I’m wondering if anyone else has experienced similar patterns and how you cope — especially when parenting.
I’ve started to suspect I might have ADHD as an adult. I’m constantly anxious and physically twitchy — I get this restless, urgent need to move and do. If something needs doing, I can’t relax until it’s done. My heart races, and I get really stressed if we don’t act on things straight away.
I’m always in this “do, do, do” mode until I suddenly realise I’m starving, thirsty, have a pounding headache, or am about to wet myself because I’ve ignored every signal from my body. Then I’ll crash completely — hours on the sofa, no energy, brain fog — before another burst starts again.
At work I go into these periods of intense hyperfocus, but it’s the same story: I’ll work for hours without drinking, eating or even moving.
What’s really hard is weekends with my son (who I suspect has ADHD traits too). He talks at me from the second he wakes up — loudly, intensely, with no pause — and I end up feeling so overwhelmed I want to cry. I love him to bits, but it’s like our energies amplify each other until I’m totally frazzled.
Has anyone else recognised themselves in this? How do you manage your own regulation and parenting when both you and your child have those ADHD-type traits?
Would really appreciate hearing how others cope — especially with the constant noise, talking and emotional overload.