ADHDifference - HYPERSENSITIVITY

ADHDifference

Julie Legg and Jel Legg discuss the link between ADHD and hypersensitivity – not necessarily a trait, but a common attribute for people with ADHD.
They chat about each of their senses, the weird and wonderful extremes they experience. From datum lines to aesthetics, bass drums and distant conversations, scratchy clothing labels to repetitive touch, Christmas shopping to confrontation. They ponder criticism, expected outcomes, adverse reactions to not feeling in control of self, empathy, negative people and energy levels – to name a few.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• HSP, a highly sensitive person.
• Line of focus, peripheral vision, and datum lines.
• Acutely sensitive to a range of noise frequencies and pitches, and unexpected loud noises
• Taste, smell and memory links.
• Sensory overload to texture - difficulty swallowing medication, clothing labels, certain fabrics ... or being repetitively touched by another person.
• Being highly sensitive to criticism or confrontation (actual or perceived), body language, and others’ energy.

Key takeaways:

• While we all have a given set of ears, eyes and nervous system that reacts the same, it is how ADHD brains process those sensory signals that makes us more hypersensitive in many instances.
• Hypersensitivity is not a clinical ADHD trait in accordance with the DSM, however it is a common attribute that is experienced by many people with ADHD.
• Some ADHD brain reactions to ‘seemingly normal’ everyday sights, sounds, tastes, textures and smells may appear very irrational to neurotypicals: “Oh they get so upset over the littlest of things."
• Every individual is different, as with every ADHD brain in so far as some may, or may not, experience these hypersensitive occurrences.

Links:

Julie is the author of THE MISSING PIECE: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD (Harper Collins, 2024).

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