Honestly Elliott

Content warning: This section of the guide discusses ableism toward people with ADHD.

Elliott experiences multiple traits associated with ADHD that impact his life in various ways. Experiencing ableism presents challenges because he sometimes has insufficient support and understanding from others, including when he has difficulties directing his attention and is forgetful. While this makes certain facets of his life more difficult, his traits also function as strengths and make him who he is.

At the beginning of the text, Elliott identifies his ADHD as a primary cause of his social, academic, and daily struggles. He does not have many close friends, which he attributes to his tendency to make mistakes and to his disinterest in sports. When he reaches sixth grade and the educational styles change to become more dynamic, Elliott has a hard time organizing his classwork and remembering his homework. Overwhelmed, he hides his incomplete work, and his declining grades go unnoticed since the school does not have correct contact information for his parents. Similar challenges are also present in Elliott’s home life, as depicted through his tendency to procrastinate packing at Mark’s and through forgetting to do laundry at Nina’s. To help Elliott overcome his ADHD-related challenges, the authority figures in his life, like