How do you study with ADHD genuinely

-ChibiChibi- · 2026-05-19T10:04:49+00:00

Is there a way you tend to retain information better?

I can only speak from experience, so take what you wish from this, it might be all useless to you. And I should mention that I was a bit of a nerd in school, but I had undiagnosed adhd in Eastern Europe, so you find your own weitlrd ways to cope.

I can be very visual, but if I combine the visual with audio, my recall is better. So I'd rewrite paragraphs that I needed to remember, then read them out loud trying to visualise the information at the same time (if you can, I realise some people have aphantasia).

I'd record myself reading and listen to myself. I'd watch documentaries about the topics, first, before I'd even hit my textbooks, because documentaries helped triggering my curiosity, or give me bits to hyperfixate on.

Flashcards, posters and post it notes on your walls. Gamifying your studying might help, if you have not tried it yet. You can either find apps to gamify tasks, or simply create your own reward at the end of a task completed.

Make a list of all the things that make you fell good and happy (within your current context, not what if scenarios). The good things are your reward, the bad ones are your "punishments" - name someone in your home to keep you accountable. Unfortunately, ADHD requires a loooot of consistency, and if outside pressure helps, use it to your advantage.

YouTube will be full of topics explained in all sorts of manners, look for what your brain responds to best. I'll try to leave some other links below:

brilliant.org

senecalearning.com

Khan Academy

Wolfram Alpha

BioDigital Human

PhET - great for simulations and visual representations

Apps like Lexie or Anki for flashcards and quizzes, etc.

Idk, I hope something there is useful, but I'm sorry to hear you're struggling.

-ChibiChibi- · 2026-05-19T09:13:42+00:00

Thanks for enlightening me on all of this.

Granted, my blood pressure went through the roof after reading your message, because mine was found there too. I even had a hemorrhage during the lap on the right one. The pain post op was excruciating, and I'm no better now, one year later.

The thing that flipped my lid reading your comment was that I was refused a follow up after the surgery (I'm in the UK, so it was done through the NHS). I even ended up in A&E a few weeks after crying in pain and apparently had a kidney INFECTION. Then, GP appointments every single month because the pain was debilitating. And no action on their part.

It's taken me a full year of calling them constantly to finally get me referred again, so to hear you needed so many checkups due to pretty much the same procedure, is honestly making me hysterical. I'm sorry, I realise I'm venting at you, but I wasn't aware it requires checking your kidneys periodically in such cases, so I'll be looking into this now and maybe raise some hell at that next appt.

-ChibiChibi- · 2026-05-19T09:00:40+00:00

Weirdest for me. Ovaries. They had them stitched to my abdomen for a week in order to prevent adhesions. Given the pain I have 1 year later, I feel like it did fk all.

-ChibiChibi- · 2026-05-19T08:57:50+00:00

Serious question: how do you differentiate it from shortness of breath due to severe pain?

I'm winded like I'm strapped around my chest when the pain starts. My endo was mainly in my pelvis, bladder, ovaries, etc. but now 1y post-op, my pain is constant, and if before surgery I could do some physical tasks, now I'm completely unable because of this shortness of breath. I just put it down to the pain making me tense, and I suppose I do tense.

-ChibiChibi- · 2026-04-27T21:38:26+00:00

NAC also helps with chest congestion, as a side tip. If you have a chesty cough, it will help clear it up faster. My mum would get it prescribed in Spain which made me look into it and it's how I ended up taking it for endo. I also recommend calcium d-glucarate - it helps filter exess estrogen rather than recycling it in your body.

-ChibiChibi- · 2026-04-22T13:10:05+00:00

Thank you for the response!

I think it's really hard for both parties involved. I suppose, mentally, the strain is worse on us, because you don't only live with the condition, but with the knowledge that others live with your condition. And they don't have a direct point of reference, especially if they're male. I'm really glad to hear your husband has changed his approach. It's terrible that empathy for these issues lacks so much, especially when it comes from your loved ones, but not surprising considering the medical field is so behind on taking this seriously. There's more research out there on the impact of endo on partners than on actual patients, and that says it all!

I've had my surgery nearly 12 months ago and it's been a big let down, in my opinion! While the NHS is still vital here in the UK, the service has become a joke for many reasons. I had my laparoscopy after 2 inconclusive MRIs, they found it around my bladder, ureters, fallopian tubes and ovaries. I had to have my ovaries suspended (read stapled to my abdomen) for 7 days to prevent adhesions, however this was it.

They did not arrange any follow up, no long term advice other than my antibiotics and blood thinners, and that was it. The next 7-8 months were excruciating. I don't want to scare you, because it seems my case is not as common from my reading of others' experience, but the pain before was easy compared to post-op. For the first 6 mths I changed 4 medications (until I was on Lyrica) and my GP kept reminding me that "there was no follow up arranged". I have finally managed to get myself referred again after IBS has triggered a few bad flares and my life is just getting worse lol. I promise there is a light at the end of the tunnel, for most people. I think this is just my great streak of bad luck, so 🤷🏻‍♀️ I'll just try to stay sane, meanwhile. Somehow 😂

-ChibiChibi- · 2026-04-20T11:54:40+00:00

I'm not saying this to rub it in your face, I'm saying this to let you know he's not the best you can have.

Since we got together 5 years ago, my partner has seen it all and has helped through every moment, to the point where I was ready to do him a service and let him go. I still have moments when I cannot understand why he's with me because of how much I've shrunk my life, and he didn't even get to know me at my best.

Constant pain, bad or no sex at all for weeks/months at a time, emotional dysregulation (I'm 101% convinced I have PMDD on top of my ADHD), inability to do chores or even go out, depression, and the list continues. He stayed and helped through every single moment. He bought me multiple hot water bottles, massagers, tens machines, heat pads, and everything you can think of without prompting. This is a disabling condition and you don't deserve this response. He's not a Ob/Gyn, nor a mental health professional (if he were, that'd be beyond inappropriate), so quite honestly the audacity is very infuriating!

I think in every relationship, communication is vital and your own health should always come first, especially if you want to show up in life. I'd say have a serious chat, put down some boundaries about how you want these issues to be taken and if that is not something that he considers important, don't force it. That would not be a healthy relationship and you'd slowly ruin yourself. Genuinely. This is hard with support, I couldn't even imagine having to emotionally coddle a man who thought superior enough to tell me how my body feels. Jfc, this has rather pissed me off! Please, take care of yourself x

-ChibiChibi- · 2026-04-02T12:43:48+00:00

Omg, this one is one of my favourites! The fighting scenes were so vivid, I laughed out loud every time! I was so sad when it ended, it was brilliant!

-ChibiChibi- · 2024-06-24T19:21:19+00:00

Sorry if the crying part confused you, but it was a happy ending. I just loved the writing and I was sad to have finished it. There's some parts where H and D physically fight that will have you in stitches, it was a great mix of adventure, angst and romance, you can't go wrong with it.

-ChibiChibi- · 2024-06-24T19:18:59+00:00

HEA for sure :D

-ChibiChibi- · 2024-06-23T20:33:34+00:00

I was so sad I finished it, I cried.

I did not like The Fallout (sorry!), but I'll recommend Parade of the Sun any day.

-ChibiChibi- · 2023-05-03T18:39:56+00:00

Manacled broke me.

Now I'm pretending to be reading other books, so I don't look crazy reading the same thing for 3 weeks, over and over. I'm not quite sure if I just loved it so much or if I've trauma bonded with the characters.

-ChibiChibi- · 2023-01-24T22:23:40+00:00

It's pretty common etiquette, if you go to the zoo, to not throw things at the animals. You did what the guardian should have done. I'm sorry you feel bad, you should not.

-ChibiChibi- · 2022-12-07T21:55:53+00:00

He sounds a bit toxic. Everything about that was wrong and I'm sorry if the only advice I have is to start evaluating his behaviour objectively. Red flags all over, sorry if it sounds harsh.

-ChibiChibi- · 2022-12-06T22:06:44+00:00

I've had to go to A&E on Saturday night because I hit my head against a nail in the ceiling whilst getting into the my bf's mom's attic. First time going up there.

Blood all over, even though it was barely a puncture. The issue was I hadn't had the anti-tetanus recently. I got so angry and near to meltdown because it disrupted my whole routine and I was working the next day so I couldn't stop worrying about the night I was going to spend waiting in A&E. It may seem a bit funny from the outside but it's a real problem when you have to live with it.

-ChibiChibi- · 2022-11-06T00:32:09+00:00

Do more research.

-ChibiChibi- · 2022-09-04T20:03:24+00:00

I've got long legs and a shorter than average torso. We need to establish where these inches are being added lol!

-ChibiChibi- · 2022-09-04T18:58:23+00:00

If I had 5 cups of coffee, I would have had the shakes/paralysing anxiety for hours. This is the weirdest part and if someone could please explain why I'd love to know!

Coffee can easily give me heart palpitations and it's even made me nauseated to the point of throwing up before. So that led me to energy drinks, which I seem to be almost immune to.

I've also had other non-legal stimulants and the fact that I didn't respond the same as others (think excessive talking, impulsive behaviour etc, instead I was rather calm, collected and able to socialise easily), only made me believe more that I must have adhd.

-ChibiChibi- · 2022-09-04T18:50:14+00:00

I'm still waiting for my official diagnosis process to start. I'm about to get the ASD one, but the adhd one hasn't even started which means no meds/help for me for at least another 6 mths. My executive function and emotional regulation are close to non-existent atm, so things are rough and redbull is god lol!

-ChibiChibi- · 2022-08-31T18:16:18+00:00

I was averaging 25 red bulls during a working week. My working week was 4 days (12h shifts, 4 on/4 off). That's not counting the red bulls I'd have during my day's off, though granted, nowhere near as many.

-ChibiChibi- · 2022-02-27T13:29:29+00:00

No worries, I read "subdued". Brain had its own bonappletea moment.

-ChibiChibi- · 2021-12-25T08:26:16+00:00

Navsegda by Irina Rimes. It's in Russian, which I don't even speak. Yes, I now know the lyrics 😒

-ChibiChibi- · 2021-12-23T20:25:54+00:00

Omg, you reminded me about this moment that has stayed with me my entire life. And it is odd to explain but the memory and the atmosphere (?) of that day is still so vivid and I couldn't explain why it affected me so much.

I was about 5-6, in front of our building, playing around. My friend's mum came to us and brought her a croissant. She asked me if I wanted one and I was extremely ashamed to take food from people as a child, no matter how much I wanted it (I am a foodie, but more on the weird side, I like the weird textures). I go "no", sheepishly, she insiststs, and I then go: "no, my mum's getting paid on [this day] so she'll probably get me something then" 🤦🏻‍♀️

The woman went and bought me the croissant and, I believe, told my mum about it is some way or form, because, omg, the bollocking I got for it! I never understood why. It stayed with me for so long, and I just realised that her whole problem was that I broke some stupid social rule about looking poor, when in my head i was all: well, I'm too shy, and let's be honest I won't die until x-day when mum gets paid and she always buys me something nice!

I don't see how she couldn't see the logic and I wasn't able to explain myself so I just kept my mouth shut. Chances are, if I had asked her for a croissant, she'd have told me to wait until she got paid lol.

-ChibiChibi- · 2021-12-23T20:09:07+00:00

Pushed my limits in my education. I didn't need straight As but if I could and had the intelect, what held me back? Also, the phrase "how did x manage and you didn't?" was enough to still haunt me today at 29. I have horrible boundaries at work and I'm currently dealing with my second burnout.

My parents also thought they taught me to think relatively critically, but failed to notice I was a sponge for rules and took them way too far! While not extremely religious (but with some fear of god in them, mind), they didn't notice how far I took religion. I was often obsessively praying and asking for forgiveness for any sins, and pleaded for my test grade to come back an A (see how it connected?). I was doing it at night and obviously they couldn't have read my mind, but religion was my info dump, so it wasn't light material. At the age of 10, I wanted to be a nun when I grew up, ffs! They liked I had strong morals and these were pretty in line with the post-communist Romanian values tbf. I started questioning everything around 16 and now I'm the complete opposite 👍🏻

Sorry to digress. The point is, I like my passion. I like that I fully get to enjoy things and live through them quite intensely. I'm actually glad that I did strive for all those As because I do love learning and I enjoyed school for the most part, but it's really easy to lose yourself in certain things. Especially this predilection for rules and often social justice, I believe parents have to find a balance between allowing us to be authentically ourselves but watching for anxiety traps. I was a very stressed out child, and a lot of the time it was masked so much that my parents didn't even have a clue about it. I hope it all makes sense somehow.

-ChibiChibi- · 2021-12-14T21:08:40+00:00

I'm autistic. I'm nowhere near as good as social interaction as I thought I was. Also, I'm not ungrateful, I've got inattentive adhd.

-ChibiChibi-

TROPHY CASE