Boredom isn't a symptom of ADHD. It's a common result, though. Kids and adults with ADHD need more stimulation than most people. Not having it can lead to behavior that's confusing and challenging.
Research has shown that high rates or intensity of boredom is a core symptom of people with ADHD. Feeling bored can lead to poor academic performance as well problems with relationships and attention.
Boredom busters include trying the new and different, spending time with people, doing adrenaline activities, taking risks, problem-solving, adding movement, being 'hands-on', etc. When you know your favorite ways, design your life around those things, so each day is interesting for you.
Children and adults with ADHD often develop the blues when they are bored. Here's how I — and your child — can fend off feeling down.
Some signs that you might be understimulated include: Lack of motivation. Physical hyperactivity. A sense of unease, making you feel "flat" or irritable.
ADHD brains struggle to maintain attention. This means that they struggle to remain engaged with something, and when we aren't engaged, our brains are less stimulated and we get bored. Novelty Seeking: ADHD brains are intrigued and stimulated by novelty, interest, competition, and pressure.
If you have ADHD, you might have greater “postural sway,” meaning your body sways more to stay balanced. Whether you're standing or sitting, your body is always seeking balance. Even without your conscious effort, your muscles and sensory system constantly work to keep you from falling over.
Audiobooks and podcasts
Lots of people with ADHD love books for all the juicy new ideas, fascinating information and engaging stories they are fully entertained by reading.
Differences in emotions in people with ADHD can lead to 'shutdowns', where someone is so overwhelmed with emotions that they space out, may find it hard to speak or move and may struggle to articulate what they are feeling until they can process their emotions.
But many kids and adults with ADHD are the opposite — they're messy most of the time. And it can cause problems at home, school, and work.
Boredom is a feeling people with ADHD know all too well. Writing emails seems like an impossible task and looking at (someone else's) spreadsheet feels mind-numbing. An ADHD brain wants immediate relief from boredom and will chase it at the expense of your priorities.
People with ADHD have less diffusion of dopamine in the brain's synapses than do people without ADHD, so they do not get the same degree of satisfaction from doing ordinary tasks.
A MELTDOWN CAN SEEM TO COME OUT OF NOWHERE.
It's one of the challenging or explosive behaviors we see in those who have ADHD. Sometimes it appears as poor self-esteem, yelling, rage, or tears.
Common ADHD-Related Problems
Impulsive spending or overspending. Starting fights or arguing. Trouble maintaining friendships and romantic relationships. Speeding and dangerous driving.
With ADHD, a child or teen may have rapid or impulsive speech, physical restlessness, trouble focusing, irritability, and, sometimes, defiant or oppositional behavior.
Creativity: Creative problem-solving is instrumental for success at school and work. Research has found that people with ADHD have more creativity and idea generation than people without the disorder. 3 This can lead to outside-the-box thinking that is so important for innovation.
Best Occupations for People with ADHD
Because of their unique ability to solve problems and create systems when interested in their work, Roberts says many people with ADHD do well as entrepreneurs, computer programmers, and within creative industries.
A People Person
Individuals with ADHD are bright, creative, and funny — often using self-deprecating humor to remind the world that perfection is wholly uninteresting. They've faced challenges, learned novel ways to manage their symptoms, and developed a sense of humility and self-respect along the way.
People with ADHD are exquisitely sensitive to rejection and criticism. They can experience hopelessness and demoralization because they try to succeed by imitating the paths to success of people without ADHD, and then fail over and over again because the same paths don't work for them.
Mood swings are common in people with ADHD. People with this disorder can be hypersensitive, too. That means sensations, like touch, that may feel normal to another person can feel too intense for someone with ADHD.
Be on the lookout for nonverbal clues.
These include body language, such as moving away from you, cutting conversations short, or crossing their arms or legs. Also note facial expressions, such as red faces, scowls, tight lips, or hurt or angry eyes.
The mind of a person with ADHD is full of the minutiae of life (“Where are my keys?” “Where did I park the car?”), so there is little room left for new thoughts and memories. Something has to be discarded or forgotten to make room for new information. Often the information individuals with ADHD need is in their memory…
Staying connected with others is the most important life line any of us has. And yet, as naturally inclined to connect as most people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are, their shame and negativity can grow so intense as to lead them to cut themselves off.
Yet, we know one of the hallmark challenges for ADHD adults is self-regulation, which involves multiple executive functions, including, yes, internalized self-talk.
Hyperactivity (talks a lot, fidgets, always on the go, etc.) Impulsivity (blurts out, interrupts, lies, angry outbursts, difficulty waiting, etc.) Inattention (forgetful, loses things, disorganized, makes careless mistakes, etc.)