Living With ADHD

Assembling the musings, ramblings, silliness, sadness, questions, and support of the AD(H)D folks of Tumblr.

[vanilla-bean-buttercream]

I have two bedtime moods:

“It’s only 8 pm and I feel like I’m gonna pass out on my feet.”

“Wait when did it become 3 am?”

[handsmotif]

yk I haven’t met anyone with adhd who isn’t just a fucking comedian like I think everyone with adhd just has the best sense of humor

[ribcageflutes]

we gotta be funny so people don’t get annoyed with us as much

[knivessin-thechurch]

[abcsofadhd]

do you have any tips on how to create structure when you live alone?

I did so over the past year so absolutely.

Start with your basic barebones schedule, put in things you have to do, for example for me:

Don’t put in time or anything (except for the obvious time constrained ones) if you know you can’t stick to it. You want to increase your chance of sticking to it, so don’t make it too hard.

Building a structure around external things and obligations makes things easier.

Here’s the thing, you already have a totally viable structure going. Its hard to go from 0 to a perfect timetable so something barebones like this helps you get into the mindset.

For example, following the above structure, I remember to to eat three times a day, and shower before I sleep. That’s better than what I would have done previous which is not eat and not shower.

Obvious next step would be to add times, especially to the obligation and time constrained ones. If your work starts at 9 am, and it takes you half hour to get to work, then you have to wake up before 8 to give yourself time to eat/ get ready.

It helps if you pair the habits together; so for example, develop a habit to eat, clean dishes and directly to shower. Or maybe, throw in exercises at some point so you’re forced to shower afterwards.

How do you make sure you stick to it? Fuck tonnes of self discipline. ADHD makes it hard for us but not impossible. I have really bad executive dysfunction but I’ve managed to start eating healthily out of sheer will and desire to improve my health. 

You can make it as simple or as complicated as you want, as long as you can stick to it. Take it a step at a time; if you fuck up once, STICK TO IT. Don’t think about just trying again tomorrow. If you mess up one bit, keep to it. 

[y-that-crazy-five-foot-two-chick]

Does anybody else have that thing where you have one song on loop in your head but it’s like five seconds max of the song?? Is that an ADHD thing??

[nerdgasrnz]

Me: (has existed with ADHD my entire life)

Me: (has had an official ADHD diagnosis for 2 years now)

Me: (reads another post talking about ADHD symptoms and behaviors)

Me, feeling like my life makes sense even though I’ve been made aware of these symptoms for the 500th time:

[boomkid-deactivated20200108]

me: is taking a chemistry test

my brain: VEGGIE TALES VEGGIE TAAAALLLESS THERES never EVER EVER EVER EVER a show like VEGGIE TALES waltz with potatoes something tomatoes VEGGIE TALLESSS

[the-memedaddy]

[hasselhoff24]

I hate when people tell me to stop bouncing my legs like bitch I CANT

[dammajamma]

• i don’t know shit

• i don’t get stuff

• and i don’t understand things

[frickin-adhd]

ADHD is being in the middle of a huge, time-sensitive task but randomly sitting on your bed and scrolling through social media for an hour.

[adelinestudiess]

Generic tips

Selfcare guide

Self care by @kimanoir

Eleven self care tips for students by @theorganisedstudent

12 steps for self care

Self-care to do list

Some little self care things by @irinastudies

Self-care guide by @thetrevorproject

101 self care ideas when it gets too much by @microstvdy

Self care by @littleredstudies

Finals self care by @rubypolar

Self-care instruction manual by @hufflepuffwannabe

Some self care tips by @lovefulls

Self care by @lazyhermione

15 self care ideas by @kaleylearns

Little self care things by @flowerais

Self-care by @mlstudies

Self care by @likelyhealthy

A very brief guide to selfcare by @ejlandsman

My favourite selfcare tips by @rubynerdy

26 selfcare activities by @sheisrecovering

Sleep

Guide to sleep by @educatier

Tips for balancing sleep & education by @brbimstudying

The perfect night sleep starts long before you get into bed by @paintitbright

How to go to bed early and actually fall asleep by @post–grad

Water

How to drink more water ft printables

Hydration masterpost

Breaks

Take a break

Types of study breaks for every situation by @samsstudygram

Tips for getting better rest

Treat yourself

Simple ways to treat yourself by @anitastudy

Pennyfynotes guide to treating yourself by @pennyfynotes

25 No/Low cost self care acts by @gaygirlhustle

Feel good

How to feel better by @bbangstudies

Feel good by @librarystudies

7 ways to feel better by @p-antarei

If you are having a bad day by @theblacksiren

Destress

Easy ways to destress by @parisgellerstudy

Stress relievers by @noteology

How to deal with stress by @studywithclover

Apps to help you destress by @gracelearns

Burnout

How to deal with study burnout by @eintsein

How to avoid education burnout by @neuroticmedblr

Mental health

Saving your grades from a mental health crisis by @smartstudy

Chronic illness + studying by @studysenior

Coping with mental health by @overstudies

Studying with depression by @rannedomblr

Anxiety

Anxiety distraction games by @peachou

Anxiety masterpost by @dotgrids

Why doing something relaxing does not help with your anxiety by @merrybitchmas91

Meditation and focus

Study sounds

Others

What to do with notebooks by @tbhstudying

Podcasts for students by @studyquill

Period masterpost

Dealing with eye strain by @studylikeaslytherin

Listen by @studyblr

50 healthy, productive and fun things you can do without looking at a screen

How to live a better life by @wilstudies

Fitness and health for the busy student by @abby-studies-art

Friendly reminders taken from @cwote

Your mental health is more important than your grades

You are good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, and strong enough

Don’t just be good to others, be good to yourself too

Embrace all that is you

You will be okay

Just breathe. It will be okay.

Be proud of yourself for how hard you’re trying.

Be nice to yourself

Don’t beat yourself up. You are doing the best you can.

Be gentle with yourself, you’re doing the best you can.

Better things are coming.

Loving yourself is the greatest revolution.

Remind yourself, you deserve to be happy

Respect yourself. Don’t let others tell you who you are.

Learn to say no to people and things that make you unhappy.

Enjoy your own company.

Forgive yourself.

Never apologise for how you feel

Give yourself some credit. You’ve come pretty far.

Mental health is just as important as physical health.

Surround yourself with good vibes

Stop worrying about people who aren’t worried about you.

If you find you are surrounded by toxic people… Cut. Them. Out.

Other masterposts made by me

notetaking masterpost

college advice masterpost

apps for students masterpost

ace your exams masterpost

[adhd-plus]

“Why are you doing your work now? It’s a free day!”

Mate, pal, buddy, friend,

I do it now,

Or I don’t.

[avilociraptor-deactivated202106]

There’s a post floating around about how the ADHD diagnoses and the use of stimulants is a result of American capitalism getting us all addicted to stimulants and like…

I used to have a caffeine addiction. 12-15 cups of coffee a day. I would drink an enormous cup of coffee just to fall asleep. I did this because coffee was the ONLY thing that slowed my brain down enough to do anything, including sleep. I knew cigarettes and alcohol would probably work but refused to touch them for personal reasons.

I’ve since gotten an ADHD diagnosis and take 7.5mg of adderall twice a day. I drink one, maybe two cups of coffee and will sometimes go days without any coffee at all. I sleep soundly for a full 8 hours most nights.

Before you point at countries like France where ADHD “doesn’t exist”, I ask you to sincerely consider how normalized self medication is in those countries. Smoking, coffee, and alcohol are all ways people with ADHD self medicate when they can’t access medications.

Stimulants don’t work in ADHD brains the same way they do in brains without ADHD. While many of our medications are stimulants because of how they work to fix our broken dopamine systems, some ADHD medications aren’t even stimulants.

I’m not saying that stimulants aren’t on the black market, that they aren’t abused, and that they are sometimes improperly prescribed. I’m saying this is a complicated issue with a lot of moving parts, and that denying the existence of and stigmatizing the proper treatment of a legitimate learning disability isn’t going to help anyone.

[princeandreis]

me, crying: p-please just let me be normal

the adhd: no!! you are only allowed to listen to the same song on repeat for 13 hours

[beyonslayed]

3 Defining Features of ADHD That Everyone Overlooks

The textbook symptoms of ADD — inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity — fail to reflect several of its most powerful characteristics; the ones that shape your perceptions, emotions, and motiva…

[note-a-bear]

“When we step back and ask, “What does everyone with ADHD have in common, that people without ADHD don’t experience?” a different set of symptoms take shape.

From this perspective, three defining features of ADHD emerge that explain every aspect of the condition:

1. an interest-based nervous system

2. emotional hyperarousal

3. rejection sensitivity”

Oh

[nehirose]

I’m reblogging first, then clicking through to read the article (less likely to lose it or forget to do either), but just from the piece quoted - oh. Yes. That does lay it out rather succinctly, doesn’t it?

[adhdpie]

this is it. this is the article that periodically reminds me that ‘adhd’ is a bad name for adhd.

[sentientbookshelf-deactivated20]

[adhdsleepdeprivedstudent]

person: tries to read or explain something to me

me: sorry but unless I’m reading it myself at least 5 times I will not comprehend what you are saying because my brain wanders within seconds

person: just listen

my adhd: elephants think humans are cute

person: ….and that’s all you have to do to construct this intricate and complex thing

[adhdbby]

adhd @ the library

ur adhd ass: *sits down to study* lights: u love cold, white, glaring fluorescent lights right? oh they drain you?? oopsie daisy 🤗 group of ppl: we love talking super loudly!!!  chair: are u comfy yet? how about now? ….now? ok what about NOW? smh elevators: ding! ding! haha good luck trying to study bitch ding! ding!  corner of ur eye: *sees ppl moving* *its too much* *stop moving pls i cant refocus* *i may be human but do i need horse blinders?? omg* temperature: ❄️❄️hmmm how about we take it down a notch huh >:) ❄️❄️ phone: *new notif alert!* C’mon come stim urself with me ;) pick up the phone, sweet dopamine is calling someone: *cough* adhd brain: YES WHAT IS IT clock: its 3pm? hahaha very funny idiot its actually 9pm wtf did you even do for 6 whole hours?? adhd brain: wow I just found the most amazing thing ever… time to throw out my work and hyperfocus on this for the next 5 hours :)