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So I’ve been sharing that ADHD iceberg graphic a lot and folks are like wow. That’s so much. It seems hard.
But I wanted to take a moment to play out how these issues hits someone daily and how ilhard it can be just to make it from waking up to going to bed. #ADHDcheckin
But I wanted to take a moment to play out how these issues hits someone daily and how ilhard it can be just to make it from waking up to going to bed. #ADHDcheckin
So you have ADHD. It’s not that bad right?
1) You have a poor sense of time, but live in a world that requires things to be on timelines, etc. You’re constantly asked how long will something take and you are completely making shit up because *you* don’t know. You’re always late.
1) You have a poor sense of time, but live in a world that requires things to be on timelines, etc. You’re constantly asked how long will something take and you are completely making shit up because *you* don’t know. You’re always late.
2) You’re all or nothing. If you’re excited about something you are an expert in days. You come off like a savant. But god forbid you lose interest or have no interest in a topic/activity? You *cant* do it. No matter the consequences. Folks think you’re lazy. It’s your brain.
3) Trouble recalling commonly used words. I have sat there trying to make sense of a word that I use everyday 50 times a day. One day I just can’t think of it. I will have to stop the convo cuz I can’t recall the word I CLEARLY KNOW. You feel stupid.
4) Sleeping problems. I haven’t slept well in years. I have to take meds to sleep and most times they aren’t fully effective. So you’re constantly tired. They say sleep deprivation can cause response times as if you’re drunk. Lack of sleep also messes with focus...
5) Rejective Sensitive Dysphoria. ADHD folks are incredibly sensitive to critique/rejection. This could manifest as being a people pleaser or completely going in the opposite way so that you don’t ever give anyone a chance to reject you. From professional to personal, it’s bad.
6)Losing items relentlessly. Do you understand how it feels to never be able to find what you’re looking for? Not once a week. Not once a day. Just constantly. And you’re looked at as careless. As if you wanted to lose sometimes very expensive items. It’s your fault.
7) Trouble regulating emotions. Think about the 1st 6 things Ive already talked about. Would you be in a good place emotionally? Now imagine your condition makes it harder to regulate your already insanely fluctuating emotions. You seem angry & you may embrace it but you’re hurt
8) Forgetting thoughts seconds after having them.
Do I even need to explain how this will fuck with you? You feel crazy. You will start interrupting people during conversations not to be rude, but because if you don’t get it out it will be lost forever.
Do I even need to explain how this will fuck with you? You feel crazy. You will start interrupting people during conversations not to be rude, but because if you don’t get it out it will be lost forever.
9) Switching tasks/Sticking to one task. The ADHD person may seem incredibly rigid. They dont like change. But it’s not out of selfishness. Being pushed out of routine can feel like a personal attack. And 1 task is so hard to stay on cuz 15 things need to be done for that 1.
10) Choice Paralysis. “It’s not that big of a deal. Just make a decision.” And the ADHD person may stare at you with terror in their eyes. Or better yet, they’ll pretend it doesn’t matter at all to hide their struggle over something THEY think is silly and yet...
11) Depression.
How could you NOT be depressed dealing with all this shit? But on top of it dopamine doesn’t work the same in the ADHD mind. That’s why stimulants sometimes helps. It increases sensitivity in the rewards center. People literally kill themselves over this shit.
How could you NOT be depressed dealing with all this shit? But on top of it dopamine doesn’t work the same in the ADHD mind. That’s why stimulants sometimes helps. It increases sensitivity in the rewards center. People literally kill themselves over this shit.
12) Difficulty maintaining relationships. So you’re depressed, can’t remember shit, and are incredibly sensitive to any sort of rejection/critique. You miss birthdays. You miss events cuz you can’t force yourself to go. And you’re sure your friends now hate you. So you pull back.
13) Executive Dysfuntion. You know that voice/feeling that tells you to do the basic shit you need to do? Taxes. Assignments. Eating. Showering. Cleaning. Things that obviously need to be done. Imagine that voice that just...goes silent or is deeply malfunctioning.
14) Hyperfixations. Also referred to as hyper-focus. The ADHD mind can lock in if it really cares. Not always but it can. And then 15 hrs go by. You haven’t eaten, used the bathroom. Nothing. Some think this is great cuz you learn fast. But what if your fixating on failure?
I can’t finish the list because it’s...a lot. But imagine living w/ just these issues. Imagine the daily struggle. Not being understood by friends/family. Feeling alone & broken w/ decades of confirmation of your shittiness via the adults in your life.
Thats ADHD. #ADDcheckin
Thats ADHD. #ADDcheckin
Now that I took a break I want to finish the list on the ADHD Iceberg.
15) Inability to focus even with no distractions. There are days where I cycle through 20-30 different projects, tv shows, cleaning, etc. I‘m not actively distracted but *CANNOT* lock it in. It’s maddening.
15) Inability to focus even with no distractions. There are days where I cycle through 20-30 different projects, tv shows, cleaning, etc. I‘m not actively distracted but *CANNOT* lock it in. It’s maddening.
16) Forgetting to eat, sleep use the bathroom. I’ve touched on some of this already. it’s normally attached to the hyper focusing. Many of you can’t imagine forgetting to use the bathroom. But imagine being so engrossed in your activity that your brain overrides your body.
17) Poor impulse control. This manifests in numerous ways from spending too much, eating too much, risking your life in some stupid stunt, playing video games instead of working, promiscuity, etc. That instinct that says “Yeah we shouldn’t do that” gets overridden Or isnt there.
18) Financial Problems.
Turn to your ADD friend/Family/neighbor and ask them how often have they had various utilities turned off. With money in the bank, and simply didn’t pay. Impulse control screws your savings. And the costs to try and make up for your ADD induced mistakes.
Turn to your ADD friend/Family/neighbor and ask them how often have they had various utilities turned off. With money in the bank, and simply didn’t pay. Impulse control screws your savings. And the costs to try and make up for your ADD induced mistakes.
19)Problems focusing on things even if their of interest.
Imma just say this. I love the movie John Wick. It’s one of my favorite movies in the past decade easily.
It took me multiple attempts at watching before I could finish It once. Couldn’t focus.
John. Fucking. Wick.
Imma just say this. I love the movie John Wick. It’s one of my favorite movies in the past decade easily.
It took me multiple attempts at watching before I could finish It once. Couldn’t focus.
John. Fucking. Wick.
20) Mood Swings. This 1 is hard for me. Because when I’m having a mood swing I don’t always believe I’m mid swing. I feel justified. Im not flipping because I think “Ya know what would be fun?” And then sometimes you hear /feel the swing and can’t stop it. The guilt afterwards.
21) Chronic Unemployment. Imagine the world is built for folks w/ 3 arms. 3 armed keyboard. 3 armed cars. The world is built for 3 arms. Now imagine you have 2 arms. You get things done, but you need some accommodations To be your best. Instead you’re labled a problem/fired.
