1000 ADHD Challenges That Never Go Away

Compiled and edited by Cynthia Hammer, MSW

More than once, I left my phone inside the fridge, in my socks drawer, or the medicine cabinet. I have left it at work and in an Uber.

I lie around doing nothing all day and procrastinate on schoolwork because of depression, but I get it done at the last minute because of my anxiety.

Sometimes I watch a movie on TV. I zap through the channels during the commercial break and forget I was watching a movie.

For me, ADHD is forgetting what I am talking about while I am talking. It is looking for something that is in my hand.

It is going down a rabbit hole on YouTube, and suddenly it's 4 am.

I blurt out things without thinking, hurting other people's feelings by sharing opinions that would be better unsaid.

My friends or family members have asked me not to monopolize conversations, saying that I talk excessively when we are together.

I generally feel restless, as if I need to be perpetually doing something or going somewhere.

I feel compelled to move. For example, when watching a movie, I feel driven to get up and move around after only a few minutes.

I fidget whenever I need to sit still and concentrate. I tap a pencil, move my feet, or play with my hair, even when in meetings for work and often without consciously doing so.

When doing chores at home, I move from task to task without finishing anything. Chores are like a burst of whirlwind activity — things are moved around but rarely cleared off my commotion list.

On a whim, I have purchased items I do not need, even when I cannot afford the things.

I find it difficult to control my emotions. I anger quickly, but my anger quickly subsides, and I may not remember why I was mad the next day.

I have poor driving skills. I drive too fast. I make sudden turns without signaling, get lost, and have gotten speeding tickets.

I tend to get bored quickly and crave excitement.

My internal thoughts are usually more distracting than external things.

I have a difficult time waiting in lines. I go to the grocery store late at night when there will not be a line at the checkout.

I have trouble sleeping. My mind races and I find it hard to turn off my thoughts to relax and fall asleep.

I become physically uncomfortable when I need to sit still for extended times during long work meetings, daylong seminars, and even movies or church. I avoid situations where I need to be still for extended periods.

I finish sentences for other people, even though I know that is inappropriate and rude.

I seem unprepared because I forget or lose things like my keys, cell phone, and wallet.

I have a very high IQ and can compensate, but I am burnt out, exhausted, tense, and irritable. I'm like a sprinter with a piano tied to my back who still has to compete in the race.

Sure, I can do it, but I'm wrecked when I get to the finish line and the other participants aren't.

I sometimes wonder how much faster I would be without the weights holding me down. I try not to think that way, but it is difficult not to wonder sometimes.

I try not to be angry that it is unfair, that I have a metaphorical piano tied to me and others don't. It's hard. My peers don't see how hard I have to work to compensate. I always hear, “everything comes so easily for you.” Oh, Buddy! If you only knew!

I never could understand how I was smart and stupid at the same time and why doing homework was so hard. Keeping up exhausts me.

There could be the elephant in the room and I wouldn't notice.

Waiting for me to comment on your new haircut? I'm just not going to notice. Sorry. I'm in my own little world.

But if you give me a slightly funny look, I'll notice that and think about it for a long time.

I have just two settings, bored and obsessed, and no setting in between

I can hyperfocus much of the time, yet I have difficulty starting and focusing on things that bore me. I get overwhelmed by too many things. - Minimalism, big categories, and the big picture are my friends.

I notice things around me that nobody else sees, but I fail to notice what everybody else sees at a glance.

Some days I notice everything. Then other days, I am in my own world and fail to see what is happening right in front of me.

I feel like I don't see or remember obvious things but focus on useless details.

I would be the WORST witness to a crime! I couldn't tell you anything about the last person I walked past, even though it was less than three minutes ago.

"Personal development" won't fix an underdeveloped prefrontal cortex or low dopamine levels. I want to learn ways to cope with or get around the obstacles ADHD throws at me and not feel bad when I don't live up to other people's expectations.

"I wish the world knew what it means to be forgiving and understanding of neurodiversity; to accommodate our weaknesses and celebrate our strengths. It may seem a pain to change environments and procedures to fit those differences, but accommodations benefit everyone with permanent or temporary differences. “