Overcoming ADHD Brain Fog

Dear Dr. Saline:

I’m a 30 year-old AuDHDer who would love your input. I pride myself on my ability to focus and concentrate on what needs to be done. I’m achievement-oriented and used to be able to blaze through a to-do list. Lately though, brain fog has been hitting me hard. It’s been a period of very high stress. I find myself struggling to make sense of things people say which I would previously decode with ease. I’m hoping this is temporary but it’s embarrassing. What can I do? 

Thanks!

Crystal

Dear Crystal-

Brain fog can certainly be disorienting, confusing and even a bit scary for folks with and without ADHD or autism. Brain fog refers to a group of symptoms that impact how you function cognitively–your thinking, your recall and your concentration. It can also reflect difficulty with making decisions, mental fatigue, slower response time and uncertainty. While we don’t know what causes brain fog exactly, research shows that it’s associated with chronic fatigue syndrome, long COVID, chemotherapy, autoimmune conditions or depression. But, brain fog is not a medical condition so you can’t be diagnosed with it. It’s more like a set of symptoms that arise when something else is going on and you are not thinking as clearly as you could.

As you have shared, the symptoms of brain fog can make it difficult for people to engage in conversations, perform routine daily tasks and follow instructions. Plus, brain fog differs from person to person, particularly women. In fact, it disproportionately affects women because of hormonal changes related to menstruation and menopause. For folks with ADHD who already struggle with focus, memory and organization, stress can bring on brain fog by overwhelming weaker executive functioning skills. 

Develop coping strategies for daily stress

Of course, living with ADHD and AuDHD means living with a baseline of stress that neurotypical adults don’t have to deal with. The consistent inconsistency of being neurodivergent leads to being unclear– if you will follow through on things, if you will arrive on time, and if people will like you. You may freeze in the moment, unsure of what to say or do. Perhaps you lose your train of thought more often and get distracted more easily. Or, maybe you interrupt others or say something awkward without knowing it. This is especially tough in the middle of social situations, peer interactions or important work meetings.

Rely on coping strategies

Crystal, it seems like you’ve developed some useful coping tools to help you make sense of what others are saying to you and respond effectively. I can’t even imagine how frustrating it is for you to deal with this disorienting brain fog. And, let’s be honest, everybody spaces out sometimes. Yes, this may happen more intensely and more often for folks living with ADHD due to how their brains are wired. You are not alone in your embarrassment when this occurs. But, being upset with yourself for something that you cannot control only increases your stress and worsens the very brain fog that is troubling you in the first place.

It seems that  the question you are asking is, “How do I navigate these moments with more ease and less self-criticism?” I think your first step to lower your stress. I am a big fan of being authentic. Authenticity means being transparent and non-defensive when you miss a comment in a conversation or do something that you later regret. Self-care, exercise and self-compassion are all ways to reduce the tension in your life and hopefully the brain fog too. Try these  strategies to lower your stress.

4 techniques to manage brain fog in your life:  

1. Reduce stress by focusing on one task at a time: In today’s busy, constantly connected world, we live with too much to do and not enough time to reset. When we take a walk while talking on our phone or scroll while eating lunch, we don’t actually give ourselves the true break that we really need. We shred our time into distracted chunks instead of having space to exhale and regroup. When we multitask, we stress our brains and exhaust ourselves. Opt for single tasking as often as possible. You may not be able to eliminate all media multitasking habits but, with single tasking, you’ll feel more productive and less stressed.

2. Get enough sleep:Nothing weakens our coping abilities like a lack of sleep. Many people with ADHD struggle with sleep issues. Typically, folks wrestle with three aspects of sleep: falling asleep, staying asleep and waking up. It can be tough to turn off your mind. Perhaps you experience racing thoughts, intrusive worries or a fitful night of sleep marked by “tossing and turning” throughout the night.

Some people sleep so deeply that they struggle to get up in the morning, requiring numerous alarm clocks or physical reminders. Think about your sleep needs: how much, when and what helps you relax. Practice consistent sleep habits by going to bed and waking up at the same times and staying off screens for at least thirty minutes before you nod off.

3. Exercise regularly: I cannot emphasize enough how much exercise helps with clear thinking. The endorphins that are released during exercise enhance focus and increase your overall sense of well-being. Moving your body has been found to improve motivation, build energy and reduce confusion. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that adults engage in at 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity such as brisk walking, running, biking, etc. Of course, eating well helps your overall health too. So the next time that you are feeling brain fog descend, try to move your body and see what happens.

4. Chunk your activities and write things down: Instead of relying on hyperfocus, try breaking tasks down into 30-45 minute work blocks. You want to give your brain time to reset and rest a bit throughout the day rather than go intooverdrive and burnout. It can be tough for a lot of people who like to hunker down and plow through a set of projects. But overworking like this uses up the natural glucose fuel in the brain and then relies on cortisol. You wind up creating stress that doesn’t need to be there. Trying to remember everything also adds pressure. Give yourself a break and write things down. This also reduces stress and gives you the visual cues you need to be productive and stay focused.

Aim for reducing brain fog not eliminating it

Learning how to schedule adequate down time to integrate and process information, asking for someone to repeat what they said without self-criticism and taking care of yourself with good sleep, nutrition and exercise habits will reduce your overwhelm and your shame. Remember, brain fog is not your fault; you didn’t choose this. Instead, just explain what’s going on to someone when it is happening and move on. You’ve got this!

“Boosting or Breaking Productivity: The Impact of Hyperfixation on People with ADHD”

Are you ever so engrossed in an activity you love that you completely lose track of time? Does it seem like you lose sense of where you are and what’s happening around you? And when you snap back into the reality of what’s going on around you, are you disoriented? People with ADHD and neurodivergence are more likely to experience this heightened state of focus known as “hyperfixation” than neurotypical children and adults. Hyperfixation is defined as full immersion in something of interest to a point where a person appears to ‘tune out’ everything else. While this can be viewed as a productivity superpower, it can also draw you into unproductive, procrastinating activities. That’s part of what makes it both exhilarating and frustrating.

Hyperfixation, it seems, is a double-edged sword: a great capacity for effective performance on interesting, high-value tasks on the one hand and a great capacity for avoiding things by disappearing into pleasurable distractions on the other. So how can you harness hyperfixation as a productivity tool more often while not letting it become a mechanism of avoidance and procrastination? Nurturing executive functioning skills such as prioritization, time management and self-awareness will help you apply the power of your hyperfixation more efficiently. 

ADHD Hyperfixation vs. Hyperfocus

The terms ADHD hyperfixation and hyperfocus are often used interchangeably, but they refer to two distinct phenomena.

ADHD hyperfixation refers to an intense and often prolonged state of concentration on a particular activity or object which is pleasurable and can be productive. Because hyperfixation is fueled by a deep passion for or interest in the activity, it can quickly become an obstacle to productivity. When you’re fully engrossed in an activity that you lose track of time, you may neglect other tasks and obligations to your own detriment.

On the other hand, hyperfocus is task-driven and is often accompanied by clear goals and a sense of purpose. It’s less about enjoyment and satisfaction and more about getting into the flow of an activity. It’s a state of being fully engaged in a task for which you have a clear sense of direction. Hyperfocus is linked to increased productivity and a sense of accomplishment.

Both hyperfocus and hyperfixation may be challenging to regulate. If not managed well, they can get in the way of daily living. That’s why learning to manage these states is important, especially for people with ADHD and neurodivergence.

4 Tools to Help You Manage Hyperfixation

Productivity is an important aspect of life for kids and adults alike. However, it’s a process that many folks with ADHD and neurodivergence struggle with, especially when hyperfixation gets in the way. The best way to cope with hyperfixation is not to fight it by forbidding certain activities, but rather to use it. Making work or school stimulating can capture your focus in the same way as your favorite activities. By finding a job that caters to your interests, an individual with ADHD can truly shine, using hyperfocus to their advantage.

Here are four strategies to assist adults with ADHD with managing hyperfixation and using it as a superpower: 

  1. Identify and investigate: Learn more about your pattern of hyperfixation by increasing self-awareness. What does it look like for you? How long does it occur? Do you neglect self-care? How do you respond to interruptions? Notice when you tend to engage in hyperfixation by examining the situation, the environment and your motivation. Are you focusing on an interesting task or avoiding something unappealing? This type of reflection builds your capacity for metacognition. Thoughtful self-evaluation will help you monitor when hyperfixation takes over and what you can do to exit mindfully from an episode.
  2. Plan and prioritize: Do a brain dump of all of the tasks in front of you for the day or the week. Then make another, shorter list where you order them in terms of urgency (do it now because of a deadline) or importance (value and satisfaction with less pressure). Break down your day into blocks of time and assign the urgent tasks first followed by the important ones. Flag the ones that can be rolled over into the next day. Limit the quantity of the tasks so you can complete tasks and feel accomplishment.
  3. Improve time management: Use tools to increase your awareness of time and how it passes. Set up several alerts using a variety of tools–your phone, your computer, banners across the screen, or analog clocks or timers. Work in intervals with planned, structured breaks to keep yourself on track and limit the negative aspects of hyperfixation. If you struggle with initiation, help yourself overcome task paralysis by setting up meaningful incentives and breaking down large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones.
  4. Find an accountability buddy: You don’t have to address the challenging, over-absorbing aspects of hyperfocus alone. Ask someone in your life who understands ADHD and cares about you (a family member, friend or colleague) to check in within you at times or during activities when you are prone to hyperfixation. This can help you break up these periods. If this person also has ADHD, you can support each other as well. Helping somebody else with their hyperfixation can assist you with self-regulation too!

“I wish more people understood how it felt to be neurodivergent”: What to Know About Neurodiversity

Time for a societal change? Awareness of neurodiversity is one step, acceptance and valuing these differences are the goals. This would mean a shift from ‘corrective’ behaviour therapy offered by Early Intervention centres. Here’s what to know about the Neurodiversity movement.

‘There is nothing wrong with being neurodiverse. It is simply a different way of thinking. Some of the greatest minds in history are suspected of being neurodiverse and their discoveries have changed the world. If as a society, we could find a way to embrace neurodiversity and support individuals rather than treating it as a problem to be solved, we might be a lot further in finding solutions for some of the major problems we are currently facing’ says Donna who is neurodivergent herself and has two neurodivergent children. As Autism Acceptance Week (previously referred to as Autism Awareness Week) nears, two mamas and Speech and Language Therapists Fátima Ionescu and Melanie Muttit advocate for a societal change to move from awareness of autistic individuals and neurodiversity to acceptance, support and inclusivity instead. The autistic community would like us to move away from Autism Awareness and instead to Autism Acceptance due to the ableist views and perceptions created by Autism Awareness Day. This would also mean not aiming to “fix” or “correct” neurodivergent attributes and characteristics as some Early Intervention centres aim to do and instead looking for neurodiverse-affirming approaches

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How do I avoid the perfectionism trap?

Dear Dr. Saline, I recently started my first full-time job after graduating from college and feel like I’m struggling with the adjustment. I’ve had the usual ups and downs in school which come with ADHD. But now that I’m working, my tendency toward perfectionism has become overwhelming. Worst of all, I don’t think my work is any better as a result of all the extra effort I put into it. Do you have any advice on how I can get unstuck from the perfectionism trap? Thank you, Kathy

From Dr. Saline:

Dear Kathy, First of all, congratulations on your first full-time job! It’s an important milestone, and it’s natural to take time to figure out new routines and skills as you make this transition. Wanting things to go well reflects your desire to do well. But when this desire morphs into a need for everything to be just right, anyone can tip over into complicated perfectionism. Perfectionism is a common issue for kids and adults with ADHD who simply want to avoid making another mistake (again). While banishing perfectionism forever may be your goal, it’s not that realistic. Instead, you can learn to turn down its noise and create more effective coping strategies for motivation and quality.

Perfectionism and ADHD

For folks with ADHD, perfectionism can be a way to overcompensate for feeling not good enough or being “less than.” It’s also a way to hyperfocus on a task, project, or idea as you push yourself to get “just right.” The trouble with perfectionism is that it can be a double-edged sword. When used productively, it can be a driving force in helping you do your best work. But it can also create a great deal of troubling anxiety that actually hinders progress. It’s all too easy to get stuck on one detail, go down a rabbit hole, and then lose sight of the bigger picture.

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Midyear Reboot: Five Strategies for Building Effective Habits

Midyear Reboot: Five Strategies for Building Effective Habits

AS WE APPROACH THE MIDPOINT OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, many parents notice that their children are less motivated and less engaged than they were in September. Perhaps their grades were disappointing or they struggled socially. If they’re in middle or high school, they may have changed schedules and teachers and are dealing with new experiences daily despite a general sense of blah. Developing new habits in order to set themselves up for success both in and out of school is what’s called for. This is a great opportunity to pivot and create habits that promote positivity and success. Even though change can be tough, doing the same thing that isn’t working likely results in defeat.

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How To Get An Accurate Diagnosis For A Child Who May Have ADHD

How To Get An Accurate Diagnosis For A Child Who May Have ADHD

If you have a child or teen who seems to be struggling more with low motivation, keeping up with school work, and organizing things from clothes to projects to chores than at the beginning of the school year? The winter doldrums are no joke for many students, especially those who may have ADHD or live with neurodivergence. This is a good time of year to look under the hood and investigate what’s going on for them and why they are wrestling with productivity and performance. While this process can seem daunting, investigating what is happening will offer information about their cognitive and emotional functioning.

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Using a Dopamine Menu to Stimulate Your ADHD Brain

Using a Dopamine Menu to Stimulate Your ADHD Brain

Your brain is a Tesla. When its battery becomes depleted, it needs to stop and recharge. You know the feeling when your power is draining down, but you don’t always know how to replenish it. Many of us grab our phones for a ‘quick’ doom scroll or a game of Geometry Dash. Others eat a cookie. This behavior is understandable, but it’s not helpful. “Most of us don’t spend hours scrolling through social media because we think it’s a good use of our time; we do it because we are looking for the stimulation we need to function,” says Jessica McCabe, the creator and host of How to ADHD, a popular YouTube series, and author of the new book How to ADHD (#CommissionsEarned).

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Connect more, argue less: The 5C’s of ADHD parenting

Connect more, argue less: The 5C’s of ADHD parenting

It’s 9 p.m. and your 13-year-old daughter with ADHD is rushing around the house frantically looking for her social studies book. She’s just realized that she has to read a chapter and answer five questions to prepare for the quiz tomorrow. You calmly offer to help her find the book and review the material but, instead of graciously accepting your assistance, she screams at you “Why can’t you leave me alone? I don’t need you!” You snap back, “Well actually you do or you’d know where your book is and you’d have finished your homework by now!” Then you both stomp off to your respective bedrooms, wondering why things devolved so quickly into a yelling match.

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From Procrastination to Productivity in the New Year

From Procrastination to Productivity in the New Year

Practical motivation strategies that really work for adults with ADHD.

Do you see a pile of unfolded laundry, turn around, and run away? Are you feeling like your get-up-and-go took off and left for Bermuda? If so, you share something in common with many other adults with ADHD: avoiding unpleasant activities in which you lack interest. Yet, there comes a time when a task can’t be avoided any longer.

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Key Points:

      • Shift your perspective on motivation and reduce negative, judgmental self-talk.
      • Put the “have-to” task before the “want-to” task and use incentives that matter.
      • Transform procrastination into performance with chunking and game-ifying tasks.

How to Find a Career That Fits Your ADHD Brain

How to Find a Career That Fits Your ADHD Brain

Many older teens and emerging adults struggle with figuring out what profession to pursue. You may feel pressure to earn a certain amount of money or find a career with a particular status. But this may not be the best approach.

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Key Points:

      • ADHD brains are motivated for things that interest them.
      • Certain careers keep people with ADHD more engaged and productive than others.
      • Informational interviewing, although intimidating, can help you learn about different professions.
      • Nurture resilience by recalling and focusing on previous successes.