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Why Your ADHD Is Worse Right Now, Even if You Don’t Have ADHD
How to relieve your tired brain
This week, a viral TikTok dispelled the common misperception of ADHD as just a childlike distractibility (“I’m going to write this email. Oh look, a squirrel!”). The video amassed over 1.4 million views on Twitter in just over a day.
ADHD is having a moment. And it’s no surprise to me: 2020 has wreaked havoc on my own ADHD-addled attention span. Whether or not you’ve been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, you may have noticed similar effects: switching fruitlessly between tasks; trouble prioritizing; forgetfulness.
During the agonizing waiting game of the presidential election, it seemed that the only thing people could talk about, besides the election itself, was the sudden depletion of their attention spans. Now, with the election mostly behind us, Covid cases rising precipitously, and the holidays ahead, we have new uncertainties to freak out over. Do we cancel family get-togethers? Layer up to socialize outside, with chattering teeth? Should we avoid leaving the house at all? And amid all of this, life goes on — rudely demanding that we complete our daily functions, attention span or no. It’s an ADHD experience for all of us. Here’s why, and how to address it.
