ADHD, Aphantasia, and the Art of Asking: Finding Balance in a Busy Mind
Living with ADHD and aphantasia is… a lot. It’s messy, creative, exhausting, inspiring, and overwhelming all at once. My brain is constantly buzzing with ideas I’ll probably never get to, stories that arrive fully formed, and connections that spark faster than I can write them down. And yet, when I walk into a room, I forget why I’m there.
That mix—the scatteredness of ADHD plus the blank mental canvas of aphantasia—has shaped so much of my creativity and my challenges. It’s not always easy, but I’ve learned there are hidden gifts in it too, especially when it comes to intuition.
The Overwhelm of Ideas
Trevor Noah recently talked about how ADHD and depression can overlap, and it hit me hard. I wouldn’t label myself as depressed, but I know those dark moments of feeling paralyzed by possibility. My brain generates endless ideas: books, apps, campaigns, stories. I’ll never get to them all, and that reality can feel crushing.
One way I cope is by releasing ideas back into the universe. If something feels beautiful but impossible for me to carry forward, I thank it, and then I imagine passing it on to someone else who can make it real. It’s weirdly therapeutic—like giving my brain a little space to breathe.
Creativity Without a Mind’s Eye
Aphantasia often gets described as a “lack of imagination,” but I push back on that. I can’t picture a horse in my head, but I can dream up a screenplay about a squirrel and a pirate battling a bull on a purple pillow.
My imagination doesn’t live in visuals—it lives in words, energy, and connections. At work, I can solve creative problems in a snap. Ideas for campaigns come easily. Synchronicities light me up. But remembering a four-digit code? Total nightmare. My working memory is trash, and that’s where ADHD and aphantasia tag-team their chaos.
The Power of Asking
Here’s what helps: asking.
I ask my friends for support when I can’t handle voice notes or conversations. I ask the universe when I feel lost or overwhelmed. Sometimes I call it prayer, sometimes meditation, but really it’s just dialogue with life itself.
When I actively ask—show me a better path forward, send me a sign, help me find clarity—answers show up. Not always in the way I expect, but they come. Like the emails from listeners who told me they’d missed the podcast. Or the naturopath I thought I’d never see again who emailed me back within a day.
Asking matters. But so does listening.
Meditation, Art, and Zooming Out
Meditation doesn’t always look like sitting on a cushion. For me, it can be painting while watching Netflix, or voice-noting friends, or even shower thoughts where I’m openly dialoguing with my life. Art, especially, is my therapy. When I paint, the mental clutter clears.
And when things feel too overwhelming, I practice zooming out. Yes, life is hectic right now with work and kids and never-ending schedules. But when I look at the bigger picture, I see the purpose. I see the lives I touch, the seeds being planted for the future, and the reminder that this season of chaos won’t last forever.
A Final Word
ADHD and aphantasia make life complicated—but also vibrant. The forgetfulness, the overwhelm, the restless energy… it’s real. But so are the hidden strengths: creativity, intuition, resilience, and connection.
If you’re in the thick of it too, here’s my reminder: ask for help, ask for signs, ask for clarity. And then, make the space to listen.