ADHD and the Struggle With Internal Expectations
I have ADHD. Yet I often act as if I don’t.
Things I expect, yet can’t achieve:
- Cook homemade meals every night
- Follow verbal instructions flawlessly
- Stick religiously to routines
- Avoid impulse purchases entirely
- Completely resist binge eating
- Remember much of what I read
- Excel at laundry management
It’s time I face facts: these traits aren’t vanishing. They’re part of me.
I’m learning that ADHD is about balance. Accepting some things, fighting others. Setting realistic expectations.
Frozen meals five nights a week? That’s okay. It beats fast food and sweets when I’m knackered and hungry. I’ll focus on adding fruit and veg instead.
Forget minute-by-minute routines. They’re a recipe for failure. I’ll nail the essentials: teeth, shower, tidy up. Make reading, walks and meditation optional. No more ‘ruined’ days when I skip them.
At work, I’ll be upfront: “I process information better in writing. Mind if I share my screen to take notes? You can correct any mistakes.”
Living with ADHD means working with my brain, not against it. It’s about finding strategies that actually work, not expecting myself to fit into the neurotypical mould.
Read this next: ADHD and the Burden of Possessions