ADHD and Social Media
As folks with ADHD, our minds are filled with negative self-talk that continuously reminds us that we are disorganized, forgetful, too talkative, less capable than our friends, and will always be second best… at best!
Your mind can do such a wonderful job of berating you, why would we want the images and words on social media join in to exacerbate your feelings of inadequacy?
Stick around to the end for some #adhdtips to help restore balance to your life.
Flattering snapshots to make someone look good
Social media allows people to post the best snapshots and stories of their lives, providing the false impression that their lives are always perfect. Their hair is always perfect. Their homes are always perfect. Their children always perfect.
Much like pornography, social media confronts you with images and statements that are nearly impossible to live up to. You may feel shame or guilt that everyone else’s lives are so much better and more organized than yours.
Instagram and Pinterest often depict people as always doing exciting and fun activities at exotic places. They spotlight their creativity in a non-stop scroll of perfectly curated photos that can leave you feeling so much less than capable.
Food porn leads you to a mindset that your diet is full of boring and ugly food, and that you’ll never be as good of a cook as their styled food photos lead you to believe.
#adhdtips
Now, let’s add a tool to help balance your life.
Whenever you experience social media, please remember you are only witnessing certain, select moments that put the poster in the very best of spotlights. Tell yourself, verbally if necessary, nobody ever posts pictures of three weeks of unfolded clean laundry overflowing a basket or a week’s sink-full of dirty dishes. Bring to your awareness these people have bad days and unfinished tasks, just like you. They simply choose to keep them hidden from the world.
When you scroll and feel a twinge of something uncomfortable or exciting, name the emotion you feel and notice where in your body you feel it. It’s OK if you can’t name it now. For the moment, make note of where you feel it.
For uncomfortable feelings, work the physical feeling of the emotion from your body. Work it off and let it go. As you release the physical feeling, allow the negative mental encumbrances to leave with it.
Here are some easy-to-implement ways to reduce the physical impacts of ADHD stress:
- Put your hand on your belly and slowly breathe from your gut. Feel your belly rise and fall with your breath.
- Get your body moving by shaking out your arms, tapping your toes, rubbing hands, taking a walk away from media.
- Listen to the sounds of nature around you... nature’s sounds can be birds chirping or car horns blaring.
- Brain dump by journaling. There is only one right way to journal: however works for you.
- Cool down by running your hands under cold water, holding a few ice cubes, or draping a cool, wet wash cloth across your neck.
As a person with ADHD, you are not broken. Only different. And that difference has its strengths you can utilize when you let go of the shame, fear, and physical feelings that tell you you’re not good enough.
