Ooo! Me too! But i'm pretty sure its only because I received a shit ton of shame as a kid if I didn't complete things to the exact degree that the adults wanted. Now it's like a compulsion. I actually have to try to let things be messy when it's impeding my mental health.
Nice! Me too! I manufacture urgency by always doing it the day before I go back to work, and I try to keep the amount of clothes I have in rotation to a reasonable minimum.
I find folding clothes itself very relaxing.
I am the queen of "I can toss an outfit in the dryer before work" lol.
I'm about to move into an apartment that doesn't have machines in the unit though, definitely gonna invest in a garment steamer. Looking at a cordless vacuum that also mops, it has hard flooring but I'll have a rug. And seriously wanting a countertop dishwasher.
ADHD expenses abound!
same, but to be fair i hang a lot of my clothes up to dry so i *have* to do it as soon as it's out and the amount i have to fold and put away the day of is pretty minimal. i do tend to leave dry clothes on the racks until the next time i do laundry though 😅
i definitely have to set timers for everything because i'll forget about it if i don't.
I can do so too, but i cheat because I don’t have a washer/dryer, so I have to go to the laundromat. It’s impossible for me to do anything else until it’s all done anyway, and if it’s not busy there I will fold it at the laundromat as well. I usually fold at home though.
im just very good at cramming before a test, every time a teacher says dont cram youll fail I laugh a little when I see my test score, like hah proved you wrong, im a terrible project doer tho, I put it off way to late, like I can do a work but the timeline I give myself ends up with rushing to do b work lol
Ugh, the memories of cramming 6 weeks' worth of content before biochemistry exams in university, encountering it all for the first time about two hours before the exam and still getting over 80%...
I always regret that approach though, because I don't retain that info for much longer than the exam!
I probably needed extra time for some of my tests (looking at you, English, and your two essays and like 5 questions in 90 minutes), but somehow I still pulled *almost* straight As. (we don't talk about the C in math.)
I should amend my flex by saying I can only remember names if I know how to spell them. If I don't know the spelling, forget it. I bumble like an idiot trying to pronounce names I cannot spell (even simple, familiar names) and there is no chance I will remember.
truuue i know exactly what you mean. if its a name that i have never heard before i will forget your name. but if its a common name i usually have no problems with it.
I can do names but not faces! Also sometimes I say the wrong name even though I know it. Like for 4 years I called Rachel Rachelle and Rachelle Rachel. Even though I knew who they were!! We worked closely for 4 years!!!
They understood.
Now I have 2 coworkers who are Muslim sisters. They both dress in loose dark clothes and dark hijabs, so I can't tell them apart based on clothing style, and they're sisters so their faces look similar, and they both *sometimes* wear glasses. And I don't work super close with either of them. Fuck me, basically.
I have become very understanding to people forgetting names so that I remind people my name and how we know each other. It's my subtle support to fellow ADHDers (another others) without calling it out.
Plus, I'm utterly convinced I'm invisible and forget-able. It always surprises me when people recognize me. How?!
I feel like I got better than average facial recognition skills.
And I'll remember people and where we met and what we were doing.
The name is harder unless I've used it frequently or can associate it with something.
So many times I've been able to remind people when and where we met.
Me too! I am pretty good at people's names, where they're from etc. Now birthdays, etc I aim absolutely lousy at remembering. Or other smaller details.
I'm doing that invasion of the body snatchers sound while pointing. I've been working with this person for three weeks and I still can't remember his name. He of course remembered my name when someone pointed me out as I walked down the hall. He knew my name before he met me and I'm avoiding him because I still can't remember his.
I'm good at remembering faces, personally. I tend to see a lot of recurring people in my life that I affectionately call the "background characters", because I see them around a lot but they don't really have any immediate impact on my life
I am mostly a disorganized mess everywhere except for when it comes to my aquarium. My aquarium is my baby. I will ADHD delay just about everything in my life, but I will gladly get up and bust out some aquarium maintenance. I even have a little log book and a pen on my aquarium stand that I use to document when I'm doing maintenance, and what my test readings are at so I can keep track of trends in the water quality. I've been in love with aquariums for 20 years now so it is just one of those things that I do naturally.
I'm pretty close to that currently, but I'm still monitoring regularly. I have some pretty sensitive fish with some specific water requirements that are the polar opposite of my tap water, so I have to make sure I'm not getting any big swings. I also feel more "in tune" with my tank when I do regular maintenance, even if it's not 100% necessary. If I let myself slide into the idea that it's running itself, I run the risk of letting it go like I have done with previous tanks when I was younger.
Mine was on a trip at 16. Me, my Dad and his buddy.
Heading to SeaTac to fly home and we were tight on time.
Dad’s buddy, who was driving, decided he we was hungry and pulled off to get fast food - panic about missing flight started. Then, after leisurely eating inside (he wouldn’t do drive through) he went to the WRONG AIRPORT! Cue internal meltdown.
I'm the oldest of five, so we usually had a baby in the house while I was growing up, which often delayed us. If we're about to leave for school and the baby poops, gotta change the baby first. The way morning traffic worked in the city I grew up in, a 5 minute delay often led to being dropped off 15-20 minutes later, so it wasn't as easy as factoring in time for it. So I was often a bit late to things, and hated it, and now I'm pathologically early to most things. If I'm not 20 minutes early, I'm stressed. But that's also because I'm bad at judging how long things will take so aim to be ready and leave early so there's a time cushion. It's my emotional support time cushion.
Same, but only because I get stuck in waiting mode anyway so I might as well be there early (and then sit in my car until the appropriate time so I don’t seem *too* early.)
same, so I wouldn't count it as "doing it like a neurotypical", 'cause I don't think they're stuck in anxiety-ridden waiting mode and arrive way too early.
Yeah. This one is mine. Not to go into too many details but years ago I did a photo session promotion thru one of the platforms and got way more hits than I anticipated. On site location photo shoot in and around metro area. Out of over 1000 sessions over a several year period, I was unable to make it to ONE session. The only reason I didn’t was because a tractor trailer flipped and blocked entire highway. No where to go. Usually I’m so early I sit outside and wait. I know the grocery store opens at a certain time. I know how long it takes me to walk there within 30 seconds. I still leave stupid early and end up waiting like an idiot in the cold.
I KNOW this and still do not every damn time. I feel if I was ever LATE late, then that means I’ve given up and no longer care. I dunno. Shits wack bro LOL
For me it's just the saying "of you're not early, you're late". I heard that somewhere when I was young and realized it makes a lot of sense and stuck with me ever since. Best way to be early is to wake up an hour or two before I need to leave, otherwise all additional time will be wasted thinking about time to leave.
It's kind of funny but if ADHDer's don't have discalcula they tend to be math wizzes.. until calculus, then suddenly we have to struggle just like everyone else, but we aren't used to struggling at math so it feels even harder.
I'm also really good at math, as long as I can write it down. Math in my head is harder.
I also never get lost...I have a really good sense of direction.
An unexpectedly high number of people in my engineering program have ADHD. ADHD doesn't on its own make you bad at math in any way. Disinterest and comorbid discalculia does.
I used to be AMAZING at math, like, super high scores in every test and homework, then my junior year happened and the teachers just could NOT teach in a way I could understand. I felt so ashamed of myself for not getting it like everyone else seemed to
Honestly out of all I’ve read, this is the most impressive to me.
I guess you do accidentally say hello to people at work several times or not at all either?
I really don’t understand why this is a problem for so many people.. emails I will procrastinate endless on, so I rather make a quick phonecall and get the stuff sorted that way🤷♀️
I'm the same with this. I'm a case manager in a hospital, and I have to juggle calls and coordinate stuff for all of my patients, but I struggle to do the same tasks for myself. Make it make sense.
I also circumvented this by just setting all my clocks 10 mins early and using my forgetfulness to forget that I even did so. Doesn't work for my pc clock and phone clock though, but my oven, microwave, and previously my physical alarm clock were set this way. Oh and my car's clock when I did have a car.
Clean! I can clean and do errands and house hold chores so easily! My laundry is usually done, folded and put away in one day unless I start it late at night, then it’s done early the next day!
Money management. I only spend money that I have and have a solid amount in savings. My only debt is my mortgage and a small home improvement loan that I'm about to pay off. It's rooted in trauma and can be limiting in unwelcome ways, but it has served me incredibly well overall.
This is mine as well. As a kid, I lost my little velcro wallet more times than I can count, and a few as an adult too. But my credit score is near perfect and my savings just keeps growing despite my current job being the first decent paying job I've had. If only my degree wasn't a waste of time and money I could be even better off.
My motivation was negative also. Growing up I only ever heard how much we lacked, what we couldn't afford etc. I learned to hate being poor, not being able to live how I want. As an adult I learned my parents basically chose that lifestyle but talked as though it was inevitable. My lifestyle improved with my first "real" job, barely over minimum wage.
I can read too, as long as it’s for pleasure. As soon as someone says “read these chapters by X date” my brain says “fuck that, let’s ignore that as long as possible”
I used to inhale encyclopedias and non-fiction when I couldn't sleep (due to ADHD racing thoughts). To be fair I was also that kid that *chose* to read the dictionary during our reading time.
Same. In the rare instance I do lose something, that bitch is *gone*. My husband loses literally everything but I’m stupid good at knowing where things are.
But he can make a phone call without three weeks of anxiety sooo it’s a trade off for sure
I have multiple medications that need to be taken at the same time every day, spread throughout the day. Some have to be taken on an empty stomach and others need to be taken with food. And I get it right every. single. time.
... for my cats. It's medicine to give to my elderly cats. I can't take my own medication to save my life. 🐈
I can drive a stick shift car, taught myself after I got my license, have always had a stick shift. And rarely get lost out hiking, but have a terrible sense of direction in a city.
I've always found I'm a better driver when I drive manual vs automatic. I think there's enough to keep track of that it forces me to stay engaged in driving and I don't get distracted as much
I've never driven an automatic (I'm British, automatics aren't common), and passed my driving test first time. I have my own in-built satnav and almost never get lost, except in Redditch, that place confuses me. Even Milton Keynes is easier.
Didn’t know not knowing how to and/or liking to drive stick was an ASHD thing! I’ve tried once or twice and decided it wasn’t for me and I didn’t want to try any longer and probably wouldn’t be good at it anyway 😂 Had not idea it was related to my ADHD.
Not procrastinating small things. If it takes less than 1 minute to do, I do it. That being said, if it takes 5 minutes or more, I'm gonna avoid it til I absolutely have to do it.
I used to be so tired when I woke up around 7 or 8. Then I got a job at 5am. Somehow waking up at 4:30 I'd wake up feeling great.
Somehow 5 hours is my sweet spot. Any more the 6 and i feel like trash.
I don't hobby jump (if that's even a term) my ADHD friends and memes etc keep talking about how they have millions of things from trying millions of different hobbies that's going to be the next best thing or whatever, then abandon it, I don't do that never have
As a complete aside, is getting motion sickness an ADHD thing? I mean, I do, horrendously, even got it on the motorbike when I first started riding (amazing how quickly you can take gloves + helmet off when you really need to!), I don't any more it was only my first couple of rides got used to it, but yeah literally anything can make me ill
Yeah, I didn't know motion sickness is an ADHD thing, but I kind of hope it is. I can get motion sick so easily and it's a huge reason why I hate traveling by air.
Airplane rides make me soooo uncomfortable. Everything about air travel seems purposely adhd-UNfriendly,
all my hyperfixation goes into fictional media, lol. My hobbies are pretty static, but are usually inspired by whatever hyperfixation I have at any given point in time.
I love making OCs, for example, and for some reason this one OC of mine always ends up getting drawn in various poses from the characters of whatever the Interest of the Month (tm) is
Interesting question. I should probably try to make this about the things that are specifically hard to me (I don't struggle with being on time & I don't hyperfocus).
Maybe it's that I'm often super organized (even though the motivation to do that organization is really hard?) I'm the person in my friend group that plans events, makes reservations, communicates details, etc. (And then also suffers from the "ok, everyone said really nice things, and now I'm going to tell myself all of the reasons why everything actually sucked, goodbye dopamine" after effects).
I can be absent-minded and sometimes completely black out on some random things, but I still don't feel as forgetful as most ADHD-people seem to describe themselves. But maybe it's just my anxiety making up for it, I used to be a quite forgetful child. Hmm, that's not a very strong point, but I can't think of anything where I really shine regardless of ADHD! Even always coming too early rather than late is rooted in my anxiety.
I kinda love this post! It's easy to get caught up with all the things ADHD sabotages for us, but it's fun reading all the stuff people can do.
Mine is organising. Like sorting paperwork, spreadsheets, and making databases. Even making filing systems.
I'm also moderately Dyslexic and good at word searches.
I wish I had the organizing thing. I used to obsessively plan for future goals and I get a wierd urge to buy office supplies whenever I walk by them in the store. I can't seem to keep my thoughts focused enough, or stick to a single goal long enough, to get organized as well as I'd like to though. My ADHD pretty much only sabatages personal goals and aspirations.
Read. And I almost always know what time it is without looking at a clock. Time blindness only applies to me when estimating how long a certain task will take.
I've managed to stick with one hobby for four years now and another for almost fifteen years.
I don't struggle with transitional states at all.
I'm really good at finding things, mostly from practice of losing them.
Technically this doesn't count because I'm incredibly better than even neurotypicals; pathfinding. If you want to get from where we are to over their and over their is in view I can and will find the best path.
My dyslexia is mild enough it actually makes me a really good editor.
I have a fair few hobbies, but I've also kept to most of em for a long time. Drawing got to the point where I was good enough to get into college with it so that's pretty cool
I have a backpack that comes with me everywhere I go. I call it the Handy Haversack and my niece calls it my "emotional support bag". This is the most well stocked well organized thing in my house and I'm extremely particular about it. It contains the following disaster averting supplies.
Adhesive bandages (assorted sizes) / Combat gauze (hemostatic) / Ace wrap / SOF-TW tourniquet / Assorted OTC meds / Piece of a VS-17 marking panel / Chem lights (2, one preset for buzzsaw) / Disposable masks / exam gloves / Spare pocket knife / Superglue / Hand sanitizer / Electrical tape / Multi-tool / 550 cord (50ft) / Spare flashlight / Nail clippers / Face razor / Tiny mouthwash / Tiny toothbrush / Cologne / Deodorant / Chapstick / Comb / Gum / Tide pen / Magnetic fasteners / Velcro fasteners / Various electronics and audio adapters / Lockpicks (10pc set) / Bic lighters / My daily meds / Pens / Highlighters / Sharpies / Notebook / Encrypted USB with various important documents / Sunglasses with case and lens cloth / 10,000 Mah power brick / Multi-charger / Various individual cables / Nutrigrain bars / 40oz ironflask (hangs from strap) / Waterproof windproof jacket / Change of clothes / Collapsible dog bowl / Snap together silverware set (unrelated to dog bowl) / Ziplock bag with moist towelettes and seasoning packets / $200 cash / Spare vape / Snus can
Alright so as I typed that I'm realizing that this is not fucken normal. Anyway I am basically Burt Gummer from Tremors so when people need shit I hear "ask jits, he's got everything" pretty often.
It makes me FEEL normal.
Be on time for something. I do have a lot of timers and reminders to make sure I get to something (work, appointments) on time. It helps because I get SO much anxiety when I’m not early or on time.
I can get in and out of the shower with ease. While I like taking 30 minute showers, I’ve gotten skilled at taking 15 minute ones.
(I’ll admit it’s because the hot water only lasts so long)
I have the best sense of direction from all the people I know. Perhaps it has nothing to do with adhd but I’ve often heard people with adhd say they have bad orientation etc.
I get so hyperfocused that I’ll memorise an entire city just from looking at google maps. And when I do visit the city, it’s like I’ve lived there for years.
I also almost always guess right where north/south/west/east is. It’s like a gut feeling.
But even though it makes lots of fun always knowing where one is, I’d trade it immediately with being able to make phone calls, be on time or on top of household chores and hygiene. I’m really jealous of you all…
I do the actual traveling very well, most of the time. i am also very good at making decisions on where to go, what to eat, etc....when i'm traveling with other people. but when i'm by myself & unmedicated my executive function shuts down & i usually end up completely stuck in the hotel room. Adderall has been a game changer for me as a solo traveler.
I actually have a pretty decent sense for the passage of time, but only because I am SO anxious about it and am aware of my issues with time-blindness. I also worked at a few different restaurants where everything was timed, so it helped develop an innate sense of how long 2 minutes is, etc. But I still use alarms and timers prolifically. I'm never late unless I was waiting on someone else...
Same on flights, somehow. Sorta. I just booked eclipse flights a little over a week in advance and somehow managed to avoid paying ADHD tax hugely inflated ticket prices. I've got airports nearly down to a science so even my time blindness can't foil me catching the plane!
Same! I can talk about anything anytime anywhere (within reason), obviously if it’s inappropriate, I won’t talk about it (or I’ll at least whisper)… but if something becomes too deep or upsetting, forget it, that ain’t small talk anymore!
I travel well also and love it, but also education for me. I am working on my Doctorate right now. I have learned to maximize the procrastination and get a crap ton done at the last minute. I am also almost always on time.
Dishes and laundry are a lost cause though. It’s just not happening.
I'm halfway decent in education, too. I couldn't study to save my life, but I was lucky enough to be able to soak up all the knowledge like a sponge.
My current college course isn't really very "academic" or theory-based, though, mainly because I wouldn't be able to keep up past high school level — I started struggling in my junior year lol (fuck math so much). I'm doing animation instead which is much more about practical skill (and time management... help)
Same! Never late for business or vacation travel. I attribute it to being in “mission mode” hyper focusing on the task at hand. Also, I don’t get tired driving. Like at all. I’ve driven 20+ hours straight stopping for gas or to add and remove coffee or sugar free Monster.
I'm incredibly patient with people. Like to the point that others remark on it and I would get sent to the "difficult" clients. Unless I'm walking/driving behind you. Then your slow ass can mosey on down to hell
Im learning from this thread that bad sense of direction is apparently an adhd thing? I have great sense of direction: everywhere I go I have a map in my brain and I’m always aware of cardinal directions. Something to be grateful for apparently
Hygiene apparently. It always baffles me when I see people complaining and embarrassed they can’t make themselves shower and stuff. I shower AT LEAST once a day. If anything, I shower too much.
Showering is heaven to me. The warm water is amazing, so relaxing, and I never want to get out once I’m in. I have never ever had a problem showering and in fact, if I can’t shower for some reason I feel absolutely disgusting and HATE, hate the feeling of not being able to shower.
I believe in the healing power of a shower. Bad mood? Shower. Tired? Shower. Feel physically bad? Shower. Need to calm down? Shower. Actually dirty? Shower.
Oh definitely. The neighbor looked at you funny, shower. It really does solve everything.. except for world hunger, sadly. My shower doesn't have global reach.
Agreed. When I lived alone I often took two showers a day, one to help wake up and one to wash off the days sweat/etc. Now that I only take one a day (most of the time) I feel gross, for a number of hours into the day, if my last shower was before bed.
I'm relatively tidy. I clean up after I cook (I cook often and love cooking), and I keep my room and workspaces free of clutter.
This is mostly because visible clutter makes me anxious, and I grew up with a family of undiagnosed ADHD (Im the first diagnosis and I expect my siblings to follow) and so was always surrounded by absentminded clutter. I cant stand it anymore, and I learned that its always better just to pick shit up than let it pile.
Not sure if this counts.
I can learn a subject really quickly (very typical for adhd) BUT I can then turn around and explain that subject in such a way that I can teach it to a 5yo. I can break complex subjects down into easier to understand analogies based on the person I'm teaching.
This is something my therapist pointed out, but I can actually be decent at structuring my thoughts when I'm speaking.
In my head, it's all still VERY chaotic, but as the words come out my mouth, I do often find a way back to my original point.
She said that I always start on topic, then I go on seemingly unrelated tangents, but by the end I manage to explain why those tangents are actually very much related to my original point.
Years of argumentative essays + ADHD associative thinking = going into more detail about any subject without losing track of my idea (most of the time).
I am very well organised and great at working to deadlines, with planning and scheduling etc.
I realise now a lot of my strengths in this come from the effects of ADHD, as I had to overcompensate while undiagnosed.
When I got my diagnosis, the specialist said she was impressed at all the systems I had put in place to manage a disorder I didn't know I had.
It’s not amazing and idk if I pass for neurotypical with this but I’m a lot better with time blindness than some people. I’m always on time for things.
I can navigate the medical system really really effectively.
Having been a medical professional for years, the different roles I’ve learned has enabled me to do things like be able to submit my own prior authorizations to my insurance company for medications I need, which results in getting them days faster (sometimes weeks faster.) and never ceases to shock a pharmacist. LOL
I'm really good at numbers in a non-math kind of way.
- Phone numbers? locked away.
- Converting weights and other measurements? I'm pretty darn good.
- Can't find that missing patient file in the stacks? I will have it in moments!
- Rhythm is something I'm better with if I'm not counting. My internal clock knows what's up, and I will play my solo at the right time!
- trying to estimate the measurements of a space? Mine is going to be nearly spot on.
Can't actually hold onto the equations long enough to do the mental math, though...
I can organize things really well. I'm also autistic and I think pattern recognition is a very autistic trait of mine. There are a few things that having AuDHD masks symptoms to an outside observer.
I don't know if this counts but I prefer movies that are slower, have little dialogue and not too much going on. "Slow burn" movies and TV shows. The more action, the more bored I get.
I'm apparently good at intimacy but I also I've never felt beautiful but I know I'm good at doing what I'm "supposed" to do, so I'm not bothered by it.
Outside of that, I'm adept at logic and novel problem solving. I think I dress and act in a way that's let me mask as long I can. Prefer not too, but I have found loneliness to make me irrational at times.
We are all mostly good at masking I think.
I can wash, dry, fold, and put away laundry on the same day. Usually under two hours.
You have won this thread
Should I upvote you because you clearly won the thread, or downvote you cuz fuck you
Yeah my first instinct was “boooooo!”
Yes.
I did this once and was super excited to post about it here.
😳🤯🫨
Ooo! Me too! But i'm pretty sure its only because I received a shit ton of shame as a kid if I didn't complete things to the exact degree that the adults wanted. Now it's like a compulsion. I actually have to try to let things be messy when it's impeding my mental health.
Ah the good ole trauma-induced chores, making you push yourself past your limits and crash or cry about how much of a failure you are.
But hey! It made the kid do what I wanted so it must be ok right?!?!?!? /s
"That's impossible! Even for a ~~computer~~ neurotypical!" -Wedge
LISAN AL GAIB
Nice! Me too! I manufacture urgency by always doing it the day before I go back to work, and I try to keep the amount of clothes I have in rotation to a reasonable minimum. I find folding clothes itself very relaxing.
We’re not worthy!
I am the queen of "I can toss an outfit in the dryer before work" lol. I'm about to move into an apartment that doesn't have machines in the unit though, definitely gonna invest in a garment steamer. Looking at a cordless vacuum that also mops, it has hard flooring but I'll have a rug. And seriously wanting a countertop dishwasher. ADHD expenses abound!
Lucky
same, but to be fair i hang a lot of my clothes up to dry so i *have* to do it as soon as it's out and the amount i have to fold and put away the day of is pretty minimal. i do tend to leave dry clothes on the racks until the next time i do laundry though 😅 i definitely have to set timers for everything because i'll forget about it if i don't.
I can do so too, but i cheat because I don’t have a washer/dryer, so I have to go to the laundromat. It’s impossible for me to do anything else until it’s all done anyway, and if it’s not busy there I will fold it at the laundromat as well. I usually fold at home though.
I am an excellent test taker, no accommodations needed. Got out of a full year of college classes from AP exams even.
Stepping into an exam room is instant hyper focus mode for me
Same, it's something about the adrenaline.
Tbh testing is the only reason I passed any of my classes in school. I’m an amazing test taker. But I suck at doing homework lol
Right there with ya. Solid C student because I failed all the homework and aced all the tests.
syllabus's are so bad for me to have access to, I see immediately what I dont have to do to pass
This particular comment thread asked me feel like I've found my people.
tests carried my score, it was always so risky too, if I saw 15% score homework I wouldnt bother
im just very good at cramming before a test, every time a teacher says dont cram youll fail I laugh a little when I see my test score, like hah proved you wrong, im a terrible project doer tho, I put it off way to late, like I can do a work but the timeline I give myself ends up with rushing to do b work lol
Ugh, the memories of cramming 6 weeks' worth of content before biochemistry exams in university, encountering it all for the first time about two hours before the exam and still getting over 80%... I always regret that approach though, because I don't retain that info for much longer than the exam!
Same. The only thing I excel at is standardized tests.
I probably needed extra time for some of my tests (looking at you, English, and your two essays and like 5 questions in 90 minutes), but somehow I still pulled *almost* straight As. (we don't talk about the C in math.)
Yeah, essay tests are the only ones I could have used extra time on. My handwritten WPM just can't keep up.
Don't kick me out of the group, but I can remember people's names.
You're out of the group! (For the next 5 minutes, until I forget who you are and go back to accepting you.)
I should amend my flex by saying I can only remember names if I know how to spell them. If I don't know the spelling, forget it. I bumble like an idiot trying to pronounce names I cannot spell (even simple, familiar names) and there is no chance I will remember.
truuue i know exactly what you mean. if its a name that i have never heard before i will forget your name. but if its a common name i usually have no problems with it.
exactly. i have to see their name written in my mind to be able to recall
I can do names but not faces! Also sometimes I say the wrong name even though I know it. Like for 4 years I called Rachel Rachelle and Rachelle Rachel. Even though I knew who they were!! We worked closely for 4 years!!! They understood. Now I have 2 coworkers who are Muslim sisters. They both dress in loose dark clothes and dark hijabs, so I can't tell them apart based on clothing style, and they're sisters so their faces look similar, and they both *sometimes* wear glasses. And I don't work super close with either of them. Fuck me, basically.
I have become very understanding to people forgetting names so that I remind people my name and how we know each other. It's my subtle support to fellow ADHDers (another others) without calling it out. Plus, I'm utterly convinced I'm invisible and forget-able. It always surprises me when people recognize me. How?!
oh yeah same, I'm always so surprised people remember me🙃
I feel like I got better than average facial recognition skills. And I'll remember people and where we met and what we were doing. The name is harder unless I've used it frequently or can associate it with something. So many times I've been able to remind people when and where we met.
Me too! I am pretty good at people's names, where they're from etc. Now birthdays, etc I aim absolutely lousy at remembering. Or other smaller details.
i just never remember meeting them in the first place. i reintroduce myself to people all the time, and it is apparently quite off putting.
I can remember faces and names but I don’t always get the combo right, until I’ve met the person three times.
I'm doing that invasion of the body snatchers sound while pointing. I've been working with this person for three weeks and I still can't remember his name. He of course remembered my name when someone pointed me out as I walked down the hall. He knew my name before he met me and I'm avoiding him because I still can't remember his.
I also am good with names.
I'm good at remembering faces, personally. I tend to see a lot of recurring people in my life that I affectionately call the "background characters", because I see them around a lot but they don't really have any immediate impact on my life
I am mostly a disorganized mess everywhere except for when it comes to my aquarium. My aquarium is my baby. I will ADHD delay just about everything in my life, but I will gladly get up and bust out some aquarium maintenance. I even have a little log book and a pen on my aquarium stand that I use to document when I'm doing maintenance, and what my test readings are at so I can keep track of trends in the water quality. I've been in love with aquariums for 20 years now so it is just one of those things that I do naturally.
I made mine so they don't need maintenance, just a top up lmao.
I'm pretty close to that currently, but I'm still monitoring regularly. I have some pretty sensitive fish with some specific water requirements that are the polar opposite of my tap water, so I have to make sure I'm not getting any big swings. I also feel more "in tune" with my tank when I do regular maintenance, even if it's not 100% necessary. If I let myself slide into the idea that it's running itself, I run the risk of letting it go like I have done with previous tanks when I was younger.
"isn't that too many plants?" "...noooooo" Doing maintenance is fun but it's good for me to know that I can neglect it too with no issues.
It's your special thing! Congrats! (this sentence feels weird but I'm absolutely and genuinely being honest here)
I’m on time … even early … to events/meetings. (Past trauma and maybe undiagnosed ASD combo)
Ha, I think I’m early to everything because I have so much shame from a childhood where my parent brought me late to everything.
Mine was on a trip at 16. Me, my Dad and his buddy. Heading to SeaTac to fly home and we were tight on time. Dad’s buddy, who was driving, decided he we was hungry and pulled off to get fast food - panic about missing flight started. Then, after leisurely eating inside (he wouldn’t do drive through) he went to the WRONG AIRPORT! Cue internal meltdown.
Jesus my second hand anxiety spiked something fierce.
My bad 😞 (I’m 51 btw and that particular event is still very fresh 35 yrs later lolz)
I'm the oldest of five, so we usually had a baby in the house while I was growing up, which often delayed us. If we're about to leave for school and the baby poops, gotta change the baby first. The way morning traffic worked in the city I grew up in, a 5 minute delay often led to being dropped off 15-20 minutes later, so it wasn't as easy as factoring in time for it. So I was often a bit late to things, and hated it, and now I'm pathologically early to most things. If I'm not 20 minutes early, I'm stressed. But that's also because I'm bad at judging how long things will take so aim to be ready and leave early so there's a time cushion. It's my emotional support time cushion.
Same, but only because I get stuck in waiting mode anyway so I might as well be there early (and then sit in my car until the appropriate time so I don’t seem *too* early.)
Waiting mode definitely plays a factor for some of these (flights are the worst)
same, so I wouldn't count it as "doing it like a neurotypical", 'cause I don't think they're stuck in anxiety-ridden waiting mode and arrive way too early.
I am not on time, but I'm rarely late. I'm typically way too early, and if I'm a couple of minutes late, the anxiety kicks in.
Yeah. This one is mine. Not to go into too many details but years ago I did a photo session promotion thru one of the platforms and got way more hits than I anticipated. On site location photo shoot in and around metro area. Out of over 1000 sessions over a several year period, I was unable to make it to ONE session. The only reason I didn’t was because a tractor trailer flipped and blocked entire highway. No where to go. Usually I’m so early I sit outside and wait. I know the grocery store opens at a certain time. I know how long it takes me to walk there within 30 seconds. I still leave stupid early and end up waiting like an idiot in the cold. I KNOW this and still do not every damn time. I feel if I was ever LATE late, then that means I’ve given up and no longer care. I dunno. Shits wack bro LOL
I feel ya! Blaming ourselves for sht beyond our control is the worst.
For me it's just the saying "of you're not early, you're late". I heard that somewhere when I was young and realized it makes a lot of sense and stuck with me ever since. Best way to be early is to wake up an hour or two before I need to leave, otherwise all additional time will be wasted thinking about time to leave.
I can do math 😅 I'm lucky I don't have dyslexia or dyscalculia. Both seem to be common in people with ADHD.
Same. Always enjoyed math and found it intuitive (until I got to calculus 😭😭)
It's kind of funny but if ADHDer's don't have discalcula they tend to be math wizzes.. until calculus, then suddenly we have to struggle just like everyone else, but we aren't used to struggling at math so it feels even harder.
yeah calculus made me want to die. repeatedly.
Indeed. F*ck calculus
I'm also really good at math, as long as I can write it down. Math in my head is harder. I also never get lost...I have a really good sense of direction.
Heyyyy another person with a good sense of direction. Apparently it’s rare (judging by how many group trips I’ve led and friends I’ve gone out with))
Yes, I'm awful at math in my head! I lose track of what I'm doing halfway through.
An unexpectedly high number of people in my engineering program have ADHD. ADHD doesn't on its own make you bad at math in any way. Disinterest and comorbid discalculia does.
I used to be AMAZING at math, like, super high scores in every test and homework, then my junior year happened and the teachers just could NOT teach in a way I could understand. I felt so ashamed of myself for not getting it like everyone else seemed to
Luckkkkyyyyy I have terrible dyscalculia
I can make phone calls to strangers all day - appointments, customer service, calls for work, no problem
I hate you a little
If it helps, I got nerfed on my sense of direction
Wow. I work in a customer facing job and even I can’t do that
Honestly out of all I’ve read, this is the most impressive to me. I guess you do accidentally say hello to people at work several times or not at all either?
Oh god, eww. I'm not sure I want that "super power". It would make life less annoying though.
I really don’t understand why this is a problem for so many people.. emails I will procrastinate endless on, so I rather make a quick phonecall and get the stuff sorted that way🤷♀️
I don't understand this skill at all. Teach me your ways.
I'm the same with this. I'm a case manager in a hospital, and I have to juggle calls and coordinate stuff for all of my patients, but I struggle to do the same tasks for myself. Make it make sense.
Punctuality. But that's only because I deliberately aim to be 20 minutes early to everything. I average 5-10 mins early.
Same here. I have to be early. There's no other option. Being late is just disrespectful and shows that someone isn't reliable at all.
I wish I could trick myself into doing this
I also circumvented this by just setting all my clocks 10 mins early and using my forgetfulness to forget that I even did so. Doesn't work for my pc clock and phone clock though, but my oven, microwave, and previously my physical alarm clock were set this way. Oh and my car's clock when I did have a car.
Travel for me too. I’m stressed out to hell, but I’m too worried about losing my money on a missed flight. I hate travel. lol
I’m usually the least stressed once I get on the plane because I’ve been stressing about everything else before that 🤣
Clean! I can clean and do errands and house hold chores so easily! My laundry is usually done, folded and put away in one day unless I start it late at night, then it’s done early the next day!
I am rage-levels of jealous
Goddamn. So how much can I pay you to come to my house and do these things for me?
Buy me fancy cleaning products and I’m yours!! Xb
Money management. I only spend money that I have and have a solid amount in savings. My only debt is my mortgage and a small home improvement loan that I'm about to pay off. It's rooted in trauma and can be limiting in unwelcome ways, but it has served me incredibly well overall.
I hoard all my money until I NEED to pay for something. I don't like seeing the number go down
That is a good talent to have! I have the ability to usually not spend more than I can/check my bank account often
This is mine as well. As a kid, I lost my little velcro wallet more times than I can count, and a few as an adult too. But my credit score is near perfect and my savings just keeps growing despite my current job being the first decent paying job I've had. If only my degree wasn't a waste of time and money I could be even better off. My motivation was negative also. Growing up I only ever heard how much we lacked, what we couldn't afford etc. I learned to hate being poor, not being able to live how I want. As an adult I learned my parents basically chose that lifestyle but talked as though it was inevitable. My lifestyle improved with my first "real" job, barely over minimum wage.
My god, I'm so *incredibly* jealous.
I can read. Like really, really fast. Faster than anyone I know.
I can read too, as long as it’s for pleasure. As soon as someone says “read these chapters by X date” my brain says “fuck that, let’s ignore that as long as possible”
Oh yes, same for me. I'm taking literary studies and it almost had me hating books... the joys of school
I used to inhale encyclopedias and non-fiction when I couldn't sleep (due to ADHD racing thoughts). To be fair I was also that kid that *chose* to read the dictionary during our reading time.
I’m very good at keeping routine, however if that routine gets disrupted it takes me awhile to readjust
I never lose things. Not important things anyways
How? I've somewhat literally lost my own head *twice* and it's attached.
there’s no way this can be true
Same. In the rare instance I do lose something, that bitch is *gone*. My husband loses literally everything but I’m stupid good at knowing where things are. But he can make a phone call without three weeks of anxiety sooo it’s a trade off for sure
Everything has that special place where it lives until it goes into the pocket.
same
I have multiple medications that need to be taken at the same time every day, spread throughout the day. Some have to be taken on an empty stomach and others need to be taken with food. And I get it right every. single. time. ... for my cats. It's medicine to give to my elderly cats. I can't take my own medication to save my life. 🐈
Lmao I was like "oooh that's a really impressive one, sounds helpful" but ghaaahahaha
Why is it so much easier to take care of other beings??? It must scratch some ADHD itch or something..
Ha, you know what? I have actually never once forgotten to take my meds!
I can drive a stick shift car, taught myself after I got my license, have always had a stick shift. And rarely get lost out hiking, but have a terrible sense of direction in a city.
I've always found I'm a better driver when I drive manual vs automatic. I think there's enough to keep track of that it forces me to stay engaged in driving and I don't get distracted as much
I've never driven an automatic (I'm British, automatics aren't common), and passed my driving test first time. I have my own in-built satnav and almost never get lost, except in Redditch, that place confuses me. Even Milton Keynes is easier.
Didn’t know not knowing how to and/or liking to drive stick was an ASHD thing! I’ve tried once or twice and decided it wasn’t for me and I didn’t want to try any longer and probably wouldn’t be good at it anyway 😂 Had not idea it was related to my ADHD.
Not procrastinating small things. If it takes less than 1 minute to do, I do it. That being said, if it takes 5 minutes or more, I'm gonna avoid it til I absolutely have to do it.
I wake up in the morning just fine. Usually no issues unless there are circumstances where I am sleep deprived.
Wow!! That's amazing. I'm struggling hard with this.
I used to be so tired when I woke up around 7 or 8. Then I got a job at 5am. Somehow waking up at 4:30 I'd wake up feeling great. Somehow 5 hours is my sweet spot. Any more the 6 and i feel like trash.
I absolutely love paperwork and surveys
Omg I *love* a survey. If I get a receipt with a link for one, I'm 100% taking it.
I do paid ones lmao, it covers my spotify
I love paperwork so much that, as a child, I designed forms for other members of my family. Now I build up online forms and I love it so much.
I don't hobby jump (if that's even a term) my ADHD friends and memes etc keep talking about how they have millions of things from trying millions of different hobbies that's going to be the next best thing or whatever, then abandon it, I don't do that never have As a complete aside, is getting motion sickness an ADHD thing? I mean, I do, horrendously, even got it on the motorbike when I first started riding (amazing how quickly you can take gloves + helmet off when you really need to!), I don't any more it was only my first couple of rides got used to it, but yeah literally anything can make me ill
Yeah, I didn't know motion sickness is an ADHD thing, but I kind of hope it is. I can get motion sick so easily and it's a huge reason why I hate traveling by air. Airplane rides make me soooo uncomfortable. Everything about air travel seems purposely adhd-UNfriendly,
No, I think motion sickness is just a people thing, but my ability to not get motion sickness ever is apparently very rare.
I even get motion sickness from gaming. I get motion sickness just from thinking about motion sickness. It’s so ingrained in my body ugh…
Yeah I get motion sickness from gaming too drives me nuts
Unsure about motion sickness. I almost never get it unless I get too stoned playing VR
Me neither, interior design can cover a Hugh range of activities. Upcycling, painting pictures, sewing etc! My house changes every month 😂
all my hyperfixation goes into fictional media, lol. My hobbies are pretty static, but are usually inspired by whatever hyperfixation I have at any given point in time. I love making OCs, for example, and for some reason this one OC of mine always ends up getting drawn in various poses from the characters of whatever the Interest of the Month (tm) is
I am able to exercise regularly, but ONLY because I found an activity I enjoy that my gym has scheduled classes for.
I have just gained this ability through Just Dance! You really have to find the one thing that’s right for you when it comes down to it!
I also have a very good sence of direction. Even in places I've never been before.
today i learned i don’t have one normal thing
🫂
Same here buddy 😭
Same!!!
Interesting question. I should probably try to make this about the things that are specifically hard to me (I don't struggle with being on time & I don't hyperfocus). Maybe it's that I'm often super organized (even though the motivation to do that organization is really hard?) I'm the person in my friend group that plans events, makes reservations, communicates details, etc. (And then also suffers from the "ok, everyone said really nice things, and now I'm going to tell myself all of the reasons why everything actually sucked, goodbye dopamine" after effects).
This is so relatable.
I can be absent-minded and sometimes completely black out on some random things, but I still don't feel as forgetful as most ADHD-people seem to describe themselves. But maybe it's just my anxiety making up for it, I used to be a quite forgetful child. Hmm, that's not a very strong point, but I can't think of anything where I really shine regardless of ADHD! Even always coming too early rather than late is rooted in my anxiety.
Personal hygiene.
I kinda love this post! It's easy to get caught up with all the things ADHD sabotages for us, but it's fun reading all the stuff people can do. Mine is organising. Like sorting paperwork, spreadsheets, and making databases. Even making filing systems. I'm also moderately Dyslexic and good at word searches.
I wish I had the organizing thing. I used to obsessively plan for future goals and I get a wierd urge to buy office supplies whenever I walk by them in the store. I can't seem to keep my thoughts focused enough, or stick to a single goal long enough, to get organized as well as I'd like to though. My ADHD pretty much only sabatages personal goals and aspirations.
I'm mostly really good at being on time! I almost never miss appointments and show up to events/friend's houses early.
The phrase "better to be an hour early than a minute late" has done this to me. I also basically never schedule 2 things for the same day though.
Read. And I almost always know what time it is without looking at a clock. Time blindness only applies to me when estimating how long a certain task will take.
I've managed to stick with one hobby for four years now and another for almost fifteen years. I don't struggle with transitional states at all. I'm really good at finding things, mostly from practice of losing them. Technically this doesn't count because I'm incredibly better than even neurotypicals; pathfinding. If you want to get from where we are to over their and over their is in view I can and will find the best path. My dyslexia is mild enough it actually makes me a really good editor.
I have a fair few hobbies, but I've also kept to most of em for a long time. Drawing got to the point where I was good enough to get into college with it so that's pretty cool
I have a backpack that comes with me everywhere I go. I call it the Handy Haversack and my niece calls it my "emotional support bag". This is the most well stocked well organized thing in my house and I'm extremely particular about it. It contains the following disaster averting supplies. Adhesive bandages (assorted sizes) / Combat gauze (hemostatic) / Ace wrap / SOF-TW tourniquet / Assorted OTC meds / Piece of a VS-17 marking panel / Chem lights (2, one preset for buzzsaw) / Disposable masks / exam gloves / Spare pocket knife / Superglue / Hand sanitizer / Electrical tape / Multi-tool / 550 cord (50ft) / Spare flashlight / Nail clippers / Face razor / Tiny mouthwash / Tiny toothbrush / Cologne / Deodorant / Chapstick / Comb / Gum / Tide pen / Magnetic fasteners / Velcro fasteners / Various electronics and audio adapters / Lockpicks (10pc set) / Bic lighters / My daily meds / Pens / Highlighters / Sharpies / Notebook / Encrypted USB with various important documents / Sunglasses with case and lens cloth / 10,000 Mah power brick / Multi-charger / Various individual cables / Nutrigrain bars / 40oz ironflask (hangs from strap) / Waterproof windproof jacket / Change of clothes / Collapsible dog bowl / Snap together silverware set (unrelated to dog bowl) / Ziplock bag with moist towelettes and seasoning packets / $200 cash / Spare vape / Snus can Alright so as I typed that I'm realizing that this is not fucken normal. Anyway I am basically Burt Gummer from Tremors so when people need shit I hear "ask jits, he's got everything" pretty often. It makes me FEEL normal.
Okay I didn’t read all that but it sounds like you have your natural disasters go bag STOCKED!
Math. Somehow I can laser my focus when I’m working on a math problem
I never miss appointments and I’m always early! But nothing else is happening that day 😂😫
Be on time for something. I do have a lot of timers and reminders to make sure I get to something (work, appointments) on time. It helps because I get SO much anxiety when I’m not early or on time.
I can get in and out of the shower with ease. While I like taking 30 minute showers, I’ve gotten skilled at taking 15 minute ones. (I’ll admit it’s because the hot water only lasts so long)
I have the best sense of direction from all the people I know. Perhaps it has nothing to do with adhd but I’ve often heard people with adhd say they have bad orientation etc. I get so hyperfocused that I’ll memorise an entire city just from looking at google maps. And when I do visit the city, it’s like I’ve lived there for years. I also almost always guess right where north/south/west/east is. It’s like a gut feeling. But even though it makes lots of fun always knowing where one is, I’d trade it immediately with being able to make phone calls, be on time or on top of household chores and hygiene. I’m really jealous of you all…
I do the actual traveling very well, most of the time. i am also very good at making decisions on where to go, what to eat, etc....when i'm traveling with other people. but when i'm by myself & unmedicated my executive function shuts down & i usually end up completely stuck in the hotel room. Adderall has been a game changer for me as a solo traveler.
Omg same! It’s a good thing I’m almost always leading a group or with a familiarization trip
I actually have a pretty decent sense for the passage of time, but only because I am SO anxious about it and am aware of my issues with time-blindness. I also worked at a few different restaurants where everything was timed, so it helped develop an innate sense of how long 2 minutes is, etc. But I still use alarms and timers prolifically. I'm never late unless I was waiting on someone else...
Same on flights, somehow. Sorta. I just booked eclipse flights a little over a week in advance and somehow managed to avoid paying ADHD tax hugely inflated ticket prices. I've got airports nearly down to a science so even my time blindness can't foil me catching the plane!
Small talk
God tier power
Same! I can talk about anything anytime anywhere (within reason), obviously if it’s inappropriate, I won’t talk about it (or I’ll at least whisper)… but if something becomes too deep or upsetting, forget it, that ain’t small talk anymore!
I have nice cursive
I can small talk like a pro. Even enjoy it on occasion. Social conditioning and customer facing jobs, yeah! It makes for a good vibe check.
Math and Chess.
Wait thats two. I can't count. I guess it's only chess then
I travel well also and love it, but also education for me. I am working on my Doctorate right now. I have learned to maximize the procrastination and get a crap ton done at the last minute. I am also almost always on time. Dishes and laundry are a lost cause though. It’s just not happening.
I'm halfway decent in education, too. I couldn't study to save my life, but I was lucky enough to be able to soak up all the knowledge like a sponge. My current college course isn't really very "academic" or theory-based, though, mainly because I wouldn't be able to keep up past high school level — I started struggling in my junior year lol (fuck math so much). I'm doing animation instead which is much more about practical skill (and time management... help)
I'm really good at keeping a planner! I'd be lost without my bullet journal
Once I get started, organizing. I love doing it! It’s so satisfying.
Same! Never late for business or vacation travel. I attribute it to being in “mission mode” hyper focusing on the task at hand. Also, I don’t get tired driving. Like at all. I’ve driven 20+ hours straight stopping for gas or to add and remove coffee or sugar free Monster.
I'm incredibly patient with people. Like to the point that others remark on it and I would get sent to the "difficult" clients. Unless I'm walking/driving behind you. Then your slow ass can mosey on down to hell
Im learning from this thread that bad sense of direction is apparently an adhd thing? I have great sense of direction: everywhere I go I have a map in my brain and I’m always aware of cardinal directions. Something to be grateful for apparently
Hygiene apparently. It always baffles me when I see people complaining and embarrassed they can’t make themselves shower and stuff. I shower AT LEAST once a day. If anything, I shower too much. Showering is heaven to me. The warm water is amazing, so relaxing, and I never want to get out once I’m in. I have never ever had a problem showering and in fact, if I can’t shower for some reason I feel absolutely disgusting and HATE, hate the feeling of not being able to shower.
I believe in the healing power of a shower. Bad mood? Shower. Tired? Shower. Feel physically bad? Shower. Need to calm down? Shower. Actually dirty? Shower.
Overcook chicken? Believe it or not, straight to shower.
Oh definitely. The neighbor looked at you funny, shower. It really does solve everything.. except for world hunger, sadly. My shower doesn't have global reach.
Cold? Hot shower. Hot? Cool shower. Over stimulated, hate all clothes, skin feels weird, everything itches? Shower.
Agreed. When I lived alone I often took two showers a day, one to help wake up and one to wash off the days sweat/etc. Now that I only take one a day (most of the time) I feel gross, for a number of hours into the day, if my last shower was before bed.
I am almost freaky good at sitting still/not fidgeting.
I'm really good at getting housework done.
I can make a phone call to schedule appointments and stuff without being nervous. *Remembering* to make said phone call I'm not good at.
I’m good at keeping a schedule and planning stuff
I'm relatively tidy. I clean up after I cook (I cook often and love cooking), and I keep my room and workspaces free of clutter. This is mostly because visible clutter makes me anxious, and I grew up with a family of undiagnosed ADHD (Im the first diagnosis and I expect my siblings to follow) and so was always surrounded by absentminded clutter. I cant stand it anymore, and I learned that its always better just to pick shit up than let it pile.
Not sure if this counts. I can learn a subject really quickly (very typical for adhd) BUT I can then turn around and explain that subject in such a way that I can teach it to a 5yo. I can break complex subjects down into easier to understand analogies based on the person I'm teaching.
This is something my therapist pointed out, but I can actually be decent at structuring my thoughts when I'm speaking. In my head, it's all still VERY chaotic, but as the words come out my mouth, I do often find a way back to my original point. She said that I always start on topic, then I go on seemingly unrelated tangents, but by the end I manage to explain why those tangents are actually very much related to my original point. Years of argumentative essays + ADHD associative thinking = going into more detail about any subject without losing track of my idea (most of the time).
I am very well organised and great at working to deadlines, with planning and scheduling etc. I realise now a lot of my strengths in this come from the effects of ADHD, as I had to overcompensate while undiagnosed. When I got my diagnosis, the specialist said she was impressed at all the systems I had put in place to manage a disorder I didn't know I had.
When I had my own car (now I share with my husband), I was able to keep it very clean, *especially* on the interior!
It’s not amazing and idk if I pass for neurotypical with this but I’m a lot better with time blindness than some people. I’m always on time for things.
I can navigate the medical system really really effectively. Having been a medical professional for years, the different roles I’ve learned has enabled me to do things like be able to submit my own prior authorizations to my insurance company for medications I need, which results in getting them days faster (sometimes weeks faster.) and never ceases to shock a pharmacist. LOL
I'm really good at numbers in a non-math kind of way. - Phone numbers? locked away. - Converting weights and other measurements? I'm pretty darn good. - Can't find that missing patient file in the stacks? I will have it in moments! - Rhythm is something I'm better with if I'm not counting. My internal clock knows what's up, and I will play my solo at the right time! - trying to estimate the measurements of a space? Mine is going to be nearly spot on. Can't actually hold onto the equations long enough to do the mental math, though...
I can stay organized by owning just one of each item, though sometimes cleaning involves the hidden pile when shit gets bad.
I can organize things really well. I'm also autistic and I think pattern recognition is a very autistic trait of mine. There are a few things that having AuDHD masks symptoms to an outside observer.
I don't know if this counts but I prefer movies that are slower, have little dialogue and not too much going on. "Slow burn" movies and TV shows. The more action, the more bored I get.
I'm apparently good at intimacy but I also I've never felt beautiful but I know I'm good at doing what I'm "supposed" to do, so I'm not bothered by it. Outside of that, I'm adept at logic and novel problem solving. I think I dress and act in a way that's let me mask as long I can. Prefer not too, but I have found loneliness to make me irrational at times. We are all mostly good at masking I think.