How to Reset ADHD Boredom Intolerance
It’s all too common for a child with ADHD to be branded disruptive or “naughty” at school. Without a proper understanding of ADHD, it can be easy to mistake the symptoms for acting out or failure to comply with rules.
In schools, particularly, where students are expected to sit still for long periods of time, people with ADHD can become bored. Now, nobody enjoys feeling bored. But, ADHD boredom intolerance is a whole different ball game. Where a neurotypical person could manage to get through boring tasks, someone who has ADHD can really struggle.
This is just one of the difficulties faced in school or life when you have ADHD. At Cali & Caro, we understand the importance of awareness around such brain differences. That’s why we’re going to explain ADHD and boredom intolerance, so you can empower those around you with ADHD, or feel empowered if you’re someone who experiences ADHD boredom intolerance.
What Is ADHD?
ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactive disorder, and is a common neurodevelopmental condition. It’s usually spotted during childhood, with signs and symptoms including difficulty paying attention, controlling compulsive behavior, and overactivity.
For a long time, ADHD was mistaken for bad behavior in many children. This is because a lot of the signs of ADHD, like fidgeting or struggling to take turns, can be particularly problematic at school. Instead of punishing a child with ADHD, proper support and accommodations need to be provided for neurodiverse students.
The issue of boredom can sometimes be almost impossible to avoid at school. However, boredom intolerance makes this experience even more unpleasant for a kid with ADHD.
What Is Boredom Intolerance?
Part of having ADHD means the constant need for mental and physical stimulation. This is why the need for engaging tasks is so important. Without stimulation, someone with ADHD may seek out tasks or activity (which can be viewed as fidgeting or disruption) in order to stimulate the reward center in the brain. This is what is referred to as boredom intolerance, and is a result of having ADHD rather than a symptom.
This all comes down to the chemicals in our brains. The feel-good chemical, dopamine, is what helps us stay motivated on tasks and keep regular habits. A person with ADHD typically has lower levels of dopamine, making it difficult to stay focused on and completing tasks. It’s just not rewarding.
Incredibly engaging or exciting activities release adrenalin. ADHD can also mean lower adrenaline levels, due to adrenal gland disorders. Super exciting things, which might otherwise seem stressful or scary to neurotypical people, can actually make a person with ADHD feel more comfortable and focussed. Unfortunately, these sorts of activities, like tightrope walking, aren’t generally a part of everyday life.
Why Is Stimulation So Important?
Boredom is, well, boring. Most people prefer to avoid it, but for someone with ADHD boredom and a lack of stimulation can be intolerable. Sadly, boredom intolerance can lead to isolation. If someone finds themselves constantly interrupting people, or struggling to pay attention to a peer’s personal story, they can find themselves alienated from others. Nobody likes feeling left out or abandoned.
Finding difficulty in boring, every day tasks can also lead to a variety of issues in life. Financial issues, job problems, and relationship issues can all come as a result of not being able to keep up with necessary but dull duties.
Unhealthy Brain Stimulants
There are ways to reset ADHD boredom intolerance, and cope with a lack of stimulation. Unfortunately, many of the popular choices are not healthy, and can lead to bad habits.
Creating problems for oneself is a way of drumming up stimulation. Feelings of being upset or angry, although negative and unpleasant, can stimulate the brain, easing boredom in people with ADHD. Picking fights with others, or seeking out the negatives in situations, are examples of how this can be achieved.
Another example of an unhealthy brain stimulant is addiction. This can be alcohol or drugs, but it could also be food, video games, social media, or something else. These stimulate the brain’s reward center by giving the person what they’re craving, even if it’s bad for them.
How to Reset Boredom Intolerance in ADHD
Fortunately, there are healthy and sustainable ways to cope with and reset boredom intolerance.
Identify key interests - Making a list of things that are of high interest is a great starting point. Recognizing what these all have in common can then lead to viable activities that can relieve boredom.
Schedule time for interests - Ensuring there’s designated time for activities relating to key interests is perfect for tolerating humdrum routines.
Incorporate interesting activities - It’s not always possible to do our favorite activities or exciting things throughout the day. But, weaving in activities that are related to key interests can help ease boredom. For example, listening to a relevant podcast while studying or tidying up.
Multitask - For chores that are mindless and repetitive, multitasking is a great way to add stimulation. This could be through listening to a favorite band, or having an engaging TV show on in the background.
Manage ADHD Boredom with Cali & Caro
At Cali & Caro, we’ve developed a specially designed line of products that can help reset ADHD boredom intolerance. By bringing in modest but meaningful elements, like bright colors, interesting designs, or intriguing textures, everyday tasks can become more satisfying.
Explore our range of ADHD friendly products on our website today!