The other day I went for a spa day. I must confess to being a bit of a spa snob as I go to a really nice spa on a regular basis, it’s my only regular treat for being a foster parent. Well anyone with ADHD will tell you that purposefully switching off other when you are unconscious/ asleep is near impossible. Even when I’m watching a deep enthralling movie on TV, I’m still doing something else whether it be cross stitching or eating etc.
I think perhaps the fact I can’t switch off my thoughts is what makes me good as a fiction writer. With the never-ending barrage of thoughts comes never ending possibilities and hopefully some great stories. Unfortunately, it means emotional exhaustion can be overwhelming because you never really get much peace.
“It’s very rare for us ADHDers to get any real down time due to our brains constantly being on the go.”
ADHD Girl
Anyway back to the spa day. I had a massage and a facial and both treatments were excellent. I can always tell how good there are because something amazing happens; my brain finally enters a deep stage of relaxation where my brain isn’t making constant noise. I’m not asleep but I’m not awake properly either. It’s amazing how recharged I feel after just that hour with no trespassing thoughts. It almost makes me wonder what life without ADHD must be like.
From experience, I know there is not really such a thing as normal; it’s a fake concept devised to make us all feel inadequate or to give us a sense that we have more control as a society. Of course, there is an average range of what is more common, which is not really the same thing. Anyway, back to my point, on average people without ADHD don’t get constantly attacked by overwhelming thoughts unless they have some kind of mental health condition (which to be fair is quite alot of people anyway). Therefore, most people find they are able to find times where they can switch off, even if it’s just for an hour a day. We all have busy lives so finding that time can be difficult, but even with that time us ADHDers struggle.
“Finding those moments where you can have peace are so important, but they are not so easy to find.”
ADHD Girl
Having time to switch off is so so important to mental health, but when you ADHD sometimes it’s just not an option. The biggest misconception of ADHD is that because you can’t focus on one think then your brain is just not all with it, but that’s not the case. The only reason we can’t focus is because our brain is all over the place doing other things and focusing on everything at once. That’s why most of us with ADHD have mental health issues; the constant noise is stifling. Yet, it’s so important to keep trying to find something that will give us peace, even if it’s only for short bursts. For me, I’m thankful I’ve found that in my spa days.
