Okay, so I just learned something about inhibition that is kind of blowing my mind.

I tend to think of inhibition as "acting without thinking." But it's much more than that, apparently. Apparently, lack of inhibition impairs your ability to learn from your mistakes, in a sense.

This is from Barkley's "Unifying Theory of ADHD."

Barkley explains the Theory on the Uniqueness of Human Language. A distinguishing feature of humans is "our" ability to reflect before communicating a response. Having this ability results in (among other things) prolongation.

During prolongation, we recall past experience or hypothesize outcomes in the future. And having the ability to hold onto both the present AND reference the past/future, makes it possible for us to imagine response outcomes and understand the concept of time.

Our inability to inhibit our responses even a moment before responding to reflect upon the past or the future results in us responding ONLY in the now. And that lack of inhibition is the wellspring of so many other deficits in people with #ADHD.

This one hit me hard after my recent skirmishes with family and coworkers.

A response I often heard was "Do I want to be right or liked?" and obviously I want both. I don't want to have to choose. But in a way, I don't choose.

I lack the ability to stop and choose.

There are situations where I DO have the ability to stop and reflect. Oddly enough, the internet is one of those places, since my primary form of communication is typing. And typing takes longer than blurting. Blurting is instantaneous. Typing takes time (even at 90 wpm).

As a result, while I'm typing, my mind has time to consider things a bit more. I can edit my words, even after they've technically left my brain, but are still in draft mode.

So, when I rage tweet or go off on someone on Facebook, I'm a bit more culpable also because I had time.

But in person? Oh man, that's where the carnage happens. That's where I'm completely unable to anticipate how the thoughts tumbling out of my gaping maw will land.

Having this process described by Barkley (and Bronowski's Theory) is really helpful for me, somehow.

It explains my thought processes in a way I hadn't considered them before. I thought I'd share in case anyone hasn't seen this.