Julie Legg and Jel Legg chat about ADHD Tax – the extra effort and time people with ADHD put into achieving a task when compared to neurotypicals. It's the ‘price we pay’ due to ADHD traits that can take a toll on time, emotions, and finances.
ADHD Tax is an ongoing cost for those with ADHD, impacting various aspects of life, but self-awareness and tailored strategies can reduce its impact. They discuss what ADHD tax can look like, how it creeps into the daily lives of ADHD adults in the simplest of ways, and the monumental outcomes too. While it may not seem much at the time, the snow-ball effect of missed time management, procrastination, impulsivity, and emotional outbursts all have ramifications.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Understanding the ADHD Tax: The ADHD Tax refers to the extra time, effort, and financial cost ADHD individuals often incur due to traits like impulsivity, distractibility, and difficulty with organization.
- Time Tax: Everyday tasks often take significantly longer due to distractions. For example, a one-hour work task can take twice as long because of distractions like internet browsing. Simple tasks, like watering plants or running errands, also extend as other tasks capture attention along the way.
- Financial Tax: ADHD traits can impact finances, with reduced work hours due to distractions or impulsive spending on unnecessary items. This financial tax may lead to overspending and guilt, particularly in retail therapy situations.
- Emotional Tax: ADHD can lead to overthinking, difficulty leaving unhealthy situations, and impulsive emotional outbursts. These behaviors often result in emotional consequences, such as regret, guilt, and a toll on self-confidence.
- Cognitive Tax: Overthinking and replaying conversations or decisions can drain mental energy, leaving less room for creativity or productivity. Procrastination is also common, causing tasks to weigh heavily until they’re eventually completed.
- Strategies for Minimizing the ADHD Tax: While it’s impossible to eliminate this tax, identifying and reducing triggers—like excessive social media use or overthinking—can help. Recognizing personal “tax hotspots” and using tools like lists, boundaries, and accountability partners can ease the impact.
- Unavoidable Tax: The hosts emphasize that while ADHD-related costs can be minimized, they can’t be fully avoided. Accepting and managing these aspects can help individuals navigate the ADHD tax with greater resilience.
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