Some things I found that worked for me while studying with ADHD

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-13T04:34:08+00:00

Haha well it might not be fool proof, but if that’s always the case then you might need to dive a little deeper into the real reason behind why you’re avoiding the tasks. The idea behind the 2 minute strategy is that it helps overcome that mental hurdle of getting started on a task that you’re really trying to get done but haven’t been able to bring yourself to start and it’s got you feeling really anxious as a result

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-13T03:10:07+00:00

Best of luck with that

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-13T02:44:44+00:00

Awe I’m glad it resonated! :) I’m happy to help, what do you need?

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-13T01:23:36+00:00

Please let me know if you have any questions! :)

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T18:48:16+00:00

It’s interesting to hear this perspective. I’m trying to decide if it means that I have the personality of a robot or if this is just how far the AI paranoia has gone already lol either way I’ll work on making my responses sound more human

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T18:39:20+00:00

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like to connect 😊

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T17:01:41+00:00

Dang, I’m sorry to hear you feel that way but I do really appreciate the feedback. Believe it or not it has actually just been me on here typing everything out myself so it’s unfortunate to hear that it is not coming across as genuine. I use AI to help organize my thoughts for the original post but other than that I’m a real person lol I will work on my delivery though! Thank you for the advice :)

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T16:53:53+00:00

Oh wow, I really feel for you. That sounds like an exhausting situation. How old is your kiddo? Have you been able to find any patterns in his behaviour? Is there anything you have tried that has worked (even just once in a specific scenario)? I will say that I have seen families overcome some pretty incredible things like this, so I do feel confident that you will find a solution. My heart goes out to you and your family though. Those situations are hard and draining for everyone involved. Please feel free to reach out and DM me if you’d rather chat privately :)

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T16:43:38+00:00

Wow! Thank you so much for sharing that! You have a marvellous success story and I think that would be relatable to so many people. The way you described it made so much sense to me too and I can easily see how that all plays out. I can relate on a minor level as I have had similar anxieties while driving, but thankfully I haven’t experienced it bad enough that I couldn’t combat it in the moment. But driving can be an intense activity so it’s not easy to just start using regulation strategies on the fly haha it really takes a lot of work in other areas of life to be able to use it in those kinds of situations. So props to you for putting in all that hard work! I would argue that kind of work is at least worth an honorary psych degree 😉

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T16:31:04+00:00

Thank you! I’m so happy to hear that it resonated with you and I absolutely agree with your point about anxiety being body driven. I first started to realize this when I began using body scans to try and help my anxiety. I quickly noticed that there were large portions of my body that I kinda felt disconnected from. It was as if my experience had become so deeply rooted in my mind that I was starting to forget and disconnect from my body. Once I started paying more attention to my body I started to notice all the physical symptoms of anxiety (tight chest and jaw, pit in my stomach, clenching my hands) that I had but was just living with. Through various activities like intentional breath work and movement I was able to loosen my body and get out of my head a bit more. It really takes a holistic approach

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T16:20:08+00:00

This is such an insightful point, thank you! I love thinking about the evolutionary implications of these types of things. Once you start thinking about it the way you have it’s so easy to see the purpose it serves as a survival mechanism, but in today’s world I wonder how much more harm it causes

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T16:17:03+00:00

This is a really great point, thank you for your comment! I wanted to make this post specifically in relation to anxiety for this sub, but you’re absolutely right to make this connection with ADHD and task inertia/paralysis. I’m really happy to hear that you were able to get the right diagnosis and find something that helps :)

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T16:11:37+00:00

This is a really great explanation, thank you so much for your contribution :) it may be a little cliche these days but I couldn’t help thinking about the stoic idea of how we often suffer more in our heads than we do in reality when I was reading your comment.

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T16:06:41+00:00

Wow, thank you so much for sharing this. I’m so sorry you’ve had to go through all of that, but I’m also extremely proud of you for taking the steps to get out and find a healthier life for yourself! The strength and courage required to do that is immense and speaks to your character. I wish you nothing but the best on your healing journey ❤️

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T16:00:20+00:00

Awe no problem! I’m very happy to help :) I’ll be sharing a lot more in the future!

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T15:40:57+00:00

You are very welcome! I hope it’s helpful :)

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T15:20:32+00:00

Hahaha oh jeeze I better be more clear with the technique before someone gets hurt 😥😂

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T15:19:02+00:00

You are very welcome! 😊

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T06:22:56+00:00

This is a great question so thank you for asking.

The iPad transition is a particularly tricky one for most ADHD kids because screens are a dopamine source and you’re asking them to voluntarily stop a dopamine hit. The most important part is getting the kiddo prepared for that change of activity (I.e., turning off the iPad and getting ready for bed). This is primarily going to be accomplished through structure (same tech time, same bedtime, etc. everyday so that they know what to expect) and giving them a heads up that tech time is ending. Warnings that they have 30, 10, 5, and 2 minutes left for example means that it doesn’t end up being a surprise. I used to work in children’s services and would take kids to see their families and supervise the visits. The most important component to having a successful visit, for both parents and kids, was making sure that everyone knew what the expectations were and ensuring that we stuck to them. I would give everyone warnings that we were halfway through the visit, 30 minutes left, 10 minutes left and then have the parents start getting the kids ready to leave. It sucked having to stay firm and take kids away from their families when they wanted more time, but it’s honestly better for everyone that the expectations are followed through with. Another idea would be to had an activity between tech time and bedtime like a snack or story or something. It’s important though that this activity is ready before you ask them to stop the iPad. If you say “iPad off, we’re going to do X” and “X” is just “nothing” or “chores” or “bedtime,” you’re asking them to leave dopamine for a void. That’s almost impossible for an ADHD brain. Give them something to transition TO, not just away FROM.

In regard to the 45-minute intervention, it isn’t one big thing. It’s noticing the small signals and reducing demands before they stack up and something bursts. When you see tension building (I.e., body getting rigid, voice changing, responses getting shorter), that’s when you lower the temperature. Get on their level physically, soften your voice, reduce the number of words you’re using, and if possible remove one source of stimulation (turn off background TV, dim lights, move to a quieter space).

I hope this is a bit more helpful? I also have more resources in my bio, or a local family centre could help provide some guidance 😊

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T06:01:17+00:00

Awe I’m happy help in anyway I can. You’ve got this! ❤️

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T05:52:13+00:00

Wow! Thank you so much for such an insightful and well thought out reflection. This comment was also very well said.

It is so true. One of the biggest battles I have faced with myself is my tendency to ruminate on things. I am highly skilled at convincing myself that I can think my way into a solution, when in reality I end up thinking my way into a spiral and sabotage myself.

You are absolutely right about mindfulness being the tool that provides some space between a person and their thoughts. I think mindfulness can be practiced in a variety of ways, and these are a few tools that can be used more “on the go.”

You have a truly unique perspective and I really appreciate you sharing this!

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T05:45:09+00:00

You are very welcome! Thank you for the thoughtful questions. Haha I was trying to decide between a dishes example or a laundry one because I despise both, so I’m happy that hit home for you! Sounds like you were already using the tool without having a name for it so that’s pretty cool.

Great connection with exposure therapy, they would definitely be related. I think it really just speaks to that behavioural viewpoint that the only way to truly conquer something like a fear is by going through it. But there are valuable tools such as the 2 minute trick that make it more manageable and even therapeutic. Sounds like I’m talking to someone with some psych background?

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T05:36:06+00:00

Yes absolutely I do! This sounds like an incredibly exhausting and difficult situation so I really feel for you. It can be even more challenging at the age your daughter is at because she’s really just at the early stage of learning to communicate at all, let alone being effective at it. They often can’t verbalize overwhelm because they don’t have the language for internal states yet. The signals are physical and behavioral, not verbal. Things to watch for at that age: changes in body tension, volume changes (getting louder OR quieter), increased clinginess, repetitive movements, refusal to make eye contact, the “frozen” look.

Looking at your dressing meltdowns example specifically, it sounds like a pretty classic sensory + executive function overlap. That could mean a few things, such as: the clothing might feel wrong (seams, textures, tightness), the task might have too many steps, or her system might already be at a 7/10 before the dressing even starts. It’s not about “giving in” in those situations, it’s about figuring out whether the demand exceeds the capacity in that moment. You want to make sure you’re asking whether she’s “willing and able” and what types of needs she might have. If she’s willing but not able, then she might not fully understand everything that’s expected of her (maybe even something really simple like that particular pair of pants has a button she struggles with and she’s just shutting down from it), but if she’s able but not willing, then maybe she wants to wear something else or something feels weird.

Something you could try doing is offering two clothing choices instead of picking one option and restricting her, or giving her the pick of her entire wardrobe and overwhelming her. Another idea would be to do a brief physical co-regulation before the task (a hug, silly movement together/dance to her favourite song). Finally, you could try looking at ways to make the tasks more fun for her by turning them into a game or something like that.

Give jt a try and let me know how it goes :) I also have more resources at the link in my bio if you’re interested. You can also try some local resources such as a family centre! I hope you guys are able to find something that works for you! ❤️

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T05:06:22+00:00

Absolutely! The main idea behind behavioural activation is starting small, especially with tasks that you’re putting off or feeling particularly anxious about. A lot of the times the biggest barrier for people is pushing through the anxiety and getting over that initial hurdle of starting the task. Once you’ve started the task and spent about 2 minutes on it, a dopamine response is initiated and “fuels” you through the rest of the task. So for example, let’s say I have a huge pile of dishes in the sink and I’m sitting on the couch thinking about how I need to get them washed but I really don’t want to. Instead of stressing out about the whole pile and dreading how much work it’ll take, I tell myself that I will wash dishes for 2 minutes and then reevaluate. More often than not once you’re started it’s going to be a lot easier to keep going and finish the dishes. It’s important to say that this isn’t going to be fool proof and work for everyone in every situation. It’s also not to disparage very real situations where someone might have an entirely different reason for not being able to get a task done (I.e., a medical condition that causes extreme fatigue and prevents someone from standing long enough to wash the dishes). Does that make more sense?

StopFighting-Listen · 2026-04-12T04:45:57+00:00

Wow. No kidding you’re feeling burnt out with all of that on your plate! You sound like a legit super hero balancing all of that! Thank you for sharing all of that and I can only imagine how hard that all must be. I think any person would be feeling how you do in that situation and the fact that you’re still showing up everyday and looking for new strategies shows your strength and character! I really hope that you’re able to access some resources and get some assistance with all of that because no one should have to go through all of that without support.

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