You know, there are a lot of parallels between hyperfocus and waking up after anesthesia.

I know, it sounds really weird.

But if you’ve never been under anesthesia and woken up from it, my friend, you have not experienced one of the most horrifying sensations on the menu.

I was 9 when I had my appendix out. And I’m generally good with weird stuff if you give me an honest heads up of what it’s gonna be like. But they do not give 9 years olds honest info. They don’t give most people honest info. See: IUD day.

https://twitter.com/erynnbrook/status/1172191400605167617?s=21 https://twitter.com/erynnbrook/status/1172191400605167617

Anyway, they say waking up from anesthesia is like waking up from sleep. It’s not. Not at all. Not unless you have sleep paralysis? Maybe it is like waking up if you’re on some good drugs. I was not. I was perfectly lucid, wide awake, mentally alert, and trapped in my body.

I woke up, in my head. Fully aware that I was somewhere strange, I’d just be cut into, and I couldn’t move. Couldn’t open my eyes, couldn’t turn my head. Nothing. I wanted to. They told me my parents would be there and I’d be in a nice room and everything would be nice.

The absolute panic that comes on cause you can’t open your eyes, even though that’s the only thing you want to do? It’s weird.

It’s worth a heads up, if you ask me.

But anyway, that’s what being snapped out of hyperfocus feels like.

And the physical sensations are brutal! If you’ve been in for a long time, you’re cold and clammy, tense and sore in weird places, your head feels like you’ve been wearing a heavy motorcycle helmet that’s 2 sizes too small all day, you’re wayyy past hangry...

^ that last tweet was meant to be hyperfocus-specific but come to think of it, that’s exactly how I felt waking up after anesthesia

Anyway, just something to keep in mind around the ADHD brain in your life and add more info to why coming out of hyperfocus isn’t like, a 10 second transition.