It’s 2:43 am. Her thumb moves in panicked scrolls over her phone. It’s not war news or messages from family. She’s scrolling through instagram reels, relying on them for solace and distraction. But her physical eyes and her mind’s eye are not looking at the same thing.
“Should I write to him? Should I not write to him?”
She mapped out every possible outcome of the interaction: what would seeing his name look like on her screen? Which platform is he most likely to respond to? Instagram is the most active. WhatsApp gives more breathing room. And the message itself? The tone needs balance. Maybe one of these funny reels? Or a heart-warming and honest “Hello”? What if he’s cold? What if he’s warm? What if he’s missing her and is on his own couch, wondering the same thing? What if he’s not on his couch at all, but in the bed of a new lover? Laughing over an inside joke and nibbling her neck?
Her thumb picked up speed. The reels went from staying on her screen from five seconds to two.
Was that exhausting to read?
This scenario is no stranger if you have ADHD. The prefrontal cortex of an ADHD brain works thrice as hard when choice is involved. Lack of trust in one’s capabilities further aggravates self-doubt. ADHD therapy in Canada is designed to help empower you during challenging times.
An ADHD brain is like several screens open at the same time. Choosing one image risks freezing the entire system. Imagine a tree. Follow your gaze along one branch. It keeps growing. The branch divides into smaller and smaller branches, each one offering a new and valid possibility.
The ADHDer need not be pining over an ex-boyfriend. The decision in question could be as simple as whether to turn left or right, or picking which socks to wear. The severity varies depending on factors such as sleep, season, and the time of the month.
The good news is, making swift decisions can be practiced and polished. ADHD therapy helps master our anxiety. Our mind - and thus our decision-making techniques - is a muscle that can be trained like any other.
Here are four medication-free tools to handle overwhelming moments:
Writing it Out
Listing the options on paper clarifies them. Writing it out transforms the anxiety into two-dimensional and digestible information. A few helpful strategies include:
A pros-and-cons list: Best for simpler dilemmas that prioritize quantity.
The Eisenhower matrix: Best for work-related tasks.
Decision tree: Best for decisions with more complex results.
Physically escape the noise
A change of scenery and fresh air calms your nervous system. Here’s a simple exercise to clean out the mind’s clutter:
Take yourself to the nearest park. Sit on a bench, set a timer, and list what you see in your surroundings. This reconnects you to the present
Do a quick workout. Pilates, yoga, or weights. A walk is classic for a reason, but a run expels more energy if you’ve got more going on.
Leaving the house is too daunting? Go to your balcony, or another room if you must.
Breathwork & Meditation
When the ocean of options seems inescapable, breathing exercise and meditation cool down our thought processes.
YouTube and Podcasts: A 5-minute guided meditation does wonders. Especially if designed for ADHD and anxiety.
Stretching: Treat your body and brain.
Lie down: A personal favourite. Set your timer, put the phone away, lie down on your carpet, stare at the ceiling, and feel the rumination evaporate.
Trusting yourself
Now that you’ve cleared your mind, let’s listen to it.
Imagine the decision is made, and fast-forward 5 seconds into the future. How do we feel? Peaceful? Disappointed? Content? Your body often signals the right move.
It all starts with smaller decisions. Examples:
Turning right or left when out on a bike ride.
Looking into your sock drawer, scanning through the options, and grabbing the pair that speaks to you. Swift and easy.
Ordering appetizers.And once you master the former:
Choosing between schools.
Buying a house.
Messaging your ex, even though all of Reddit warns against it.
Benefit from ADHD therapy in Canada to make decisions more confidently. Trusting yourself takes time and practice. With anxiety counselling, you can elevate your self-esteem, accepting that you know what you’re doing. With time and practice, you'll trust your choices and handle their consequences with strength.
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