In early childhood, kids have energy that seems to come from nowhere and energy that never ends. I remember being told that I bounced off the walls all hours of the day. I could never climb a tree fast enough.
Others saw my giddiness as normal until I entered fourth grade. An epidemic of ADD and ADHD cases swept through my School between 2002 and 2007. No child was immune.
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By the time I was halfway through fourth grade, nearly two-thirds of my grade was under the influence of Ritalin and Adderall. I say ‘under the influence’ because of the side effects of the drugs.
I calmed down when I took Ritalin. For the teachers, it was a miracle, but for me, I was having some severe side effects. I not only lost my energy when engaging in physical activity but I started to hallucinate. Eventually, I stopped participating in all physical activities in school and at home. Teachers would find me staring off into space at recess and in the classroom. I wasn’t a wild child anymore.
Before the end of the year, I was taken off Ritalin. To this day, the only documented allergy I have is Ritalin. About a year after I stopped taking Ritalin I had my first attack with the circulatory disease Raynaud’s phenomenon. (To learn more about Raynaud’s phenomenon click here). It wasn’t till I was eighteen that I learned that I may have gotten Raynaud’s phenomenon from taking Ritalin. (To learn more about the connection between the drug Ritalin and the circulatory disease Raynaud’s phenomenon read Ritalin on Drugs.com and scroll down to warnings).
I entered middle school the years after I took Ritalin. As a newly integrated middle schooler, I sought for a place in the world. It was a rough ride for many years and later on I voluntarily branched away from the group of people I worked so hard to find.
High school was an eye opener. Friends from middle school left the group without every looking back. It was at this point that I started noticing a person’s personality by only watching them.
I was always a quiet person. For many years I struggled to figure out why I was always seen as an outcast. Once I found the answer, I stopped trying to impress people with fake smiles and interests.
[Before I continue, I want to warn you that my answer to this problem may differ from yours. With the evidence I’ve gathered, I’ve come to a conclusion that some people may find incorrect. If you get easily offended, please stop reading.]
Originally I thought my awkwardness when around other people was a side effect of the depression and anxiety I was suffering from. Granted, depression and anxiety can change a person’s personality and mess with their ability to communicate with others, but the mental health issues don’t have a clear, concise answer I find acceptable.
The one thing that convinced me that depression and anxiety weren’t the cause of my odd, standoffish behavior was my insomnia.
Now, insomnia can be a side effect of both depression and anxiety, along with other medical conditions, but my mind won’t allow me to come to any other conclusion. You see, my mind was and still is the problem. Don’t take this as being ‘insane’ because my explanation to my problem is the complete opposite of being ‘insane’.
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Having an Overactive mind has many problems for the bearer. Think about how Frodo Baggins suffered from the weight of the One Ring. I don’t believe the One Ring was corrupting Frodo as much as we are led to believe. I think that the weight of knowing how important it was to destroy the One Ring was what put Frodo over the edge throughout the movie trilogy and book series.
People with an overactive mind can never shut down their brains enough to fully relax and sleep. It’s like their brain is always high on caffeine. It seems as if bedtime is the time the brain wants to add some extra wood to the fire. Besides not being able to sleep decent, people with an overactive mind can find themselves daydreaming throughout the day.
These people are also considered excellent observers. People watching is one of their favorite pastimes.
As I got older, I found myself constantly observing others. This included teachers and other students. And as I observed these people, I overthought everything I was seeing. Would they be a good friend? They look friendly enough, but I noticed they get irritated quickly. Does that mean I have to be on constant alert with what I say? Will my day be based on how that person feels?
These rambling thoughts are what kept me from reaching out and meeting new people. Who would want or have the patience for someone who gets bored easily, has bouts of last minute inspiration for tasks, and analyze every possible angle of a discussion?
I’m an adult now and find meeting people easier and without so many limitations I had while in school. My overactive mind is still super glued to me, but I find my thoughts to be quite helpful at times.
My overactive mind didn’t suddenly knock at my front door when I entered high school. I believe I started showing signs as early as fourth grade. Young children’s ramblings can easily be signs of normal mental health development and or one of many fantasies kids cook up in their minds. Imaginary friends are popular sidekicks for the youngest of children. Those kids have conversations and go on adventures with their imaginary friends and learn valuable lessons like friendship and role modeling.
Having an overactive mind isn’t all bad. Creativity comes from many places and my artistic ability comes from the intense interest to try something new. I change my style of art often and continue to improve my ability.
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Yet, not being able to stop racing thoughts can make accomplishing tasks difficult. To make myself feel better, I imagine that I’m like Charles Xavier. The racing thought and sleepless nights are just my ‘super intelligence’ kicking in. (At least this is what I tell myself to make myself feel better). Charles Xavier opened a school in hopes of uniting mutants and humans. I may not be a mutant or as smart at Charles Xavier, but my work I do today is to raise awareness to global issues and inspire others to make a difference.
Do you have an overactive mind? Do you struggle with sleeping and getting along with people? Do you know anyone with an overactive mind?
