What is ADHD paralysis?
WHEN THERE’S SO MUCH TO DO THAT YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING
Estimated read time: 3 minutes
By Jackie Menjivar
(Aedrian / Unsplash)
If you have ADHD, there’s this fun (AKA horrifying) cycle that you might be familiar with. You have something that needs to get done; you just can’t seem to get organized and started; you feel stuck and avoid the task instead; you feel guilty and fall behind; you either get it done last minute or not at all, but next thing you know, you get another task and you’re right back at step one.
Story of your life? Then you might be experiencing ADHD paralysis — or at least one form of it. Here’s what you need to know about it, and how you can escape the cycle.
What is ADHD paralysis?
People with ADHD can fall into a state where they’re so overwhelmed by tasks, thoughts, or feelings, that they freeze up and have trouble getting things done. There are a couple different kinds of ADHD paralysis.
Choice paralysis: You can’t make a decision. It feels like there are too many options to choose from, or you’re overthinking and too stressed about the options you have. It’s also sometimes called “analysis paralysis.”
Mental paralysis: Your brain just kind of crashes. It feels like there’s too much going on for you to process at once, so your mind goes blank and your ability to deal with any of it shuts down.
Task paralysis: You struggle to start and finish tasks. It feels like it’s impossible for you to get through everything on your to-do list, or you have no idea how you’re going to take on that one Big Scary Task. You end up ignoring it instead of dealing with the stress of trying to tackle it.
“It usually feels like being overwhelmed by choice. There are so many possible things to do, it's hard to pick on to get started on. How do I know what I'm working on now is the ‘best’ option?” says Kevin Rushton, Program Manager of Digital Solutions at Mental Health America. “There's also this element of learned helplessness to it. I've started so many things in the past and never finished them; what makes me think the thing I'm trying to start won't end up being just another huge waste of time?”
All of these reactions can cause avoidance, procrastination, brain fog, and a sense of looming dread. You don’t necessarily have to have ADHD to relate to these feelings, but it happens more often (and feels uncontrollable) for people with ADHD.
“In times where I’m extremely overwhelmed — whether that’s by the amount of tasks on my plate, trying to make a decision, or just generally not feeling the best mentally — I feel immobilized,” says Khendra Lucas, Research Associate at Mental Health America. “This is beyond typical procrastination; I feel like I am stapled to my bed or couch and in a constant fight with my brain and body in an attempt to be productive. While I’m trying to make sense of all of the chaos in my mind, I may start to feel physical symptoms — headache, heavy limbs, fatigue. It can get to where I’m frozen to the point of depriving myself of basic needs like eating or using the restroom.”
How can you manage ADHD paralysis?
FIND AND EXAMINE THE ROOT CAUSE.
“Generally, ADHD paralysis is your body’s response to a perceived ‘threat,’”says Khendra. “A lot of the time for me, that feeling of being overwhelmed and associating it with a task is the ‘threat.’”
So when you feel yourself starting to shut down, ask yourself where the source of the stress is. What is the ‘threat’? Once you figure that out, you can start to evaluate how real of a threat it actually is. These questions can help demystify those problems that feel so big and insurmountable:
When does this specific task have to get done? Is there a deadline associated with the task?
What are the consequences if I don’t get this task done?
What is stopping me from getting this task done? Is there something I can do to remove those blockers?
How do I feel about this task? Why do I feel that way? Are those feelings based in reality?
What is one thing I can do to make progress on this task? What’s something I can do in 15 minutes to make progress on this task?
DUMP IT ALL OUT.
So your head is full of thoughts and deadlines and stressors, and there’s so much of it that you just can’t find a clear path through it. You might benefit from a good old brain dump. Get the junk out of your brain and onto paper (the paper can be metaphoric — your notes app works just fine). You aren’t making a to-do list or schedule or organizing things neatly. Truly just anything that you know needs your attention (a task, a choice, a general feeling), write it down. Once it’s all out, your mind will feel lighter, and you'll have everything in one spot that you can refer to. Now you can try to break down what’s most important and when to do it — without worrying that you’ll forget something or trying to balance it all in your head at once. Think of it like the difference between trying to do math on paper versus in your head.
HACK YOUR BRAIN INTO ACTION.
Sometimes getting started is the hardest part. If you’re feeling paralyzed, one of the best ways to get out of freeze mode is to literally shake yourself out of it. Movement helps you release dopamine — a brain chemical associated with pleasure and motivation. So when you’re stuck mentally, it’s time to start moving physically. Yeah, you could go for a run or do some serious exercise. But even just moving your body in smaller ways like flapping your arms or jumping up and down for a few seconds can kick-start you into action. Here are some other quick ways to give your body a reset.
GO WITH YOUR GUT.
Maybe you’re warmed up and ready for action, but you just can’t settle on which thing to tackle. In these moments, it’s best not to think too much and instead just do. So follow your gut and get something — anything — done.
“It helps to prioritize, but not to take prioritizing too seriously either. If there's something that has a hard deadline, that's obviously a good thing to start with. but if you have a lot of equally good options, sometimes you just have to pick one,” says Kevin Rushton. “Sometimes I'll ask myself, ‘Is this important enough that I want it done ever?’ If so, I might as well do it now, even if that means putting off other things. Because if I do it later, I’ll still just have to put off other things to make time for it then.”
REFRAME YOUR THOUGHTS.
Your internal dialogue can be cruel when you feel like you’re failing at something. And if you struggle with ADHD paralysis, you might also deal with negative self-talk about what you can and can’t do. It’s so important to push back against that inner critic because it can tank your confidence and motivation. That also means that the opposite (positive self-talk) can make it soar. Here are some common reframes to try out:
Instead of telling yourself you can’t do something well: “It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to get done. A finished task that’s just okay (or even not that great) will always be better than nothing.”
Instead of telling yourself that you really “should” get something done: “I can get this done. I want to get this done. I will get this done.”
Instead of telling yourself that you don’t feel up to it: “I’m not in the mood to do this, but I can do it anyway. I am capable of doing things even when I don’t feel my best.”
Bonus points if you say your motivating mantras out loud! When you’re laying in bed, say it loud and firmly: “I will get up and sit at my desk. I can do that.” It might just give you the extra push you need.
EMBRACE HOW YOUR BRAIN WORKS BEST.
There are a lot of catch-all productivity tips floating around out there, and not every strategy will work for every person. Throw the unique symptoms of ADHD into the mix, and you’ll find the path to productivity it isn’t always so clear-cut. Our best advice is to find what works for you, even if it feels unconventional. There are lots of strategies and tools that you can test out. Some people are sprinters (working in short bursts) and some people are marathon runners (working for long stretches of time). You might need to hyperfocus without distractions, or find it easier to multitask with lots of things at once. Just make sure you’re keeping track of the methods, schedules, and environments where you get the most done.
“For me, I operate best when a deadline is near; it’s sort of an adrenaline kick,” says Khendra. “It can seem pretty daunting and inefficient, but I’m able to maximize my efficiency by racing against the clock and assigning myself a reward once the task is finished.”
GET COMFORTABLE WITH DISCOMFORT
Now this might be tough to acknowledge, but sometimes you will feel distress or discomfort and still have to get things done. People go to great lengths to avoid unpleasant feelings like stress or guilt or boredom. But once you come to accept them instead of trying to outrun them (or in the case of ADHD paralysis, ignore them), you’ll have an easier time moving on to action.
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“You. Are. Not. Lazy! Feeling mentally paralyzed is just as valid as any physical symptom that prevents you from getting work done,” says Khendra. “Your value and sense of self are not defined by how productive you are, and while ADHD paralysis may make you feel hopeless, just know there are ways to cope and manage your time effectively.”
If you think you might be struggling with ADHD, you might consider taking a free online mental health screening from Mental Health America. It’s important to note, your results aren’t a diagnosis, but they’re a great place to start and a baseline to figure out your next steps.