this post was submitted on 30 Jan 2025
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ADHD memes

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The lighter side of ADHD


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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 hour ago

This is a learned effect. We got so battered during childhood that we internalised the criticism, but lost track of the praise (if any was given).

A good solution is "basking". Take the time that a task took. You should allow yourself to bask in that achievement for at least half that amount of time. This includes bragging to friends and family etc.

This helps to recondition your brain. You're ALLOWED to feel good about getting stuff done. You're allowed to sit back and just feel happy about it. This starts retraining your brain to give you that hit. That, in turn, makes the jobs/chores a positive thing, and so your more likely to get it done.


Another trick that's related and worth mentioning.

Externalise the negatives.

I know, at least personally, my thoughts can lense around problems. I train myself not to even think about them. I've found this is because I beat myself up internally. This is quite counterproductive. I learn to avoid the problem, while eroding my sense of self. Instead, direct it outwards.

This is easier by example. E.g. washing up. I used to get annoyed with myself for not doing it. This made me avoid it, and so feel worse. I now direct my annoyance at the washing up itself. It's ugly and smells. There's old food congealing on my plate. There's mold and nastiness growing there. I WANT it GONE!

While this seems silly, its effect is huge. If I don't get it done, I don't feel negative about it, I'm annoyed with it. Once I do get it done, it now feels good. I made the problem go away! I no longer lense away from it. My brain actually wants to get it done.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

just completed a big milestone this week. i finished it as quickly as i could, in the best way i could. im even a little proud.

felt nothingggggg. worse, im still stressed as if it is still due.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 8 hours ago

This week I: had six days of work, responded to two important emails, had a job interview (I got it!), paid an overdue bill, retrieved my debit card from the bank, went to the dr., and filled my rx.

But I really need to choose my topic for my master’s thesis and email my preferred advisor, so, you know, I’m a failure

[–] [email protected] 11 points 15 hours ago

Also, "It took you five minutes and it sat for 6 months, you asshole"

[–] [email protected] 26 points 1 day ago (1 children)

FINE. I'll get high again.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 hours ago

I was about to say that this is why I don't rely on my brain to reward me but just give myself alcohol as a treat. Stringy ass brain

[–] [email protected] 1 points 13 hours ago

Damn. What I just said...

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 day ago (1 children)

you could have done more

Aaaaaagh!!! Leave me alone! I got so much done yesterday and all I get is guilt thst I went to bed before I was done?!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 day ago

NO! MORE! ALWAYS MORE!

[–] wise_pancake 14 points 1 day ago (2 children)

last night I finished something very stressful for me, but then my anxiety refused to accept the fact I no longer had to stress about it.

So I was up half the night with irrational stress dreams and anxious thoughts.

Why can’t my pride and satisfaction have the stubbornness of my anxiety?!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

For future reference, it's your cortisol levels. When you're stressed for a long time they build up more and more, which means they take longer to come down

[–] wise_pancake 3 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Thank you, I never really understood why that happened and it was pretty frustrating to feel that without having any reason.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 hours ago (2 children)

Of course! Look into some breathing exercises and maybe poke around a bit into some CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy, not the other one lol... Well maybe the other one if you think it'll help) theory. Just understanding why your body does stuff can make a huge difference in what it actually does.

Since my therapist taught me about my cortisol levels a while back, it's become a lot easier for me to identify things like "I'm anxious right now, so my cortisol levels are going up which is going to reduce how elegantly I can perform tasks. I should opt for less flashy movements to cause myself less frustration" and then my anxiety goes down regardless of how I actually change my behavior

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

When you say less flashy movements are you talking about video games?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 hours ago

Nope! I have a superiority complex, which manifests largely in the way that I do things. I flip water bottles when I pick them up, or spin things around quickly and catch them for example.

However, I'm human and humans are prone to mistakes. Learning to identify when I'm more prone to mistakes than normal and reducing those flashy behaviors has helped me a lot with my anger issues

[–] wise_pancake 1 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Thanks

I did CBT a while ago and it wasn’t the solution for me, but maybe the theory will help

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 hours ago

The actual practices are neither here nor there. Honestly, I only suggest CBT material because I know you can find knowledge about why your body does things and the less obvious effects those things have on your mental state. You can probably find a lot of the same information in any therapeutic theory, but what's important is understanding yourself well enough that you can affect those things intentionally as well

[–] [email protected] 4 points 20 hours ago

in my experience the leftover anxiety buildup will stick around even after the stressor is over. it takes at least a day to clear properly

gotta take time to start unwinding while the adrenaline is still running around or it's going to hit you all at once

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 day ago

What...you want a participation-trophy too!?