Abstract thinking, hyperfocus and struggling with routine tasks – could this be ADHD?
Hi everyone, I hope you are all in good spirits and having a good day overall.
I’m not diagnosed with ADHD, but I recently started questioning whether some of my cognitive patterns might be related to it.
The thought came to me while I was researching brain structure and different thinking styles. I realised that my thinking is very abstract and visual. For example, when I imagine a cube, I don't just "see" it — I rotate it in my head almost like in a 3D programme.
I constantly analyse how my brain works. I jump between ideas, think in associations, and sometimes feel mentally scattered.
At the same time, I struggle a lot with repetitive tasks at work. Doing the same action over and over drains me quickly. I work in the logistics warehouse of one of the well-known shops in Poland, where I have to move quickly and speak commands into the scanner quickly. In other words, the work requires speed and endurance. Physically and in terms of endurance, this is not difficult for me, but repeating the same actions has confused me since I started working here, and I haven't been working here long. But if I'm given a creative or open-ended task, I can hyperfocus and perform really well.
Another example: I know English quite well and even speak to myself in English sometimes. But when someone suddenly tests me or starts talking to me unexpectedly, my mind goes blank.
In school I was often distracted and forgot homework, but I wasn’t disruptive and I didn’t lose things.
I’m not trying to self-diagnose. I just want to understand whether anyone with ADHD experiences something similar.
How do you manage routine tasks?
How do you deal with performance pressure?
Have you found your career and who you have become?
I'm genuinely trying to understand myself better. Thank you very much to everyone who responds to me.
@Vova20050827
Welcome 🤗
I hope genuinely anyone who struggles with ADHD or anything similar you gave mentioned will comment below.
It's brave of you to open up 🤗💚
Amanda84, thank you very much for your kind words. I really hope that someone in a similar situation to mine will find a solution to their problem here in the future. Thank you ð«¶
Good afternoon!
First of all, I want to express my personal gratitude and admiration for the way you openly bring attention to such an important topic — especially in a world of rapidly developing technologies and constant information overload, where this issue is becoming more and more common.
In today’s pace of life, the brain is forced to react quickly and constantly switch between tasks. It has adapted this way for our survival — and that’s actually amazing, along with all the other advantages it gives us. But there are no advantages without drawbacks. When we come home to a predictable environment and want to slow down, relax, and enjoy simple, cozy moments — the brain keeps racing.
Unfortunately, it’s hard for many people to resist the temptation of “cheap dopamine” in its various forms, because a hyperactive mind can bring a lot of discomfort — if not real suffering.
You’re not alone. A few years ago, facing what I thought was the same problem, I decided to deliberately integrate various monastic-style practices and routines into my life — even though I was working as a team lead in a large IT company. Along with regulating sleep and nutrition and giving up unhealthy habits, I practiced what seemed like a simple exercise: using my powerful brain to focus only on the present moment — deliberately cultivating curiosity about what is happening here and now, both inside and outside.
I thought, “I’ll do this for 21 days and the habit of being present will stick.” It actually took longer, but gradually, as I engaged my mind more and more with what was happening around me — even when nothing much was happening — the need to constantly replay everything in my head started to fade.
This practice can’t be fully described in one post, but after years of observation I’ve realized one thing: trying to force the brain to stop or to cut off thoughts is counterproductive. The only thing that truly slows my mind now — especially when I’m tired of constantly redirecting my focus — is observing its latest antics with a smile and allowing it to “speak out,” without turning it into a problem (which doesn’t come immediately).
When I consciously let it vent, it becomes calm — like a content wife after winning an argument. If the mental activity becomes unbearable, I observe my breathing and the effort I’m making to breathe — until the breathing becomes effortless.
I’m not imposing any methods; I’m simply sharing what has helped me after many years of observation. Episodes of uncontrolled mental hyperactivity still happen from time to time, but with this attitude, they’ve long stopped being a real problem.
As for repetitive actions — they are actually a perfect opportunity, even a catalyst, for practicing the art of observation. When the brain already knows what to do, it can bring a touch of creativity to each moment and notice subtle details, inner reactions, and more. Then actions no longer feel monotonous. It’s like rewatching your favorite movie for the 20th time and still discovering something new.
What methods help you cope with mental hyperactivity? And which ones didn’t work for you?
Good morning!
There were methods that helped me at different times.
I learned to redirect my mental hyperactivity into action. For example, I could suddenly start cleaning thoroughly — even hard-to-reach places. Eliminating external chaos sometimes helped reduce internal chaos.
I also practised breathing exercises. They helped, but usually only for a short time. At that time, I was living in Ukraine, and there were air raid sirens almost every evening. My brain was constantly running through "what if" scenarios. In such an environment, it was very difficult for my nervous system to completely calm down.
Around the same time, two people I knew were killed in rocket attacks. Rockets also hit the house of a friend of mine who lived near me — she survived, but it happened very close to where I lived. After that, something in me changed. I tried to stay in control, but my mind seemed to be gradually losing its stability.
On impulse, I decided that my life was more important than anything else and that I needed to leave. I moved to Poland for the simple reason of surviving and finding a stable job. But this job is monotonous physical labour that exhausts me mentally. I have no one here except my brother, who lives in another city. I feel quite lonely.
After I left, one of my parents was diagnosed with cancer. I can't go back because I'm afraid that if I do, I won't be able to leave again if the borders close. So I live with constant internal conflict — guilt, fear, financial pressure and uncertainty.
At one point, I felt that I had unwittingly taught myself a kind of CBT approach — I noticed recurring thoughts and redirected them into structured activities such as studying or learning new skills. It worked for a while.
But lately, this strategy has stopped working. Repetition no longer gives me the same sense of stability and motivation. Sometimes I wonder if this is some kind of burnout or perhaps dopamine dysregulation. But that's just my theory — I'm still trying to understand it better and am not claiming it's a diagnosis.
I realise that much of what I'm experiencing may be related not only to ADHD, but also to prolonged stress and trauma. I'm still trying to figure out where one ends and the other begins.
I hope I've been able to give a clear answer, but if not, please feel free to ask me questions 🫶
I do share your pain about the situation in our Ukraine. I don’t see any viable advice how to control brain when rockets fall near you. Is there a person in the world who is prepared for this? I could advise - better direct your energy on your survival but not on fear and rage - but I won’t.
By the way, you are doing really well by trying the methods to redirect your brain. And you already found out that there is no one method that will work forever.
Today breath techniques work, even for a short time, another day - finding a creative task, which actually is a really good observation of you.
With each sunrise you are given the fresh energy for a day and new insights, new ideas how to solve current life issues. You already do your best in the demanding time of your life and there is no magic advice here.
But as for work - ask yourself if you are grateful to have at least some source of income when many others - don’t . Remember- this is not forever, and it has its importance as it happens already. How can you make it interesting to you ? Keep asking yourself and I’m sure every time you’ll get new and new answers !
Slava Ukraini
@Vova20050827
How do you manage routine tasks? -> by looking at the goals and remembering the purpose.
How do you deal with performance pressure? -> understanding it is just school or just the job, the worst is you get a bad score or get fire still live so you could still get another job if you already did your best. Make life seems simple, cause sometimes, ppl are not in the right pool, meaning, your skill is at level 5 but your job skill min. req is at level 7, ofc you will get performance pressure and it ain't pleasure.
Have you found your career and who you have become? not yet, but I'm thinking I know what I should be or could be.