I was having a good day. I got some work done. Replied to a few messages. Even went outside.
And then—boom.
It was like someone unplugged my brain. No warning. Just… nothing left in the tank.
I wasn’t sad. I wasn’t even stressed. I was just done.
The ADHD Shutdown
People don’t always talk about this side of ADHD. We focus on distraction, hyperactivity, impulsivity—but this? This is exhaustion.
Not from physical activity, but from mental overload:
- Too many decisions.
- Too much noise.
- Too much stimulation.
- Too much masking.
My brain works overtime to keep up with the world, and sometimes it just… crashes.
It’s not laziness. It’s not giving up.
It’s my brain saying, “That’s all I’ve got today.”
The Guilt Hits Hard
The worst part? I often feel guilty for resting. I think, “But I didn’t even do that much…” And yet, I feel like I’ve run a marathon.
ADHD fatigue is invisible. No one sees it, but I carry it—every day.
How I’m Learning to Respect My Limits
I’m finally realizing that rest is not a reward—it’s maintenance. Here’s what I’ve started doing:
- Body check-ins. I pause and ask, “How am I really feeling?”
- Pre-crash breaks. I try not to wait until I’m empty to take a break.
- Quiet zones. I keep a calm, overstimulation-free space for recovery.
- Gentle movement. Sometimes just a slow walk helps me reset.
- No more shame. I remind myself that I’m not weak—I’m managing a brain that’s working hard to exist in a noisy world.
Sometimes I can handle everything. Sometimes I can’t. And that’s okay.
My worth isn’t based on how productive I am. Sometimes, surviving the day is the achievement.
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Elias Carter 