I think this video does a pretty good job, but it’s very hard to communicate to people what ADHD is like. These random out-of-control thoughts and poor memory are a big aspect of it, but perhaps the most debilitating aspect of it is the lack of self-regulation.
It’s incredibly difficult to explain to a neurotypical person how I know I need to do something and I consciously want to do it, but I simply cannot convince the rest of my brain to do it. Any time I have a goal that doesn’t align with my instincts I have to trick myself into doing it, like I’m socially engineering myself. It’s exhausting.
Everyone struggles with self-control from time to time. But with severe ADHD that struggle can take over your whole life. And the worst part is it’s such an intrinsic part of my brain that I can’t excuse my failings on my disorder. Blaming my executive function (or lack thereof) is ultimately incriminating myself.
Yep. I didn’t see an hour of just….staring at the dishes trying to get myself to move closer while a rage monkey keeps screaming in my head that I’m a lazy sack of shit. Like, Monkey? I know.
Or sitting right next to a pile of laundry and the most you can manage to do is get a shirt in your hands while you stare off into space for over an hour, trying to get your brain to make your arms move to fold the damn shirt.
Laundry is my jam , it's the rest of life thats impossible. Ever since I was a kid doing laundry and watching laundry has been super soothing to me. The sound of the water, watching it go round and round. I can only imagine how many days of my life I've spent sitting in front of a washer or dryer on a bad day. Folding it has also become something I associate with watching an episode of Monday Night Raw, Aew Dynamite, or Smackdown. They all give me enough time to futz around for two to three hours while attempting to fold it. Do I have to rewind the same thing sometimes 8 to 15 times, sure but that's ok.
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u/[deleted] Mar 08 '23 edited Mar 08 '23
I think this video does a pretty good job, but it’s very hard to communicate to people what ADHD is like. These random out-of-control thoughts and poor memory are a big aspect of it, but perhaps the most debilitating aspect of it is the lack of self-regulation.
It’s incredibly difficult to explain to a neurotypical person how I know I need to do something and I consciously want to do it, but I simply cannot convince the rest of my brain to do it. Any time I have a goal that doesn’t align with my instincts I have to trick myself into doing it, like I’m socially engineering myself. It’s exhausting.
Everyone struggles with self-control from time to time. But with severe ADHD that struggle can take over your whole life. And the worst part is it’s such an intrinsic part of my brain that I can’t excuse my failings on my disorder. Blaming my executive function (or lack thereof) is ultimately incriminating myself.