Welcome, fellow voyagers in the wonderfully diverse ADHD universe!
Being prone to distraction, we find ADHD memes engaging3 and helpful medium to remember and retain content.
Relatable and funny ADHD memes capture the essence and many colours of ADHD.
They drive awareness in a real, positive and uplifting way.
ADHD memes help us share our experience and show us that we are not alone!
100+ ADHD Memes
We at Deepwrk - the body doubling app - have spent weeks curating this collection of 100+ relatable and funny ADHD memes from all corners of the internet to inspire, encourage and brighten your day.
That being said, all credit goes to the brilliant, exceptional and creative ADHD minds behind these ideas.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, for driving awareness and for building understanding that benefits the entire ADHD community!
Buckle up, fire up your sense of humour, and join us in exploring these gems.
Let's dive in!
Funny ADHD Memes
1. When the brain refuses to fall asleep and brains too much
2. All of them. Still, "getting overexcited and freaking them out" sounds quite appealing.
3. Seeking a quick dopamine hit can derail us from completing tasks and projects.
4. Planners are great. They are fun to play with, set up...and forget all about after investing a ton of time customising them.
5. You might be able to relate to this one if most of your emails begin with "Apologies for the delay"...
6. Going off on a tangent makes it easy to forget the point you are trying to make.
7. Adults with ADHD often have a distorted perception of time. Time blindness is a widespread and annoying ADHD symptom.
8. The ADHD brain is like a busy city that never sleeps. And people with ADHD can often zone out, lost in their thoughts
9. Forgetfulness is an ADHD symptom related to inattention. This can include losing objects for work, daily life, misplacing items or forgetting important dates. Memory issues are often linked to symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, and even low dopamine. But it's important to keep in mind that this "out of sight out of mind" situation is not really an object permanence ADHD symptom.
10. Putting things off creates an emergency and artificial anxiety that can propel people with ADHD towards task completion. The immediacy of a deadline can create stimulation and release the so-needed dopamine.
11. Ooops…I can almost hear the plants screaming now (friendly reminder: water the plants)
12. Putting stuff off is a favourite hobby and that's often linked to anxiety and the feeling we associate with the thing. Getting started is always the hardest part!
13. True story...
14. Thoughts constantly on the go, flitting from one topic to another, and multiple thoughts at the same time...sounds about right.
The ADHD Brain Meme
1. Spacing out, zoning out, or blanking out are all ways to describe a common symptom of inattentive-type ADHD. It involves involuntarily losing focus from the task at hand, even when trying to pay attention.
2. On a research bender rabbit hole. That feeling of getting lost in a random Wikipedia search.
3. Time feels different for people with ADHD. We use memory, attention and dopamine to predict time, and all those are impacted for people with ADHD.
4. Not sure what the Arcadia trees can do about it...run away doesn't seem like an option.
5. New hobbies release dopamine, and for people with ADHD, that's often combined with hyperfocus. Once the reward centers are no longer activated the dopamine wears off and we start to lose interest resulting in the ADHD tendency to hobby-bounce.
6. Containing all the brilliant ideas and creativity is sometimes a struggle...there is always something little extra to say.
7. Being easily distracted makes it easy to lose things. Out of side is out of mind.
8. We are consistently bombarded with ideas. They happen simultaneously, and the ADHD brain can struggle to filter out irrelevant thoughts.
9. During conversations, people with ADHD might focus more on the connections and relationships between things rather than the actual information. This leads to easily getting distracted and having various thoughts, ideas, and feelings.
10. Forgetfulness is one of the core symptoms stated in DSM-5. Everyone forgets stuff, but working memory problems tend to occur more often and are more severe for people with ADHD
11. Deadlines, anxiety, and stressful situations induce adrenaline and dopamine release and can help people with ADHD feel in control and in the zone.
12. No one FULLY knows the cause of ADHD, but researchers suspect that our friend dopamine and its transport system might be the chief culprits.
13. We love Jessica McCabe of How to ADHD, for she keeps on building ADHD awareness with a ray of positivity and hope.
14. The feeling of being comfortable with your own self is liberating. Being open about mental health also builds awareness and helps destroy the ADHD stigma.
15. Dr. Gabor Mate also argues that while ADHD might have a genetic component, it is determined by our environment and the impact of trauma and stress in particular.
16. ADHD brain is like an internet browser with a barrage of thoughts coming in simultaneously. But why stop at 19 open tabs...more like 37.
17. Hyperfocus can drop us in a state of flow where hours can pass by, glued to a single task, without any consideration for anything else in the world.
18. An actual snapshot of my AuDHD brain...sounds about right.
19. How my ADHD brain works: two speeds
20. ADHD and sleep often go hand in hand. In fact, up to 50% of people with ADHD suffer from sleep related issues.
21. For people with ADHD difficulty waking up in the morning is often related to disruption in the circadian rhythm, revenge sleep procrastination, and dopamine irregularities.
22. One more on the sleep topic...oddly relatable.
23. Decent description of the ADHD brain:
24. Flitting from one topic to another.
Relatable ADHD Memes: What is ADHD
1. Being told to do the thing is easier said than done. The intense pressure and shame don’t help.
2. What a brilliant and novel idea to solve ADHD…🥱
3. Out of sight is out of mind: forgetting about tasks or objects not in front of you is easy.
4. Accurate representation of life with ADHD.
5. Executive dysfunction is not being able to do even things you really enjoy and want to do.
6. Your ADHD way of doing things is designed to work for you. And sometimes, it’s better to get the thing done rather than do it perfectly.
7. Building habits and systems with ADHD is tough. Once we break the streak, motivation often disappears and dies.
8. Sometimes ADHD is feeling like an underachiever and an overachiever and swinging between the two.
9. ADHD executive dysfunction doesn’t discriminate between things you do or don’t like.
10. Some adults with ADHD may develop perfectionistic tendencies as a coping mechanism. Fear of making mistakes, can lead to inaction and ADHD paralysis.
11. ADHD is not being lazy. It’s not having enough dopamine/motivation even to start tasks. ADHD impairs a person's ability to plan, prioritise, and complete tasks, but that doesn’t make them lazy.
12. ADHD masking and overcompensating ADHD symptoms to maintain social acceptance can easily lead to a vicious ADHD burnout cycle.
13. ADHD overwhelm, task paralysis, and masking can all lead to constant stress and anxiety.
A state where you always think about what you should be doing and swinging between doing a thousand things and doing nothing.
The overwhelm, anxiety and stress can be physically exhausting and paralysing.
ADHD accountability buddy, ADHD coworking, or joining an accountability partner app can help you get things done and manage overwhelm and task paralysis.
14. Sometimes, you can multitask and juggle a million things simultaneously. But other times, your brain can shortcut and doing more than one thing becomes a struggle.
15. Another one you can link to dopamine deficiency. Seeking novelty is another way to increase dopamine with ADHD.
ADHD Time Blindness Meme
1. People with ADHD are less aware of time passing, making it difficult to manage tasks and plan effectively.
2. Time blindness can lead you to be late for appointments, to misjudge how long a task takes, and frequently miss deadlines.
3. A sense of urgency often kickstarts the ADHD brain. Creating an anxiety-fuelled dopamine rush can propel us to complete tasks...but at what cost?
4. The ADHD brain excels in crises. Putting things off to the last minute creates an emergency-type situation, inducing an adrenaline and dopamine hit and a state of hyperfocus that can propel someone with ADHD to complete tasks.
5. ADHD often leads to unpredictable productivity patterns, necessitating inclusive workplace accommodations that recognize and optimize the unique work-life experiences of individuals with ADHD.
6. The powerful combo of time blindness and lack of dopamine to initiate tasks could lead to missed deadlines, panic and anxiety.
7. Many people with ADHD work exceptionally well under pressure. We delay completing tasks or starting projects until the very last minute...but we usually get it done. The sense of urgency kickstarts the ADHD brain and releases dopamine and adrenaline that get us going.
ADHD Hyperfocus Meme
1. Accurate definition of ADHD hyperfocus.
2. Novelty seeking in ADHD could be linked to lower dopamine levels. We are always looking for new experiences that can trigger dopamine release.
3. The issue is that once the novelty wares off and dopamine drops down to the low baseline we (very rapidly) lose interest. And that is often a source of the pesky ADHD tax!
4. Coping strategies work until we forget to use them or get bored and abandon them forever.
5. People with ADHD can excel at the workplace once they (or the workplace) adapt to ADHD and tailor their environment to their strengths.
6. Blessing or a curse? The two-week hyperfocus on a hobby or something new, followed by the plateau and the sheer lack of interest or motivation, is very real.
7. The perfect productivity system is the one that works for you. A simple Apple Notes file with a list of tasks works for me. The easiest to manage, the better!
8. May be invent the lightning rod, draft the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, name the Gulf Stream, set up the University of Pennsylvania, become ambassador to France, write 30,000 letters and documents; invent bifocal lenses, the odometer and flexible catheter. That's at least some of what Benjamin Franklin managed to squeeze in.
9. ADHD and perfectionism are an unlikely couple and perfectionism is a common symptom reported in adults with ADHD. We can often set impossible standards, fail to meet them and quickly abandon projects, hobbies or positive behaviours.
ADHD Socialising Meme
1. See below why is this a common ADHD / neurodivergent trait.
2. Who uses phone calls these days anyways?
3. Been there, done that...so many times
4. The neurodivergent urge to over explain simple concepts to provide more context and clarification
5. For many neurodivergent individuals, this feeling of being misunderstood gives rise to a need for overexplaining.
ADHD Paralysis Meme
1. ADHD paralysis is a mental gridlock that can be frustrating and confusing. It makes prioritising and making decisions difficult and is a source of ADHD decision fatigue.
2. ADHD brains can struggle with breaking tasks into manageable steps, leading to feeling overwhelmed and frozen in place.
3. Inability to initiate tasks is often linked to the negative emotions we associate with the given task. Try starting with a minimal 1-minute of effort only. "Motion creates emotion" as Tony Robbins says.
4. When your brain simply can’t, won’t and nopes....
5. When tasks seem too complex or numerous, the ADHD brain can feel overwhelmed, leading to mental gridlock.
6. ADHD overthinking is a common ADHD symptom and quite persistent companion.
7. Dread of making mistakes or failing can cause ADHD paralysis.
8. Yes, or feeling so paralysed by the number of things you need to do that you never start.
9. Mindfulness techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or even colouring can reduce overwhelm and calm your racing thoughts. Moving, exercising or breaking tasks down also helps.
ADHD in Adults Meme
1. Getting diagnosed can explain so much of our experience and could be the first step to living a better, more fulfilling life.
2. ADHD is real, and its apparent increase in visibility doesn't negate this truth.
3. Late diagnosis can lead to a profound mix of relief and melancholy thinking about the life we could have led.
4. Research suggests that developing ADHD has a significant hereditary component, but family history is not the sole cause. Instead, it’s likely to be a mixture of genetic, neurobiological, and environmental influences.
5. Many ADHD symptoms overlap with other conditions, including depression, anxiety, and even bipolar disorder. Misdiagnosis is particularly common for women and girls due to symptom misconceptions. Want to learn more about ADHD symptoms, misdiagnosis, and underdiagnosis in women? Head over to our ADHD in women checklist article.
6. ADHD may impair a person's ability to plan, prioritise, and complete activities, and it doesn't mean we are lazy and unreliable.
7. Receiving a late ADHD diagnosis could be the first step to reaching your full potential, but it also brings on the melancholy of a life that could've been.
8. ADHD is highly hereditable (60–70%), and medical experts often find a link between children who have ADHD and their parents having the condition.
9. Anxiety, depression or ADHD? It could be all three as ADHD is often missed when it co-exists with depression or anxiety, and vice versa. Especially in women who can often be misdiagnosed and/or diagnosed later in life.
10. Despite the growing awareness, ADHD remains severely underdiagnosed (or misdiagnosed), especially in women.
11. Undiagnosed ADHD is like playing the game of life on hard mode.
12. Dropping the mask, being yourself, and acknowledging neurodivergence is indeed freeing.
ADHD Math Meme
1. True story...
2. Sounds about right.
3. ADHD tax is real
ADHD Squirrel Meme
1. The ADHD brain is often bombarded with thoughts others might easily dismiss. It can struggle to filter out ADHD intrusive thoughts that are all happening simultaneously.
2. Our ADHD brains love novelty and learning, so we might find ourselves constantly analysing and dissecting new information.
3. Racing thoughts and ADHD overthinking are a signutre feature.
4. It's a struggle to filter out the constant stream of thoughts, ideas, and emotions.
5. Individuals with ADHD often have trouble regulating their thoughts, emotions, and actions, leading to impulsivity and difficulty staying on task.
ADHD and Anxiety Meme
1. The ADHD brain excels in a crisis, and waiting until the last minute boosts adrenaline and helps you get things done.
2. Executive dysfunction can make it challenging to initiate and complete even the simplest of tasks.
3. Between 40 and 60 per cent of people with ADHD suffer from anxiety.
4. Anxiety often occurs due to the worry of ADHD symptoms getting in the way of completing tasks, doing things correctly, or forgetting important meetings.
5. There are healthier ways to get things done with ADHD than anxiety and stress, including medication, therapy, coaching, and lifestyle changes.
ADHD Treatment & Medication Memes and Quotes
1. Having ADHD and taking medication is nothing to be ashamed of. Medication can be highly effective and help us live a beautiful, fulfilling life.
2. Deadlines, panic and stress can propel us towards task completion by releasing adrenaline and unlocking a state of hyperfocus.
3. Anxiety and panic-fuelled hyperfocus often lead to an inevitable crash and burnout.
4. Studies show that when taken as prescribed and monitored by a doctor, ADHD medication is generally not addictive.
5. Adderall functions differently for people with ADHD. ADHD medication is effective and helps achieve a normal balance of neurotransmitters, alleviating ADHD symptoms.
6. Sounds about right...
RSD Memes and Quotes
1. Many adults with ADHD encounter feelings more deeply, passionately, and regularly than their peers without ADHD.
2. Overcompensate by striving for perfection and burning out is a common theme in the ADHD world.
3. It's important to acknowledge that ADHD is not simply about inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. It often involves difficulty navigating emotions and Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD).
ADHD Cleaning Meme
1. Cleaning is boring and mundane. That's why there is so much potential for distraction and procrastination.
2. Your ADHD works for you, and that's enough.
3. Any new old thing is more fun than cleaning
4. Accurate! Get an ADHD buddy to help you clean your room 😊
5. Cleaning the dishes, folding laundry, filling in forms...some of these things all of us ADHDers "love".
ADHD Iceberg Meme
1. We are all so vastly different, and the neurodiverse world so unique, but still - many of us tick these daily.
2. ADHD is real, and it isn't something you outgrow. It's much more complex than having trouble focusing.
ADHD Bingo Meme
1. The neurodiverse world is so unique and we are so vastly different, but some of us tick these every single day.
Where can you find more ADHD memes?
You can follow some exceptional and brilliant creators on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok or join some ADHD meme-focused sub-Reddits.
- Reddit is the home base of ADHD Memes: check out r/adhdmeme sub-Reddit which has more than 500,000 followers. r/ADHDmemes, r/ADHD and r/ADHDWomen are also worth following
- Here are some ADHD meme Instagram accounts you can check out: @adhd_memetherapy, @adhdmemetherapy, @adhd.memes, @cherry.adhd, @adhd_love_
- Twitter creators worth following: @danidonovan, @adhdjesse, @blkgirllostkeys, @ADHDelaide, @ADHDdesigner, @HowtoADHD
- And finally a few TikTok accounts that promote awareness and understanding: @connordewolfe, @dr.kojosarfo, @catieosaurus, @cobywatts_, @drbrianftw
You can also join the Deepwrk virtual coworking and ADHD body doubling platform to see the memes shared by our ADHD community.
More ADHD Resources
Where can you find more ADHD resources? If you enjoy podcasts and love consuming information on the go, check out our article with the best ADHD podcasts of 2024.
Fan of reading? Here are our top ADHD books suggestions.
If you are looking to up your productivity game, check our article with the 15 best ADHD products & gadgets or the 20 best ADHD productivity tools and apps.
If you are based in the UK you might be able to get the government to pay for some of these resources through the Access to Work ADHD grant.
Conclusion
Memes are not only funny, but also an easy and enjoyable way to remember, store and convey information.
ADHD memes are relatable and bring awareness, understanding and acceptance within and outside of the ADHD community.
They can also brighten your day and show you that you are not alone in your experience and struggle!
And if you are struggling to focus, task initation or getting things done, try the Deepwrk ADHD body doubling app.
