I’ve noticed a phenomenon not only in myself, but also in many people that have ADHD. My handwriting can change drastically from day to day, or even situation to situation. I have about four different styles of handwriting.

1. One is when I’m generally pretty relaxed. My handwriting is actually really well done, leans to the right, and is very easy to read. I attribute this to the fact that my mother was a teacher. Her handwriting is perfect.

2. Then I have my “hyperfocused” handwriting. This is when I am really into whatever I’m doing – like when I’m at work, for example. That handwriting has totally different letter shapes and is straight up and down.

3. Then I have one style where I actually have a backwards slant to my writing. That handwriting style occurs at random.

4. And I have yet another style when I am not really paying attention to the task at hand – just jotting down a note or something. That style also has a totally different shape to the letters.

Sometimes it gets to the point where cashiers have to ask me to rewrite my signature or get out my ID because my signature looks nothing like the signature on the back of my credit/debit card.

I thought at first this happened just because I was left-handed, but this phenomenon seems to occur in right-handed ADHDers also. I tried to use software that recognized individual handwriting and translated it into type. The software “learns” your handwriting so it gets more accurate with time at deciphering it into type. However, whenever I tried to use it, it had a total meltdown.

I know there is a connection between ADHD and handwriting, due to current studies and the amount of people with ADHD that have “chicken scratch” handwriting. Or as one client put it, “Chickens wouldn’t even be able to read my handwriting.” And as I said before, having totally different styles of handwriting seems to occur more in people with ADHD.