The Surprising Truth About ADHD Motivation
Why Social Media Is Your Worst Enemy
Hello everyone!
Once, I had this occupational therapist who was supposed to help me establish a routine. She was also considered the best when it came to ADHD.
She started explaining things on the whiteboard, and I asked her, "How should I even do that when I can’t start?"
I explained that I think a lot about wanting to draw because I keep getting new ideas or I'm already working on one. But I'm unable to move my body to do it.
Do you know what her answer was? "If you think about it, you are motivated. Just do it." That was the last time I saw her because I got really mad!
The thing is, motivation has always been hard for me. But it’s not until recently that I learned why that is. People with ADHD have problems with motivation because our brain chemicals aren't working like everyone else's.
This is something the therapist should have known if she was really an expert on the topic. My guess is, she wasn't.
So, no, I have not gotten any help with this, and I don’t think I ever will. But I’m trying hard myself. When I have the urge to do something, I try really hard to actually do it.
It's not easy! There are so many distractions around me, like "Oh look, I can watch that YouTube video," among other things that require less effort.
But more and more, when I try to push through, it's starting to work. I can’t stop thinking about an idea until I really do it. The more I think about it, the higher the risk I get headaches because of it.
One thing I have noticed that works is a cold shower for a few minutes. A cold shower is great for those with ADHD because it boosts our dopamine levels naturally.
What do I mean by naturally? Well, if you check your Instagram and see likes, your dopamine levels spike like Mount Everest. But after a few minutes, it drop at the same speed, just like with drugs.
But with a cold shower, that spike goes up slowly to the top of Mount Everest, and then slowly goes down again, under the base level.
A dopamine hit from social media might last around 10 minutes, while the effects of a cold shower might last 2 hours.
But does it work every time? No, it does not. But it’s still one step forward, two steps back. It’s a very long road. Maybe one day I'll find a good solution for it. And I will share it with you.
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This is so true and so sad that there are professionals out there that are completely oblivious. In NT fashion no less. I'm really glad you shared your story. ADHD runs in our family, my son is diagnosed and he has a lot of trouble starting new things like drawing. There's an energy involved, I think, in trying to start something new that you need to overcome and it's not a dopamine rush because you might not be good at it and then the RSD kicks in.
But this is such a great thing to keep in mind. Thank you again for sharing.
Yep, there are many 'slow', natural things we can do to help motivate us!
Also, what kind of rubbish ADHD expert was that?! Our most typical and challenging trait is that we struggle to do things, even if we'd really like to 🤦♀️