Obsessing and ruminating are often part of living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). No matter how hard you try to ignore them, those negative thoughts just keep coming back, replaying themselves in an infinite loop. You know it's not healthy, but you can't seem to stop yourself. It makes sense.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been found to be highly comorbid in children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Some have proposed, however, that obsessive anxiety may cause inattention and executive dysfunction, leading to inappropriate ADHD diagnoses in those with OCD.
Hyperfocus refers to an intense fixation on an interest or activity for an extended period of time. People who experience hyperfocus often become so engrossed they block out the world around them. Children and adults with ADHD often exhibit hyperfocus when working intently on things that interest them.
Adults with ADHD may find it difficult to focus and prioritize, leading to missed deadlines and forgotten meetings or social plans. The inability to control impulses can range from impatience waiting in line or driving in traffic to mood swings and outbursts of anger.
It's when your thoughts get caught in a loop, and you go over and over the same thoughts without feeling better or finding a resolution. Your thinking might get stuck on day to day worries or on future events.
Hyperfixation is characterized by an obsessive preoccupation with a particular person, object, or activity. People with hyperfixation often fixate on trivial or even imaginary things, and they may become so focused on their obsession that they neglect their own health and well-being.
Rumination is a repetitive thought pattern that can be negative (focusing on the past) or anxious (focusing on the future). It is common in people with ADHD and can cause emotional distress. It's not the same as overthinking, which is when someone excessively thinks about simple things before taking action.
Many people with ADHD express frustration with the frequency and depth of negative and intrusive thoughts. These thoughts can be painful, and they may grow and grow until they affect daily life.
ADHD brain structure affects decision-making, working memory, and reasoning, specifically in the prefrontal cortex. Difficulty in these areas can open the door to persistent intrusive thoughts.
Intuition. People with ADHD are often highly sensitive and intuitive with a keen ability to pick up on what others may be feeling. This can make them very empathetic, loving, and kind.
Examples of trouble managing emotions
Some have trouble putting the brakes on their feelings when they're angry or stressed. Others struggle to get revved up to do something when they're feeling bored. People with ADHD might also: Be quick to get frustrated by minor annoyances.
Working out is perhaps the most positive and efficient way to reduce hyperactivity and inattention from ADHD. Exercise can relieve stress, boost your mood, and calm your mind, helping work off the excess energy and aggression that can get in the way of relationships and feeling stable. Exercise on a daily basis.
Hyperfixation is not unique to individuals with ADHD. But almost every child and adult with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD) knows what it feels like to become so engrossed in something — a book, a home project, a video game — that they block out the world around them for hours at a time.
Hyper focus to me, is a temporary state that you can fall into and out of. Hyper fixation is something you come back to again and again and again.
Over-Focused ADD is the third most common type of ADD. Those with Type 3 ADD can have difficulty shifting their attention. They become hyper-focused on one thing while tuning out everything else. People with Over-Focused ADD tend to get “stuck” in negative thought patterns and behaviors.
Overthinking can be an all-natural process, it can also be the result if the creative and overly active ADHD brain. While most believe overthinking to be a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder, it' actually relates more to ADHD.
ADHD, also called attention-deficit disorder, is a behavior disorder, usually first diagnosed in childhood, that is characterized by inattention, impulsivity, and, in some cases, hyperactivity.
ADHD symptoms start before age 12, and in some children, they're noticeable as early as 3 years of age. ADHD symptoms can be mild, moderate or severe, and they may continue into adulthood. ADHD occurs more often in males than in females, and behaviors can be different in boys and girls.
Women with ADHD face the same feelings of being overwhelmed and exhausted as men with ADHD commonly feel. Psychological distress, feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, and chronic stress are common. Often, women with ADHD feel that their lives are out of control or in chaos, and daily tasks may seem impossibly huge.
Bipolar disorder.
Studies have shown that symptoms of bipolar disorder often overlap with those of ADHD, making it hard to diagnose both of these disorders. Bipolar disorder is marked by mood swings between periods of intense emotional highs and lows.