Frequent Mistakes and Their Link to ADHD

ADHD & Making Mistakes Frequently

No one is exempt from committing an error, inaccuracy, misjudgment, or whatever you may want to call a mistake. Most neurotypical persons make mistakes at some point in their lives. The risk of committing errors is part of what makes us human. Everyone makes mistakes. You can make mistakes related to organizing tasks, personal relationships, or even doing your homework. According to the philosopher, Lao Tzu, "A man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything." 👌

However, for some people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), making mistakes can be a regular occurrence. 😭 This can cause significant problems in their lives as they may struggle to complete tasks, follow directions, meet deadlines, or function effectively in social settings. Some people with ADHD may also engage in risky behaviors and make impulsive decisions without thinking through the potential consequences of their actions, further resulting in mistakes. Frequent errors can make them develop negative feelings quickly. 

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Did you know that making mistakes is part of the criteria for ADHD? Mental health professionals and doctors 👩‍⚕️  use two measures to diagnose ADHD: inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity. One of the symptoms under these categories is "making careless mistakes," which indicates that making mistakes can be an integral part for diagnosing those with an ADHD brain. Those officially diagnosed with ADHD often have difficulty dealing with the fact that they might make mistakes due to their ADHD symptoms. 

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When we make wrong decisions, it's only normal to feel regret, remorse, guilt, or shame. In many cases, making careless mistakes can also cause anxiety and depression. 😔 We might think that everything is against us because of the numerous errors that we commit. When this occurs, the idea of self-hate and endless blaming come into play. It's when we think that whatever we do, even though we pay close attention to it, mistakes are bound to happen.

What Makes Us Commit Errors Often?

Frequently occurring errors may be hard to accept for someone with an ADHD brain. After all, we’re already experiencing a bunch of symptoms that affect us daily. 

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But, the thing is, having ADHD might be one of the reasons for us to commit errors. In some instances, an inattentive or impulsive mind can affect our ability to make sound decisions, manage our time efficiently, or follow instructions. All these can lead to mistakes. 

Committing frequent mistakes may happen due to our behavior of interrupting people frequently. Some impulsive errors are prone to happen because we often blurt out answers before a person finishes the question. 🙋‍♀️ We tend to get overly excited when talking and are often unable to comprehend the entire conversation. In the end, this brings us more frustration and anxiety because we know that we cannot do anything to change what has been said.

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Plus, if we often experience being easily distracted, mistakes are bound to happen. When instructions are relayed to us, and we don't lend our full attention to them, there’s a bigger chance of forgetting these instructions. That's why I make sure that I double-check the message, confirm if I got it right, and take note of it. Writing the instructions on paper is a big help for me in preventing mistakes from happening. 📝This is helpful because, as adults with ADHD, we cannot entirely trust our memory to remember important details.

These instances of making mistakes frequently should not affect how we live our lives. Even though sometimes careless mistakes are frustrating and can contribute to our stress and anxiety, what's more important is our ability to make the most out of our difficulties. 😉 Understanding our ADHD symptoms can make a big difference in learning how to cope with them.

Making Mistakes And Learning Disorders

Frequent mistakes may limit us from trying once again. The feeling of self-doubt and the sense of not belonging with the rest might get into our heads. Our psych center may tell us that we are not good enough because we often mess up. It's essential to understand that making mistakes is a part of life and doesn't make us less worthy individuals.

In some cases, people with ADHD might also have other conditions or learning disorders. This combination can result in more challenges and difficulties in achieving success in school or work. ADHD comorbidities in learning, such as Dyscalculia and Dyslexia, can make us commit too many errors that we are discouraged from trying again. Learning difficulties can limit our knowledge and make us more apprehensive about even small challenges. In the end, we might prefer other activities than face our learning difficulties. 🥺

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Learning Difficulties and ADHD are two entirely different neurodivergent disorders, but they can affect how we think and see things around us. It's essential to understand that making mistakes is not a hindrance to achieving our goals. It should instead motivate us to try more and continuously strive for excellence.

ADHD Diagnosis And Accepting Mistakes

Do you suspect that you commit mistakes frequently because of ADHD? If so,  what's stopping you from getting an ADHD Diagnosis? What limits you in life? Does ADHD & Making Mistakes add to that difficulty in your daily struggle? How do you plan to turn your life around so as not to feel lost and get in trouble often? 

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Things will make better sense if you start accepting the fact that making mistakes will always be a part of you, the same way it is a part of everyone. 😘 The difference lies in whether you treat these mistakes as stepping stones to improve or let them hinder your abilities. As an ADHD coach, the right thing to do to achieve success is to not label these difficulties but understand them. Acceptance is the key.

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So, try to accept your mistakes and learn from them. Please don't feel too bad about them anymore. And remember, admitting that you have made a mistake is the first step towards making better choices next time. Accepting your mistakes can help you to improve not only yourself but also your relationship with other people, too. 

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I am running a few minutes late; my previous meeting is running over. 😉 But let me leave you with this:

What do we do after we realize that we commit errors? The next step would be to try to improve and be better. If we make mistakes and don't do something about them and continue repeating these careless mistakes, that's where the problem arises. People may find our personalities difficult and may perceive us as someone who’s fine with committing errors. 

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No matter how hard or frequent a person makes careless mistakes, they shouldn't be judged for them. This is especially true for people with ADHD. Their hyperactivity, impulsivity, and difficulty in focusing on things might get in the way of their productivity. And as a result, they cannot achieve their full potential. The best we can do is understand them and help them in any way we can. ❤️

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After all, making mistakes is part of our lives, and we should accept the fact that everyone makes them – regardless if you have ADHD or not. We make errors because we are human beings,🙌 and this fault will always be present in our nature - no one is perfect.