose thread that’s on your sleeve or on your opponent’s sleeve, or basically anything BUT the card that is exposed. Before you know it your brain brings you back to the card but it’s now flipped over.
While your brain is able to distinguish a cup from a dog, or blue from red (that’s your comprehension), the ADD didn’t allow you to soak up the images long enough to make that distinction.
But what if your brain is able to distinguish between a cup from a dog, but it can’t, for whatever reason, distinguish between an english stein, coffee mug, or a porcelain tea cup. Then your comprehension would be limited and it has nothing to do with the ADD. You see both images entirely but they are both cups, no more, no less. The details get lost in your brain.
PERHAPS I NEED TO DENY MYSELF AND TAKE UP MY CROSS AND FOLLOW OUR LORD! And THAT includes failing in the real world perhaps?
You do not need to FAIL. I think that’s what I’m trying to get across to you. You are already SUCCEEDING. Why are you setting yourself up to fail from this point forward? God gave you special talents. He has a purpose for those talents
and for you. You WILL succeed at being the best you can be because you love the Lord and you have Faith. Will it be as easy as it is for ‘normal’ people? No. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible. Please stop saying you’re doomed for failure because you have mental limitations.
The thing is, from the research I’ve read over the years about AD/HD most people who have this are quite intelligent and quite creative. It’s almost like geniuses being social inept. They can’t help it, it’s just the way their brains are wired, but they still manage to find a niche for themselves in society and usually are large contributors to the advancement of their fields - math, science, art, literature. The movie “A Brilliant Mind” comes to mind, have you seen it? As does Bill Gates, Einstein and others…
How did they do it? I don’t know.
Where they happy people? Maybe, most, probably not.
Where they important to this world? Absolutely.
One thing I know is that ADDers
are able to focus for incredible amounts of time on certain tasks…each person is different. I believe that is how they survived…they found their niche and carved a living out of that. My son is gearing toward cinematography and my daughter is gearing toward theater because they find they are able to do those things for hours at a time. They know they would not survive in an office job or get through medical school. Your art teacher found hers, you need to find yours.
But really, I NEED to know the info in order to function - would the word - in the world, and it makes it difficult for an ADDic!
That’s what it feels like! That’s the CLOSEST I can get to let people have an IDEA what it feels like. I’m not saying that to be rude or anything but it’s a good illustration!
It’s frustrating, it’s excrutiating, I get that. But it’s the way it is, it’s not going to change, so your teacher found her outlet - her way to function in the world, make a living, and be happy with what she does despite her limitations. You can and you will, too.
Is your art teacher still angry about her limitations? If not, ask her how she got past that.
BUT I wish I could understand things better like everyone else I should’ve said. Look, it’s going to effect the work I do out in the real world if I don’t focus or comprehend what I need to comprehend and know for my degree! I guess it’s “not being a failure” like I have in the past. PERHAPS I NEED TO DENY MYSELF AND TAKE UP MY CROSS AND FOLLOW OUR LORD! And THAT includes failing in the real world perhaps?
Oh well.
Your distaste for us is evident. It’s christians like you that make God so hard to believe in. If you learn to show a little love for your brothers and sisters in Christ you can get WAY further in a conversation with us. 
Thank you for caring about me and wanting me to know YOUR truth but I believe that God has shown me mine. We are both children of God and will reside with Him someday side by side and I will be happy to see you. You’ve got a big hug waiting for you!