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AIUI, one of the hallmarks of ADHD is the constant need for mental stimulation. Anecdotally, it feels to me like my mind is always moving at the same relative

AIUI, one of the hallmarks of ADHD is the constant need for mental stimulation. Anecdotally, it feels to me like my mind is always moving at the same relative speed, and my biggest struggle is maintaining an acceptable level of stimulation. Too much, and I become overstimulated and become ineffective: I either jump from focus to focus too quickly to accomplish anything, or I get stuck in "ADHD paralysis" where my mind basically locks up trying to sort through all the inbound data. Too little, and I get to the point where the feeling of boredom itself becomes overwhelming. That very quickly leads to depression, anxiety, or both.

P_I_Staker 4y ago
It's interesting that you say that. I would definitely relate to needing stimulation, although it tends to be lowest common denominator stuff: scrolling, reading headlines, etc... even stuff like eating. There is a certain type of software development that will really stimulate me, sometimes even overly so, but it's not clear if it slows me down. I think because I'm happier, I'm less prone to noticing. I often feel paralyzed, and wouldn't say I hate boredom so much; mostly because you can't fail, and my mind wanders. I don't think it's good for me, and can probably lead to, and co-mingle with depression.