The Summer that Melted My ADHD Brain (and the Eight Ways I Beat the Heat!)

My favorite times of the year are Spring and Fall. Then I can emerge from my protective cocoon, spread my wings, and go outside without dying. In the Winter, the cold moisture gives me bronchitis. Just ONE cold can linger for weeks, so I curtail my beloved walks and slog on a treadmill instead. But the Summer! Wow! The Summer melts my brain. At least in the Winter I can still think and function, but the heat reduces my brain to a gelatinous goo that prevents coherent thought. I used to hide inside for months, but over the years the boredom of the shut-in life drove me outside out of sheer desperation. Unfortunately, if I stay out in the heat too long, I need hours to recuperate. Who can afford 3 hours of downtime? Now I have a list of coping strategies to help me keep my ADHD mind working at top form even when my brain is at full boil inside my skull. Since I live in the desert, I have to take precautions. I've done some polling here on the site, and I've discovered that many people with ADHD have a problem with heat. In fact, I've written about this years ago. For me, the temperature that cooks my brain is anything over 85°F. This is an improvement from ten years ago when 80°F would melt my noggin like a popsicle in the sun. For others it is higher or lower. Maybe it's not an ADHD thing at all, but for your edification, here are some things I do to keep myself productive despite the heat. Stay indoors when possible. That's an easy one. I try to avoid running errands duri...
Source: The Splintered Mind by Douglas Cootey - Category: Psychiatry Tags: ADHD Goodreads Source Type: blogs