OLLLD post, I know, but I stumbled across it and thought it might be worth replying to,
beaker said:
I think its the challenges in life that end up making up better or more creative people sometimes.
I have to agree, though I do think perhaps you have it backward...really, it is a question of which came first, the chicken or the egg.
As for my own disabilities...
I've had a lifelong struggle with anxiety. Throughout early childhood, I had many severe fears that would cause me such panic and terror that I would occasionally have panic attacks. In those days, my prime fears were the Pink Panther, Placido Flamingo on Sesame Street, and clowns. Today, I'm principly afraid of tornadoes, and my childhood.
When I was 6 years old, I was diagnosed with ADHD, but it was under control...until I moved to Cincinnati, Ohio a few months after my 7th birthday. Most of what happened between the ages of 7 and 9 are so severely repressed AND the circumstances around which are so fishy, my memories of the era are quite foggy, even more so than memories of, say, pre-school. It almost seems, looking back, that I abdicated my life, and someone/thing took over. I was reduced to watching what happened as if in a movie theater. I did many, many foolish and thoughtless things; I hit a girl so hard that I damaged her kidney. I went through a long phase of shoplifting. I would throw violent tantrums and became increasingly suicidal. I spent almost all of my time in my room, watching TV (particularly Sesame Street) and reading, and if I was disturbed or questioned, I would be sent into an immense rage. I was very nearly institutionalized, and was on all manner of medications, including Prozac, Adderal, Ritalin, until finally, I was put on Lithium...and was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder at age 9. I've regained control of my life, even though I'm far from perfect now.
This basically just scratches the surface, but you have an idea; my issues pale in comparison with some of yours, but I'm glad I got this off my chest.