If Humans Do It, ADHD Affects It Part II
My last blog post got kind of long, so I broke it into two parts. Here is part two:
Self-Care
The ADHDer can get so wrapped up in other things (work, school, household projects, etc.) that they neglect to take care of themselves.
Adulting
Paying bills on time, cleaning the house, buying groceries, shoveling the driveway, mowing the lawn, paying one’s taxes on time, and all of the things most adults can do easily are not easy for ADHDers.
Eating
What do you get when you cross impulsivity with junk food? A fat ADHDer.
Humor
ADHDers have a zany sense of humor, and this might feel isolating for someone with ADHD.
Remembering
ADHDers struggle with working memory. That thing you told us to do? If we didn’t write it down, there is a good chance we won’t remember to do it. Those keys we could not have lost because we holding it just two minutes ago? Yeah, we have no idea where they are.
Self-Esteem
The struggles an ADHDer faces on a daily basis can take a toll on their mental health. When you mess up as much as an ADHDer does, you start to believe the negative messages you hear both from internal and external sources. This is especially relevant if the ADHD diagnosis does not happen early in childhood. The longer one goes without an ADHD diagnosis, the more one wonders, “What is wrong with me? I must lazy and/or dumb.”
Exercise
Exercise is boring! The ADHD mind hates being bored, so ADHDers have a hard time exercising on a consistent basis.
Sleep
When one has ADHD, the mere act of getting in bed to go to sleep can be difficult. ADHD causes impulsivity and might lead an ADHDer to play the “One More Thing” Game before actually getting in their bed. The important first step in going to sleep faces challenges, but the challenges don’t end there.
Falling asleep when one has ADHD is also difficult. The ADHD brain moves so quickly and rapidly that it becomes difficult for it to shut down enough for the ADHDer to fall asleep. This is why I have to listen to a podcast to help me fall asleep.
Finally, waking up is challenge for ADHDers. We can sleep through alarms, or we can wake up, shut our alarm off without thinking, and fall back asleep. Sometimes, desperate measures needs to be taken to ensure that an ADHDer wakes up on time.
Showering
The shower is a dangerous place for an ADHD. Yes, part of the danger is it is slippery in there. I know that from slipping and falling while singing and dancing in the shower. The other danger is becoming lost in thought and being forced to rush to finish your shower in cold water. While showering, it is not uncommon for the ADHD brain to enter a flow state, meaning it is operating as best as possible and coming with many brilliant ideas. However, while in this flow state, the ADHDer may lose track of time and cause the water bill to skyrocket.
I once stepped out of the bathroom and was immediately asked by a friend who was staying at my place what the longest shower I had ever taken was. I looked at the clock and realized I had been in the shower for an hour. That happened while I was living in an apartment and had the water bill covered, Now that I own my own house and pay my own water bill, my showers are much shorter.