Made this flowchart today to explain why it takes so long for me to tell stories. My brain can have a hard time distinguishing which thoughts/ideas are more important than others. It gets complicated.
#ADHD

Joined @HowtoADHD on Discord chat after becoming a Patreon subscriber today, which inspired me to draw this. Itâs really nice to talk to other people who just... get it.

Another drawing I made to help visually explain how #ADHD feels:
Iâve only done these 3 so far, but if people can relate to them, Iâd love to do a longer series!
Iâm blown away by how many people have quoted this tweet. So happy (and maybe a bit teary-eyed) that my silly flowchartâwhich I was nervous to post in the first placeâhas resonated with so many people.
You guys are awesome. Love my #ADHD tribe! More graphics on the way
You guys are awesome. Love my #ADHD tribe! More graphics on the way

âYou just need to try harder!â
âDonât be lazy.â
âNobody likes doing that stuff.â
âJust make a plan & stick to it.â
âSet a reminder in your phone.â
âItâs not that difficult. Grow up.â
Those with #ADHD know how it feels to struggle with basic habits that come easy to other people:
âDonât be lazy.â
âNobody likes doing that stuff.â
âJust make a plan & stick to it.â
âSet a reminder in your phone.â
âItâs not that difficult. Grow up.â
Those with #ADHD know how it feels to struggle with basic habits that come easy to other people:
Lmao this hit Facebook and has 30,000+ shares in just a few hours.
Remind me to add a watermark next time one of my tweets blows up
Remind me to add a watermark next time one of my tweets blows up

All right, a few of you have DM'ed asking for the link to my Patreon page, so here you go: http://patreon.com/danidonovan
I feel weird plugging it, but the less I have to freelance, the more I can work on making comics! Love you guys; still can't believe the support this is getting
I feel weird plugging it, but the less I have to freelance, the more I can work on making comics! Love you guys; still can't believe the support this is getting

#ADHD: It all depends on how you look at it.
âYou are not weird. You are not stupid. You do not need to try harder. You are not a failed version of normal. You are different. You are beautiful. And you are not alone.â
â Jessica McCabe, @HowtoADHD
âYou are not weird. You are not stupid. You do not need to try harder. You are not a failed version of normal. You are different. You are beautiful. And you are not alone.â
â Jessica McCabe, @HowtoADHD
All or nothing.
For me, #ADHD results in a lot of black-or-white thinking. Anything less than perfect feels like a total failure. Breaking even ONE DAY of a streak immediately results in falling off the wagon.
I am 100% or 0%, and have a hard time accepting anything in between.
For me, #ADHD results in a lot of black-or-white thinking. Anything less than perfect feels like a total failure. Breaking even ONE DAY of a streak immediately results in falling off the wagon.
I am 100% or 0%, and have a hard time accepting anything in between.
Why canât I finish what I start?
Set unrealistic expectations. Start project. Burn out. Abandon ship. Half-read books, failed exercise plans, unfinished projects & an inner voice that says âWhy bother? You canât finish anythingâ since all I do is break promises I make to myself.
Set unrealistic expectations. Start project. Burn out. Abandon ship. Half-read books, failed exercise plans, unfinished projects & an inner voice that says âWhy bother? You canât finish anythingâ since all I do is break promises I make to myself.
âWhy are you always late?â
Time mismanagement is the #1 biggest struggle for me when it comes to #ADHD.
I find myself unaware of time passing, miscalculating how long things wil take, and not planning any extra time in case of delays. It spirals out of control REAL QUICK.
Time mismanagement is the #1 biggest struggle for me when it comes to #ADHD.
I find myself unaware of time passing, miscalculating how long things wil take, and not planning any extra time in case of delays. It spirals out of control REAL QUICK.
Hyperfocus is the #ADHD opposite of distractibility, often masquerading as âproductivity.â Itâs easy to get stuck on one task far too long.
Poor attention regulation can go both ways, yâall.
Good luck trying to tear me away from something Iâm interested in...
Poor attention regulation can go both ways, yâall.
Good luck trying to tear me away from something Iâm interested in...
Forgive yourself.
#ADHD comes with so much shame and guilt. Iâm quick to forgive others, but never show myself the same compassion.
Quick reminder: No one is 100% perfect, 100% of the time.
#ADHD comes with so much shame and guilt. Iâm quick to forgive others, but never show myself the same compassion.
Quick reminder: No one is 100% perfect, 100% of the time.
âI Will, Just Not Right Now.â
Iâm good at self-rationalizing. âI canât do that right nowâIâm too hungry/tired/busy.â
SPOILER ALERT: I am NEVER going to feel like it. 
(Inspired by a tweet from @ADHDublin) #ADHD
Iâm good at self-rationalizing. âI canât do that right nowâIâm too hungry/tired/busy.â


(Inspired by a tweet from @ADHDublin) #ADHD
My brain can only handle one input/output at a time.
I canât even concentrate on work if Iâm listening to music with lyrics
#ADHD
I canât even concentrate on work if Iâm listening to music with lyrics

#ADHD takes many forms that involve overcompensating & coping mechanisms. Iâm never all of them at once, but I am always at least one of them.
Do any of these ring true for you? Which ones?
P.S. Iâll be releasing individual posts with write-ups for each one!








Do any of these ring true for you? Which ones?
P.S. Iâll be releasing individual posts with write-ups for each one!









The first individual write-up of my Faces of #ADHD series!
âHopeless Romanticâ me is passionate and adventurous. When I fall for someone, I fall hard. But I have a hard time getting over being broken up with, because it takes me longer than most to recover from rejection.
(1/9)
âHopeless Romanticâ me is passionate and adventurous. When I fall for someone, I fall hard. But I have a hard time getting over being broken up with, because it takes me longer than most to recover from rejection.
(1/9)
As a child with undiagnosed #ADHD, I got in trouble for âtalking backâ to my parents/teachers due to poor emotional control & authority issues.
Now, I get stress build-up, frustrated with myself over perceived shortcomings, and stubborn/argumentative without realizing it.
(2/9)
Now, I get stress build-up, frustrated with myself over perceived shortcomings, and stubborn/argumentative without realizing it.
(2/9)
Despite my #ADHD, I was labeled âgiftedâ in school. I was ahead of my peers but got frustrated with the slow pace of the curriculum.
Itâs often referred to as âtwice exceptional child syndromeâ and was the reason I never got treatedâ despite lack of organizational/social skills.
Itâs often referred to as âtwice exceptional child syndromeâ and was the reason I never got treatedâ despite lack of organizational/social skills.
Twice-exceptional students can be broken into 3 categories:
1: Students who excel but later show signs of disability
2: Students with diagnosed disabilities who show exceptional gifts in some areas
3: Highly intelligent students who seem average because they have disabilities
1: Students who excel but later show signs of disability
2: Students with diagnosed disabilities who show exceptional gifts in some areas
3: Highly intelligent students who seem average because they have disabilities
âI could have done betterâ plays on repeat in my brain, even after Iâve already turned something in.
Obsessive Perfectionist should really be called âhyperfocus on steroids.â When Iâm in my flow, itâs so easy to lose track of time (thanks to chronic tinkering tendencies). #ADHD
Obsessive Perfectionist should really be called âhyperfocus on steroids.â When Iâm in my flow, itâs so easy to lose track of time (thanks to chronic tinkering tendencies). #ADHD
1) Have cool idea for new project, career goal or side hustle
2) Research
3) Get excited
4) Buy supplies
5) Go hard for a week
6) Lose steam
7) Find something else to do
8) Occasionally remember
abandoned goal with twinge of guilt & anger you never finish anything
9) Repeat
#ADHD
2) Research
3) Get excited
4) Buy supplies
5) Go hard for a week
6) Lose steam
7) Find something else to do
8) Occasionally remember
abandoned goal with twinge of guilt & anger you never finish anything
9) Repeat
#ADHD
Fitting in has always played a huge part in my self-esteem. Feeling lonely (and worrying my friends donât actually like me) WRECKS me. I use self-deprecating humor to lighten the mood.
If Iâm not fun to be around, I worry people wonât want to spend time with me.
(6/9) #ADHD
If Iâm not fun to be around, I worry people wonât want to spend time with me.

I care too much about everything, especially making others happy. I feel bad about things that arenât my fault. I worry my friends donât like me. I put off stressful things + hate confrontation. I expect to be fired whenever my boss schedules a âQuick Chatâ meeting
(7/9) #ADHD

I walk into a room, open my phone, or start a sentence--only to forget what I was trying to do entirely. People get frustrated reminding me of things ("selective listening"). To-do's that aren't written down get forgotten. If my brain isn't engaged, I'm not there.
(8/9) #ADHD

Final comic of my "Faces of ADHD" series! ADHD isn't all symptoms/deficiencies. Our generosity shines. Although I can get overwhelmed by overcommitting, I do it because I want to assist everyone who comes to me for help.
(9/9) #ADHD
Full series is on my pinned profile thread!

Full series is on my pinned profile thread!
"I can't ____ until I ____" is the #1 reason I struggle to get things done. I start off with great intentions, but it always turns into this cycle. Whatever the distraction, it feels extremely important in the moment! But I lose track of time, and before I know it...
#ADHD
