Keep bumping into things? Podcaster reveals how ADHD can make obstacles seem invisible

A lot of us can confess we’ve stubbed our toes, hit our elbows on door knobs, or even run into railings. For hosts of the @2curlygirlspod, Florence Friebe and Julie Schroeder, this is far too common an occurrence. The duo, who have ADHD and unravel the many connections the condition has with daily life, revealed that clumsiness is also linked to ADHD. In the video shared on Instagram, both women confessed they can be clumsy when they don’t “care enough” about getting things done. In another video, Friebe revealed it’s related to ADHD and our need to find efficiency. 

When the two women noted how they happen to drop a toothbrush or become butterfingers at times, many found their mishaps relatable. Schroeder noted that though her coordination is great, if she’s not focused or very attentive, she will mess up. In the caption, they revealed they have random bruises with absolutely no recollection of how they hurt themselves. Relatable much? It’s often connected to ADHD. Friebe mentioned that since people with ADHD are constantly looking for the “efficient” path, they tend to run into things before they can get there. “I run into a lot of things because I need to go to the path that is most efficient,” she remarked. 

Sharing a few examples, the woman noted how she often bumps into furniture, or if she’s in a crowd and knows there’s someone next to her, she still bumps into them while trying to get to the other side. This is because she is completely focused on the result, or the path that she’s gonna take to get there. Her idea is to “keep going,” and so the obstacles in between don’t quite register. Author and fellow adult ADHDer, Deniz Perry, shared an apt visual of what it’s like through light humor. 

Right from randomly dropping cutlery while eating to getting the plate on your head while bringing it out of the fridge, these mini clumsy experiences are an everyday affair for people with ADHD. Explaining why, she wrote, “Research shows that ADHD brains often have more postural sway (tiny wobbles in balance when standing still) because of differences in the cerebellum,” The latter is a part of the brain that handles movement and balance. Because people with the condition have a different cognitive wiring to process movement, they tend to feel “off-balance” or “bump” into every second thing. 

Perry, who is an expert with the science behind ADHD and offers courses to understand and manage the same, added, “Your body is testing your boundaries, but your mind is learning fast.” According to a study published by Science Direct, this clumsiness is linked with behavioral and attention-related factors. The study done on children and young adults of different age groups showed consistent and regular “momentary clumsiness," due to multiple reasons, attention being one of them. It was first inferred that distractions or messing up momentarily are not about age but more about behavior. 

The study also noted that “a narrow focus of attention was related to an increased occurrence of momentary clumsy behaviors.” Those who showed high numbers of clumsiness also had reduced attention, quite similar to what Schroeder noted at the beginning of the video. But it’s not something to fret about; rather, it’s just good information to know. So the next time you run into the doorframe, don’t curse yourself (or the door), just proceed to where you’re headed! @danielthomasnyc noted, “My body constantly covered in bruises agrees with you.” @dubstationzero added, “I am the world record holder for getting my belt loops caught on handles or hooks as I brush.” 

You can follow @2curlygirlspod on Instagram for more content on ADHD and lifestyle. 

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