Because your brain works faster than people without ADHD, you can do more thinking loops than your non-ADHD peers. This means you experience more of these negative feelings. It is helpful to reflect back on a situation and see what worked and what you would do differently next time.
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.
Racing thoughts: People with ADHD may experience a constant flow of thoughts, making it difficult to focus on any one thing. This can lead to racing thoughts that are hard to control and can interfere with daily life.
ADHD brains are no different - they're programmed to focus on past mistakes and future danger. But ADHD brain EXTRA prone to ruminating because they are constantly fighting a part of our brain that I like to call brain recess (or the Default Mode Network if you want to get technical).
One of the main causes of racing thoughts in individuals with ADHD is an overactive brain. People with ADHD tend to have a higher level of activity in the areas of the brain responsible for attention and decision-making, leading to a constant stream of thoughts that are difficult to control.
The ADHD tendency to hobby-bounce sometimes combines with hyperfocus to morph innocent pastimes into obsessions. Some of us can't do things halfway; we have to jump in with both feet. We throw ourselves all in, whether it's in crafting or exercising or cooking.
Relaxation methods, mindfulness, and self-education about ADHD may all help prevent racing thoughts from impairing your daily life. However, if you are struggling to manage your racing thoughts, you may want to consider speaking with a mental health professional about treatment options.
With ADHD, that part of the brain is always turned on, which causes the endless look of intrusive thoughts to replay in your head like a bad song. In short, when you have ADHD and your Default Mode Network region is wired neurodivergent, it makes your mind wander on a continuous loop.
Some adults with ADHD find relaxation in long drives and spending countless hours traveling, but there are others that find them stressful and troublesome. The key is to find what relaxes you and stick to that. Remember that everything appears differently between individuals.
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.)
People from the ADHD world have little self-awareness. While they can often read other people well, it is hard for the average person with ADHD to know, from moment to moment, how they themselves are doing, the effect they are having on others, and how they feel about it all.
Greater postural sway can indicate balancing problems and is commonly seen in people with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ADHD, autism, and dyslexia. This may be due to abnormalities in the cerebellum, a brain region linked to gait, balance control, and cognition.
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.
Traumatic stress can worsen ADHD symptoms. Up to 17% of trauma-exposed children meet ADHD criteria, and the co-occurrence of each worsens the effects of the other. Trauma also impacts specific brain regions that may also increase: Inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.
People with autism, engineers, and those with ADHD tend to say they think in pictures; teachers, in words, and when a word-thinker hears that there are those who think not in words, but pictures, they often are flabbergasted, taken aback, and have a hard time bending their mind around this alien thought form.
Adults diagnosed with ADHD often blame themselves for their problems or view themselves in a negative light. This can lead to self-esteem issues, anxiety, or depression.
Brain MRI is a new and experimental tool in the world of ADHD research. Though brain scans cannot yet reliably diagnose ADHD, some scientists are using them to identify environmental and prenatal factors that affect symptoms, and to better understand how stimulant medications trigger symptom control vs. side effects.
With ADHD, a child or teen may have rapid or impulsive speech, physical restlessness, trouble focusing, irritability, and, sometimes, defiant or oppositional behavior.
While all human brains are wired for the negativity bias, the minds of those with ADHD seem particularly vulnerable to holding on to what is “bad” about them. Most likely, this pattern developed over many years of criticism for not remembering things, not doing things properly, not controlling themselves, etc.
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.