Getting Adult ADHD's Hyper Brain Under Control: Level I Hyperactivity
Wow - I wish I knew how to do that, don't you!?!?! No, seriously, I'm not very good at consistently getting my hyper brain under control, but I have a few strategies that have worked in the past. My Adult ADHD brain is a monster sometimes and it needs to be fed a weasel or two to be satisfied. Bear in mind, the weasel is a vegan mock-weasel.Before strategies, let's discuss the 4 Levels of Hyperactivity.
Level 1: Slightly hyper; "under control hyper", productivehyper
Level 2: Slightly more hyper; starting to get off-task hyper
Level 3: VERY hyper; VERY off-task
Level 4: You cannot be calmed down, you cannot stop bouncing around, go call your doctor.
Level 1 Hyperactivity: Feeding the Monster a Weasel
Feeding the Adult ADHD hyper-monster the weasel entails this: APPEASING THE HYPER MONSTER. If your hyperness is at an "under control" level, then just give into it. You will get some of your best work done in this head-space. You do not feed the monster in order to make the monster go away. I repeat, this does NOT get the monster to go away. This will keep the monster satisfied so you can get your work done.
How does one "feed the monster"?
Make a list-weasel. See, I told you they were vegan mock-weasels. This one is made of paper!
Monsters love lists; lists keep a monster happy. When you have X, Y, Z and maybe even Q to get done and you're feeling your monster kick up (heart racing a little, thoughts racing a little), feed the monster with the list-weasel. Sit down and quickly jot your list - this should be done quickly so as to not get off tasks during list-weasel creation.
Next, follow the list! You have just brought structure to your hyperness and the structure must be adhered to. If not, monster will get extra hungry and the list-weasel will no longer suffice.
Call a friend-weasel. This weasel is also made of words, but in the air words versus paper words.
When you name an emotions or state of mind, its power over you drains. When I'm super hyper, sometimes I call my wife and tell her: "Hey, my brain is racy and foggy. I have about a billion things to do and I want to do them all NOW." She lets me know that she "hears me" and reminds me that I do not have to get it all done right now. Totally makes me feel better and makes my hyper time feel less alone.
Do you have any good Level I Hyperactivity strategies?
Next, we tackle Level 2 Hyperactivity.
APA Reference
Prager, E.
(2013, April 22). Getting Adult ADHD's Hyper Brain Under Control: Level I Hyperactivity, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, November 5 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/livingwithadultadhd/2013/04/getting-adult-adhds-hyper-brain-under-control-level-1-hyperactivit
Author: Elizabeth Prager
I think this is actually really helpful! I was looking for this kind of info as I was struggling with my own mental hyperactivity and trying to get things done as we prepare for another school year (music teacher, here. I want to thank you for creating this series because the tips did help me and understanding and validation of the struggle helped me too. It was very difficult for me to find information about this specific topic elsewhere.
I realize that, but you do realize that people only thing ADHD means HYPER. You are aware that there's inattentive type, right?
Common misconception is that being diagnosed with ADHD always means that you're always experiencing some level of physical hyperactivity, which is NOT always the case. The "four levels of hyperactivity" are incorrect, and I'm shocked that this would be allowed to be shared on a mental health website. People come here for guidance and care should be taken to effectively communicate about the disorder. People need to realize that ADHD doesn't always mean bouncing off the walls... it's much more than that, and to not recognize that is unfortunate.
First off, I did NOT mean to imply that you had to be at any level of hyperactivity at all times. There are plenty of times when I'm sitting calmly and enjoying life. There just happen to be a few levels of hyperactivity that I've seen in life among me and my ADHD friends. I'm sorry if this post bothered you and I really appreciate your feedback and chance for clarification. Believe me, I know ADHD does not mean always bouncing off the walls, but that's where I've been lately and felt like writing about at the time.
What could I do to make them more relevant for you, Jimbo?