What is ADHD Shutdown — and How to Overcome It
Learn what causes ADHD shutdowns, recognize the symptoms, and discover practical strategies to overcome mental paralysis and boost productivity.
Imagine a day when you have not one, not two but three deadlines (the horror!) — let's say, a report, a presentation, and a doctor's appointment. To add to the stress, let's also say they're all urgent and can't be pushed. So now you need to choose what you'll do first, and how you'll do it. Easy, you may say. Just pick an order, make a plan, eliminate distractions, and don't stop till it all gets done.
But if you have ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), you know the answer is not always so simple. If you have ADHD, you know that faced with such a scenario, your body and mind might go into shutdown mode, making it impossible for you even to move a muscle, much less race to three deadlines.
ADHD shutdown is a mental block that people with ADHD face in daily life — when we have too many things to do in too little time or are faced with sensory overload, our mind reacts by completely going blank, making it difficult to make any decision.
If this is making you stressed, worry not! Like many other symptoms of ADHD, shutdowns may not be preventable but are definitely manageable.
Understanding ADHD Shutdown
People with ADHD and healthcare professionals may use different names to describe shutdowns – ADHD freeze, paralysis, or neurological pause are a few common terms. It's described as a brain fog or mental hiatus that stops people from making decisions, communicating, or even completing simple tasks they otherwise may do easily, even on autopilot mode.
There can be many reasons behind such a freeze, including sensory overload or high-stress situations. ADHD is also a condition that affects executive function and emotional regulation, which may make it difficult to process too much information at once. All this leads to people experiencing ADHD paralysis.
The symptoms you experience during a shutdown typically correlate to the kind of ADHD paralysis you face:
ADHD task paralysis: This is characterized by procrastination or reluctance to start new tasks because they seem too daunting.
ADHD choice paralysis: This is characterized by an inability to choose between various options.
ADHD mental paralysis: This is characterized by an inability to think clearly or focus due to one's own overwhelm or a stressful environment.
Also, none of these conditions or symptoms are set in stone. Sometimes you may face a combination of issues, leading to quicker or more prolonged shutdowns.
ADHD Symptoms Indicating Shutdown
Inability to Start Tasks
ADHD makes it difficult to start new tasks, but if you feel the reluctance creeping into work you normally do, or at least know how to do, it could be a sign of paralysis due to one or more triggers.
Difficulty Maintaining Focus
While working, if you find it hard to maintain focus for more than a few minutes and have a strong urge to abandon your work and go do something else — or nothing at all — it could be a sign of your brain seeking a pause.
Mental Block and Lack of Motivation
ADHD freeze mode leads to brain fog, so you're unable to think clearly or make logical decisions. Sometimes, you may literally freeze. Doing simple things like finding a place to sit down or making a phone call might seem insurmountable.
During periods of such fog, you also lack motivation to do anything due to a lack of focus, and so many times tasks and goals remain undone because you cannot bring yourself to get to them.
Poor Time Management and Decision Making
Shutdown doesn't always mean a complete lack of activity. Sometimes you may continue doing a task long after you're supposed to stop, unmindful of the time, because your brain cannot switch gears.
Also, at this time, if you're faced with making a quick choice or decision, you may end up delaying or not thinking clearly about the right option.
Lack of Prioritization
When in shutdown mode, people with ADHD seek familiarity or short bursts of dopamine. You may choose easier and more enjoyable tasks, even if it means delaying important and urgent goals.
Problems in Emotional Regulation and Communication
ADHD can lead to some emotional dysregulation, causing people to have mood swings, especially when they are in shutdown mode. Because of the overstimulation and stress, you may be unable to communicate clearly with others.
Urge to Isolate Yourself
During ADHD shutdown mode, people may feel a strong need to get away from others and be in their own space, as crowds can make them feel overwhelmed and overstimulated.
Causes of ADHD Shutdowns
Complex Tasks
Tasks that challenge a person's ability are good for overall development, but with ADHD, the unknown sparks fear or reluctance. If people with ADHD are tasked with doing something they've never done before or something that goes beyond their skills, they may get too overwhelmed to even go through with things they know how to do.
Emotional Overwhelm
When people with ADHD are in a difficult emotional situation, such as the loss of a loved one, they may be unable to process their feelings healthily. Different emotions often bubble up and take over their mind, leading them to shut down or face ADHD mental paralysis.
External Triggers
Loud noises, crowds, and unfamiliar environments tend to trigger overwhelm in people with ADHD because they are faced with a lot of new information at once. In such a situation, the brain goes into self-defense mode to shut down the triggers and temporarily stops functioning.
How to Overcome ADHD Paralysis and Prevent Shutdowns
Get Accountability
Accountability is a great productivity technique many people with ADHD use to keep themselves on track for their goals. Having someone help them set goals and deadlines, create a daily routine, and send helpful reminders, ensures you do not lose focus or forget what needs to be done.
Accountability partners can also help watch out for ADHD shutdown and suggest when it may be time to try some techniques to manage the effects. Get accountability with an accountability coach, an accountability partner app, or a platform like Boss as a Service!
Break Down your Goals and Prioritize Tasks
The first step in preventing overwhelm and confusion is to break your goals down into the tiniest, simplest possible steps. Creating SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic/Relevant, Time-bound) goals will help provide direction and make the goals seem achievable.
During this goal-setting, you may also be able to understand how to prioritize tasks, so that the most important ones wind up first on your list.
Here's an example of SMART goal-setting:
Goal: I want to eat healthy
SMART Goal: I want to eat healthy by cutting carbs and sugar (Specific). I will do this by making my meals twice a day (Measurable, Achievable), at least four times a week (Realistic) for three months (Time-Bound).
Want some help creating SMART goals? Try our SMART goal generator!
Set Deadlines - Deadlines are good!
The lack of deadlines leads you to keep pushing tasks until it's too daunting or too late. We've all been there – Parkinson's law states that work expands to fill the available time. Even if you have goals without a specific timeline, create your own deadlines for completing them as a way to motivate you to follow through before time runs out.
Reduce Distractions
Focusing is difficult with ADHD, so give yourself the best shot by optimizing your workspace and keeping away all devices and things that can distract or overstimulate you. You can try practicing monk mode or creating a commitment device to get yourself into the zone.
Identify Triggers
Sometimes ADHD shutdowns can be caused by specific triggers like a particular kind of noise, bright lights or encountering that someone, who, let's put it this way – doesn't exactly help your mental health. Try to identify what triggers you to freeze, and figure out ways to prevent it from coming up.
Take Breaks and Exercise
Hours and hours of work can tire the brain and trigger a freeze. Take short breaks every few hours – try time-boxing your day and using the Pomodoro method – and use the time to stretch, unwind, and get some light exercise.
Create Coping Strategies
If you have no choice but to face situations that are triggering or unpleasant, develop coping strategies to help you get through them. This could involve breathing exercises, journaling your thoughts, using focus aids, or even having someone coach and support you through the task so you can get it done.
Use Focus Aids
Motivational posters, calming music, white noise, or noise-canceling headphones are all good for helping you focus on work and nothing else. Some cool tools that can help you focus include body doubling, or having someone with you while you each do your work, but keep a tab on each to make sure you're not getting distracted or overwhelmed.
Seek Professional Help
If DIY doesn't help, don't shy away from seeking professional help to help you better understand what you can do to improve your work and well-being!
How BaaS Helps Keep Up Productivity With ADHD
Even with all the right management techniques, ADHD can make task management difficult. Get some extra help from Boss as a Service. We give you a Boss – a real person – who'll follow up and hold you accountable. Sign up with us to set goals and deadlines, make sure distractions are at bay, and that you can focus when needed!
Final Thoughts
ADHD shutdowns can lead to mental paralysis and leave you overwhelmed. But there are ways to manage them and keep up your productivity.
Liked this blog? Check out some more posts: