There are numerous examples of ADHD to Neurotypical translations: explanations, analogies, descriptions etc; I’ll be posting more of these, as I come across them.

Whilst checking socials today, I came across this one on Threads by @worksimple.io that is aimed at describing ADHD in the workplace, but it applies to daily life:

Describing ADHD to Neurotypicals in the Workplace | Worksimple.io

“Imagine you have one outlet. Plugged into it is a TV, a radio, and an alarm clock—all going off at the same time. This is what the inside of my brain sounds like.

I’m trying to listen to you, but you’re getting drowned out by all the other noises going on.

The only way I can unplug something is if I replace it with another stimulus.

So if I replace it with a quieter stimulus, that takes some focus (but not all of it), I can unplug everything and suddenly, I can hear you clearly

So you know how some people sleep with white noise machines to drown out all the OTHER STUFF that might distract them from sleep?

As an ADHDer, the “other stuff” is like 40 different things running around in my head.

I too, need something that can drown out the noise so I can focus on the task at hand.

For me, that’s knitting or working from a coffee shop—which might SEEM like a distraction from work (but it’s actually a distraction from my brain, which is distracting me from work)

You know those days where you’re SUPER productive and it feels good? I get those days, except my brain also works on super speed—getting more done in a few hours than I might normally in a week.

Unfortunately, that energy comes in spurts! And sometimes, regardless of how hard I try, I can’t do any tasks—it’s like my brain is paralyzed.

Over time, the super speed productivity and the paralysis cancel each other out, but sometimes it doesn’t look “consistent” in real time.”

Source: Describing ADHD to Neurotypicals