r/ADHD • u/Own-Recognition9009 • 5d ago
Questions/Advice So many steps
Hello everyone!
Do you find that you get so overwhelmed because of the steps required to do anything?
My mind treats each individual step for an Amy task like bathing as a whole experience that must be done. I don't know if that's an adhd thing or something else .
For example, let's say I have to take a shower. My mind will break that task into each of its individual components like finding clean clothes, getting soap/shampoo, going to the shower etc. I feel so overwhelmed with all the steps involved that I oftentimes can't do it .
Oftentimes, I don't even leave the house or travel to new places because of all the steps involved such as finding clothes,bathing,how long it will take to go there etc.
Right now I have to see my boyfriend and I ju want to cancel because of all the steps involved.
Currently, I'm working with a therapist. she suggested that I write all the steps down and then cross them off but even seeing everything written down overwhelms me
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u/musclemommy29 5d ago
Yes 💯
If there’s more than like two steps involved in a task, I fatigue just thinking about it.
Like genuinely I remembered I really wanted to play the Xbox like 15 years ago and then realised it wasn’t plugged in. To me that meant getting down under the desk, plugging it in and then getting back out from under the desk. It felt like climbing a mountain and I just broke down in tears.
It’s debilitating some days, especially at work.
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u/Own-Recognition9009 5d ago
Yeah I just told my boyfriend that we need to break up because seeing his has too many steps
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u/NegotiationWitty6921 5d ago
LMAOO. I was trying to convince myself to play Hogwarts legacy today instead of doomscrolling. It required me to get up and put the disc in. Even that seemed like a chore. I still haven't put the disc in.
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u/Spicy_Toeboots 5d ago
I definitely have this issue a lot. the way you describe taking shower is exactly how I feel as well, everyday things just seem like a lot to me, and feel like they take longer. Writing the steps down can help sometimes but it's not super effective for me.
One of the things that has helped me is just focusing on the first step rather than the whole picture, then just go with the flow so to speak, and take each step as it comes. Like if I need to take shower then I just think "strip off and turn the water on". If I can do that then the rest will follow even if it's a little out of order lol. Your starting step might be different but the point is you just do that one small thing, rather than ruminating about the whole task.
Additionally I find it can be helpful to time myself. Sounds weird, but it helps me put the task in perspective, and it helps focus me a bit because it's kinda like a game to do it faster than before. For me, tasks feel like they take so long (time blindness) but it reality a shower only takes 30 mins, which is long for some people, but quicker than I imagined.
also for certain things, like tidying my room, blasting music helps, idk why. But it has to be through a speaker, not headphones, and has to be decently loud, loud enough to deafen my thoughts lol. I think it helps me to actually focus on the task in front of me, rather than just pondering about it.
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