ABCs of ADHD
Hello friends,
I often find that my biggest difficulties with ADHD have to do with my reactions. Those off-the-cuff responses to things that feel outside of my control.
My emotions often take over before I even know they've arrived.
Our brains are constantly trying to predict the future, looking for any threat lurking around the corner. When a threat is determined, our body reacts instantaneously with a fight, flight, or freeze response.
Unfortunately, many of the difficulties with ADHD—poor working memory, lack of inhibition, etc—cause our brain to make errors in identifying these threats.
Is that a lion? Or just a mouse? Our brains don't know, so they fire off a physiological response anticipating imminent danger.
We often fail to see the difference between a minor irritation and a really big deal.
The best thing we can do to combat this is to create space.
Simple, but not easy.
Try to build this habit in the times that aren't a fight, flight, or freeze scenario. Take the time to pause, give your thoughts a moment to catch up with your feelings, and evaluate the decisions you're about to make.
Practice the pause and learn to give yourself breathing room.
🎙
I was a guest on one of my favorite podcasts, Focused with David Sparks and Mike Schmitz. We discussed a lot about ADHD, productivity, and why neurotypical advice is often toxic for those of us with ADHD.
I love getting the chance to spread more awareness about ADHD with a new audience. And just in time for ADHD Awareness Month!
https://www.relay.fm/focused/135
Stay focused,
Jesse J. Anderson
🔤🧠 The ABCs of ADHD (Instagram) For ADHD Awareness Month, I've been doing a daily series of tweets on The ABCs of ADHD (e.g A is for Attention, B is for Boredom, etc). For Instagram, I've been creating visuals to go with the them. Check out the gallery and follow along as I update throughout the month!
👍📝 ADHD & Developing a Positive Mindset This article gives tips to help reframe your perspective on ADHD. We often forget our positive experiences, which can lead to having a more negative mindset. Follow this guide to make a change.
Quote of the week
The vast majority of adults with ADHD are not overtly hyperactive, though they are hyperactive internally.
— William Dodson