Routine & Shopping Hyperfocus

[krh0130]

Does anyone have getting into routine tips and does anyone else get stuck hyper focusing on shopping and basically shop till you drop?

[Spunkyspiffer]

I experienced this and I also experience what I call analysis paralysis. When I don’t have a clear detailed list, I get lost in the giant wave of endless options.

I think before going shopping creating a list of what is needed vs What is wanted is really helpful.

[krh0130 in reply to Spunkyspiffer]

Love this! However in-person shopping isn’t my problem it’s online in-person stresses me out cause people. So I like to get in and out quickly.

[Megabar]

the only tip I know about getting into a routine. Is that it days an average of 21 days to keep with a new routine.

[krh0130 in reply to Megabar]

I’m gonna attempt this tomorrow. I was hoping to be asleep nearly 2 hours ago.

[rubystarsapphire]

I suffered this (still do) and didnt understand how weird it is. I’d just pop into a Target by work for what should have been only 30mins tops, and found myself still in there 3 hours later. Routinely.

So yes, hyperfocusing & also not being able to make a decision on items for way too long. By the time I left the store I was dehydrated & exhusted. This happened grocery shopping also. Took me 2- 2.5 hours to shop. I order pick up now. Because shopping in a store literally makes me sweat & feel tense and make errors with my money..

I knew I was different, I thought it was just anxiety. It is, but its more than that. Standing in a store and suddenly realizing 3 hrs have gone by, makes me feel insane. Like, not just that I have a brain quirk, but that Im actually losing my mind & not in control of my brain/body. Try explaining this to people & they think youre crazy too, it shows on their faces. Yet these same people in the next second will be dismissive of it, will maintain that its nothing, that ADD doesnt exist, youre just crazy/stupid/lazy. This thing is a curse.

[MaudQ]

I have an issue that’s adjacent: I have a really hard time spending money - it’s taken a long time to realize that it’s an executive functioning issue. Stuff like budgeting and prioritizing are really hard for me. I’m also rotten at measuring so buying furniture is a really exhausting and time consuming thing. It takes me way way longer to buy stuff than it should - and it doesn’t even save $ because I end up panic buying and not catching sales or whatever.

For the going down the shopping rabbit hole in the middle of the night, I haven’t figured out how to stop myself from getting into those kinds of nighttime loops - when I’m too tired to block that part of my brain.

I’m trying to teach myself how to identify the feeling of chasing a rabbit so at least I’m aware of when I’m doing it. But I haven’t cracked it yet - the best I’ve been able to do is harm reduction. So, better to mindlessly eat Twizzlers than finish a bottle of wine on my own. Better to be on Pinterest than Twitter and so on. Maybe you could find an obscure but cheap thing to collect on Etsy - might satisfy the urge but take up less space and cost less $. I started reading horror/thriller novels - “Just one more chapter” is so ADHD and I’m still not getting enough sleep, but it’s better than my other vices.

My therapist also suggested being easier on myself during the day - so my executive functioning isn’t as drained by the end of the day and the ADHD energy gets a chance to play instead of bursting out all at once at bedtime.

TLDR: I don’t know how to “fix” this type of issue - just how to make it slightly less bad - but you are definitely not alone!

[Goodtrouble]

I thought it was only me! My husband gave up completely on coming shoping with me and I never realise how time is passing. It happens to me both when I go in tge shop or online.