As I sit here on a bench with a view of the old Quarry Bank Mill with Elvis (my pug dog) by my side, I can’t help feeling like life should be filled with more moments like this. No expectations, no tasks with several ways they could go wrong! Just free of the pressure of ADHD, but then is it really our ADHD that causes the pressure?
Obviously as an adult, responsibilities grow and there is not really any clear way of getting around that, but is it the responsibilities or the expectations of doing things in a certain way at a certain time? I’ve talked before about us all (non-Adhders included) buying into this great big hamster wheel complex where we’re trying to keep pace but really getting nowhere important.
“In today’s world is so busy and loud that it does not encourage us to be kind to ourselves. It’s up to us to make that a priority!”
ADHD Girl
Then on top of that, we’ve got all the pressure that comes with instant communication aka technology. It’s like if someone sends me a text, a message on social media or a missed phone call, my brain instantly goes to ‘I must respond straight away otherwise I’m rude.’ Emergencies aside, like why?? What’s the rush? If people love you, shouldn’t they understand you get busy?
Then there is the stress of everything we’re seeing in the instant media. Not only are we crapping ourselves in real time, but we’re trying to figure out if what we’re seeing is real or AI? Sensationalism or serious journalism? Agenda or bias-free?
There are too many distractions and not enough attention to what’s really important.
With all this external pressure, is it any wonder that having ADHD within all that is becoming harder to manage? Not only have we got it all going on in our brains, but it’s all happening externally now too.
Now back to where I started this article, on this bench at Quarry Bank Park. It’s only when I have moments of silence like this, that I realise how loud the noise around me truly is. What I’m saying, ADHDers and allies, is don’t be afraid to say no or not right now. Don’t be afraid to take some time for yourself and ultimately don’t forget to be present as much as possible while choosing what noise you allow yourself to tune in to. The world is bad enough at the moment, right?
