The Mini ADHD Coach Medical Advisor says: “Zoning out is a common core symptom of Inattentive-type ADHD when your brain involuntarily shifts focus from the task at hand. The reason this occurs is due to the differences in connectivity between brain networks that conduct where you should (or want to) focus.
These are all symptoms of Inattentive-Type ADHD; they are not personal defects. A student with inattentive ADHD may quietly stare out the window while her work goes unfinished; this 'spacey' or 'daydreamy' behavior is overlooked or mischaracterized as laziness or apathy.
Coping strategies can ease ADHD symptoms like hyperactivity, impulsive urges, and difficulty focusing. Taking exercise breaks and setting timers can help refocus your thoughts if your mind wants to wander.
The takeaway is that even though theres an intuitively appealing image of people with ADHD simply being distracted because they bounce from one idea to the next, its important to keep in mind that both mind wandering and blank thoughts are associated with ADHD.
A person with Inattentive ADHD type can easily feel embarrassed due to inattention, so they may choose to stay quiet and avoid any possible wrongdoings or mistakes ❌. This trait is often seen in children with this condition, but it can still affect adults later in their lives.
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.
A MELTDOWN CAN SEEM TO COME OUT OF NOWHERE.
Sometimes it appears as poor self-esteem, yelling, rage, or tears. But sometimes the challenging behavior is your own in reaction to your spouse, child, sibling, or friend who has ADHD: “Why did they not hear me? Now I'm the angry one.”
Spacing Out With ADHD
It's an involuntary process that happens even when you are actively trying to pay attention. If you've ever started reading a book, only to find yourself lost in thought or staring at the page without really seeing or comprehending the words, that was spacing out.
Is zoning out the same as dissociation? No - the two are very different. ADHD-related zoning is simply a trait when the brain no longer focuses on the task at hand. Dissociation, on the other hand, can be due to Dissociative Disorders, which pertains to problems in emotions, memory, perception, behavior, and identity.
ADHD brain fog causes people to feel unfocused and mentally exhausted. Brain fog can also cause anxiety, depression, low productivity, forgetfulness, and problems communicating with others. When all these factors combine, it becomes virtually impossible for the person to function normally.
Untreated ADHD in adults can lead to mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. This is because ADHD symptoms can lead to focus, concentration, and impulsivity problems. When these problems are not managed effectively, they can lead to feelings of frustration, irritability, and low self-esteem.
It's a chronic state of stress related to the struggle to live with ADHD, a stress that breaks down emotional tolerance, stamina, and a sense of wellbeing and spiritual health. The chronic, lifelong nature of ADHD-related stress can increase to become a syndrome akin to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
ADHD individuals also get in the zone when they are challenged or thrown into a competitive environment. Sometimes a new or novel task attracts their attention. Novelty is short-lived, though, and everything gets old after a while.
You could be staring off because you're bored, or it could be a sign of a deeper issue. If you find yourself daydreaming a lot, and have trouble on focusing on certain things, you may be suffering from adult ADHD.
People with ADHD may be seen as insensitive, self-absorbed, or disengaged with the world around them. Emotional detachment, or the act of being disconnected or disengaged from the feelings of others, is a symptom of ADHD.
Many people think that ADHD is a result of trauma, but is it true? The answer is yes, but more for some people than others. The truth is that 90% of the time ADHD is not caused by trauma, but if the trauma is extreme enough, it can cause severe ADHD-like symptoms.
In ADHD children, overwhelm can lead to meltdowns or a fight, flight or freeze response. Similarly, in adults overwhelm may lead to a flood of strong emotions that are released in different ways, for example, anger or crying. ADHD overwhelm paralysis or 'shutdown' is also a common reaction.
Additionally, the stress that ADHD may cause can feel exhausting, especially if a person's symptoms are not well controlled. Missing deadlines, forgetting school work, and not meeting household demands may feel overwhelming or exhausting.
Symptoms of ADHD can have some overlap with symptoms of bipolar disorder. With ADHD, a child or teen may have rapid or impulsive speech, physical restlessness, trouble focusing, irritability, and, sometimes, defiant or oppositional behavior.
Atypical Presentation of ADHD Symptoms
Impaired sense of time (loses track of time, often late, hates waiting, avoids doing homework, etc.) Sleep disturbances (has trouble with sleep initiation, sleep deprived, can't wake up easily, etc.)
Yelling doesn't help kids with ADHD learn better behavior. In fact, harsh punishment can lead them to act out more in the future. Try these calm, collected ways to deal with discipline instead.