ADHD Research Spotlight: Do You Think Too Positively?
💭 Why those with ADHD might be more prone to procrastination due to Avoidant Automatic Thoughts, and what you can do about it, writes Skye Waterson
Skye Waterson is the founder of Unconventional Organisation, as well as an ADHD coach and researcher. She also hosts The ADHD Skills Lab Podcast which regularly covers some of the latest research in the ADHD space and I thought she would be a perfect guest to Extra Focus to share some of that research. I was also a guest on the podcast earlier this year so make sure to check out that episode!
Research Recap: Are You Thinking Too Positively?
by Skye Waterson
Sighing, you tap your phone to bring up your calendar.
Looking at today's schedule, you read two words in big block letters:
‘FINISH REPORT’.
You feel a moment of resistance and scan the rest of the week. “I still have plenty of time,” you think to yourself. Satisfied, you close the calendar app.
A few days later, you're back staring at those two block letters.
‘FINISH REPORT’.
You look at your remaining time and think, "Actually, I work better under pressure, so I'll get more done later."
Satisfied again, the laptop clicks shut.
Does this sound familiar?
If it does, you’re not alone. This is such a common experience for those of us with ADHD a recent research paper outlined a theory of what might happen.1
A 2023 paper from the Journal of Cognitive Research and Therapy used a series of self-reports with 102 students to understand how neutral or even positive thoughts might have negative outcomes, especially for people with ADHD.
They defined these thoughts as Avoidant Automatic Thoughts (AAT) because they:
arose spontaneously
were about a current internal or external experience the person was having
were generally believed by the thinker, often without reflection
The story at the top of the article includes two examples of the avoidant thoughts they used in this study!
So what did they find?
Students who self-reported having ADHD symptoms were also more likely to experience these Avoidant Automatic Thoughts, suggesting that this may be one of the factors behind our tendency to procrastinate. Perhaps unsurprisingly, experiencing these thoughts was also associated with avoiding a task.
So, what can we do to help reduce these Avoidant Automatic thoughts and their effects? Below are some simple strategies to help you get started.
1. Practice Mindfulness.
One way this study was able to access those avoidant thoughts was by setting up what essentially amounted to a mindfulness practice multiple times a week. Students received reminders to check in and let the researchers know how they felt about tasks and task avoidance in the moment. This mindfulness practice can be the first step in becoming aware of an avoidant thought. If you’d like to know more, we’ve written an article on ADHD and Mindfulness.
2. Break Tasks Down
Something this paper did not discuss but which we know can affect ADHD is trouble estimating time, or time blindness. That is one of the reasons why we can struggle with thoughts like "I have more time." Breaking tasks down can help make the estimated time needed more evident and support time blindness. A tool like Goblin Tools can be a great way to do this.
3. Reward Yourself For Getting Started
A neurotypical method of completing complex tasks is rewarding yourself after completing the task. However, research into ADHD and dopamine suggest that we can benefit more from a reward for starting the task.2 So grab your favorite drink, sit in your coziest spot, and listen to your favorite sound to create a series of sensory rewards that help you start your task.
Hopefully, this article has given you a better understanding of yourself and your ADHD.
If you'd like to listen to more ADHD research like this, you can check out The ADHD Skills Lab’s Research Recap Episodes. And if you’re a professional with ADHD who would like to use these strategies to create and reach your goals you can check out Unconventional Organisation.
Wishing you focus and flow for the days ahead,
Skye Waterson
Knouse, L. E., Ziegler, M., Lavine, I., Zhang, J., Cheng, Y., & Ul Ain, H. (2023). Avoidant Automatic Thoughts are Associated with Task Avoidance and Inattention in the Moment. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 1-14.
Tripp, G., & Wickens, J. R. (2009). Neurobiology of ADHD. Neuropharmacology, 57(7-8), 579-589.
Maybe because I’m AutiHD, but I definitely have avoidant thoughts but they are not positive! I am so overwhelmed by the consequences of failure (not doing a work report well and losing my job, my family becoming homeless and dying) that I have days of less traction on project than I’d like until that fear is so powerful I go into hyperfocus to avoid calamity.
Working on using self-regulating to calm down and not expect 110% of myself as a baseline standard but it’s still a challenge. It’s eye opening to understand that this avoidant positive mental process also exists!