07/05/2025
When you put it like that…
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16C4CDuWCV/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Instead of saying “I’ve got ADHD,” say:
I live with a neurological condition that affects nearly every part of how I think, feel, move, and interact with the world. It includes:
Cognitive paralysis struggling to begin even the simplest task
Emotional dysregulation where emotions hit harder, last longer and change rapidly
Rejection sensitivity perceived or actual rejection can feel devastating
Mood swings and emotional volatility
Pathological demand avoidance (PDA) intense anxiety when faced with expectations
Social awkwardness, masking and constantly replaying conversations
Impulsivity interrupting, oversharing, impulsive spending, and risk-taking
Sensory overload noise, light, textures, and smells can overwhelm or distract
Sensory seeking craving texture, pressure, movement, or sound to self-regulate
Stimming repetitive movements or sounds to soothe or focus
Auditory processing disorder hearing but not always understanding
Choice paralysis even picking food or clothes can be overwhelming
Justice sensitivity strong reactions to unfairness or inequality
Inconsistent attention either deeply focused or completely disconnected
Trouble interpreting facial expressions, tone or social cues
Inability to prioritise or sequence steps in a task
Chronic restlessness a body that won’t sit still or fully relax
Deep intuition and empathy, often feeling others’ emotions intensely
Rapid shifts in interest, energy and focus
Object and person impermanence ‘out of sight, out of mind’ is very real
Inconsistent sleep difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking
Difficulty creating or sticking to daily routines
Zoning out, dissociation, and ‘ADHD autopilot’
Postural sway physical imbalance or clumsiness
Hyper-awareness of surroundings due to overstimulation
A lifetime of being corrected, misunderstood or criticised
Time blindness underestimating or losing track of time constantly
Burnout from masking, overworking or navigating daily overwhelm
Hormonal sensitivity that worsens ADHD symptoms
A constant need for excessive clarity, reassurance and structure
Intrusive thoughts and obsessive focus on specific interests
Overanalysing social interactions for hours (or days)
Pattern recognition seeing links others miss but also overconnecting
Forgetfulness losing items, forgetting appointments, misplacing thoughts
Brain fog moments where thoughts feel stuck or out of reach
Difficulty shifting tasks or environments transitions feel like brick walls
People pleasing shaped by years of masking and fear of judgement
Discomfort with eye contact can feel intense or unsafe
Intense emotional states feeling everything or feeling nothing
An abundance of ideas but difficulty initiating or completing them
Sensory fatigue needing silence, darkness or alone time to recharge
Trouble with paperwork, phone calls and “simple” life admin
Difficulty identifying and expressing needs in the moment
Paralysis in response to vague or open-ended instructions
Executive dysfunction knowing what to do, but being unable to do it
‘All or nothing’ motivation either completely obsessed or disengaged
A hyperactive mind that rarely pauses day and night
Difficulty regulating food, rest, screen time or boundaries
Emotional flashbacks, often mistaken for overreaction
Easily overwhelmed by clutter, noise or too many choices
Delayed processing emotions or information may take hours or days to click
A nervous system constantly in fight, flight or freeze
Difficulty forming habits, even with strong desire or repetition
Feeling like an alien in a neurotypical world
Difficulty tolerating boredom even brief moments of inactivity can feel unbearable
Emotional hangovers lingering feelings from interactions or overstimulation
Internal restlessness feeling agitated even when physically still
Procrastination paired with perfectionism putting things off until they feel impossible
Overcommitting saying yes too often and burning out later
Feeling misunderstood or labelled as lazy, messy, or careless
Intense creativity that comes in bursts and vanishes unpredictably
Difficulty recognising hunger, thirst or fatigue until it's extreme
Hyperfocus on special interests while neglecting basic tasks
Struggling to self-advocate due to fear of being dismissed or burdensome
Difficulty shifting gears between tasks, conversations or emotions
Starting multiple tasks at once and finishing none
Losing motivation when something stops being new or interesting
Strong resistance to authority or being micromanaged
Forgetting why you entered a room, opened a tab or picked up your phone
Craving novelty and stimulation but becoming overwhelmed by it
Feeling guilt or shame over things that seem “easy” for others
Struggling to recall what was just said in conversations or meetings
Needing visual reminders everywhere or forgetting things exist
Constant mental noise juggling thoughts, ideas, and internal monologues
Interrupting others mid-sentence without meaning to
Feeling emotionally "flooded" by too many tasks or demands
Getting stuck in repetitive thought loops
Avoiding tasks that feel boring, repetitive, or emotionally heavy
Feeling deeply connected to music, movement, or nature
Intense need for autonomy and control over your own schedule
Overspending for dopamine or impulsively buying “solutions”
Hyperfixating on new tools, routines, or systems that quickly fade
Needing fidget toys, chewing, pacing, or tapping to concentrate
Struggling to switch off mentally, even when physically exhausted
Feeling like you're "too much" or "not enough" in social spaces
Avoiding eye contact not out of disrespect but from discomfort
Reading the same sentence over and over and not retaining it
Struggling to track conversations in noisy or group environments
Inconsistent memory vivid recall of some things, blank on others
Experiencing anxiety about tasks you know you’re capable of
Feeling like a burden for needing help or explanation
Trouble regulating tone or volume, especially when excited
Deep emotional response to perceived unfairness or cruelty
Needing movement, stimulation or pressure to feel present in your body
Struggling to interpret vague instructions or open-ended tasks
Avoiding tasks for so long they become emergencies
Constantly re-writing to-do lists but rarely completing them
Over-researching before starting anything
Trouble following multi-step instructions without losing track
Overexplaining to avoid being misunderstood
Deep sense of shame after small mistakes
Extreme difficulty doing tasks when being watched
Easily startled or jumpy due to nervous system sensitivity
Becoming emotionally attached to inanimate objects
Needing background noise to focus or needing complete silence
Forgetting what’s been said while it’s still being said
Bouncing between apps, tabs or thoughts without realising
Using humour or self-deprecation to mask overwhelm
Feeling judged for being “too intense” or “too sensitive”
Relying heavily on alarms, notes, or lists to function
Starting the day energised but crashing hard mid-afternoon
Losing interest in long-term goals that once felt exciting
Over-apologising for simply existing or taking up space
Feeling alienated by systems that assume linear thinking
Difficulty dealing with unplanned changes or last-minute requests
Missing or forgetting social cues, leading to awkward interactions
Getting hyper-focused on a detail and losing sight of the bigger picture
Rushing through tasks in a bid to finish them, even if they’re incomplete
Disliking tasks that feel “mindless” or tedious, but needing them done
Becoming fixated on specific words, phrases, or ideas
Frequent feelings of inadequacy or being “behind” in life
Deep frustration when things don’t go as planned, even with small setbacks
Difficulty trusting your own decisions or instincts
Overthinking potential outcomes of actions, making them harder to take
An urge to keep moving, even when sitting still is required
Easily distracted by external stimuli even conversations in another room
Struggling to prioritise what matters most, leading to feelings of chaos
Becoming obsessed with solving a problem, even when it’s not urgent
Experiencing “analysis paralysis” when faced with too many options
Feeling a constant internal sense of urgency, even when there's no immediate need
Sensing an internal conflict between what you want and what you need
Overloading yourself with responsibilities because you don’t want to disappoint
Difficulty maintaining boundaries due to fear of upsetting others
Craving structure but often resisting it when it’s presented
Feeling misunderstood or not fully seen by others
Struggling to manage multiple responsibilities at once
Hyperawareness of your own actions, leading to self-consciousness
Tendency to over-complicate simple tasks due to overthinking
Being highly sensitive to criticism or perceived failure
Deep frustration with incomplete projects or unfinished business
Constantly moving from one interest to another without completing the first
Struggling to focus on things that don’t feel immediately rewarding
Feeling drained after socialising, even if it was enjoyable
Need for constant stimulation, leading to distractions or disorganisation
Difficulty judging how long things will take or managing time
A feeling of “catching up” on everything, even when you're not behind
Constantly adjusting your environment to fit your needs (light, sound, etc.)
Wanting to help others, but getting overwhelmed by the demands
Shifting from being extremely productive to burnout in cycles
Trouble with impulse control, such as interrupting or speaking out of turn
Over-reliance on lists and reminders to compensate for forgetfulness
Sensitivity to textures or materials, causing discomfort in clothing or seating
The need to mentally rehearse before events or interactions to feel prepared
Becoming fixated on specific routines or rituals to feel in control
Feeling overwhelmed by too many tasks, even if they’re small
Forgetting where you placed things and retracing steps multiple times
Frequently losing track of conversations or missing key details
Difficulty saying no, leading to overcommitment and stress
Often needing to retreat or be alone to recharge after social interactions
Feeling like you're "wired differently" and struggling to fit societal norms
A tendency to over-promise and under-deliver due to disorganisation
Having intense, fluctuating interests that can seem obsessive
Difficulty with transitions, such as moving between tasks or environments
Missing appointments or deadlines despite intentions to be organised
Tendency to start projects with enthusiasm but struggle to finish them
Being hypersensitive to sounds, lights, or environments that others may not notice
Frequent second-guessing of decisions or actions
Being highly distractible by both internal thoughts and external stimuli
A deep sense of urgency that causes stress, even with no pressing deadline
Difficulty with routine, but simultaneously feeling stressed by lack of it
Overloading your schedule with tasks or events without considering time constraints
Becoming overly focused on one small detail, missing the larger picture
Struggling to relax or unwind without distractions or activities
A tendency to engage in risky behaviours due to impulsivity or lack of foresight