[sukothefox]

Is anyone having difficulty making friends because of ADHD? I attribute a lot of my social problems to ADHD, since a lot of times I say things that offend others. People have told me that I am "rude" for saying I am an agnostic atheist. They also claim I am "arrogant" and that "I have a way with words". Sometimes my friends seem to imply I have a hard time understanding others, but when I ask them whether they think I lack empathy they look at me bewildered and say this: "No... You seem to be a very empathetic person".
Something I have a great amount of trouble with is introducing myself to others and engaging in small task. The times I try to engage in it, all my knowledge disappears and it is as if my tongue freezes. People then lose patience with me and look for an excuse to end the conversation and leave. It makes me feel so wretched, that I have developed some form of "learned helplessness". I just gave up trying, because I always end up feeling extremely anxious. This is another reason why I hate small talk, and why I always wait for others to talk to me.
It is rather unfortunate that where I live, people have very close groups where opportunities to introduce someone new are scarce. I would say I am in a catch-22 situation. I know you will say that I should get out more, but that's only part of the issue!
The problem may be worsened by the fact that English is my second language, and I don't speak it at home at all (I read and write in English more often than speaking it).

In the end, I feel like I will never be valued for who I am, if there is anything to value. Sometimes I think that people really don't want to talk to me because I am a scatterbrained individual, and somehow see it through my body language, and say to themselves: "I better not hang out with that guy... He will only waste our time with his distraction and disorganization".

[glok]

Hello, sukothefox. Are you receiving treatment for ADHD? If so, what does your therapist say about what you describe?

If not, do you know why the coping skills you learned are not working? Is some maintenance therapy an option?

[Travelinglady]

I'm sure there are some books that talk about ADHD and relationships. It can make relationships harder.

[sideblinded]

Hi

I know that my hyperactivity and impulsivity are embarrassing since they have never been treated. I believe that I avoid close relationships because it brings on more variables where it is harder for me to deal with. So, from my own experience and from literature that I have read, ADHD can very easily hinder relationships or make them much more difficult to handle. (hugs)