Really odd question | ADHD Information
Ok so I was thinking about how I'm constantly thinking and it seems like I can never just stop thinking about anything. So I was wondering if anyone knew if it's possible to stop thinking? Like have your brain be silent...I try and try to make my head quiet but I'm wondering if it's actually possible...I guess I'm just trying to make sure I'm not telling the therapist I'm going to see that my brain is racing all the time when in reality everyones is...Like I can get myself to think about one thing and only that thing...but then my mind jumps to something else...Ah I hope I made sense...So just to make sure I'm clear (sorry I try to make myself clear a lot because I don't think I was clear in the first place...so if I was clear then sorry for rambling) Is it possible to think about nothing? Sorry for the ramblingSurfgirl...sure sounds like you're ADHD! Welcome! I think you're in the right place. If we could stop our minds from racing (without meds), I don't think any of us would be here. I would most definitely tell your doctor what you have told us.You asked: So I was wondering if anyone knew if it's possible to stop thinking? Like have your brain be silent...I try and try to make my head quiet but I'm wondering if it's actually possible...
The only response I can give to you, or anyone who would like to quiet their thoughts, is to learn to meditate. It's something I just haven't had the patience to do. Once on a successful ADHD med, perhaps I will be able to focus enough to at least practice meditation. I'm sure the Dali Lama has completely quieted his thoughts. But it would be nice to at least quiet them down, definitely. Library...here I come!
BTW, I had absolutely no problem following your post. It made perfect sense. GypsyWomyn38414.9545601852Arh..........typical of an ADDer, My mind is like a TV, with my boyfriend turning the channels all the time, I go from one thing to another for no apparent reason, plus my mind will make me make some thing out of nothing cuz I cannot stop thinking about it...........More on the relationship side tho.
I must be an overthinker too, cause sometimes I over analize things to death. I don't usually tell people, but I have a paranoid mind. Like if I were running late I would start to think that everyone will know-I'll get fired-or something way out of proportion to the problem and then that makes me get anxious and then I get irritable so like if I'm running late and thinking negitive thoughts and say someone is driving slow in front of me I start swearing and getting very frustrated.
I also tend to think that people are talking about me in some bad way. So even when I know its not true I can't quite my mind. Sometimes if I'm thinking a really morbid thing I can't sleep for hours and as I try to change the subject then I just think too much about the next thing. It is very hard to stop your mind. I like the remote control idea-that is just like my mind always switching from one thing to another.
When I'm really into something I can shut off all other thoughts, but I become obsessed about the thing I'm focused on.
So, anyway I don't know of any way to shut up my mind-hopefully some medication will help. Time will tell.
Oh geez! This is me!
I am constantly working on projects in my head, doing math for measurements of windows and curtains, writing shopping lists etc. I wake up with these thoughts going on!
A racing mind is something common to ADDers. Other people think obviously but some types of ADDers are prone to 'overthinking' and getting either stuck on one thing or to have a racing mind. I was just reading in Driven to Distraction how the unorganized mind seeks order and in doing so someone with ADD might latch on to something - even if it is something worrisome or negative as a way to anchor your thoughts. Antoher trait of ADD is to have a flight of ideas swirling around constantly.
I am an 'overthinker' and was not able to quiet my mind until I got on medication. That was the first time I could lay down to sleep and actually have nothing on my mind.
I dont think people are talking about me....I KNOW it!!!
meditation is your answer...i always fall asleep when i do it..I guess I wont ever be Siddartha
i have gotten a lot better with public speaking and paranoia it did used to be an issue. I don't often think people are talking about me now and when I do I laugh it off...I don't know what people are thinking or saying and try to remeber I am not that important
The constant thinking SUCKS and the medication helped so much...I ile to think of me w/o meds as wack a mole thinking... I am trying to focus on one thing but I keep having to wack the moles(distracting thoughts) as they keep popping up. I think hollowell said it's like rain on a windsgield interfering with seeing the road. I liek that one too. The Medicine made such a HUGE difference with that....It's like I was walking into the sun my whole life and someone gave me sunglasses and the glare is cut way down and now I can see the world w/o squinting... I know corny and I said it before but it really has been a life changing experience for me and i have never been happier.
Meditation? What's that? I can't quiet my mind, either. In fact, I had a 2 hour drive this morning, and I realized when I arrived to the assignment that I hadn't even turned on the radio! My brain is quite enough noise in the car, thank you.Oh Jake 777,
You sound so much like me, I always think people are talking about me and I get so paraniod!
If I have things to do and I have planned them out in my mind but something delays me, like traffic, I swear at the drivers and not in a nice way either, then I start to panic cuz my day is thrown off. It is awful which in turn makes me aggitated.
I always have things on my mind too. Some people call this a simple symptom of stress, but with the ADDer there is a big difference - you aren't necessarily thinking about worrisome things - but EVERTHING. For example, when I am sitting in a meeting, I might think about anything from a grocery list, to how the table I am sitting at got into the room: Judging by the shape, they would have had to have turned it this way to get it through the door... oh, and getting it up the stairs must have been fun.... wouldn't it be cool if we could just make a big hole in the floor and winch it up somehow.... why stop there when they could knock out a few walls and make everything easier..... speaking of walls, I wonder how many people it took to build this building.....Ahem... same may think this is an exageration, but I believe this is typical of any ADD mind.... come on people, don't leave me hanging here - this IS normal, right?
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OH MY GOD!!! Wait you all think people are talking about you too? I've always had that growing up and never associated it with ADD just thought it was a qwuirk about me. I'd especially hate it walking into a room where everyone was sitting and I had to walk through (so everyones eyes would be on me) Once I started getting the thoughts of people talking about me or thinking stuff about me it would really overwelm my mind.
The ironic part was if I was giving an oral presentation I don't remember having the same feelings or at least not as intense. Like as if my mind was occupied with reading my speach or presentation I didn't think about the other stuff. I'm not really sure the exact reasons but I'm POSSITIVE it didn't bother me as much.
[/QUOTE]I hated walking into a room like that too. I felt like every single eye was on me. But when I was doing a speech or something, my paranoia became a reality because I KNEW every eye was on me. I DESPISED doing public speaking.
I remember in high school always thinking people were whispering about me when I walked through the halls. I always felt like I was being "watched", even when I was alone. I'm not nearly as bad now though, and I'm not entirely sure if the "being watched" feeling can be attributed to ADD or not. I hope so... if not then I am really cracked.....
It' frelling nice to know I'm not alone with these issues.
Hey, let's all get together in the same physical room and try to find out how long it will take us before we all want to KILL each other!
OH MY GOD!!! Wait you all think people are talking about you too? I've always had that growing up and never associated it with ADD just thought it was a qwuirk about me. I'd especially hate it walking into a room where everyone was sitting and I had to walk through (so everyones eyes would be on me) Once I started getting the thoughts of people talking about me or thinking stuff about me it would really overwelm my mind.
The ironic part was if I was giving an oral presentation I don't remember having the same feelings or at least not as intense. Like as if my mind was occupied with reading my speach or presentation I didn't think about the other stuff. I'm not really sure the exact reasons but I'm POSSITIVE it didn't bother me as much.
[QUOTE=MCD270]OH MY GOD!!! Wait you all think people are talking about you too? I've always had that growing up and never associated it with ADD just thought it was a qwuirk about me. [/QUOTE]
THIS IS THE MAIN REASON I NEVER MADE FRIENDS IN GRADE SCHOOL. I got smart enough to force myself to believe that people were not talking about me by the time i was a junior in high school, so i started to make more friends then.
BUT I COULD NOT SHAKE THE THOUGHT THAT ALL THE GIRLS WERE TALKING ABOUT ME, AND THAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT ME, AND GOSSIPPING ABOUT ME IN GRADE/MIDDLE SCHOOL!! i was the quiet, spacy, shy type of ad/hder, not hyperactive at all, and not quite impulsive enough to just start talking to people... but OMIGOSH did I DEFINITELY HAVE THIS PROBLEM!!!
[QUOTE=bcgirl1978]
I remember in high school always thinking people were whispering about me when I walked through the halls. I always felt like I was being "watched", even when I was alone. I'm not nearly as bad now though, and I'm not entirely sure if the "being watched" feeling can be attributed to ADD or not. I hope so... if not then I am really cracked.....
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Even if it's not the ADD at least you know you arn't the only one! I think part of it could relate to ADD because instead of just having the thought of getting from one end of the room to the other we let every other thought race through our heads.....like the everyone is talking about me one. Pretty funny that we think we are that important, right?
I am like all of you. I am thinking all the time. I feel like I get lost in my thoughts and hours pass without accomplishing anything because I am just thinking about it. Meds and my herbs that I take help me. Also, just knowing what is going on helps me. I catch myself thinking, daydreaming, or whatever you want to call it and I try to get myself moving.
I remember asking my husband, "What are you thinking?" and his reply was "nothing." I would get so irritated because I thought he didn't want to share his thoughts with me. Anyway, later I learned that all minds don't work like mine and people do pause in their thoughts. I just keep going and going.
I have gone to a hypnotherapist, one that a friend of mine recommended. It really helped me to relax. I can use self hypnosis now to help me relax. I still keep thinking, even when relaxed, but the thoughts are relaxing and that is helpful for me.