ADHD is not a metaphor

ADHD is not a spectrum of intensity.
Yet I hear people say "I'm so ADHD today".
And saying it all the time.

I'd been running on little sleep.
Stove left burning.
Rice cooker never started.

When I mentioned it to a friend, she jokingly said, "You're so ADHD now!"
Just a joke, I know.

But it stopped me cold.

ADHD isn't something you "are" on certain days - and not on the other.

It's a specific neurotype - brain wiring that's either there - or isn't.
Diagnosed against objective criteria.
Not fleeting moments of distraction.

Everyone can be forgetful, scattered sometimes.
That's human.

But for me?
My forgetfulness came from sheer exhaustion affecting my working memory.
Temporary.
Fixable with better sleep.

That experience made me think:
If a few sleepless nights made me this scattered, what must it be like for someone whose brain runs in ten directions -
every, single, day?

As someone who works with ADHD clients, I've learned that awareness alone isn't enough.

Here's what helps to support them - I call it CUE:

🔸Curiosity: "What is it like for them?"
🔸Understanding: Recognize that "trying harder" isn't an option
🔸Empathy: Use encouraging words, not casual labels

These reflections are humbling for me as I feel for my clients.
What exhausts me occasionally - is their every day.

So next time you catch yourself saying "I'm being ADHD today," - pause.

𝑨𝑫𝑯𝑫 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒓.

Does this shift how you see it?