ADHD Symptoms: Overcoming Forgetfulness

Forgetfulness is a common symptom of ADHD, and it can cause significant challenges in daily life. Individuals with ADHD may struggle to remember appointments, deadlines, and tasks at work or school. They may also forget important details in conversations or have difficulty following through on plans or commitments. Understanding the role of forgetfulness in ADHD is essential for managing the condition effectively.

In addition to forgetfulness, individuals with ADHD may experience other symptoms such as impulsivity, hyperactivity, and difficulty focusing. These symptoms can vary depending on the individual and can impact different areas of their life. For example, someone with predominantly hyperactive-impulsive symptoms may struggle to sit still or interrupt others frequently in conversation. In contrast, someone with predominantly inattentive symptoms may have trouble staying focused during meetings or completing tasks that require sustained attention.

Something as simple as a list can help you every single day

Like many other ADHD symptoms, forgetfulness can be tackled immediately with a list. Whether you like to have a pen and paper list, daily planner, or diary on your phone or computer, having a list which you can consult regularly is an incredibly important tool.  

Having things written down in front of you helps you solidify them in your mind, and it can also help with prioritisation, good if you struggle with poor executive function and task/choice paralysis.  

Dave Farrow holds the world record for memorising random sequences of playing cards. The record he set, 59 separate decks of cards, was set in 2007 and has yet to be beaten.  

Memory systems and mnemonics

Obviously a memory like that needs a system and while you might never achieve similar success, you can use memory exercises to improve your memory and reduce forgetfulness. We find it hard to remember random, abstract details out of context, so many memory exercises involve creating a narrative or story which you can recall more easily. Imagining a series of events in which each character or object is a mnemonic for something which has to be remembered can help, as can composing a song which you can sing in your head that features all the things you wanted to recall.

If anyone asks why you’re always humming tunes, writing lists, and muttering weird fairytales to yourself tell them you have a terrible memory and it helps you to remember. By making people aware that you have a bad memory you’re taking some of the pressure off of yourself as people generally accept that a poor memory isn’t something which you can control. If they know you’re bad at getting to meetings on time they’ll remind you, or if you’re prone to missing deadlines they’ll prompt you ahead of time just to make sure you’re ready. There’s no real quid pro quo, it’s just part of the social grease which keeps a workplace running smoothly. However, if your colleagues have weaknesses of their own then you can always do the right thing and help them out in return.  

Learn memory mantras

Forgetfulness, including forgetting where you left things, forgetting keys, appointments, and timely bill payments is annoying, frustrating, and can be expensive if you’re paying late penalties, credit card interest, and overdraft fees. Automate where you can, create positive habits, and accept your limits. Checking your pockets and repeating the mantra “Keys. Cards. Phone” before you leave the house (and anywhere you’ve been sitting for more than a moment!) will meant that you can get into the house and have money at your disposal.  

Accepting your limitations means knowing that it’s OK to forget things sometimes, and not to put pressure upon yourself. It also means developing practical strategies such as developing a habit, following a strict routine, and writing reminders and lists wherever possible. You never see desk jotters anymore, bit no matter how paper-free an office is, it’s always a good idea to keep a pad beside your computer to write down anything you want to remember as soon as it comes to mind.  

Accepting your limitations means letting go of stress too. If you worry about your forgetfulness all you do is cause unnecessary stress and pressure for yourself which is in no way helpful. In fact, if your forgetfulness is ADHD related, it’s far more likely that stress and fatigue will exacerbate the symptoms than lead you to discovering a workable solution.  

Worried about being forgetful? Forget about it!

Find ways to fit a little relaxation into your day. It will help with your mental wellbeing and prevent you from feeling overwhelmed, which in turn helps you think more clearly and ward off forgetfulness.  

If you can’t remember anything else, remember that you’re not defined by your shortcomings, and people are more forgiving and helpful than you might imagine.  

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