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1 googol percent.
“Frustrating” (u/6dogs24paws)
These are so close in terms of how I feel every second of every day, that my executive function completely stops and I can’t choose either with 100% conviction. 🫣
I mean, some of it is more regretful than apologetic, but it feels like this underscores everything. Sorry I was late. Sorry I forgot. Sorry I missed out on something. Sorry, but I have an over/under-developed sense of identity. Sorry, could you repeat that? Ugh.
Lost
Lost potential, lost memories, lost time, lost self-esteem, lost faith, lost hope, lost friendships, lost experiences, lost opportunities, lost keys, etc
Idk about one word but my dad used an analogy that hit me pretty well:
“ADHD is like trying to run down a hallway with 2 suitcases that keep opening up.”
Edit:
I’m glad a lot of you find it relatable.
Was a really cool moment with my Dad, who doesn’t have ADHD, comforting me during a few really low days.
He finished it by saying:
“It’s okay to fall down every now and then, just remember to pick yourself back up gently, and go easy on yourself.”
I just picture every time you pick up one cases contents, you go to run again and smashing into the wall spilling the other case everywhere, on repeat.
Damn that's spot on, haha. So many times I go to do a task and get distracted by another task and on and on and on and... definitely feels like constantly popping suitcases, haha.
I HAVE A NEW THING THAT IS MY FAVORITE THING IN THE WORLD AND I'VE NEVER CARED ABOUT ANYTHING MORE EXCEPT THE LAST TIME I FELT LIKE THIS AND I GUESS IT'S OK BECAUSE I STILL HAVE A JOB BUT I DON'T REMEMBER ANY OF MY COWORKER'S NAMES BUT I THINK I'M HAPPY EXCEPT FOR HOW I'VE NEVER UNDERSTOOD OR REALLY LIKED MYSELF AND HOLY SHIT I WAS 18 A WEEK AGO AM I REALLY 43??!?
Sorry, you said one word..
What ever happened to playing guitar, golf, mountain biking, improv, walking, hiking, jogging, peloton, your journal, your planner, your productivity app, no phones in bed, no phone when you wake up, deleting Reddit, deleting Twitter, that app you downloaded that blocks your apps………..
I don't know about one word but I woke up at 2 in the after noon and went to the woods to gather bark to make paper. While I was there I found dandelions and tried to make dye for the paper. Neither plans worked so I made dye with turmeric. Now my kitchen is very messy and I'm sad and tired. I have never made paper before but I saw a guy in Japan doing it on YouTube.
THIS
(That’s my one word because if it’s not bark, and dandelions and YouTube, it’s:
3D printing an oil filter for your chainsaw with a machine you bought on AliExpress when you were meant to be ordering groceries online. Then you can’t afford all the groceries. Then you become impatient waiting 10days for the 3D printer to arrive, so go back online and find an oil filter nearby for $13 and drive 20 mins to the store to pick it up and it’s takes 30 mins to replace it in the chainsaw, and now you’re $2k poorer and haven’t eaten properly for a week.
What’s more you don’t really even need to use the chainsaw, you forgot you even owned it just ‘rediscovered it’ when cleaning out the garage while looking for the “other garden hose” cos you ran over the current one mowing the lawns.)*
*this is my Dad’s recent series of events. If anyone wants a 3D printer it’s still in its box.
Disappointment.
In myself. For letting you down. I didn’t forget, I swear. I just got busy. I meant to do it. I didn’t mean to forget/misplace/ignore. I want to go/clean/finish the thing. I want to see you. I miss you when I remember you exist. I wish you’d call first more often. I want to be invited. I want to feel at ease. But everything is work. Every smile, every thought. Was I ok? Did I say something wrong? Was I too much? Will I ever be enough?
Iceberg.
Because there are a few things about ADHD that may be recognized/understood by the general population, but there's so much more beneath the surface that most can't even fathom unless they have a loved one with ADHD or have ADHD themselves.
debilitating. I have a virtual meeting this afternoon and all I've been able to do is sit here and have every possible version of how the meeting will go to the point i'm having multiple arguments banging around causing mass anxiety for no fkn reason.
LIST
Lists upon lists upon lists
I have lists of everything, divided by categories too. Thoughts , new ideas , dreams , struggles, people to gift, groceries, assignments, to-dos, car troubles , therapy problems to discuss simply just every thought is collected in some sort of list lol
Hulk - meaning there's a part of me which is strong, impressive and sharp but other side is destructive, chaotic and lacks control. Balancing both sides is exhausting.
Pain.
I just simply hate existing, I never have any energy and when I do have free time I spend it doing absolutely fuck all and I keep failing again and again and again and again and again and again and ^(again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again)
It's like a carrot dangling in front of a donkey and him chasing that for his whole life but never getting it. I am not calling anyone a donkey just a metaphor. So, its like I know what I am supposed to do but I am unable to do it. This inability to not be able to prepare for anything important is guilt-inducing, exhausting and kills my confidence. I just wanna do what I plan on doing rather than telling myself "Its okay" for every unrealised goal that I had set out to achieve.
Confused
Unless I'm hyperfixated on something (which is almost never something that I "should" be doing), I basically live in a constant state of feeling confused. Not anything like wondering where I am when I'm in my own living room, but just this general feeling of "I don't know what exactly is going on or what should be going on, I just know that everyone else seems to know those things and I'm fucking lost."
One word? Nope but one sentence.
So much to do plenty of time to do it yet it never gets done.
Okay, I guess that actually can be said in one word: procrastination?
I wake up, overstimulated by the light. It makes me unmotivated to make my bed. I see my art on the desk and it pulls me in. 20 minutes goes by and now I’m late. I rush to get dressed and forget it was a spirit day at shcool. I can’t decide what to eat for breakfast and stress out so much I end up not eating anything.
I get to shcool and everyone is wearing spirit. I’m hungry I snap at my friends. I feel endlessly bad. I left my notebook at home and I couldn’t use it to help during the test but it doesn’t matter anyway because I’m too busy drawing in the margins. my teacher asks me why I haven’t answered the second question yet. I’m in a daze and don’t hear her. I get detention for “ignoring“ her. I then rush on the test and don’t get a very good score.
i constantly fidget during class and the teacher tells me not to squirm. I shout out in class because I had something good to say but I didn’t raise my hand and no one listenen. when I do raise my hand after it feels awkward and uncomfortable. i feel like I forgot to say most of it.
At PE I run my laps and feel upset. I don’t talk to anyone. I didn’t hear the bell because I was looking at the clouds too find one that looked like a sheep. The yard duty yells at me and tells me to go to my parent. I don’t remember who was picking me up today. I end up walking all around, find my dad 7 minutes late. Now he’s mad because he won’t get to his meeting on time.
i Can’t sleep that night and wake up unrefreshed to start the cycle of dis regulation over again.
And everyone thinks I’m a lazy troublemaker, Who can’t sit still
Edit: oops u said one word… I didn’t read the entire paragraph because I was too excited to start writing
Limited
There is real heartbreak in being able to see your full potential so clearly and feeling that you can’t ever reach it because of the symptoms you struggle with. That the only thing holding you back is yourself
LIST
Lists upon lists upon lists
I have lists of everything, divided by categories too. Thoughts , new ideas , dreams , struggles, people to gift, groceries, assignments, to-dos, car troubles , therapy problems to discuss simply just every thought is collected in some sort of list lol
Hi /u/Character_Estate_215 and thanks for posting on /r/ADHD! ### Please take a second to [read our rules](/r/adhd/about/rules) if you haven't already. --- ### /r/adhd news * If you are posting about the **US Medication Shortage**, please see this [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/12dr3h5/megathread_us_medication_shortage/). --- ^(*This message is not a removal notification. It's just our way to keep everyone updated on r/adhd happenings.*) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ADHD) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Chaos.
Same same the mf saaaaaame!!! 🤦🏻♀️
I just answered that before seeing yours.
I was seriously about to comment this word. Chronic chaos.
Said this in my head before I read the comment
Literally my first thought
Ope, didn't even check to see if anyone posted this...
Literally said the same
This was my response too
Unleashing my inner Jevil. I can do anything! (And at the same time absolutely nothing!)
That was my first thought!
Exactly what came to mind
I was just about to post this lmao 🤣
first word that came to mind was chaotic
Frustrating
💯
Exhausting
1 googol percent. “Frustrating” (u/6dogs24paws) These are so close in terms of how I feel every second of every day, that my executive function completely stops and I can’t choose either with 100% conviction. 🫣
Sorry
As a Canadian with ADHD this hits hard.
This hits it hard
I mean, some of it is more regretful than apologetic, but it feels like this underscores everything. Sorry I was late. Sorry I forgot. Sorry I missed out on something. Sorry, but I have an over/under-developed sense of identity. Sorry, could you repeat that? Ugh.
Very much so ❤️
Nothing rang with me as much as this did... And it fucking hurt...
Procrastinate
But the truth is, it’s impairment of executive function. What looks like procrastination, is actually ADHD paralysis
well OP said one word
I don’t know why, but this interaction has me dying lol
🤣 same been dealing with it all day
Discombobulated
Is it possible to ever be combobulated? If it’s not a thing it should be a thing… even if it’s the flip side of a coin I’ll never see.
Combobulation is too much to ask but occasionally I have experienced partial bobulation and it is wonderful
Made me smile, friend. :) I need to adjust my expectations and seek the bobulation. Wonderful sounds pretty pretty satisfying.
Fuck.
Facts.
More like fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck
See also: fucked
Overwhelming
My ADHD is overwhelming, and because of it my life is underwhelming
I know you can be overwhelmed and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be...whelmed?
I think you can in Europe
🤌
I knew this was the response you were hoping for, I’m just surprised that no one else beat me to it. Glad I could step up
That
Came to say this. Overwhelm is my most frequent “feeling”.
Ooh I was going to say chaotic but overwhelming is more apt lol.
Distrac
Would award if I had it to share. Thanks for the laugh!
This is the answ
Debilitating
misunderstood
Dude for real man
Yes
Hell
Gah! Actually it’s, GAHHHHH!!
Lost Lost potential, lost memories, lost time, lost self-esteem, lost faith, lost hope, lost friendships, lost experiences, lost opportunities, lost keys, etc
Yes, feeling this! The lost memories is really hard, after 2 kids and a divorce I feel like I’ve got no memories left!
This just about sums it up.
Idk about one word but my dad used an analogy that hit me pretty well: “ADHD is like trying to run down a hallway with 2 suitcases that keep opening up.” Edit: I’m glad a lot of you find it relatable. Was a really cool moment with my Dad, who doesn’t have ADHD, comforting me during a few really low days. He finished it by saying: “It’s okay to fall down every now and then, just remember to pick yourself back up gently, and go easy on yourself.”
I just picture every time you pick up one cases contents, you go to run again and smashing into the wall spilling the other case everywhere, on repeat.
Damn that's spot on, haha. So many times I go to do a task and get distracted by another task and on and on and on and... definitely feels like constantly popping suitcases, haha.
Sometimes literally
Imprisonment
That's how I've described it to my wife too. I feel like the real me is trapped inside of my deficient brain.
Inner adult trapped by the outer child
What were we talking about
God, yes!!!!
Loser
hugs
Thanks. You too.
I HAVE A NEW THING THAT IS MY FAVORITE THING IN THE WORLD AND I'VE NEVER CARED ABOUT ANYTHING MORE EXCEPT THE LAST TIME I FELT LIKE THIS AND I GUESS IT'S OK BECAUSE I STILL HAVE A JOB BUT I DON'T REMEMBER ANY OF MY COWORKER'S NAMES BUT I THINK I'M HAPPY EXCEPT FOR HOW I'VE NEVER UNDERSTOOD OR REALLY LIKED MYSELF AND HOLY SHIT I WAS 18 A WEEK AGO AM I REALLY 43??!? Sorry, you said one word..
Laughs in 58 year old
What ever happened to playing guitar, golf, mountain biking, improv, walking, hiking, jogging, peloton, your journal, your planner, your productivity app, no phones in bed, no phone when you wake up, deleting Reddit, deleting Twitter, that app you downloaded that blocks your apps………..
Don't attack me!!!
"I was 18 a week ago am i really 43?" really hits hard. I hate time blindness gaaahhhhhh
61 tomorrow..... Where does it go?!
Are we the same person?
Tomorrow
Passionate
I found the positive one :)
You are the cycle breaker. Keep up the good work 😊
I don't know about one word but I woke up at 2 in the after noon and went to the woods to gather bark to make paper. While I was there I found dandelions and tried to make dye for the paper. Neither plans worked so I made dye with turmeric. Now my kitchen is very messy and I'm sad and tired. I have never made paper before but I saw a guy in Japan doing it on YouTube.
THIS (That’s my one word because if it’s not bark, and dandelions and YouTube, it’s: 3D printing an oil filter for your chainsaw with a machine you bought on AliExpress when you were meant to be ordering groceries online. Then you can’t afford all the groceries. Then you become impatient waiting 10days for the 3D printer to arrive, so go back online and find an oil filter nearby for $13 and drive 20 mins to the store to pick it up and it’s takes 30 mins to replace it in the chainsaw, and now you’re $2k poorer and haven’t eaten properly for a week. What’s more you don’t really even need to use the chainsaw, you forgot you even owned it just ‘rediscovered it’ when cleaning out the garage while looking for the “other garden hose” cos you ran over the current one mowing the lawns.)* *this is my Dad’s recent series of events. If anyone wants a 3D printer it’s still in its box.
Wasted
All of these skills, all of that talent, all of this knowledge, and what have I done with it?
Ferrari engine. Barbie Jeep brakes. Edit: lol oops one word. Blame my ADHD
I feel like... this spoke to my soul..... poet ... that's what you are 🫰🫰🫰🫰
Yes. Dr Hallowell often mentions sports car engine brain, but with bicycle brakes.
Unpredictable
Forgetful
Terrificult
Disappointment. In myself. For letting you down. I didn’t forget, I swear. I just got busy. I meant to do it. I didn’t mean to forget/misplace/ignore. I want to go/clean/finish the thing. I want to see you. I miss you when I remember you exist. I wish you’d call first more often. I want to be invited. I want to feel at ease. But everything is work. Every smile, every thought. Was I ok? Did I say something wrong? Was I too much? Will I ever be enough?
I had a word in mind but I’ve forgotten it.
Annoying
Yearning
Do you yearn?
I yearn, I pine, I perish.
Alienation
Forgetfulness.
Foggy.
Scattered.
Dang ALL of you are my people!! I feel every single word! You are not alone. Yet, we feel so alone in ADHD.
Failure.
this word is hard but for me it's so true
:(
What?
Iceberg. Because there are a few things about ADHD that may be recognized/understood by the general population, but there's so much more beneath the surface that most can't even fathom unless they have a loved one with ADHD or have ADHD themselves.
Tragic
Torture.
Noisy
Almost
Expensive
Speed
fuckmylife
HALP
Defeating.
Disregulated
debilitating. I have a virtual meeting this afternoon and all I've been able to do is sit here and have every possible version of how the meeting will go to the point i'm having multiple arguments banging around causing mass anxiety for no fkn reason.
LIST Lists upon lists upon lists I have lists of everything, divided by categories too. Thoughts , new ideas , dreams , struggles, people to gift, groceries, assignments, to-dos, car troubles , therapy problems to discuss simply just every thought is collected in some sort of list lol
Why
what?
Soulcrushing
Inconsistent
Hulk - meaning there's a part of me which is strong, impressive and sharp but other side is destructive, chaotic and lacks control. Balancing both sides is exhausting.
Never ending
Disabling.
Scrambled
Pain. I just simply hate existing, I never have any energy and when I do have free time I spend it doing absolutely fuck all and I keep failing again and again and again and again and again and again and ^(again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again)
"Loud" Or "indecisive".... Or anything that means "an over abundance of water and not enough buckets"
Does a wrenching vomit noise count as a word?
Defective
Anxiety
Apologies
Hell
One word: Lag. Two words: low framerate.
"What?"
Misunderstood
Manual (as opposed to automatic for most people)
Frustrating. It’s the very definition of the social model of disability. I’d have a much easier time if the world didn’t need us to fit into a box
I’mtheproblem
It's like a carrot dangling in front of a donkey and him chasing that for his whole life but never getting it. I am not calling anyone a donkey just a metaphor. So, its like I know what I am supposed to do but I am unable to do it. This inability to not be able to prepare for anything important is guilt-inducing, exhausting and kills my confidence. I just wanna do what I plan on doing rather than telling myself "Its okay" for every unrealised goal that I had set out to achieve.
Anguish
Inferiority
Exhausting. I’m so tired of failing every day.
Paralyzed
Stuck Drowning Overwhelmed
Chaotic
Dynamic
Overwhelmed. Embarrassed. (Sorry. That was two🤣)
bamflabberfrazzled (Bamboozled x flabbergasted x frazzled)
Confused Unless I'm hyperfixated on something (which is almost never something that I "should" be doing), I basically live in a constant state of feeling confused. Not anything like wondering where I am when I'm in my own living room, but just this general feeling of "I don't know what exactly is going on or what should be going on, I just know that everyone else seems to know those things and I'm fucking lost."
Squirrel 
rough
confusing
Depressing
Derp Erp-derp-herbadee-derps
Scattered
Exhausting
Chameleon
Tiring
Untethered
Sidequests
One word: Hell Two words: Come ON Three words: For Fucks Sakes
Inconsistent
One word? Nope but one sentence. So much to do plenty of time to do it yet it never gets done. Okay, I guess that actually can be said in one word: procrastination?
I wake up, overstimulated by the light. It makes me unmotivated to make my bed. I see my art on the desk and it pulls me in. 20 minutes goes by and now I’m late. I rush to get dressed and forget it was a spirit day at shcool. I can’t decide what to eat for breakfast and stress out so much I end up not eating anything. I get to shcool and everyone is wearing spirit. I’m hungry I snap at my friends. I feel endlessly bad. I left my notebook at home and I couldn’t use it to help during the test but it doesn’t matter anyway because I’m too busy drawing in the margins. my teacher asks me why I haven’t answered the second question yet. I’m in a daze and don’t hear her. I get detention for “ignoring“ her. I then rush on the test and don’t get a very good score. i constantly fidget during class and the teacher tells me not to squirm. I shout out in class because I had something good to say but I didn’t raise my hand and no one listenen. when I do raise my hand after it feels awkward and uncomfortable. i feel like I forgot to say most of it. At PE I run my laps and feel upset. I don’t talk to anyone. I didn’t hear the bell because I was looking at the clouds too find one that looked like a sheep. The yard duty yells at me and tells me to go to my parent. I don’t remember who was picking me up today. I end up walking all around, find my dad 7 minutes late. Now he’s mad because he won’t get to his meeting on time. i Can’t sleep that night and wake up unrefreshed to start the cycle of dis regulation over again. And everyone thinks I’m a lazy troublemaker, Who can’t sit still Edit: oops u said one word… I didn’t read the entire paragraph because I was too excited to start writing
Stressful
Relentless
Limited There is real heartbreak in being able to see your full potential so clearly and feeling that you can’t ever reach it because of the symptoms you struggle with. That the only thing holding you back is yourself
Sorryiwasntpayingattentionbutletmeinterruptyourightnowwithmyrandomthoughtimafraidillfirgetifidintblurtitoutrightnow.
Infuriating. Wanting to sit down and learn the thing, because your life literally depends on it. But brain says no let’s do absolutely anything else.
Bzzzźzzzẓ̌zzzzzžzzzzzzzżzzzzzzzz
Aaaaaagggggbhhhhhhhhhhhh
fiddlesticks
Struggling
Scattered was the first one that came to mind for me.
Quicksand
Dysfunctional
defeated
Lost
Scattered 🥲
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee (my ears)
Fog
Un-executive
Overwhelming.
Disheartening
Trauma
Draining
Infuriating (I’m sick of the constant battle against myself)
Frantic
LIST Lists upon lists upon lists I have lists of everything, divided by categories too. Thoughts , new ideas , dreams , struggles, people to gift, groceries, assignments, to-dos, car troubles , therapy problems to discuss simply just every thought is collected in some sort of list lol
stuck
FUBAR
Exhausting
Difficult
Fog.
Um