I’ve learned that my brain’s ADHD department needs the opposite. It needs constant stimulation to keep it distracted so that it leaves me alone to have some semblance of executive function.
Audio stimulation works best. I used to always listen to podcasts, but I’ve found that specific types of music are best for getting work done. (in my case, it’s upbeat energetic thrash and groove metal)
This! Thrash metal or some good electronic music is the only thing that helps. Chiptunes too. I can pump out shitloads of work that way. Unfortunately, ever since Teams was introduced, people keep calling me without hesitation. People invite me to (recurring) meetings faster than I can decline them. I fucking hate the post covid era. I can’t listen to music for more than 2 minutes before the next interruption.
I have to, I mean HAVE to, get paperwork done today.
So far today I have mowed/weed wacked the yard, weeded and watered my garden, pulled meat from the freezer to defrost and planned dinner for tonight, and took one phone call in regards to said paperwork. They called me, of course.
I’m now on break and it’s nearly noon. This paperwork is over my head and I am overwhelmed. I could start on other chores just to avoid it, instead I uh, am taking break. I have to get this done, and I am annoyed as to why I have to do it at all… I might just pull it out to look at it. That’s step one no?
Yes definitely pull it out. Celebrate any progress in the right direction. Write down one word. Fill out one tiny section. Now positively reinforce it - that section was easy, nice. If that’s what you get done today then so be it. The next section will be easier.
Hey, checking in. I know what this paralysis feels like. I do encourage you to JUST take it out. Maybe skim it if you can. Nothing else, then take another little break for a time. You got this <3
You took a phone call? You overachiever, you
Maybe I’m the odd one out, but I need some form of background noise to concentrate on anything. Whether that be music or someone endlessly yapping with a monotone voice in a video. Just anything that drowns out my endless stream of thoughts that have 0 to do with my task.
Excellent username really unique I like it
Yeah. I’m my own distraction.
I thought removing distractions would help too. But even with no distractions, attending a meeting feels like I’m listening to a radio while driving between states.
Would you look at that, I have hands.
I remember back when I was in school and staring at my hands seemed infinitely more important than homework. Also watching shadows change as the sun moved across the sky.
Thinking about really makes me appreciate Adderall.
You had a WINDOW?! Lucky. I got a windowless room in school all by myself to do my homework in, as my reward for even having an IEP (that was never followed)
“y’know, they call 'em fingers, but I never see them ‘fing.’ Oh, wait, there they go.”
Me with distraction: feeling fine, barely getting work done
Me without distraction: rumination HELL, feel like shit, still barely getting work done
Give me interesting work and I will give you unlimited output
Are you sure it’s not just depression?
There is probably also depression in there. It is pretty easy to get depressed when you have ADHD.
throws you down a cliff like a sack of potatoes
but ADHD is such a gift how could we ever end up depressed??!?
I’ve seen this mentality way too much on Reddit subs. Often by the same people that say they are just “neurospicy” and that ADHD is quirky and makes up their entire identity. God that shit is cringe.
Even saw someone recently ask people if they would cure their ADHD if scientists came up with a cure. 90% of the responses were by sane people saying, “WTF question is that? Yes, I would cure it, it’s a disability!” and the op was just replying to them that ADHD was the reason they were creative and was their identity… Bro… Sometimes, I feel like some of these people aren’t even real.
To be fair, if you’ve been diagnosed as an adult, ADHD is a huge part of who you are. You’ve lived with it your entire life and you’ve developed coping mechanisms accordingly.
But I get what you’re saying!
“Write stuff down and put it where you’ll see it!”
— proceeds to completely see through the stuff you wrote down because it is now blends into the background scenery —
Yeah, this is why I have a physical calendar with stickers that I can place for tasks (they are called family calendars and have extra space to place pictograms and notes on each day of the months) and an app that notifies me of tasks to do at the same time (for any ADHD havers here, the app is called Habitica, it’s the best app I’ve found for ADHD, try it out; it really helps).
If I blend one out completely that day, the other reminds me non-stop on my phone (post-its were not helping at all on their own and weren’t precise enough compared to a family calendar). It helps with getting more tasks done than if I didn’t use those tools at all (I am medicated, but I still struggle with not doing tasks when my motivation is very low, you all know how it is).
Yup. Getting tired of people saying “just write notes and reminders!”
Okay, my brain immediately deleted the memory of the reminder once it popped up, now what.
Alternative: about six years ago I was struck with an idea for a new campaign setting after watching a video about orbital resonance in tightly-packed planetary systems. I was about to get into the shower at the time, but I completely forgot about that for the next three hours as i started scribbling equations on the walls with soap and on the steamed-up mirrors with my fingers. That was the moment that made me realize I actually needed medication
I’m in this picture and I don’t like it.
I will make up a story more elaborate than game of thrones before doing something I don’t want to
If I don’t have something to distract me I can’t concentrate
Yep, the goal is to find the correct balance of the correct types of distractions.
Too much or the wrong ones and you veer off course and never make it back to the main task, too much the other way and the main task feels like too much to start.
This is different for everyone which makes it all the more fun. It’s a life skill people with adhd need to learn all on their own and other than telling rach other a path exists, we cannot actually guide each other from our own experience.
And the sometimes what works shifts around or stops working all together as circumstances or surroundings change.
I work best with music/podcasts/streaming all simultaneously blasting. Then I can concentrate.
My wife finds it BAFFLING that I can listen to a TV show with audio description on, or an audiobook, or a podcast, while playing a video game, and be happy as a clam.
My brother gets annoyed by me having like 2-3 audio sources at a time on my computer when I try to have a conversation with him or have him take a look at one of the things producing audio and makes me mute the rest.
It slightly annoys me when he uses headphones because I want the extra background noise. But I realize that’s an absurd thing be annoyed about and keep it to myself normally.
Yesterday, my cousin, whose computer is right next to my room was playing music loudly and when he found out I was taking a nap asked if he needed to turn it and down and I said something that sounded like it could be passive aggressive and then had to say something like “I’m not being passive aggressive. I actually like that noise while trying to sleep. Like people like fans for white noise”.
One of the best things I accidentally did for myself was put a 3D printer in my office. It’s a fantastic level of noise and distraction. I could watch that nozzle laying down plastic for hours, and my brain shower-thoughts its way to problem solving while I do. I love it.
The distractions are all on the inside of my brain going weeeeeee… so should i just remove my brain?
Complete removal seems extreme. Maybe just disconnect some of it, as a treat.
My fingers are fucking fascinating. As are my toes. Not to mention all the bullshit going on in my head.
Yes. I hate myself.
By “wall” I assume this means smartphone. Because if you’re sitting for 6 hours doing nothing but staring at a wall I think there’s something else going on.
EDIT:
I get that the meme is being hyperbolic, but I find it kind of misleading. As someone who likely has ADHD or/and is on the spectrum, the idea of “sitting still and staring at a wall for 6 hours” doesn’t match how ADHD usually works. If I remove distractions, I don’t just freeze - I end up doing something else entirely, like watching YouTube or pacing around. The paralysis is real, but it’s more about being stuck in a loop of avoiding the right task while still seeking stimulation. So the meme’s wording just doesn’t land for me because it confuses task paralysis with total inactivity, which feels more like depression or burnout than ADHD. Maybe I’m just being too literal, but this is why it doesn’t click with me.You have a functioning brain right? You don’t need smartphone to get thinking.
Mostly functional yes, but not compatible with sitting still for 6 hours and doing nothing.
Doing nothing implies just physically nothing though. If you have a fun brain there are a lot of things you can do. It’s specifically useful while traveling long distances
Comments like this give me the feeling that it’s the neurotypicals that actually have something wrong with them and they just convinced ND people that they’re the normal ones.
If you’re removing distractions, you should probably also remove smartphones /tablets/smartwatches/whatever else people might have. But again, even if people try to remove my distractions, I’ll entertain myself. I personally like to guess and check cube roots, which is much easier to do with paper and pencil, but can be done without. It’s an effective way to kill time.
No. By wall they mean wall/ceiling/floor.
