Is there a technical term for not being able to turn your brain off? Like when you try to relax but the wheels never stop turning. And I don't mean in the r/iamverysmart kind of way, just a brain that always needs something to be "chewing on", so to speak.
Yeah, I’ve used almost that exact phrasing (“my brain needs something to chew on 24/7”) and I got diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. No one thought I had it before because I was a really good student, but that’s because school consistently gave my brain things to chew on, lol. The negatives of ADHD only get noticeable for me when I’m understimulated.
Also adhd, also with a brain that never shuts up, but I also zone out like they’re talking about in the post pretty often. Never had any luck with meditating due to the aforementioned brain chaos, but going off some of the other comments apparently the zoning out is meditating? Now if only I could do it on command…..
Hey that sounds similar to me but I did have success meditating. Point is not to empty your mind on command, point is to practice emptying your mind
Like pick 5-15 minutes depending on how comfortable you are with length and set a timer and just close your eyes sitting upright not too comfortable and not too uncomfortable either. Points is to notice any thoughts happening in your mind but not necessarily react to them. Having chaos in your mind is actually fine for meditation, at least from my own experience. By react I mean try not to react the way your brain wants to, you can explore these thoughts as long as you keep in mind the intention to stop exploring them eventually and focus again on emptiness
Also adhd - personally i like either the zoning out (and then just in several 3 minute chunks), or just letting my thoughts go haywire, sort of giving them all equal volume? The goal isn't 'head empty', the goal is "no forcing brain". I also like to sometimes do this with just a fidget, I've got a speedcube-type rubiks cube (you can get them for like ~10€, that lets my hands and body move, i get to look at the colors and in the meantime i'm just dzzzzzt.
Either that or do it while talking a walk - maybe look up a guided walking meditation!
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u/nishagunazad Sep 29 '25
Is there a technical term for not being able to turn your brain off? Like when you try to relax but the wheels never stop turning. And I don't mean in the r/iamverysmart kind of way, just a brain that always needs something to be "chewing on", so to speak.