“Why do I keep interrupting people?”
Many adults with ADHD ask this.
Not because they’re rude.
Not because they don’t care.
But because of how the ADHD brain works.
Interrupting can come from:
→ thoughts that feel urgent and might disappear
→ difficulty holding ideas in working memory
→ impulsivity
→ fast processing speed
→ fear of forgetting what you want to say
So the brain says:
“Say it now.”
Even when it’s not the right moment.
From the outside, it can look like:
→ talking over people
→ not listening
→ being inconsiderate
But underneath…
It’s often urgency + cognitive load.
This is where awareness helps.
Not shame.
Simple supports can make a big difference:
→ pausing before speaking
→ using a cue (like a finger tap) to hold the thought
→ building in conversational structure
Because interrupting isn’t a character flaw.
It’s a regulation challenge.
And like many ADHD challenges…
It’s workable.
What helps you hold your thought without interrupting?
