A/N: This is based COMPLETELY on my ADHD, so if things are different for you, please realize that there are different levels of intensity for ADHD, and everyone experiences it's effects in a different way
ADHD is often displayed in ways that people "think" its like (only struggling with focus/hyperactivity), but people dont realize that there are many other struggles that we go through
This is a oneshot i made to raise awareness, as i've never seen one that correctly portrays ADHD
1)
Peter was sat at the kitchen table at his and May's apartment, having just gotten home from a long day at school
He looked down at his laptop, and switched to his teachers' page, looking for that day's homework
English: Write a 7 paragraph essay, double-spaced, on how you think the environment that the black bear lives in has an effect on the way the animal lives.
He thought about it, he really did, but the essay could wait until later...
Peter went searching through his other classes, finding his other homework
History: Pick one person we have learned about in this unit who interests you the most and describe in 2 pages how they had an effect on their time period/location.
Peter just sighed and scrolled past that assignment too, it could wait until he had the motivation to do it...
it's not that he's procrastinating, he just... works better when he has the motivation
Peter opened his math homework, and immediately started flying through it, math tending to come easily to him, as he happened to know all the answers.
He went through problem after problem, solving them like crazy, before he finished the last problem
"well that was easy", Peter smiled to himself, submitting the assignment, feeling accomplished
Now filled with adrenalin from completing the last assignment, Peter moved onto his English essay assignment again, re-reading the assignment
English: Write a 7 paragraph essay, double-spaced, on how you think the environment that the black bear lives in has an effect on the way the animal lives.
wait what?
English: Write a 7 paragraph essay, double spaced, on how you think the environment that the black bear lives in has an effect on the way the animal lives.
What did i just read?
English: Write a 7 paragraph essay, double spaced, on how you think the environment that the black bear lives in has an effect on the way the animal lives.
"Why cant i just freaking understand the assignment?" Peter asked himself out loud, growing more and more frustrated each time he had to re-read the same sentence
English: Write a 7 paragraph essay, double spaced, on how you think the environment that the black bear lives in has an effect on the way the animal lives.
"okay so, i have to write a 7 page essay on how black bears live?" Peter mumbled to himself, trying to make sense of the assignment, "wait no, thats not it"
English: Write a 7 paragraph essay, double spaced, on how you think the environment that the black bear lives in has an effect on the way the animal lives.
Peter just stared at his screen for a few moments, in complete silence, not reading the assignment again, not thinking of anything, just... staring
before...
Peter slammed his hands down on the table before he stood up from his seat, and started pacing the room, feeling so frustrated
what was wrong with him?
"seriously Peter?" Peter yelled at himself, "You cant understand the instructions now?"
and it wasn't that he couldn't read the instructions, no, he knew what he read, and he remembers every word of it, he just can process it
"how on earth are you going to get this essay done if you cant get past the instructions?" Peter asked himself, mentally slapping himself in the head over and over.
Peter let out an irritated huff, walked back over to the table, his excess energy gone from the pacing, and flopped back down into his seat
"Just focus peter, FOCUS", He yelled, forcing himself to read over the instructions again
English: Write a 7 paragraph essay, double spaced, on how you think the environment that the black bear lives in has an effect on the way the animal lives.
"ohhhh, i get it now", Peter gasped, hands flying up in recognition, "i have to write an essay about how a bears environment changes their lifestyle... why didn't i get that before?"
Peter opened a document, where he could type his essay, and started on it,
There are many reasons that a bear's environment could effect its lifestyle, Peter typed, before pausing to think about how he's going to phrase his next words, and i'm going to share them with you.
Peter decided thats enough for now, and opened a new star wars video game that Ned showed him, and he started to play, choosing to type the rest of the essay later. It was still early, so he had plenty of time to get it done later
Peter played the game for what felt like ten minutes, before closing it down, thinking that he needed to get some more work done
He checked the time, and almost fell out of his chair, four thirty!? i've been playing that game for an hour?
Peter, beginning to panic, opened back up his essay, and started to do more research on the bears.
Once he had some research stored, he typed out about 2 paragraphs, as though it were nothing. he flew through it, and was done with the two in less than fifteen minutes.
"okay Peter, just five more paragraphs to go", peter cheered himself on, continuing to write his essay
around twenty minutes later, he stopped, finished with his essay
He stared at his laptop again, in shock, what just happened? why could i write that all in under an hour, yet i couldn't write more than two sentences when i started?
Peter, although he completed his assignment, was feeling even more frustrated than before
"why?" Peter asked himself, slamming his head against the table, "Why didn't i just do that before? why was i being so stupid? why did i take a break?"
Peter turned in his essay, and moved onto the next topic
History: Pick one person we have learnt about in this unit whom interest you the most, and describe in 2 pages how they had an effect on their time period/location.
...what?
Peter held his head in his hands, wanting to scream.
He felt tears come to his eyes, as he stared at the assignment, why cant i understand what i just read? i just read it five seconds ago. why am i like this?
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2)
Peter walked down the long hallway to the kitchen at Stark Tower, feeling as though he was floating
He knew where he came from, and he knew where he was headed, and he was aware of what was around him, yet he just wasn't fully... there
Peter felt his legs take him down to the kitchen, and he was controlling his legs, but after each step, he forgot about the last step
He felt like he was there, and he was in control, but he also wasn't there
He could laugh and talk all he wanted, but he didnt feel normal, he felt like he was floating, like his head was filled with bubbles
it was like he was playing a virtual reality game, and he was the main character.
He could make his own decisions, but he wasn't there, everything felt so fake, almost as if he were a robot
he often got like this, and only one thing seemed to help...
i need coffee
no, not because he was tired, anyone can see peter doesn't need more energy than he already has
Peter needed the caffeine
He and May can't afford medication for his ADHD, so he has to use natural substitutes to help.
He's tried everything, but the only thing that seems to work is coffee
The coffee didn't just help him focus, like how many without ADHD assume, it makes him feel like he's actually there, like he's one with his body, like he's real
it grounds him.
Peter entered the kitchen and saw Mr. Stark staring at the TV, sipping on a cup of coffee
"Good Morning, Mr. Stark", Peter chirped, greeting his mentor
Tony looked over to peter, and smiled, "Mornin, kid. want any breakfast or anything?"
Peter smiled, though a fake smile, he felt as though he couldn't feel any emotion at the moment, "actually, i just wanted some coffee, if thats okay with you"
Tony narrowed his eyes in suspicion, "you? coffee? kid, you don't need caffeine"
Peter forced himself to let out a hallow laugh, not actually feeling any emotion
he wanted to do nothing more but drink the freaking coffee, "i just like the flavor"
"wasn't aware you were a fan of bitter things", Mr stark shot back, raising an amused eyebrow
Peter, growing anxious, just mumbled, "Learn something new everyday i guess...", Peter was really starting to realize what the saying 'his head is in the clouds' means
Mr. Stark just furrowed his eyebrow, looking confused as ever, before something sparked in his eyes... recognition,
"Alright, kid, pot's full, help yourself", Tony pointed to the pot resting in the coffee machine
Peter offered him a grateful smile, and walked over to the machine
as he poured himself a cup, he heard Mr. Stark's voice speak up from behind him,
"you know kid, i have ADHD too"
Peter's head snapped over to look at his mentor, almost dropping his newly poured cup of coffee
"its not- im not- what do you-", Peter stuttered out, trying to think of anything he could say to throw off Mr. Stark's accusation
Tony just rolled his eyes, "its nothing to be ashamed of", he started, walking towards the kid, "Think of it as a new way of viewing the world"
Peter snorted, his anxiety calming as he realized Mr. Stark wasn't going to judge him, "I'd be perfectly fine with viewing the world the correct way, thank you"
Tony just smirked, "and who's to say that our way isn't the right way?"
"the definition of neurodivergent is literally 'differing in mental or neurological function from what is considered typical or normal', Mr stark", Peter deadpans
"well", Tony started, taking another sip of his coffee, "whoever wrote that definition most likely wasn't neurodivergent, so of course it wouldn't be 'normal' to them. just as the Neurotypical mind isn't normal to us"
Peter just scoffed, "yeah, try explaining that to the kids at my school, or my teachers while you're at it"
Tony didn't let up though, "Im sure the kids at your school don't know pi down to the three hundredth number, or have every star wars movie memorized word for word"
"Yeah, probably because i learn't those when i was supposed to be doing homework", Peter snapped, looking at the man as if he's grown another head
"maybe you just don't learn in that way", Tony shrugged
Peter set down his coffee out of frustration, "No duh, but when my teachers' tell me to write an essay, I cant exactly tell them that I cant because 'I don't work that way', now can I?"
"well then find a way that you can work."
"don't you think i've tried?" Peter asked, drinking more of his coffee
"have you tried audiobooks instead of reading?"
"yes"
"reading while listening to the audiobooks?"
"yes."
"Drawing while listening to audiobooks?"
"Yes"
"acting out the scenes in the books?"
"ye-wait, what?"
Peter's eyes snapped up to meet Tony's, what on hearth does he mean 'act out the scenes'
Tony had an accomplished look plastered onto his face, "You know, treat the book like a script, and act it out. It'll be much easier for you to understand the story if you are in the story"
Peter just stared at Tony, not saying anything
"kid?" Tony asked, growing concerned, "you there?"
Peter just rushed forward, and pulled Tony into a hug, "thankyou thankyou thankyou, Mr. Stark! you just saved my grade, seriously"
Tony stiffened under the hug, but grinned back, "Of course I did, I'm a genius"
Peter just laughed into Tony's chest
"now if you wouldn't mind, can you get off of me? we aren't there yet, kid"
Peter let go, but let out another laugh, at the reference from when they first met
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3)
Peter was sitting in class, listening to a science lecture, using one of those 'flippy bike chain' fidgets under his desk, as it was small, and wouldn't draw any attention
he was taking notes on the lecture when,
"Mr. Parker"
Peter's head snapped up, to see the teacher glaring at him, "what did we say about toys in the classroom"
The class laughed, causing Peter's face to head up, as he folded into himself in embarrassment
"its- its not a-" Peter started, only to be cut off by the teacher,
"I'm not stupid, Peter. I've seen kids bring these 'fidget' toys to class all the time, it just distracts others", She pointed out
Peter knew that no one else actually cared about him stimming, but he knew better than to argue with a teacher
"now give it here, and i'll give it back to you by the end of class", The teacher commanded, holding her hand out, signaling for Peter to hand his item over to her
The class just broke out into more snickers as they watched Peter put the liked chain into his teachers hand
"thank you, Mr. Parker, don't let me see you with toys in my classroom again"
Peter just sighed, wanting to do nothing but stand up and yell at the teacher until his throat hurt, but he knew that wouldn't be the right thing to do
This is why people shouldn't get items meant to help people with medical reasons because its 'fun', Peter thought sadly, They normalize everything to the point where the people whom actually need it aren't able to use it
Peter tried to focus, he really did, he jut couldnt. Usually he'd use his fidget chain as a focus for him to put his ecess energy into, or as people say "occupy his hands", but now he couldnt.
He stared up at the teacher, listening to every word she said, but forgetting everything just seconds after. in one ear, out the other
Peter started shaking his leg under his desk, but was forced to stop, as it was annoying those around him by 'shaking the desk'.
I wonder if i could chug eight bottles of redbull- NO, Peter, focus. Write down notes. wait, what am i supposed to write down? what is she even talking about anymore? she actually looks kind of like that one girl from last nights movie...
Peter shook his head, literally trying to 'shake away the thoughts'. it didnt work
Peter pressed his pencil to his paper ready to take notes, then...
he drew a mouse.
Peter internally sighed, and went back to his thoughts, allowing them to consume him, taking him into another world...
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A/N: There will be more parts to this one, going into more of the traits of ADHD, I hope you all enjoyed!
Ps: Lokison is coming soon i promise! idk if it'll be the next one, but its coming up! i already have like half of it written