If you are living with ADHD, you can be struggling with thought-action connection. Three possible ways these appear are Acting without Thinking, Thinking without Acting, or Not Thinking and Not Acting.

The first, Acting without Thinking can occur on many levels from impulsiveness to physical hyperactivity. The functional impairment of acting without thinking can cause many problems that encompass more than just hyperactivity. If you act without thinking on a regular basis, your judgment can become skewed, which can affect your relationships with friends, family, and co-workers.

Second, Thinking without Acting is excessive thinking while remaining in a frozen state of inaction. If you think too much without acting, you can become out of sync with the changes in your environment. Indecision is a considerable facet of this mental freeze, and opportunities can pass while you are stuck trying to make a decision. Other signs of Thinking without Acting are constant worrying, anxiety when thinking about the consequences of action, or cognitive dependence on relationships.

Finally, Not Thinking and Not Acting, can occur when people want to bypass social anxiety and intense thoughts by completely avoiding situations. At first glance they may seem like phobic individuals, but, instead, they mainly do not want to experience being cognitively overwhelmed in groups, conversation, personal relationships or other social situations. They might be the ones saying they do not need counseling, medication, or anyone else, for that matter. They have learned to put up a safety mechanism to avoid these situations where they can become overwhelmed.

These are three types of thought-action patterns that can exist or emerge if you have ADHD. For more information about ADHD or to speak with a counselor, please call.