ADHD Dopamine Explained (Life-Changing) 🤯 🤯

[@jonburtness9313]

Several months ago I started removing things from my life by selling them off. Hobbies, sporting equipment, vehicles, etc. The list was long. I had bought them as the next new enjoyment but I seldom used them or never used them. I realized they were a distraction that took away my time from accomplishing the things that really matter to me. I'm at a point now where I am almost finishing a really small project that I started 6 years ago. It will be my first completion in decades. I'm calling it, Removing Distractions! I feel so close to being on track and am reaching a new level of happiness.

[@lanawilliams7615]

It’s so demoralising when u get excited for something, like a new hobbie, and then ur brain just all of a sudden stops you 🙈 it’s like a mental wall that physically stops me from acting 😭 Thank u for ur comment, it gives me hope that it’s possible to finish something!! ☺️

[@CarenMagill]

Good for you!!! I love that

[@EsmereldaPea]

@lanawilliams7615 - a couple of years ago, I finished a sweater I started knitting 30 years ago! I still have a sweater in pieces my mom knit probably in the 60s. One of these days I'll get around to sewing it together!

[@cindygetsfitschaus8097]

I am the same with hobbies but for me, the newest hobby becomes an obsession. I can’t wait until I can work time into my day to spend time on that hobby. I often times out things I need to do on the back burner so I can spend an entire day off on said hobby.

[@DorotheaStegen]

Congrats to you!! :) And: that is encouraging for me :)

[@visionvixxen]

It’s not always dopamine, but autistic hopelessness- or dopamine negating serotonin or vice versa or epinephrine issues- also our bodies produce less as we get older. All of it is exhausting

[@leflipmo]

I am depressed and the uninformed optimism has slowly been replaced by overinformed pessimism. I currently live in the valley of despair. Here everything is still possible.

[@BSWVI]

I do hear you. But you still have a great sense of humour, and a way with words! ❤

[@leflipmo]

@@BSWVI I cherish your kindness and wish you the best. Sometimes life can surely kick the best in us out of hiding. I choose to believe that is the case with myself in the current phase of my life.

[@jac8495]

I feel you😢

[@ericaroets3811]

Please read through book " Hinds feet on high places" it is a lovely allegory of a person struggling. She lives in the Valley of despair, but her longing is to reach the high places . Jesus loves you

This happens to me when I take things too seriously. I have it set in my head that things have to be a certain way or else I won't enjoy it or I will get into trouble. Once I stopped caring about having them a certain way or fearing imaginary consequences I started to be happy. Spent all day in bed and got nothing done - who gives a shit. Nothing bad happened and it was one day. Big deal. Who cares. This 'not caring' takes effort. I always switch back to caring too much. But then I remember that nothing needs to happen a certain way, or at all, and I come back to joyful peace. Hopefully this made sense to you. The subtle art of not giving a f*ck - audiobook sometimes available on YT, was helpful to begin with. Also the sooner you stop resisting bad feelings the sooner they dissipate.

[@pialaulund8317]

Having more goals, makes it possible to procrastinate on one thing by doing another. Works to be able to shift, when I run into struggles. I let it sit and come back with new energy

[@octopiinthesky44]

Yeah focusing only on one task would put me into freeze mode more often than not. Productive procrastination or starting with a not so important small task to get an immediate dopamine hit and using that to roll into a bigger task is my strategy. Momentum is everything, the second I lose it I have to fight to get it back.

[@wsarwani]

This explains so much! All the delayed projects, the "failed" initiatives etc etc...I'm currently slowly emerging from being in the Valley of Despair" having been stuck here for almost 12 months. I've been in the Valley many times before but the last episode has been the longest. The explanation of the whole emotional cycle has been invaluable - thank you.

[@lisaschwegel3520]

I have become my own cheerleader. Once I learned about my brain, I start talking out loud, come on Lisa, it's almost done, I kind of hear my mom in the distance and it spurs me on to completion and then I congratulate myself for finishing whatever it was. Maybe a square of dark chocolate too. 😏

[@jannlittle4745]

Before I was diagnosed with adhd I was put in an antidepressant called Wellbutrin. It’s a dopamine antidepressant. It got me out of bed when my son died in a car accident. I looked back on my life before he passed and I remember being depressed during winter.. the dark days .. Wellbutrin is a SAD medication. seasonal affective disorder. I am amazed that I cannnot take only one kind too. I take it daily and if I don’t have this certain kind I don’t take it.. That’s just me. I still have adhd with the Wellbutrin though. But it does help.

[@abundantharmony]

A single square of chocolate would be just enough to piss me off.

[@yuyuspace]

Thank you, that was very helpful! I also realized that I am less overwhelmed when I focus on just one goal. But I still struggle to maintain it because it feels impossible to focus on just one thing because of all my commitments. The other thing is that I have a really hard time deciding what my goal should be. I struggle with decision paralysis and then I don't do anything. :/

[@findsharon]

Me too.

[@amberleehaik7441]

When I find myself overwhelmed with tasks, I write down about six important ones on small pieces of paper. Since each task feels equally important, I fold the papers and mix them up. Then, I randomly pick one and commit to completing that task. This method helps me when I'm struggling to prioritize. I hope you find it helpful!

[@beblissnow5947]

​@@amberleehaik7441 Brilliant idea ! Thank you

[@coleenbrugh7953]

​@@amberleehaik7441Thank you for this tip! I think it might work for me. ❤

[@larsegholmfischmann6594]

I recently finished my master's degree in motivational theory and the role dopamine plays for entrepreneurs, and also learnt a lot about how dopamine also relates to my ADHD. The irony of the thing was that I could see myself struggling with dopamine deficiency in each and every step of my thesis, and when I finally graduated (with a B), it actually DID feel lackluster! 😀

[@Alan_Duval]

I'd be interested in reading your PhD. (Master's in Psych, too, but focusing on morality.)

[@woodlandthing]

@@Alan_DuvalI’d like to know, too.

[@misskiwi5460]

Do share!

[@abundantharmony]

@@Alan_Duval Have you concluded morality can't exist without an objective moral point of reference?

[@Alan_Duval]

@@abundantharmony As humans can only have a representation of reality in their minds, they can never be truly objective; unless you take a leaf from Descartes' book and ground yourself in the thought that, because you are the one doing the thinking/perceiving, you objectively exist (but even that is subjective to the one having the thoughts/perceptions). Anyway, you don't get far with solipsism and TBH, that's all philosophy rather than psychology. The psychology of morality is more about how moral thought is affected by non-moral thought, how it is represented in the brain and the degree to which that representation is affected by genetic predisposition, socialization, education, and so on. I'm most interested in how authoritarianism arises, specifically how authoritarian followers come to be, and why it is most prevalent in religious communities.

[@skyhowie54]

This video explained my entire 70-year-old life and gives me lots to ponder. Thank you.

[@mindibear]

You just explained my entire life. *mind blown* 🤯

[@kathryncainmadsen5850]

You are giving me faith!!!! I think you are right on. I started thinking this about a year ago and started getting rid of things. Not just hobbies but just a zillion little projects normals could complete but I can’t. It’s an endless challenge of keeping the task list to 1-3 things and one priority until it’s done. But when I can, ITS SO CALMING and I have been just trusting that coming back to simplifying and consistency (30 min every day is better than saying I’m going to do 3 hours and failing half the time) will work out eventually.

[@groovysecondhalf]

I can relate to the behaviors you are talking about. Using a paper planner for the first time in decades. Started with binge watching a bunch of planner / bullet journal videos on KZbin. Purchased a blank journal and some things to ‘decorate’ intending to do the full-on bullet journal. I did one smart thing. Used a partially used blank journal to practice for two months. That made me realize that I had to scale way back ~ no art, less details, etc. So purchased a simple pre-printed planner and outlined how to utilize the features of the planner based on bullet journal videos and book. I was sick at the beginning of the year and didn’t use the planner at all until mid-January. I am using my new mantra GOOD ENOUGH so I don’t beat on myself when I fall short of perfection. Still utilizing my phone / iPad apps for the things that have been working really well already for a year or more.

[@CarenMagill]

I love that attitude

[@brianmizway9324]

This video was amazing! I've never been able to explain this to myself in an organized way or why it happens this way. Now I can understand and realize that this will just be my normal cycle I go through when doing a task or trying something new long term. And to expect it and learn how to push myself through each phase and why it's happening. Thank you so much for sharing this.

[@CarenMagill]

It helps to be more selective with the things you commit yourself to. That's not always easy, because it means slowing down a bit, but worth it.

[@EsmereldaPea]

I think I need to listen to this three or four times.

[@hayleyhilton5018]

I'm on the 2nd watch 😊

[@jennyaguirre5613]

I was 4 minutes in when I realized I wasn't listening lol

[@EsmereldaPea]

@jennyaguirre5613 - I had to rewind it about ten times when I watch it the second . . . Or was it third time? Great content though. Looking forward to the next one. And what did I do today? Sigh. I'm stuck and need to get unstuck - one of those necessary unsticks needed.

[@monicasnotes]

Thank you for clarifying why it's difficult to start new tasks (which always seem like great ideas at the time!) but also how to prevent this cycle from starting again. I have trouble completing tasks in my home such as my bedroom wall which I began painting last year and only half of its done, with the bucket of paint and tools still sitting in the corner. I know I'll feel good once it's done, but there is no motivation to finish! It really is in the Valley of Despair lol. However, I was recently tempted to paint my living room and told myself No, you can't do that until you finish the bedroom first. So I am trying to be stricter with myself.

[@malizee2264]

That sounds frustrating 😢 Maybe you need to remind yourself what motivated you to do it in the first place? Find that emotional connection to it..? 🙏🏽

[@quantumnelz4888]

“Valley of despair” ! Soooo true ! Between a midlife crisis and hemorrhaging money on side gig ideas that at the inception point are million dollar gold mines and seems so easy to attain. Then comes the reality that you find in the valley of despair, where self honesty shows you that the shiny object was nothing but a dull dream ! Love your episodes because they so explain me ! But still not fixed and midlife anxiety setting in cruising in a speedboat in an ocean of dysfunctional decisions and now without my soulmate. 😢

[@DorotheaStegen]

🙏

[@LauraL_PMPS]

Ok but you can’t start a video with “train ride from Austin to India” and expect my brain not to go off an a tangent of “that’s not possible. We’ll wait. Is it possible? What about underwater trains? Is that a thing? It SHOULD be a thing! But how would they anchor the tracks? Could they make floating tracks? No that’s dumb. What if it was like a submarine only much longer?… Oh! The video is over! Rewind.”

[@CarenMagill]

lol it’s a metaphor

[@LauraL_PMPS]

@@CarenMagill I've never heard it before, but I'm adding it to my repertoire. lol

[@ashleacutitta6372]

Bahahahahahaha! 😂 you GET me!!!

[@estherwestbroek]

You should go for a ride on the channel tunnel train to England for a dopamine boost related to this topic: a train under the sea! You park the car in a train and in an hour it takes you under the sea from France to England

[@abundantharmony]

"Squirrel? SQUIRRELLLL! SQUIRRELLL!"

[@hayleyhilton5018]

I too was blown away by a few things you explained so well in this video... i shared it amongst my ADHD group... thank you x

[@vjsimpson5237]

Ohhh the valley of despair, i know it so well! This video is great and explains so much! Can't wait for the next one. You made such an important point, which is if you give up in the valley of despair, you never get the dopamine reward from seeing things through to completion. It can really chip away at my confidence when I stop there, especially when the scales seem to tip more in that direction. That feeling of pride (boost of dopamine) in completing something, especially when it feels daunting, is exactly what is needed to move forward in our lives. I love the idea of simply being more intentional about what/when we do something. I find that when I have a strong"why" and really focus on that one project/goal at a time and break it down into small achievable steps (really thinking through rather than diving in), I am much more likely to succeed.

[@1Gr8Editrix]

Slow and steady wins the race. Choose a goal, but slowly and incrementally.

[@loverlyme]

I've been in that valley of despair, in a mental coma, for the past decade. My depression, ADHD, slight autism and some brain damage finally broke me. I've had it all my life but managed to push on for the most part. I had to leave my job (30 years of teaching music amongst other subjects); had to say goodbye to financial independence; and via financial constraints, had to give up planning to ever go to anything interesting again (theatre, music concerts). I had NOTHING to look forward to. At this point it was easier to give up going out, communicating with people was so difficult it became easier to not get in touch with anyone. Now I am left unable to achieve almost anything, even the most rudimentary tasks. I have barely been functional. I've put aside living for just existing. You're talking way too fast and too loud for me now. Even seeing your neat home is causing me distress. But I'm making some changes, finally! I'm trying to get just one major thing (or a bunch of small things) done each day. I still have my very long 'to do' list taking up room in my head and my home. I've stopped myself starting new projects until these are done. I haven't cut down that list, though I have prioritised what is important to me. But I'm way behind on what regular people would call 'normal tasks.' I still don't manage to change my clothes or shower very often (which also cuts down on laundry, putting stuff away, and having to decide what to wear) but I have made some improvements in this area for the first time in a decade. I'm not trying to achieve everything at once but I am trying to make things a little better than the day before. That's the only way I can cope for now. (As it's going to be near 40C over the next two days, I'm prepared to achieve less than usual. I also have to cope with periods where I don't sleep for days at a time. I have to work around these and don't beat myself up for not achieving anything at these times.) 'Better than Yesterday' is all I can focus on.

[@monstrositygallery]

This was exactly me. It honestly almost killed me. Please please read Dopamine Mountain, it is absolutely game changing.

[@octopiinthesky44]

@@loverlyme do you have the option of getting meds that help you sleep? Bcs I struggle immensely with sleeping and take z-drugs sometimes when it gets really hard and that saved so many days for me.

[@siazogopoulos5075]

omg seriously gave up - does she actually think anyone could listen to this waffle! Take good care of you

[@loverlyme]

@ I take sleep-inducing meds every night. They are non-addictive ones so they're safe to take regularly. I don't really know that they help though. But what else is there? I've tried melatonin. I've thought about getting a daylight lamp but can't find any confirmation that these actually help (scientific data, that is).

[@monstrositygallery]

@@loverlymeyou could try doing Huberman NSDR and taking GABA

[@CorporateAmerika]

I feel seen. I transitioned to full time entrepreneurship 8 months ago and it’s been a bumpy ride. Over the two weeks I’ve been working out more but the ultimate game changer was creating a morning routine that I do before getting out of bed every day. I pray, say affirmations in the mirror and listen to affirmation music. I increased my sales and expanded my business offering after doing this consistently since January 5th. Thank you so much gif sharing. Love knowing I’m not alone!

[@thevi_olin]

great content, been working on it for over 40 years... stuff just bores me more as time goes on. But by working out hard, have my instruments ready to go, and fix the lighting my ears, my eyes body and brain gets stimuli that still kinda keeps me engaged in breathing. Choosing less is an option, but lets be honest, we all just need more ;)

[@ken-e-ken]

The scary thing about this cycle is that it applies on a macro and micro level. We start small jobs around the house or take up new hobbies and then abandon them. That’s annoying and demoralizing. But it also manifests itself in the bigger things too: eg relationships and careers. We’re all excited at the beginning but when it gets dull and hard we abandon it and start something new. Personally it has been very hard to sustain (over the long-term) a healthy level of love and money in my life. And that’s been way hard on my mental health. Anyone else have this experience?

[@lorinatrayte2718]

Yes

[@MichaelWVagg]

Yes. And most of my life is now gone.

[@siclucealucks]

..yes...the most anyone thing about adhd

[@paihobbes8680]

Yes. Alot. The few things I keep going back to, I often wonder how good I could be at them if I did them consistently. It's heart breaking

[@annhaluska4544]

Thank you....this video explains why I also often "hit a wall" or my Dopamine "tanks" when I try to get multiple things done in a day. I didn't know that was the Valley of Dispair. I feel like crap when I don't get much competed during the day. I'm trying to be more self compassionate with myself. I stopped your video & took notes to help me remember to having 1 Goal that I want to accomplish and achieve. I was also diagnosed at age 50. That was 18 yrs ago. I'm thankful that there's more information about how to manage ADHD. Thank you for this video

[@claraschneider8809]

very nice depiction of task related emotions ! What I also find worth pointing out is, that the optimistic anticipation of doing something or completing a task, often feels like the real thing.( at least for me) So after the anticipation, there is no drive left to actually proceed with the task, since in my adhd brain, it is already done by thinking about it. (So I enter the “ valley of despair “ before even taking action )…the curve of the emotional stage never evens out. The optimistic start will always make me feel a higher stage of optimism than an actual success. I feel like the ongoing process of this makes it so hard, since I never get energy out of sth. But acknowledging this as a adhd related symptom makes it possible to be easy on your self. For me personally I found some sort of peace by knowing which things I find very hard because of my adhd and not letting those things be criteria for my self worth. I like to compare it to bad eyesight. Someone who doesn’t need glasses can’t possibly tell you how to improve your performance by not letting you wear glasses. You see the world differently. If I find greater joy in seeing a beautiful tree somewhere than fulfilling an important task, honestly I see that as an overall positive thing :) Don’t be shy asking for help with things that you struggle with ( you wouldn’t be ashamed to ask for glasses if you have bad eyesight), and don’t play down the things you’re really good at! ( seeing the world a bit differently) Maybe these thoughts resonate with someone :)

[@Alan_Duval]

That cycle of change "graph" looks almost exactly like the Dunning-Krueger Effect (especially that it starts with uninformed and finishes with informed, but unlike D-K it's about the optimism resulting from that knowledge about the topic/task). I needed to hear this today. I am so in the Valley of Despair with my (nonfiction) book right now. I've been trying to get dopamine by starting various chapters that, whilst coherent to the overall point of the book, a starkly different in subject matter to the ones I've been working on.

[@jenniferblanc3000]

First time watcher. I too have the 11:11 thing! Can't believe someone else notices that particular time/number sequence! Great info too😊

[@justinehughes3510]

It’s an angel number, look it up… the universe is sending you messages 🙂

[@CarenMagill]

I’ve heard a few people say they see it. It’s been happening to me for years

[@regina6838]

Much, much more useful than other dopamine videos on KZbin. ❤

[@n210s4fun]

Love this post. You explained it in a way that makes it easy to understand. It made me realize that I need to look at dopamine like currency. This feel-good chemical that so often gets depleted affects so many things. Even fun things like playing a competitive game of tennis. When the tank gets low, focus can drop so quickly and all the self limiting thoughts come flooding in. Especially if a person tends to lean into self-criticism. I’m excited to watch more of your videos. 👏❤

[@CarenMagill]

Glad it was helpful!

[@forlisac1]

11:11. I started seeing this number randomly years ago and it ebbs and flows Right now it’s several times a day. I always think it’s a good sign and encouraging…

[@Beeatrix]

The cycle is very true. Im so excited i am capable of following thru on things, sonetimes with the help of others! Asking for help is part of that self trust too. Knowing it will be complete is such a good feeling I've never had before now! It's amazing!

[@livechangechallenge]

This is sooo true! The doctor that diagnosed my ADHD gave me that advice 😊

[@RaptorsCanRah]

Watched this as I was doing a project 😅😅 But it’s actually worth the valley of despair!!

[@Gillymomma1225]

Thank you this is so helpful

[@EstherRobinsonReel]

I also have the 11.11 thing literally every day. Teal Swan says it means that whatever you're thinking about at that moment is really important. It's made me a lot more aware of my thoughts.

[@monstrositygallery]

This is EXACTLY what the book Dopamine Mountain teaches, also how to use GABA to get back the feeling of success and empathy. Plus motivation of course.

[@oksanakaido8437]

Are you saying you can use GABA supplementation to get back more motivation? I thought GABA was more about the relaxed, feel-good state rather than motivation.

[@monstrositygallery]

@@oksanakaido8437GABA supplements are a temporary fix, but can actually lower GABA baseline. Naturally lowering GABA by doing hard stuff we don’t enjoy (chores, workouts) will then reset the baseline so it goes up on its own. Just like the dopamine baseline is not helped with cocaine. We can also enhance GABA with meditation and deep breathing.

[@monstrositygallery]

@@oksanakaido8437also, to enhance motivation, we need to reward action, and NEVER reward inaction with things like screens or sugar. It’s all repetition, like training a puppy. The book explains it better.

[@itzakpoelzig330]

Thanks for the book rec. I'll check it out.

[@joebailey9813]

One of your best videos! Thanks Caren!!

[@21HeartSong]

My word for this year is “simplify”. I think your tips in this video will really help with that. Thanks ❤

[@malizee2264]

Omg I totally get it! This helps so much! Thank you! New subscriber 😊 “You think your new planner is going to solve all your problems!” 😅

[@BigIndianBindi-jy1cz]

i usually wait until my body feels better before i can do something. i have to feel good first. if i have any awareness of any body pains or tensions, then that's all i focus on and can't do anything.

[@johannabjorkell4226]

My word of the year is peace too ❤❤ Wishing it for all of you too.

[@sherryrogers426]

I really love the information you give out. Sounds just like me. You talk really fast.

[@giovannam925]

Man, this hit home 😮. Hey let go on a hike, shoot it is a 2hr drive. That was me two weeks ago. You are so right😒

[@ThatsOurRobert]

I feel the Valley of Despair is where we spend 90% of the time. I need some small peaks of success in there to pull me out and the 2nd time I do it it has to be somewhat easier to pull off a similar goal or it simply becomes 100 times harder. For example in January I made 10k from a side-hustle but it sort of was a 1 time thing. Now doing it again in February I lost all sight and motivation on where to start to do it again. Time keeps ticking but that first step just isn't coming and I'm stuck in a procrastination loop.

[@chloeanddiego]

This is spot on. Thank you for making me feel understood ❤

[@DulgannForgeflamesGameArchives]

I'm a simple man. I see that Batman slapping GIF, I click the like button.

[@gabrieljordan8015]

Needed this today. ❤

[@forlisac1]

Excellent. Thank you for doing the hard research on this!

[@Sourpusscandy]

It could also be the peri-menopause in your situation. Get the hormone levels checked and supplemented.

[@InfinityOfWorlds]

Thank you, Caren! ❤ Your videos are helpful and insightful. Thank you! ☀ Julia

[@CarenMagill]

You are so welcome!

[@sergiogonzalesYT]

Thank you for this video!

[@KulwinderBedi-f8x]

Brilliant thank you so much. Brings allot of things into perspective for me

[@dennismanuge1728]

😬 - WOW ! I will likely have to watch this over a few times...thank you so much for this!

[@SIBIRIAKcom]

yeah. you're right. I'm gonna choose just one thing. and this one too. and...

[@hayleyhilton5018]

I was told last week that I was missing the point when I said "I will focus on this one to-do list" 😂

[@SIBIRIAKcom]

@@hayleyhilton5018 🤣

[@trishmcelderry4762]

This was great content. Thank you ❤ I'm looking forward to more on this topic. The graphic on emotion was helpful. Lots of great things.

[@CarenMagill]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@lucy-annpickering7459]

Thank you so much for this video, it was exactly what I needed to hear today!

[@CarenMagill]

You are so welcome!

[@nicktsoulli1796]

I have found, diet is the key, making sure I have everything in my diet to make the hormones and the tree of things that produce all the hormones. When I do this things that I love no longer seem meh. I was feeling satisfied content just this week after 3 weeks of being ill and just generally happy just simply taking better care of myself and wearing some more colourful and favourite things that I don't normally do. Then just spread into work and the mundane things things. once I have the diet right, Everything else I love has that similar feeling too. It's nice to be in that place when the storms of life approach and your in a place you can utilise your hyper focus to get important things done in a storm where others can't and make it look easy, actually having a chance to be in the moment and enjoy it with far less chance of burning out rather than just getting through! I'm sure it'll turn back the other way again.

[@shovelgeorge8851]

I now have a chart that explains every hobby and project (Cars, boats, motorcycles, gardening, carpentry, nature, exercise, the list is ENDLESS!) I've started for my whole adult life. Thanks for putting it into terms. I HAVE always quit things in "The valley of despair" Great to finally learn a defined term for it. Also great advice to identify an important "Why" for my new (or past) obsession... that helps eliminate most of them. The pie analogy is also great! I've always been existing on the micro dopamine hits of starting new projects. Knowing the cycle you described can help me push through... I am curious what that "larger hit" of following through a project to completion will feel like. Ive had many successes over the years, mainly a result of Hyperfocus frenzied work to complete something i was really interested in (at THAT time lol) Going to take stock of the whats & whys in my life and try again. Your channel is a motivating life changer! THANK YOU!!

[@CarenMagill]

I'm so glad it resonates! Thx

[@alysmarcus7747]

Wow! thankyou for this video

[@benthornhill7903]

This is what I have experienced exactly.

[@kathryncainmadsen5850]

Squirrel! That painting is seriously weird. I like it.

[@gigglegirl177]

I love this, thank you!

[@NicolasSchaII]

I don't want to trigger some sort of existential crisis for anyone, but I wonder: why would you want to complete goals? Progress to what? Where are we ever going? I sometimes wonder if there's a reason for the problems of adhd-people like us. Like, we still haven't figured out what our set of skills is made for. And maybe it isn't for achieving arbitrary goals or making progress in something particular. There must be a way of life for us. A life when we can say without any doubts I was made for this

[@CarenMagill]

Very good point!

[@SydneyDunga]

Interesting take. I'm stuck in a career that's not advancing. Due to ADHD. I tried to do a masters degree 3 times and it didn't work out. I'm in my 40s. I was diagnosed recently. I feel like my life is going nowhere. I live my career. But can't advance without studying further. Would you suggest I stop trying or change careers?

[@njoyn1909]

There’s no next video , u need to add the link somewhere

[@kathryncainmadsen5850]

Please not in a comment because that just triggers a reply box

[@brettneuberger6466]

Fantastic explanation and very helpful. Thank you.

[@CarenMagill]

Glad it was helpful!

[@LongStep]

Thank you for this video :-)

[@lifewithmargot]

Wow this is so eye opening maybe I’m just lacking dopamine! I am in a valley of despair now 😢

[@minatheminstrel]

this video is soooooo valuable!

[@visionvixxen]

Problem is everyhh to ing changes it- weather, exercise, your hormones- add meds and tolerance- it’s a constant battle trying to exist enough to live and not survive

[@MeretBoxler]

This is totally me.... EXCEPT (why is this so?): my cat. She never fails to make me happy with her purrs, her face, her character. Weird, yet extremely appreciated! :-)

[@Lucas_Chronos]

gosh, that valley of despair applies to me in so many levels... but I'm trying to leave this valley :pray:

[@freethetomatoes]

OMG! A calendar and a to do list solved all my problems…🤔😒

[@freethetomatoes]

I labeled myself as a highly sensitive person before I was diagnosed with ADHd.

[@Fran-n4f5d]

I'm at the end of my trying en fighting.

[@sshabz96]

You are Awesome, great work!

[@caughtyalooking]

WOW. SPOT ON!

[@braddewys2773]

Thank you

[@karenherrera287]

Caren, this is the first time I've seen you and my birthday is 11/11. No lie.

[@CarenMagill]

Ha! Thats kismet.

[@PSGERMO]

Rocking my world!!

[@_GilesArmstrong]

Hi -- is there a link for the video referred to at 13:20 ? Nothing popped up on my screen. Oh and my version of the 1111 thing is enjoying when I spot the time being 12:34. 😅🤓

[@acamden1]

1234 is my favorite time!

[@CarenMagill]

It’s coming out next Friday.

[@violetindigo8514]

I feel the same. I think I'm starting having depression. Nothing gives me joy anymore.

[@kellyjean4981]

Oh my goodness, I am at the place where I do t even start a new adventure, because I know that all three of my children we need me the moment I start… honestly, I literally told my husband the other day ‘you literally sense the moment I finally start a project and need me to do something’ Truthfully if I were more organized and followed a schedule or routine, then everyone would know that ‘this block of time is my time’ but my brain does not function well when told to do something at a specific time.

[@ofmiriam]

so this is basically my life summarized in 13 minutes

[@hayleyhilton5018]

I also picked up my phone at 11.11 on 11/1... weird feeling wasn't it? Glad your word was peace, there are a lot of layers in that 🕊

[@alexengel6319]

Love you and your channel 😺😸❤🤗

[@CarenMagill]

You are so kind, thank you!!!

[@Ukraine4thewin2.0]

Very insightful.

[@matthew223]

THANK YOU!!!! 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽

[@CarenMagill]

You're welcome!!

[@gembolding]

I really needed to hear this. Question: how do you know that the current subject of my hyperfixation is really something I want to be doing for a looong time? ( and that its not just another fase..) Im trying to get out of said cycle and i love ur questions! I use a bullet journal for these things which helps me tremendously with keeping my brain focussed on the things that matter, but the last 2 months have been mentally draining and I fell off the wagon with writing and immediately i saw my life turn to shit again. It just feels so pointless sometimes

[@michelledamm9775]

How do changing hormones affect dopamine levels?

[@renxula]

Seems like good advice. But I noticed years ago that when I finished tasks or completed projects, it didn't feel like much. It was a bit of relief that I was done working on the thing, but I didn't really feel rewarded by it. If that's always the case when I push through to completion, clearly I'll need to fix it somehow.

[@SCErnst]

Very good point, struggling with that, too. So just as a thought for you: I might have always chosen projects, that made sense or where objectively "good", as in "society will appreciate me doing this and I will be recognised for my work" BUT the projects were not really ME, but me trying to fulfil others' expectations of me and what I should become. I'm not through with this yet, still working on it, and might do so my whole life. Hope this helps.

[@ethercept]

I see (or attend to) 1111 since I was small. Also 222 and 303 and 3113 (which in variable has me notice 31 or 13) and 404 ...but no others, I have a weird dyslexia with numbers and letters too, 5 can be f , 3 E , 6 S , ...I also am incredible at basic math naturally, addtion, subtraction, multiplication, division, ratios and probability. Colors and numbers intertwine for me too, harder to explain with words. i also pick up patterns very easily that others don't see.

[@CreativeHump]

That sounds like synesthesia.

[@sebastianirigoyen16]

So what we gotta do is just push through the valley of despair until it becomes natural?

[@urmaisgay6495]

what is ‘a sense of fulfilment’? ive heard of this before but no clue what it might entail 😄

[@christinejeffrey3031]

I do ALL the time!!!

[@DubTuck002]

This video is 🥇

[@melodiemusic9956]

Everything is hard. Everything.

[@85JamesTX]

Why did I start this at 11:11pm and you mention 11:11?

[@iamaspambottt]

ok this is exactly my adhd experience i never heard it put like that. Very profound and not one single "regular" person will ever be able to understand. But I can't prove it, how can we test our dopamine functioning?

[@saram5659]

You must really the song 11:11 by Rufus Wainwright 😄

[@busecetin187]

Great video, thank you! What is the video that you refer to at the end of this one? Looks like the link is missing ? 13:20

[@CarenMagill]

I haven’t posted it yet. Stay tuned

[@realtalkswithdena]

Fantastic video thank you🎉

[@rebeccamariehall8126]

Very Helpful! Looking forward to the next video!