#adhd paralysis

[lesbian-disaster-academic]

i used to be so good at writing strong, thoroughly-researched, thoroughly-edited essays.

as a kid in hs, my teacher literally came up to me, holding my 40 page essay on the intersection of the European witch hunts and capitalism/exploitation/gender roles (it was supposed to be 7 pages...whoops) and went like "this is literally a master's-degree level thesis. what are you doing?? you could literally use this as your final dissertation in a master's program, what the fuck."

NOW??? NOW?? you'd think I'd be oh so skilled. but alas. i can barely piece together two ideas. adhd skill-regression is so so real. im SOBBING

[laestoica]

[tiredpoets]

HEY! YOU! Yea, you, scrolling through Tumblr for validation and support for your executive dysfunction because you feel powerless: I love you, and I know you're trying your best <3 Take a moment and breathe. Let your chest unwind for a little bit as you read this post. I love you despite the things you cannot do, and I hope you find people who see your complexities and value you for them instead of putting you down. You deserve empathy and comfort. I know it's heavy, so thank you for continuing despite how hard it is. I see you.

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

ADHD Paralysis

Future ADHD

[undressrehearsal]

something i see people talk about often is adhd paralysis aka when you have things you need to/want to do but it all seems overwhelming and you can't seem to get up off the couch even though ur screaming in your head to just do something

this, basically

what i want to know about it the physical sensation. yes, there's the mental struggle where you are yelling at yourself and berating yourself to do something, anything, but what does it feel like physically? because to me (and i'm not being hyperbolical) it feels like suffocating. if you have ever experienced sleep paralysis, it feels like that: this suffocating weight on me and the overwhelming feeling that I can't even move and it makes it almost hard to breathe.

what does it feel like to you?

[valcaira]

"ADHD paralysis" "scrolling paralysis" "decision paralysis" "omg my anxiety paralyzes me"

shut up shut up shut up SHUT THE FUCK UP

[lore-gore]

Might be a controversial take but the whole "using the term ADHD paralysis is ableist against paralyzed people" feels like another "using the phobia suffix to describe bigotry is saneist against people with phobias."

I know I myself am not paralyzed, but I am ADHD, and I don't think describing my symptoms makes people take paralysis any less seriously. Sometimes it feels like I genuinely cannot move.

Word policing won't make paralyzed people more respected. It just invalidates ADHD people.

You are literally talking over us. Stop.

Edit: check the reblogs, I've changed my stance

[wheelie-sick]

"I can't stop playing video games I'm so paralyzed" vs my mouth and face are slowly paralyzing themselves because my immune system won't stop attacking my cranial nerves. I gag and choke on everything I swallow including my own saliva- this is dangerous. I drool, both in my sleep and when I'm awake. I slur my speech which makes people think I am drunk. I have strabismus.

[teapot-studies]

too many things to do and now you have ADHD paralysis?

Write a numbered list of things you need to do

go to google and type ‘roll a d6’ or any die equal to the amount of tasks you have or use an actual die you have lying around

do the task that the die landed on

reward urself with a lil treat after completing the task. Good job!

[etherealspacejelly]

I NEED TO GO FOOD SHOPPING WHY AM I STILL ON TUMBLR

[lesbian-disaster-academic]

not relaxing, not doing work, but a secret third thing (screaming in my head while doomscrolling)

[kermit-the-hag]

literally the only cure for my adhd paralysis is to blast the danger days album start to finish. blasting planetary (go!) while trying to clean my room has been life changing.

[laestoica]

[feralboo-the-weirdo]

I do not feel real. The world is going on around me but I am a stranger.

An outsider.

I don't feel real. Not really. I know I am, but sometimes I wonder.

I cannot focus, if this isn't real, what is?

The world runs in circles around accomplishments I have yet to see.

I cannot focus, my body is here but my mind is away.

Thoughts are broken. Fragmented, like a million comma splices.

I feel so alone here. Everyone else seems to feel real, but I feel so odd, like a ghost haunting a body, wondering if someone will notice.

There is no one to tell. No one understands.

How do you explain that nothing feels real? That it all feels like some sort of dream you have to wake up from at some point but never do.

Does the rest of the world exist? Is it all a figment of my half insane mind? How would I know?

I wish I could stop this feeling. Finally feel life finally get everything done I need to.

But... I suppose that's why I'm here anyway. So much to do, enough time. So. Why. Can't. I. Focus?

I have to hide these feelings. No one can know how much of an outsider I truly am.

I told them. They dont care. Don't know what to do. Don't know what's wrong with me.

I wish I knew. But an explanation wouldn't fix me. Nothing truly does.

They're to busy to care anyway. Trying to fix themselves, put a band aid over a crack in a large dam.

How do you ask for help if no one can help you?

I do not feel real. Time is slipping away.

I've done nothing.

I wish I could. But my mind is so fractured, so frazzled nothing seems to process, to matter.

There is so much I must do.... So I suppose I do none of it.

Time goes so slow. But they day is half over.

I wish I felt real.

I wish my life mattered more to me.

[mischiefmanifold]

what do you mean by “adhd paralysis isn’t real?” like in what way? this is a genuine question and i’m trying not to let my hurt feelings affect this bc i’m trying to learn and i don’t know everything.

if you don’t feel like answering that’s cool too, but can you direct me to who was talking about this?

Hi! Paralysis is a permanent state. When used in terms of bodily functions, it means "loss of [muscle] contraction due to interruption of one or more motor pathways from the brain to the muscle fibers." Paralysis/plegia (e.g., hemiplegia) is used to refer to complete or severe loss of muscle strength, while paresis is used to refer to partial or slight loss of muscle strength. (source)

ADHD does not include loss of muscle strength (paralysis), and if you're attributing paralysis to ADHD it means you really need to see a doctor. What ADHD does include (that many people seem to confuse for paralysis) is executive dysfunction, which can make it difficult to move at times but never causes permanent loss of muscle strength. Another thing that people are confusing for paralysis (which very much isn't) is catatonia, and I've seen people describe catatonic episodes as paralysis. Catatonia is a feature of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (most often schizoaffective, schizophreniform, and schizophrenia) and can occur alongside autism spectrum disorder, but does not occur as part of ADHD.

Claiming that you are experiencing "ADHD paralysis" is offensive to those who actually are paralyzed, especially with what I've been seeing on actual paralyzed people's blogs from people with "ADHD paralysis."

Additionally, if you search "ADHD paralysis" here on Tumblr you'll get a whole bunch of posts about people talking about their executive dysfunction. This is fine, in general, but they're misusing medical terminology and it is harmful.

[chronicsymptomsyndrome]

Here’s why I don’t take “inattentive vs hyperactive” seriously…

Clinicians: after using my neurotypical brain to briefly observe you in a completely sedentary office setting I noticed that you did not scream or lose your mind or run laps around my office even once, and since adhd burnout/paralysis/executive dysfunction don’t exist, you must have inattentive type. That’s the only explanation for your composure while in my office. You’re welcome :)

Actual adults with adhd: HELP I’m TOO TIRED to MOVE (unless I’m presented with any adequate stimulation) (unless I feel safe enough to fidget) (unless I get adequate rest and nutrients) (unless by some miracle I can take care of myself properly) (unless I hear a song I like) (unless it’s 2am when I get the zoomies) (unless it’s something I find fun then I’ll be bouncing off the walls) (unless it’s a project that interests me then I’ll work for twelve hours straight) (unless I have to sit for more than two minutes) (unless you ask about my childhood when I was constantly yelled at to calm down and sit still) (unless by some miracle I can achieve proper self care so I’m not constantly trying to pour from an empty cup)