Impulse Regret: Things I Said That Keep Me Up at Night

ADHD is a wild ride, but let’s talk about one of its sneakier symptoms: impulse regret. You know, those moments where your mouth moves faster than your brain, and then you lie in bed six hours later wondering why you said that weird thing about raccoons.

The Scene:
Everything’s going fine. You’re in a conversation, feeling good, and then, bam, you blurt out something awkward, too personal, too blunt, too much. You didn’t mean it that way. It just... slipped out. And now it’s playing in your brain like a broken record at 2 a.m.

The Replay:

• “Why did I tell my coworker that I cry into my pillow sometimes?”

• “Did I really interrupt that person to talk about my 7th grade science fair project?”

• “Was that joke too dark? Too soon? Too… me?”

The ADHD Angle:
Impulsivity isn’t just about buying unnecessary Amazon items or switching hobbies every week. It shows up in how we talk. We interrupt. We overshare. We say the thing before we think the thing. And sometimes? That leaves us with a full-body cringe hangover later.

But here’s the truth:
Most people don’t remember that weird thing you said.
Most people aren’t overanalyzing your every word.
That’s just your ADHD brain making a mountain out of a passing moment.

What Helps:

• Practice pausing (even just two seconds) before responding. Game changer.

• Find your people; the ones who get you and laugh with you, not at you.

• Accept the occasional awkwardness as part of your charm. Because honestly? You’re probably more memorable in the best way.

Final Thought:
If you’re lying in bed tonight thinking, “Why did I say that thing?” just know you’re not alone. You’re human. You’re learning. And you’re still wildly lovable, cringe moments and all.

~Lynny