You ever feel like your brain’s got too many programs and browser tabs open, and you don’t know which is slowing down, your brain or the computer?
Yeah. That’s kind of what it’s like having both autism and ADHD.
My brain’s running two operating systems at once.
The autistic part wants to slow down and analyze every detail like a perfectionist detective with a magnifying glass.
The ADHD part’s over there, clicking open new tabs and saying, “Ooh, shiny!”
They don’t exactly sync their calendars.
So half my thoughts load halfway before another one cuts in front. It’s like trying to think while someone keeps slapping you in the thinking.
People think it’s forgetfulness, but it’s really overload. My brain is often overloaded because it never shuts up.
It’s juggling more apples and oranges than it can handle, and it often drops a few in the process.
It’s not a lack of focus; it’s too many things fighting for center stage.
Switching gears doesn’t help.
Transitions kick me into confusion every time.
Sometimes it’s a few seconds; sometimes I freeze until I realize I need to say something. Usually along the lines of, “Give me a sec… ok, what did you want me to do first?”
Most people change tasks like flipping a page.
For me, it’s like someone unplugged me real quick and plugged me back in.
That’s why interruptions or switching topics can feel like someone yanked the plug out of the wall.
And vague instructions? Oh boy. Why don’t you throw me into the middle of a pond, blindfolded?
It’s Marco Polo from hell.
The autistic side wants details, specifics, the bottom line. To know me is to know I can ask a lot of questions.
The ADHD side says, “We’ll figure it out!”
Put them together, and I end up staring into space, wondering if “soon” means five minutes or five days.
Then there’s the emotional part. Everyone’s favorite.
When I’m overloaded or Class 5 Anxious, my brain hits error 404.
The thinking part checks out while my feelings take the wheel and drive straight into a wall of WTF.
So yeah, I get confused easily.
But not because I’m slow, lazy, or not paying attention.
It’s because my brain’s running a hundred processes at once, and sometimes the system needs a reboot, or three.
I’ve learned to build bridges, workarounds, and bungee cords instead of sliding down the slippery slope of shame.
I write things down.
I talk through ideas out loud.
I keep transitions gentle.
And when I blank out, I remind myself, “I’m not lost. I’m buffering.”
If your brain works like this, too, you’re not broken.
You’re processing on a higher level.
Sometimes the smartest thing you can do is close a few tabs, breathe,
and let your mind catch up with its own brilliance.
Thanks for being you,
Brian
I’m here if you have any questions.
When’s the last time your brain crashed mid-sentence?
Drop your favorite “Wait… what was I doing?” moment below. Misfires welcome.
.
I feel so seen