I have found this useful to show folks!

Dec 28, 2025 6:59 PM

There are lots of different conditions that make it difficult to switch from one task to another. I'm late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD and growing up, transitions were a nightmare.

Genuinely cannot tell you how much a 5-minute warning changes the game. I've noticed it works just as well on children as it does on adults. Let me retract my tendrils!

Putting words to a feeling can help everyone understand and bring us all a little more peace.

I've always used the train track analogy. When I'm focused my brain is like a train on a rail. Straight shot toward the destination. We can change directions. But that requires slowing down, changing passengers, switching tracks etc. Or if a hard distraction comes in its like a train derailment, gonna take some cleanup.

7 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

We lose about 10 minutes of productive time when we're interrupted.

7 months ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

When I come up for air after a deep dive into something I'm working on, it takes me a good thirty seconds or so before I can perform simple tasks like remembering the names of people I've known for decades.

7 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

How are you warned? Even warnings disrupts me alot :/

7 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

For me retracting the tendrils is relatively fast, few minutes top. It's extending them that takes time. If you want me to finish stuff, give me time to deploy the tendrils, and to leave them deployed until I finish it.

7 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Ooo yes, this is me.

7 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

with time, I found I didn't really need to retract the tendrils, I needed to consciously let go of them. I was confusing my grip on them with their being an inherent part of me. once I had seen the difference, I could catch myself becoming frustrated that I didn't have time to pull them in, and remember, and let them blow away like dandelion seeds. it was my attachment to them that hurt, not them. and you can let go, once you figure out how.

7 months ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 2

7 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0