By: Brandy J.

You’d think that at age seventeen a young man would have found a tiny bit of maturity and have the ability to know when to use it. Not so when that young man has ADHD.  Emotions are heightened with a hyperactivity disorder. When he is happy, he is over the moon, laughing, smiling, and making everyone around him feel good. It’s like having a rainbow WITH the pot of gold and a few frolicking leprechauns thrown in for good measure.

But when he is unhappy or angry…..

Dark clouds descend. Thunder and lightening appear. The whole world is in turmoil, and there is a hurricane on the horizon. My son could make a big bad biker with an ingrown toenail look like a box of kittens. He curses, he throws things, he punches walls or doors or dressers, whatever inanimate object gets in his way. Thankfully for me and his sister, he has never hit one of us. He knows better than that, because I taught him to never ever hit a woman. I also taught him never to throw the first punch in a fight. He is allowed to defend himself, but he knows not to start something that could land him in jail.

The last fit he threw ended with a dent in the hood of my car. Did I get angry about it? Yes, I did. But I knew that it was better that he take it out on the car than on a person. 

I’ve tried taking him to a counselor, but he clams up and gets angry. He’s got a good working relationship with the school psychologist though, and she and I chat about him. I don’t know how she gets him to open up and talk, but I’m not complaining about it!