This realization is both enlightening and discouraging.
We’re going to break down a few.
At first glance theyre a blast, playing perfectly into the ADHD brains need for variability.
Verywell / Nez Riaz
than for the actual purpose of finding love.
By all means, live your best single-person life and experience all that dating culture has to offer.
Just be mindful of your goals if youre also learning to manage ADHD.
It can be hard to keep different people straight and not start mixing up details.
Hyperfixation and Dopamine
When it comes to textbook ADHD symptoms, hyperfixation is high on the list.
From the moment you match with someone cute on a dating app, thishyperfocuscan start.
Suddenly you’re left thinking, “Hang on, do I even like this person?”
This is when many people feel compelled to jump ship.
The truth is that your partner was never meant to be a source of eternal stimulation.
The reality is ADHDers need stability even though it’s not “sexy” or appealing.
Just because theres a lull in excitement doesn’t mean something is wrong.
Then, out of the blue, they stop responding.
When Things Get More Serious
Emotional dysregulation is also very common further along in the relationship.
This can cause tension if chemical variability in the ADHD brain isn’t addressed.
Taylor, 29, shares, “Dating in my teens was marked by some pretty intensemood swings.
I would explode into a tirade, sometimes for hours, and could not let it go.
This is whyaccurate diagnosis and management of ADHDare so important.
If you don’t haveself-awarenessof your symptoms, you risk pushing the person youre dating away.
All of this is easier said than done, but it’s important,” says Dr. Tuckman.
Maintain an open dialogue about how your brain works and pay attention to your triggers.
Your efforts wont go unnoticed.
Truly, there are so many people who think those qualities are pretty damn charming.
A big part of this is having the confidence to discuss your diagnosis with the people you date.
ADHD has a tendency to reveal itself, especially if someone isn’t managing it well.
This can be scary, especially if you’ve been burned before.
- Just remember that not everyone is going to like you (who needs ‘em?
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Ginapp CM, Greenberg NR, MacDonald-Gagnon G, Angarita GA, Bold KW, Potenza MN.
“Dysregulated not deficit”: A qualitative study on symptomatology of ADHD in young adults.PLoS One.
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