How do you quieten your brain? | ADHD Information

As are most of our brains, mine is like a railway station at it's busiest time of the day, filled with thousands of different conversations going on similtantiously.

I have a hard time listening to people at times as I'm too busy trying to sort each conversation, idea, song lyrics and conversation replays into some quieter order. The new person standing before feel like they are pushing the limits of what my brain can hold at one time and all the different words running around in my head get faster until I can't seperate the words and they all blend together in a deafening static roar.

Then I shut down and become all together deaf and now stand staring at the person talking, watching their lips move but have no idea what reponse I am expected to make when they pause with raised eyebrows.

This is the thing I hate most about ADHD.

I hear ya loud and clear Peita and can relate 100 %!!!

Good thing we are not talking right now in person with background sounds in the back. I'd probably be pretending I understand you and you would be doing the same.
Funny picture, huh ? Thank god for this forum.
worldisround38979.4713310185By the way I'm always trying to imagine what the person looks like and what their voice sounds like on the other end.On this forum. Do you at times also wonder ?

I bet we would be surprised !!

Hey pieta I used to have this problem also, a lot. The medication has helped me and I am also now able to filter some of the extra stuff out of a conversation to pull out the important gist of the conversation.

My brain does not automatically shut down like this for the most part, I am able to interupt at an appropriate moment with a question or remark that seals the important parts of the conversation in my mind enough to do something with it.

I used to study the person talking and look at things in the room and get sidetracked with something triggering something I remembered or was daydreaming about. Or if I was really getting bored or distracted with a conversation, my own body language could be offensive to the persone trying to give me information or get feedback. I would start with the tapping pencil, leg, flipping something small in my hands, shifting my weight, crossing and recrossing my legs, biting the crap outta my pencil, etc.....

I was never successful at settling my brain by myself - the medication was the only filter I could use to do this!!! After all that rambling - I did not really give you any advice!!!! Sorry.

Thanks worldisround and LCdc.

My body language gives me away too

I'm on meds but it's still one of the things I struggle with. Worst part is the more I try to concentrate the worse I get as then I'm only hearing my own voice telling me to listen to theirs

Where is Mr GlenW? He's good at these type of issues????

[QUOTE=Peita Pan]i am the same but since i started taking dexamphetamine its so much clearer

As are most of our brains, mine is like a railway station at it's busiest time of the day, filled with thousands of different conversations going on similtantiously.

This is the thing I hate most about ADHD.

[/QUOTE]

Ah yes! the skill and talent we all developed over the years to be able to converse with others while also covering multiple other thoughts/ideas in our head at the same time!

Funny coincidence that I was just thinking about this trait (drifting in and out of a conversation) while driving home tonite.

My thinking came down to this: Is it really an attention "deficit" if I have a conversation with someone and they part the conversation feeling happy and satisfied, even though I didn't give them 100% of my attention? I don't see any deficit there--both of us left happy and satisfied with the exchange!

But, like others here, I feel better now that I have medication that makes it easier for me to stay on topic without so much effort. It also avoids the inevitable embarassment when, on occasion, my roaming brain drifts a little too far or long and I cannot hide or camouflage the faux pas. When that happens, it is a deficit!

JohnD, you made me remember something.

I worked for 9 years for Southwest Airlines in the reservations dept. (This is pre-meds) About a year into the job I discovered a unique ability. I could read a magazine, listen to and converse with the customer, and make a reservation at the same time! And do it successfully. How many normal people could do that? It seemed pretty normal to me. You mean everyone can't do that? Occasionally I would get tripped up doing it if the article I was reading became to engaging. I would have to lie and ask the customer to repeat something because there was 'noise' on my end.

Now, post-meds, if I'm talking/listening to my husband and the tv is on behind him, or the children are talking at the same time I can't hear any of it. It all sounds like they are speaking another language. It all jumbles together into meaningless noise. I wonder if this is because my brain is quieter now?

I remember being able to multi-task-listen like a pro. I can't do it now to save my life.

ADD&Proud38988.2739699074It's funny how people without ADD can't understand or even imagine it.

Wow, I didn't know it was possible to actually see the change smoking makes on the brain and it's functioning!!

Well, if nothing else at least my theory of things being different since I stopped may not be all in my head like I thought it was.

By the way, I smoked at least 35 a day for 15 years. Never thought I would stop then read Alan Carr's easyway to stop smoking and that was that. On the last page I put out my last cigarette and havn't suffered even one physical craving. Not one.

Peita, wow. You very eloquently put into words what it is like inside an ADD head. For me to quiet my brain, I have to either work on a project that's relaxing and interesting to me (either electronics or cars)

When I can't do that, or even if it's not helping, because my brain is too jumbled, and going too fast, then I can smoke some and that always helps because it mellows me out and slows me down to where I concentrate on only one or two thoughts at a time, instead of a bunch.

I'm also trying to get a hold of some adderall to see if that helps.

Great Peita!

It's amazing the effect smoking has on people (I too am a smoker though not quit yet). A CT scan of a before and after on a smoker shows really scary changes - after smoking stops some brain areas go stone cold as if not receiving or transmitting anything. Almost as if not getting its fix the brain goes on strike. That must double trouble for ADHD areas I bet.

The CBT will help I guarantee it. Once you learn new techniques to life's foibles - you'll be better off for it.

Thanks Glen. I'm seeing a Dr in a couple of weeks who specialises in CBT so I'm hoping that will help. It's almost fully covered by my private health cover too

I've come to realise I have gotten worse in certain areas since I stopped smoking. Before that was my downtime, now there is no downtime. I'm constantly picking since I stopped as I have nothing to do with my hands anymore. It's been just over a year and that's when things starting being noticeable to others around me.

I'll ask the Doc about that too I suppose

LOL - sorry real life keeps my eggs constantly scrambling! I'm here now.

The chatter and internal dialogue get to me too. Worse by far when I was not medicated. Now I hear the voices but they are muted. I tend now not to nod and just pretend I've heard but actually get back on track and ask them to repeat whatever was said as many times as is needed. I work in a very loud environment with ear plugs and that's a necessity if you want to catch it all.

It takes practice even when meds are in control. I never feel 100 percent at the helm but it's like about 80 to 90 percent and that's not so bad. When I drift I now have one controlling voice getting me back in the driver's seat.

Therapy peita - get a good one and you'll never have to look back with regret again.