When you hear ” They have ADHD.” about someone, what do you imagine that person acts like? What do you imagine that person looks like? What do you imagine their day-to-day lives are like? A common thought across the board about ADHD is that “hyperactivity” in ADHD means that a person can’t sit still. Many assume that the person with ADHD is hyper and unable to sit in one spot for more than 4 minutes. They assume that the person with ADHD is fidgety, talkative, and just all over the place. What if I told you that isn’t what ADHD looks like? At least not all of the time, and certainly not for everyone with an ADHD diagnosis. ADHD does not always mean that the person can’t sit still.
This blog post is all about hyperactivity in ADHD, ADHD symptoms, ADHD symptoms in women, and what ADHD hyperactivity can look like in women with ADHD.
For a long time, I didn’t think that I had a diagnosis of ADHD. Before receiving my official diagnosis from my mental health nurse practitioner at the age of 29, some parts of me thought I did not fit the criteria to be diagnosed with ADHD. I didn’t check all of the boxes that I had heard about all my life. I could sit somewhat still for longer than 5 minutes; I had never had a hard time with hyperactivity or sitting still (or so I thought). When I briefly thought back to my early childhood, I didn’t have memories of difficulty sitting in one place or focusing for extended periods. I had always remembered my primary year in school being easy for me.
Also, while thinking back, I remember always struggling in social situations. My heart would jump out of my chest at the simple thought of a conversation with my peers during lunchtime in 5th grade. I remember being nervous about recess and always having racing thoughts about who would play with me and who would reject me. I remember struggling to fight off the most random impulses and always having a deep hate but a huge need for routine. I hated the idea of doing the same thing daily; I needed new experiences often. I was always looking for something to give my brain a dopamine explosion.
There it was, hyperactivity…. in my brain. I have never been able to rest from the loudness of my thoughts, not as a child, not in my teen or early adult years, and certainly not now iw in my late 20s/ early 30s. Here is a list of ways hyperactivity can present itself other than wildly running around, constant fidgeting, and inability to sit still.
1.Talking Excessively
To the people who love me, thank you, thank you, thank you. I am so guilty of not knowing when to stop (LOL). At this point, everyone around me knows that sometimes you have just to let me ramble. Sometimes, my thoughts go 100 mph, and I need to let some of the thoughts out. It can be very overwhelming to think about 1 million completely different topics simultaneously. A hyperactive brain isn’t always fun. Excessively spilling my thoughts helps relieve some of the mind clutter,
2. Impulsivity
Another thing I am very guilty of is my impulsivity. My impulsivity usually shows in the things I purchase and the thousands of dollars that I spend on things I don’t care about five minutes after buying them. My brain hits 100 and screams, “BUY IT!” Sometimes, it is screaming so loud that it convinces me that I need it and will not feel okay until I buy it. My poor bank account.
3. Forgetfulness
Yeah, everything. I forget everything. Where I just put my phone, which was in my hand 30 seconds ago. The car keys that I really need to hang in their home before I do anything else after arriving home. Just everything.
4. Difficulty Waiting In Line
I have difficulty waiting for anything – My brain doesn’t like it. Transitions in itself are already hard. So, once I get past the transition part, I would like to do whatever it is that we are going to do.
5. Acting Without Thinking
Because of impulsivity issues, remember?!
6. Always On The Go
I don’t want to sit still. Can we find the next thing that will cause me to have an extreme dopamine rush? Thanks.
7. Time Management Concerns
Always late. I always think I have more than enough time to do extra. I’m time blind. How can I see time clearly with the million other things in my brain blocking the clock?
These are just a few of the ways hyperactivity can show for me, and they sometimes make my day-to-day just a tad difficult.
I am thankful for medications and new ways to form habits and live with ADHD. It is hard to feel constantly disorganized, like you’re not blending in with the rest of the people around you, and like your brain will always have chaos inside. So, if you think you have ADHD, give your doctor a call. You don’t have to live with the symptoms making your life difficult. ADHD is being more and more recognized every day, and new, improved ways to make life easier are constantly evolving. From one ADHD’er to another, take care of yourself.
