the kererū or new zealand pigeon isa fruit-pigeon native to new zealand. ‘kererū’ is an onomatopoeic name, based on their cooing vocalizations. these frugivorous birds feed mostly on peaches and introduced plums, but their love of fruit has given them a reputation for trouble. kererū often eat berries that have hung on the tree too long and fermented, causing them to become ‘drunken’ and act erratically.
They’re also one of only two surviving birds large enough to eat the fruit of several endemic trees that rely on birds to distribute their seeds, such as the tawa, so efforts to conserve them help biodiversity in more than one way. Government bodies and a citizen science NGO promote an annual Great Kererū Count, a brief period of time during which people in New Zealand are encouraged to report the time and place of any kererū sightings.
I keep seeing people, especially older adults, claim that if you have “ADD”, you don’t have hyperactive symptoms or that you grow out of it, which is just not true.
“ADD” or ADHD-PI as its now called, just means you have much more inattentive symptoms than hyperactive (hence, PI: Predominantly Inattentive).
I like imagining ADHD as a spectrum, with PH on one side, PI on the other and C in the middle. For example, I’m diagnosed as PI but I still show hyperactive symptoms from time to time; I once threw a towel, down the stairs, at my sister’s friend because I was feeling quite hyper.
Hyperactive symptoms don’t have to be physical, they can be mental too, like racing thoughts.
I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD-PI recently and I don’t experience physical hyperactivity at all. But in my head it is quite busy indeed. I talked to my roommate the other day and she said she sometimes doesn’t have any thought at all. Like I didn’t know that was possible. Mean well there isn’t a moment I’m not thinking about at least five things at the same time.
The constant buzzing of thoughts is the reason we need background music/noise to concentrate.. to drown out the buzz. I can’t study in a library because its too quiet.. and my in contrast my thoughts are too loud.
Talking a lot is a hyperactive symptom, the leg bounce is hyperactivity, feeling restless is a hyperactive symptom. How often do PI types exhibit symptoms like this? Every day for hours on end.
The idea that someone isn’t hyperactive because their hyperactivity isn’t loud and in your face to strangers is a problem.
And ADHD is lifelong. During each life stage, or even day to day, different things effect us and we learn new coping mechanisms as we go along (good or bad) so the disorder can display really differently in one single ADHDer. It’s all still ADHD and it’s all a challenge.
Also, physical hyperactivity symptoms in kids often get internalized as they get older. So they might seem to “grow out of it,” but really their brain has just matured just enough that they can be okay bouncing their leg instead of climbing on the furniture, or that they can usually control the constant impulse to interrupt people but it’s still there and something they’re very aware of and have to consciously hold back.
I do not appear to be anywhere even close to hyperactive. I was inactive as a kid, I’m inactive as an adult. Yet I have four of the required six hyperactive/impulsive symptoms.
I’m much more on the inattentive side because my brain never shuts up…weed actually helps a lot to slow it down when concentration is required. Never knew racing/disjointed thoughts & rambling/interrupting were hyperactivity symptoms, since I can (barely) contain my restlessness and urge to pace.
Be wary of anyone who talks about “the real world.” Your world is real. Your experiences are real. And the phrase “the real world” tends to be bandied about by people who want you to imagine that everyone is as cruel as them, you’re just too sheltered to know it.
No matter how many adult responsibilities you have, it is not impossible to find compassionate people.
lovingdread 