It’s 11pm, and you have a history paper due in the morning. When it was assigned a few weeks ago you were excited to choose “one person, topic, or event” from the Progressive Era and really dig into it. You opened several tabs and created a special document just for research because you have ADHD and love a Google rabbit hole. But you haven’t looked at that document until now — and it’s blank.

Your heart is in your throat. Your mind is a void. You pull out your phone to escape this familiar feeling of shame. How could you let this happen — again?

If, like me, you have ADHD, you’ve probably experienced a deeply frustrating phenomenon called ADHD paralysis. It is not an actual form of paralysis — just a powerful feeling of being frozen or stuck. It doesn’t always, or only, apply to writing a paper or meeting a deadline, though those are common things that can trigger it. ADHD paralysis is when you’re faced with completing a task or making a decision, and no matter how badly you want to do it, you simply… can’t.

Why am I like this?

ADHD paralysis isn’t an official symptom of ADHD, though most people with ADHD have experienced it. Larisa Litvinov, PhD, a senior psychologist in the ADHD and Behavior Disorders Center at the Child Mind Institute, describes it as a phenomenon that happens when multiple challenges related to ADHD collide. For example, many people with ADHD tend to struggle with procrastination, executive function, starting tasks (called task initiation), time management, and planning ahead.

“If you have trouble managing your time, things pile up. So then getting started is hard. And as the deadline approaches, you can get very overwhelmed,” Dr. Litvinov explains. “So that's where the anxiety and ADHD come together — you just shut down and can't do anything.”

It’s common to have both anxiety and ADHD, Dr. Litvinov says. But even people who aren’t officially diagnosed with an anxiety disorder experience acute stress when faced with too many tasks or tasks that feel difficult to begin.

Types of ADHD paralysis

ADHD paralysis is divided into three categories.

ADHD mental paralysis: Mental paralysis is when you shut down because you feel overwhelmed. Maybe you’re bombarded by too many thoughts, too many emotions, or too many stimuli — whatever the case, you just can’t organize your thoughts.

ADHD choice paralysis: Also known as “analysis paralysis,” choice paralysis is when you get stuck overthinking a decision. It can be a big decision, like choosing a college or a major, or it can be a ridiculously small one. You might get stuck just deciding if you want to eat breakfast or take a shower first.

ADHD task paralysis: Task paralysis can make an appearance when you’re faced with a long-term project. You might get stuck prioritizing the steps involved or freeze up just thinking about how long it will take to do. But it can also refer to short, simple tasks — calling the doctor, filling out an application — that feel boring, so you avoid them.

What can I do about it?

Think of a task or set of tasks that are historically difficult for you and ask yourself why. Is the task boring? Is it difficult? Are you afraid the end result won’t be very good? Or does it seem so complicated that you just don’t know where to start?

For tasks that aren’t very interesting — cleaning your room, completing assignments for classes you’re not that into — consider body doubling.

Body doubling

The term body doubling simply refers to another person being in the same room with you while you do something. They don’t even have to be doing the same thing. Studying at the kitchen table while your mom pays the bills? Body doubling. Cleaning your room while your friend reads a book on the floor? Body doubling.

You might think it would be distracting to work with another person around, but it’s been shown to improve focus and motivation for people with ADHD.

Body doubling should be intentional. Choose someone you trust, let them know what your task is, and set a specific amount of time — for your body double’s sake, if not your own.

Pomodoro technique

For tasks that are complicated or daunting — starting a long-term project, studying for a test in a challenging subject — consider the Pomodoro technique. (So named because the guy who came up with it had a kitchen timer that looked like a tomato — pomodoro in Italian.) The Pomodoro method involves working on a task for 25 minutes and then taking a 5-minute break.

Sometimes, getting started on a task, especially when you expect it to be hard or to take a long time, can feel impossible. The Pomodoro technique offers you a way to dip your toe in the proverbial water. You don’t have to sit down and complete the whole task — that could take hours! You only have to work on it for 25 minutes. And then you can stop.

Recognize your triggers

Think about times when it seemed like every task put you in paralysis mode. Was it at the end of the semester, when you had a bunch of assignments due at the same time? Was it after you pulled an all-nighter (or several) and just couldn’t catch up on sleep? Or was it during a particularly tough time in your life — like after a breakup or a death in the family? Sometimes, ADHD paralysis can happen when you’re physically depleted or emotionally dysregulated, especially if you have anxiety or depression.

Getting unstuck

Despite your best efforts at prevention, you’re in paralysis mode again. Remember, anxiety is a big part of it — you’re zoning out or looking at your phone to escape the feeling, not just the task. So, ask yourself what you actually need in order to reboot your brain.

We’re talking baby steps, so let’s break it down. Do you need…

Stimulation: Think about your sensory needs. Do you need to take a walk around the room or do some jumping jacks? Do you need to change your environment — go to a different room, or even just sit on the floor instead of a chair? Do you need to be listening to music? (Dr. Litvinov swears by ADHD Focus Music on Spotify.) Do you need water? Do you need to eat?

A break: The break has to be intentional to make sure you don’t lost in it, Dr. Litvinov warns. Set a timer for 5–10 minutes — but don’t use your break to look at a screen. This is about shifting your focus to something specific. Do some yoga or a breathing exercise. Take a shower. Clean your workspace — but don’t make that your new goal. “Cleaning can feel like planning and prioritizing, but that’s really wishful thinking,” says Dr. Litvinov. “Spending three hours organizing your desk does not move you any closer to the end goal of finishing the paper.”

A reality check: When it comes to actually completing the task at hand, break it down into chunks. The Pomodoro method can be effective here. Yes, you have to write this whole paper tonight, but thinking about it that way is too daunting. Less daunting: writing the intro in 25 minutes. Or some other chunk of time that feels doable. And for my fellow overthinkers and perfectionists out there, Dr. Litvinov offers some important advice.

“I know for myself, I often will go down a rabbit hole of, what's the most important part? And do all this research. No. Let's just start. That's the big thing,” she says. “It doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to be done.”