I'm sure there's a fancy scientific name for it, but I prefer to call it Dolphin Mind. I guarantee most everyone on #TeamADHD knows this feeling.

Here's what it looks like to NTs.
Me: What a lovely pond.
NT: Yeah, it's nice.
Me: I've always wanted nunchucks.
NT:

In reality, here's what our Dolphin Minds do.
Me Out Loud: What a lovely pond.
Me in my Head: Oh hey, there's a turtle!
MimH: I LOVE Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
MimH: But who's the best?
MimH: Michelangelo for sure.
NT: Yeah, it's nice.
MOL: I've always wanted nunchuks.

Our brains don't wait for a response from the other person. It's not rudeness or impatience. We can't control it. It's just how our brains work.

So, NTs only see what breaches the surface, which is just a fraction of what's happening.

If NTs could glimpse beneath the surface, I'm certain the onslaught of thoughts would overwhelm them. Most NTs I know seem to get overwhelmed just talking to me. They couldn't handle the sheer volume of thinking that goes on beneath the surface.

ADHD minds are built for speed, which leads to confusion by observers. And typically we can explain how we got from Point A to Point Z, but the other person doesn't really care. They only care about the surface thoughts because that's all they can see.

What's most troubling for me is that I frequently forget that nobody else can see what's going on beneath the surface. The conversation in my head is so vivid and so real that it's confusing FOR ME when I realize the other person doesn't know what I'm talking about.

Your Dolphin Mind is amazing and just because NTs don't know how to appreciate it doesn't mean it's not amazing and appreciated. I love your Dolphin Mind.