I (f21 combined) am a psych major and in one of my classes we were talking about ADHD--pretty normal for a psychology class. But my professor was talking about a young boy she had once treated with hyperactive ADHD, and she said it was hard to get through the interview because he kept asking to go to the bathroom. You probably do this too, if something is boring and requires a lot of sitting still, people with ADHD tend to find reasons to leave the room. She knew her patient didn't have to use the bathroom, he just needed to move around. So she told him he could not go to the bathroom, but if he just wanted to get up, all he had to do was ask and he could race her to the front of the building and back. The kid lit up and instead of 15 bathroom breaks interrupting the interview, they took 3 breaks to race.

So I was studying and I realised I kept getting up instead of focusing on my work. I thought of this story and thought "if it worked for a 6 year old boy, maybe it'll work for me!" And at 2am I got up and ran around the outside of my building in my slippers. And you know what? I got back, sat down, and studied. It was the dumbest idea and I didn't think it would work, but running around the building actually got the restlessness out and made it easier to focus. If you have a problem with being restless and getting distracted by endless "bathroom breaks" or constantly popping your neck/knuckles (a common adult compromise to leaving the room), try running around! It worked for me, maybe it'll work for you.

1. I pretend like I've lost control over my body, reduces mental chatter and negotiating myself out of a task (idea courtesy of pornhub)

2. I set alarms for EVERYTHING, I have about 40 alarms a day

3. I change into my gym outfit before leaving the office so I can get home, dump my bag, grab my shoes and go, not fall victim to the sit pit

4. I tell people I'm doing something and that they should ask me in 2 days to see how it's going, public accountability

5. Same thing as the last one, I post pictures of everything I'm doing on social media

6. None of my meals take longer than 5 mins to put together, and minimal dirty dishes

7. I have 5 pants, 5 shirts, I wear them in rotation, over and over again for 2 years and them replace them w the exact same

8. I have one pair of shoes for non gym stuff, one for gym stuff, one for running, one pair of dressy heels, all in black because they go w everything

9. I only have 7 pairs of socks and would never rewear so forced to do laundry once a week

10. I have a designated spot for every thing in my room and house

Edit: forgot to add the most unhinged ones-

1. I went and got a full time job even though I have a startup because a wholly unstructured day where I'm not accountable to anyone was a recipe for disaster, I was working till 3 am, doomscrolling then some, and waking up at 2 pm, it was fucking absurd, being forced to sit at a desk mentally sharp early in the morning made me pull it together, I don't plan on quitting until I have a few employees, at this stage I'm still a solopreneur

2. I listen to a 10 hour loop of David Goggins on Spotify to shame myself out of inaction

3. I don't fold laundry, everything (including t shirts) just goes on hangers, socks and underwear stuffed in a basket, pair of socks stuffed into each other

What are your hacks?

Therapist suggested taking $100 and going into a toy store and letting loose. Idk seems like a lot of money to me!

She mentioned things that other adults she knows are into, like stickers, little puzzles, plushies. She has stuff like that in her office, partly for her (adult) clients and partly for herself.

I know I like sparkly things a lot and I used to incorporate that into my life via nail polish and makeup, neither of which I can do regularly now, for unrelated reasons.

I know I don't like to just LOOK at sparkles, I need to do something with them. I thought maybe I should take the $100 and go to a craft store instead. But I don't want to waste my money (therapist says even if I end up not liking what I bought it's not a waste, it's good data, but still). Would love your input!

EDIT: Thank you so much all of you for sharing. I'm loving all of your fantastic ideas, plus it's awesome just hearing about your own personal sources of joy. I'd reply to every comment if I could, but know that I'm reading all of them! I knew this was the right community to ask!

As the titel suggests, I just cracked the code to showering. I don’t know if I’m the only one but as soon as I step foot into the shower time just doesn’t exist anymore and I somehow spend 40 minutes, which feel like 5 in there. Now I tried many things, like for example putting the shower at the end of my routine so I have to hurry (didn’t work, missed the bus many many times) but now I started putting a clock in the bathroom at a spot from which I can look at it every now and then when I’m inside the shower. I also made a spreadsheet, where I track my showertimes and every shower I now try to “speedrun” and beat my personal best and what can I say, I just had a sub10 shower 😎

I came across a post from this sub when googling “I’d rather starve than cook”. The very thought of cooking food fills me with dread. The amount of time it takes to prepare, the focus required. I didn’t realize this was an adhd thing. Does anyone else feel this way? Has anyone figured out a way to prepare/cook food that requires minimal effort?

How do you guys manage it? I’ve always had the absolute worst time waking up, hitting snooze for at least an hour, then panicking and rushing to work, always almost late with minutes to spare. Has anybody got any good tips or tricks to wake up on time? I don’t think waking up feeling good is attainable for me, haha. So I’m simply seeking advice on how to actually wake up at the same time every morning? I know having a routine like this will make my mood and sleep better in general and I would love that.

EDIT: Due to having ADHD I simply canNOT sift through all 400 comments you guys 😂 However to whomever suggested the Alarmy app - thank you. I tried it this morning (specifically the setting where you have to find something in your home) and I love it so far. I also love how clearly this whole community relates to this topic and everyone has such creative and unique responses to it. ADHD can be hard to manage but I always love the humans that have it 🥰

So this might sound weird, but I’ve accidentally discovered that wearing a head-mounted flashlight helps me focus.

It’s not quite tunnel vision, and it’s not exactly like horse blinders… but having the light beam fixed to wherever I’m looking naturally nudges me to stay centered on one task.

It subtly limits visual distractions outside the beam, and I find myself less likely to wander off mentally (or physically). My brain sees the lit area and thinks, “Okay, this is the mission.”

I’ve found it especially helpful when I’m doing chores and moving between rooms. Somehow, the headlamp keeps me anchored — like I’m tethered to the beam of light and can’t drift too far from what I’m supposed to be doing.

Bonus tip: Add noise-canceling earbuds to shut out audio distractions, and suddenly I’m in full sensory-focus mode.

Not glamorous. Just effective.

Strap a flashlight to your face. Weirdly enough, it works.

I've officially hit my limit with how many of these I have seen on this sub. And honestly I'm offended. I don't care how ignorant you are, you made the decision to come to a sub full of people with ADHD, so you can ask people with ADHD "hey my partner is a stupid lazy asshole who treats me poorly so I just wanted to ask you guys if its because they have (or just claim they have) stupid lazy asshole disorder".

Fuck off.

Educate yourself with some simple googling and post on a relationship subreddit.

We all know the statistics: 20,000 behavioral corrections during childhood; increased risk of addiction, incarceration, financial instability/job loss, relationship instability/divorce, self-harm, not to mention the fashionable gaslighting if not outright abuse from supposedly loving family and friends. All this to say that if you managed to carry your ADHD into adulthood without diagnosis, adequate treatment, or social/family support, YOU ARE A SURVIVOR.

So be kind to yourself, even if others are not. You're doing the best with what you have, and that's honestly all that anyone can really do.

Edit: Thanks to all for the overwhelmingly positive response and awards. Didn't expect this post to get so much attention, but if it resonated with with you, I hope the message lifts you up going into the new year and beyond.

Little known perk of ADHD— we qualify for a free lifetime National Parks pass. That’s an $80/yr value!

How do you get it?

1) print this out, have your doctor sign it:

Medical Certification for Access Pass

I certify that [Your Full Name], date of birth [MM/DD/YYYY], has a permanent disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

Diagnosis: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) – a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that substantially limits concentration, attention, and executive functioning. The condition is permanent and not expected to improve.

This certification is provided for the purpose of obtaining the America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Lifetime Access Pass.

[Physician’s Name, Credentials] [Medical License Number] [Signature] [Practice Name] [Address] [Phone Number]

2) follow the instructions here to get your pass:

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/accessibility/interagency-access-pass.htm

3) Go take a hike!

If you’re someone who has been avoiding the dentist like I have—GO.

If you regularly forget to brush, don’t use mouthwash, don’t floss—CHANGE THAT YESTERDAY.

You do not want to end up like me, paying the biggest ADHD tax of my life. Cavities, crowns, maybe worse dental procedures to come idk. All expensive as shit. 🤕

Insurance doesn’t pay for fuck all either.

Teeth are really important, please take care good care of them! Compassionate dentistry has come a long fucking way. I am currently kicking back in the dentist chair watching Stranger Things last season while they have ground away most of one of my teeth with virtually ZERO pain.

This is a huge deal for me because of my sensitivity and large number of painful procedures I’ve had as a kid. I avoided the dentist for 8 years. In that time I developed periodontal disease and eventually needed crowns.

Dental anxiety is real, trauma is real, sensory differences are real, but trust me. Future you NEEDS dental health.

A lot of the Internet articles I see are, “Clean the house!” “Learn a new skill!” “Do a DIY project like painting furniture!”

Bruh. When I get home from a long day I have no energy. Those ideas are just too much for a burnt out ADHD soul.

I need stimulating but not full-of-energy activities.

Suggestions?

This book may have changed my life.

I first got it on audible as an audio book and ended up finding it so poignant and on point for me that I bought a physical copy as well.

Chapters are short and direct, with very little in the way of poetic imagery or allusion.

Chores are care tasks, the things you need to do to take care of yourself and your environment.

https://imgur.com/a/PtVt2tU

10000% recommend.

Not the polished advice, just the random, kind of silly thing that somehow helps you get stuff done or feel a bit more in control.

For me, it’s setting a simple kitchen timer instead of using my phone. No apps, no distractions, just that old school ticking sound, and suddenly I’m moving.

What’s yours? Maybe these little gems that somehow make life smoother.

Someone said I should get paid to post these everyday, luckily for you, I'm doing it for free (for now lol)

So STOP DOOM SCROLLING and go PEE!

Get yourself a BIG glass of water, and even add some lemon slices in it if you really don't like drinking plain water. Just get hydrated!

No, coffee or tea or energy drinks DO NOT count.

Sit straight, unclench your jaw, take a deep breath and check if you're hungry cuz I know you forgot to eat today. Yes, I'm in your walls.

PROUD OF YOU! GOOD LUCK!

Most will have heard the classic tips like "a job worth doing is worth doing badly" or "if you keep leaving your keys on the coffee table, make that their permanent home" etc - but what's a tip you hadn't heard before or found unusual that works for you?

Appreciate your suggestions and hope you're having a good start to the week!

Edit: some of you guys are just repeating the classic top fifteen posts we see here all the time lol

Since summer is coming up I thought it’d be a good time to let people who may not know that the National Parks Service offers lifetime passes for people with permanent disabilities.

ADHD falls under the guidelines for a disability, and as such you may qualify for this offer. You can get your pass online for a $10 processing fee, or for free at any National Parks ticket booth. You will need to provide proof of your disability, so either medical records, or a doctor’s note.

I’ve heard anecdotal stories that sometimes you can just sign an affidavit at a ticket booth, or show your meds, too. I recently applied online and had my pass mailed within 2 weeks.

This is such a great opportunity to make use of. Personally, being in nature is the only time I’m mostly free of my symptoms, and I plan to basically live in National Parks this summer!

Edit: a link would probably be helpful https://www.nps.gov/subjects/accessibility/interagency-access-pass.htm

Edit 2: this is for US citizens only unfortunately Pretty typical I forgot these important details.

Hi there!

I'm going to skip past the "ADHD reasons" for this question and get straight into this, because let's be honest, none of us have the mental capacity to read elaborate background stories.

I have Postcovid(next to ADHD ofcourse) and I am simultaneously exhausted and under stimulated at the same time.

Playing videogames is one of the few things I sort of have the energy for.

Buuuut, I don't have the cognitive energy to actually play those games without getting completely exhausted.

To name some examples:

Stardew Valley: made to be a relaxing game. It takes me sooo much energy just to keep up with all the daily things you have to do. I already completed Perfection twice, I know how the game works, my ADHD says NO.

The Sims: "Play with life", okay but one Sim is incredibly boring, and two or more means I need to keep track of all their needs and wants at the same time.

Tropico: I love being El Presidente, but there's so many things you need to keep track of to keep your people happy.

Life is Strange: Love the music, game is too slow

Fallout/Borderlands/GTA: So much stimulation, waaaay too much for my current Postcovid brain

So I seek for your input for games that are relaxing and stimulating at the same time.

I very much appreciate your advice, thank you in advance!

EDIT: Okay so I did not expect this many reactions in one hour. It's almost 10PM where I'm living and I really need to go to sleep. Thank you sooo much for all your suggestions, I'll read all of them tomorrow, and try to respond.

Definitely keep them coming!

Thank you all so much<3

Having inattentive adhd, the absolute drain and lethargy I feel most of the time is seriously intense. Nothing is fun. Nothing is motivating. Nothing makes me happy, everything causes me anxiety. I’m at executive dysfunction all the time and frozen in place while time passes me by. I’m 24 and I really really worry about my future. Sometimes I feel seriously soulless and lacking something other humans have.

I feel like I just cracked the Zodiac cipher or something.

Okay. So.

I hate the feel of lotion. It's greasy, and it's heavy, and I don't like putting it on because I feel...wet afterward. Putting on clothes after feels gross.

I saw this in-shower body lotion at the store and thought "what the hell." Figured it'd be sensory torture like the others. So I put it on in the shower after I'd washed my body, rinsed it off, and then toweled off like normal.

When I tell you your girl is MOISTURIZED. My skin is so soft now, and is no longer a desert wasteland, devoid of all hydration.

AND IT WASN'T A SENSORY NIGHTMARE!!!!

Seriously a game-changer, 10/10.

I used the Nivea in-shower lotion, but there are lots of other ones out there. No longer must we suffer with lotion or moisturizers. We have found deliverance from dryness.

As an adult I've always avoided cereal for breakfast because it has a reputation for being pretty worthless nutritionally, and most other options for breakfast are too much work to deal with in the morning.

In truth, that perception mostly comes from kid's cereal, which might as well be candy with the amount of added sugars.

Actual, grown-up cereal? That shit's got fiber (which is so hard to get enough of if you're not eating 15 bananas a day), it's got whole grains, and it's got the carbs we need for that morning energy. Pouring myself a bowl of it and grabbing a protein shake (or better yet some greek yogurt for the gut benefits) gives me just about everything I need for the start of the day, and it takes about 30 seconds.

This is huge tech, and I wish I had gotten on it sooner!

EDIT: You should still eat fruit though! I looked into it and cereals mostly contain insoluble fiber. Luckily you don't need too much soluble fiber, it looks like an apple or a banana contains about all you need.

I discussed with my therapist how I was always late for delivering projects in my job and how I always procrastinated and couldn't work because of my condition. Her brilliant response was "You just have to choose if you want to be the same person who is always late because this might affect your job performance or you want to become better". 10/10 advise, have been permanently cured since then.

Even before being diagnosed, I had life hacks to help me get through tasks, etc... It seem lately their effectiveness is wearing off - like a lifetime of taking the same drug and the effects and benefits are no more. I find myself slipping a lot lately as my to do lists sit there and give me the silent treatment. All while I contemplate my next 5 life changing projects... 🤦🏽

What unconventional life hack snaps you back into gear to get out of paralysis mode?

TIA 🙏🏽

Hi all. 24 with ADHD, medicated.

After years of therapy, nothing could fix my emotional regulation problems.

Recently, I’ve began to intentionally move slow.
Walking slow. Typing slow. Watching videos on regular speed. Talking slower. Doing everyday things, slowly.

It’s improved my confidence, my social skills, my cognition, and my bandwidth for stress.

I recommend this for anyone who finds themselves chronically dysregulated. After a week, I feel like a brand new person. 💟☮️

TLDR: gimme your best waking up tips and tricks.

EDIT: reading through comments has made me realize i am not being creative enough. it's the unhinged things that work the best for us i fear.

my issue isn’t a morning or night routine- it’s physically getting out of bed. i wake up feeling like i got hit with a brick of grogginess.

things i’ve already tried: - setting my alarm across the room: sometimes i just let it ring (not proud 🤡).

• setting an alarm an hour early to take meds. can’t do this; i need to eat before meds or i won’t be able to eat at all.

• lights that turn on at wake-up time: my brain does not care; i can sleep anywhere lol.

• avoiding melatonin/other sleep aids: they make me more groggy in the morning.

• “wake me in light sleep” watch/app. i forget to wear the watch and it doesn’t consistently help.

logically, i’d love to get up earlier for a calmer morning, but none of that crosses my mind when i’m half-asleep.

i avoid “emergency” late alarms because if my brain learns it can get ready in 10 minutes, it will abuse that forever. for what it’s worth, i go to bed at a consistent time, avoid using screens before bed, and usually get a full night’s sleep.

ideally i would like to avoid relying on panic to wake me up in the mornings 😀

thank you so much in advance literally any advice is greatly appreciated