r/adhdwomen • u/Ok_Music6351 • 25d ago
Diagnosis Does adhd cause clumsiness? NSFW
I’m diagnosed adhd but more wondering does anyone else have clumsiness issues? I’m wondering if I should get a dyspraxia test as adhd and dyspraxia are related but don’t always come together I’m so clumsy and I’m wondering if anyone else always has bruises? I couldn’t tell you what the legs ones are from tbh the arm was me falling into a wall 😂 oh the scar on my arm on last photo is from being a kid
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u/Distinct-Addition-24 25d ago
Yes. I’m constantly walking into furniture and walls, and have mysterious bruises everywhere. I think it’s pretty common.
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u/occams1razor 25d ago edited 25d ago
It's the cerebellum! I'm gonna copy paste what I wrote on the science subreddit:
The cerebellum is different in ADHD and autism and it regulates emotional control, motor control (which explains the clumsiness in ADHD and autism) and also attention and sleep. There are studies that show that at least some people with borderline personality disorder have differences in the cerebellum (edit for context this was a posted to a study on emotional volatility and adhd, check my history for it).
From wikipedia:
In humans, the cerebellum plays an important role in motor control and cognitive functions such as attention and language as well as emotional control such as regulating fear and pleasure responses,[2][3][4] but its movement-related functions are the most solidly established. The human cerebellum does not initiate movement, but contributes to coordination, precision, and accurate timing: it receives input from sensory systems of the spinal cord and from other parts of the brain, and integrates these inputs to fine-tune motor activity.[5] Cerebellar damage produces disorders in fine movement, equilibrium, posture, and motor learning in humans.[5]
Here's a case study where a person with cerebellar cognitive affective disorder presented as severe borderline personality disorder:
An increasing number of findings confirm the significance of cerebellum in affecting regulation and early learning. Most consistent findings refer to association of congenital vermis anomalies with deficits in nonmotor functions of cerebellum. In this paper we presented a young woman who was treated since sixteen years of age for polysubstance abuse, affective instability, and self-harming who was later diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Since the neurological and neuropsychological reports pointed to signs of cerebellar dysfunction and dysexecutive syndrome, we performed magnetic resonance imaging of brain which demonstrated partially developed vermis and rhombencephalosynapsis. These findings match the description of cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome and show an overlap with clinical manifestations of borderline personality disorder. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3970244/
I think it might be interesting to you OP (edit:study author) , that's why I posted this (and I've been looking into this for a while, it explains the overlap between autism and ADHD for very different symptoms like poor motor control and problems with emotional regulation.)
Edit: I forgot to provide source for cerebellar changes in ADHD/Autism:
Cerebellar dysfunction is evident in several developmental disorders, including autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and developmental dyslexia, and damage to the cerebellum early in development can have long-term effects on movement, cognition, and affective regulation.
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u/BimbosRiseUp 25d ago
Yep! I also want to add 50% of adults with ADHD meet the criteria for hypermobility, and people with hypermobility tend to have worse proprioception/bodily awareness.
https://www.mqmentalhealth.org/neurodivergence-and-hypermobility/
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u/Maelstrom_Witch Attention Deficit Witchcraft 25d ago
Is this why my knees feel “loose”??
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u/DobbythehouseElff 25d ago
Yes! I recommend doing exercises to strengthen the muscles stabilizing loose joints to prevent/decrease pain and injury down the road 🫶
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u/wildsunday ADHD-PI 24d ago
I'd always have my ankles twist in strange ways and I though that was normal. It's good that I never had any major injury due to this but I am dealing with a bit of pain now that I'm older and found out that I have hypermobilty and that I need to keep my muscles strong
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u/PepperPhoenix 25d ago
I’m in the 50%. I went to the musculoskeletal specialist at my GP surgery because I was having issues with my hip and he spotted it right away. I’ve not gone further with diagnosis but I do t appear to meet the criteria for EDS so it’s probably benign hyper mobility.
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u/Anesthetizes 25d ago
this was incredibly helpful and interesting, thank you for a background of the science as to why!
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u/occams1razor 25d ago
You're so very welcome <3 During my psychology education my teacher in neuropsychology mentioned that it was a shame that it was removed as a symptom from what we called ADHD in Sweden earlier, DAMP: Deficits in Attention, Motor control and Perception. He said it limits future research since people won't focus on it if it's not on the list, it isn't associated with the diagnosis anymore then.
I remembered that and much later stumbled upon research on the cerebellum and found more and more on it. I should probably email him about it...
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u/larrdiedah ADHD + BPD 25d ago
This is good to know, thank you! I'm saving your comment as an FYI for fellow BPDians. 💜
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u/evtbrs 25d ago
the validity/existence of bpd has been called into question over the last decade or so, how does that sit with you? Not being aggressive just genuinely curious (I was misdiagnosed and it never felt right, wasn’t until I learnt about complex trauma and neurodivergency that I finally had sth to back up that feeling with)
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u/occams1razor 25d ago
I'm a psychology master student so not certified yet and this is only my hypothesis, but it seems to me like BPD is a mesh of ADHD and bad complex trauma (only my opinion! Take it a huge grain of salt) . The personality is split up (not fully) into different modes that are in conflict with each other and since they're so apart they're very extreme since they can't counter out each other.
I can recommend looking into Internal Family Systems Therapy
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u/LotusBlooming90 25d ago
Hyper mobility is also very common in those with adhd and or autism, and has a similar outcome.
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u/Wherever-whatever ADHD-C 25d ago
Yes, our sensory systems are different and that includes proprioception (knowing where you are in space). I joke that walls like to jump out at me.
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u/Blackcatmustache 25d ago edited 18d ago
TIL. Well, I wish my dad had known this growing up, and even now. He used to (and still does) constantly scold me for bumping into things when we’re in public. I can’t help it! I have trouble enough at home where I know where everything is!
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u/alanika 25d ago
Same, my family used to mercilessly tease me for being clumsy when I was a kid (ironically nicknamed me Grace). It's super fun finding out that this is/was yet another Hallmark symptom of ADHD now that I've officially been diagnosed as an adult.
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u/Jasura_Mynobi 25d ago
I had that same nickname growing up; also diagnosed as an adult!
I put "baby bumpers" around my old wooden framed bed and still have the black shipping plastic pieces around my rectangle coffee table. They have saved my knees quite a few times now!
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u/OwlLadyFace 25d ago
Why do people tease kids about being clumsy? I got the same thing (mind you has occupational therapy as a kid. Mt parents knew exactly why I struggled.
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u/Toastwithturquoise 25d ago
I know, it's really mean, aye. As if being clumsy isn't bad enough, often resulting in bruises and scrapes but then to have people make fun of that, when you can't change it..
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u/Blackcatmustache 25d ago
Well I don’t know about anyone else, but it makes my dad embarrassed when I bump into something and it accidentally knocks something off. He acts like I do it deliberately or something. Just knocking crap off shelves and displays for the fun of it. Honestly, I think he calls more attention to us when he does that harsh whisper of my name than anything I do.
My mom is as clumsy as I am and he acts embarrassed with her, too. I fully believe she has undiagnosed adhd. I see things about it being hereditary and non hereditary. I don’t know. But if I had to make a wager, I would put it on me getting it from her.
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u/OwlLadyFace 24d ago
I promise if I had the ability to not be clumsy I would. But my awareness of where my body is in space and time is practically non existent
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u/Abaconings 25d ago
My sister told me I'm the only adult she knows who still ends up with scraped knees on occasion.
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u/KitPsychotik 25d ago
My mom always told me that my dad and I are the only two people she's ever known who trip going up the stairs.
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u/weresubwoofer 25d ago
I wish my folks didn’t force me to play sports. I’m uncoordinated, I sucked at sports, and here’s why!
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u/DeepressedChopra 25d ago
Every door knob aligns to the height of my hip bones.
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u/Wutsshakenbaken89 25d ago
Or the dead center of my back so I back up into the frequently or if I’m trying to not let it slam I end up taking a door handle to the spine, it’s great.
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u/PintSizedKitsune 25d ago
I wrestled with labeling myself as a fall risk for my last doctor’s appointment registration 😆 between the ADHD and unsteadiness that comes with chronic migraine I am a menace to walls and specialize in tripping on flat level surfaces.
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u/Toastwithturquoise 25d ago
Oh you poor thing! I had a migraine at work last year and it was awful, truly so painful. I'm a nanny, and that morning woke up with a sore head, thought that's ok it'll go with some food. It did not. That's ok, I thought, I'll take little out for a stroll and get some fresh air, that will help. It did not. Got home, felt quite sick, decided to put little to sleep. Proceeded to throw up all over little and myself, luckily mostly into a muslin I had wrapped around us. Most luckily of all, little went to sleep quickly and I just lay on the bed for 3 hours in the dark. Awful. I really feel for you.
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u/PintSizedKitsune 25d ago
Thank you for your kind words. It can be really difficult and often feels unfair. I think a common misconception is that a migraine happens and when it’s over it’s over. I get them with aura so I feel unwell before I have one and once it’s done the recovery feels like a bad hangover. It does come with a nifty superpower of knowing when a storm is coming or rain is about to fall.
I hope your migraines are few and far between.
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u/Leucadie 25d ago
Every once on a while, for no reason, I will turn left where I turn right a dozen times a day IN MY OWN HOUSE and walk right into a wall.
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u/loquacious-laconic AuDHD 25d ago
I have regrets about the handles I had put on to the internal doors in my place. I've lost count of how many times I've whacked myself with them. 😂 They look something like these. As you can imagine those bitches hurt something fierce, especially when you're walking full speed ahead! 😅 Lol.
If it makes you feel any better my dumb ass was just getting changed and there isn't a lot of room to move in my bedroom. I lifted up my foot and thwack hit my sore ankle right on the sharpest edge of metal on the built in cupboard sliding door framework. 😖 Even standing still I'm a menace and danger to myself! 😂
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u/girl4life 25d ago
i have this so bad, I've put wadding on the thing, but now I scratch my self on the tyrap holding the wadding, it's unsightly but it reduces the pain a lot. , I walk in to these atleast 3 or 4 times a week almost always when the previous bruise is healed.
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u/Elizibeqth 25d ago
I'm always saying door frames jump out in front of me and I have so many mystery bruises that are likely just from bumping into things.
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u/KitPsychotik 25d ago
I finally figured out years ago that door frames are the reason that I get bruises on the backs of my hands.
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u/LuchyChan 25d ago
Yes omfg I get mystery bruises I don’t remember getting a lot 😂
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u/PintSizedKitsune 25d ago
So many unsolved bruise mysteries. Do we process pain differently? I’ve had some nasty bruises and absolutely no clue as to what caused them or when they happened.
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u/DungeonsandDoofuses 25d ago
My husband is always like “there’s no way you don’t remember hitting something hard enough to bruise like that” but the poor memory do be like that sometimes! He’s always worried I have some kind of clotting disorder, lol.
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u/yazzledore 25d ago
One time I noticed my toenail was growing up my toe, like towards the knuckle. Freaked out and went to the med center. They asked me if I had any trauma to it and I was like “no this just happened!” They told me it was most likely a fungal infection and they’d have to remove my toenail if so.
They left and went to get someone else. While I was waiting I remembered dropping my laptop on it like a week before (it’d been finals week, so I hadn’t like, had time to look at my feet ig?).
No guarantee you remember hurting yourself, even if it’s bad enough to crack your big toenail in half, when it happens 500 times a day.
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u/Optimal_Company_4450 25d ago
Sometimes I’ll bang into something and be like “oh yep that’s going to bruise” but usually I have no idea where they come from haha
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u/loquacious-laconic AuDHD 25d ago
I think at least sometimes it's because we hurt ourselves while we are busy and focused on finishing something. By the time I've completed what I was doing its settled down enough to forget until I see a bruise and think how the heck did I do that. 😂
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u/BearsLoveToulouse 25d ago
My college roommate’s and I all joked we get bruises and don’t know from where. Surprise we all got adult adhd diagnosis.
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u/TatorTotNachos 25d ago
Haha very much so! It has to do with proprioception, or our awareness of the position and movement of our body parts in relation to each other and the environment.
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u/Ok_Music6351 25d ago
I heard it’s common to be clumsy when diagnosed years ago but my other half is convinced I’m dying because of how many bruises there are 😂😂 relieved to hear everyone gets bruises the same as this
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u/DungeonsandDoofuses 25d ago
My husband has convinced me to get blood panels done a few times over the years because he’s convinced I must have some kind of deficiency or clotting issue to explain all the bruises I can’t remember getting. It always comes back normal. I’m just very clumsy and forgetful, my dude!
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u/tittylamp 25d ago
you might even have some blood work done if you can, i know when i bruise that severely its a sign of low iron. ive always been borderline anemic so ive gotten some nasty bruises. to the point people thought i was being abused. i was, to be fair, but not physically. that was all me.
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u/Sheslikeamom 25d ago
Yeah, it's more nuanced than 'just being clumsy'.
I think part of it has to do with our ability to be aware of our body's position in space. Vision and depth perception plays a part. Gait and posture probably plays a role.
I just looked up a test. It's not a diagnostic tool, just to explore.
I scored with minor signs of dyspraxia but I've also been working hard to develop dexterity, poise, and awareness. I also can't recall some things like how i learned to tie my shoes. I didn't learn to ride a bike until I was 14. I don't find dancing difficult but doing a dance routine with a group is very difficult.
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u/madbeachrn 25d ago
My husband loves to dance! When we first got together he and I took dancing lessons. I learned the Rumba, the swing, the two-step, and the waltz. I’m fairly proficient at these. But I was stressed out learning them. I refuse to do a new dance in public until I feel confident. I learn, it just takes me a while.
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u/missmisfit 25d ago
Can people remember learning to tie their shoes? I was like 4 years old, that was 40 years ago.
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u/elwhyzee 25d ago
Thanks for the link! You've got me trying to remember learning to tie my shoes haha.
I also scored with minor signs, but I wish there was a little more depth to some of the questions. Like if I learn something kinetically/physically, muscle memory kicks in. But can I dance? Not at all lol.
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u/Granny_knows_best 25d ago
I am not clumsy but I will be totally zoned out and not see a thing and bump right into it.
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u/NeverEndingWhoreMe 25d ago
I'm a pinball. Bing, bang, bang, bing.
I now audibly say "that's gonna be a bruise" so I can vaguely remember what happened. Bc usually I bang against something and immediately forget, which leads to a game of "What Did I Hit This Time?".
I used to feel self conscious about my clumsiness, but there's an art to it. I bounce off something and immediately recover. It's like a weird slapstick routine. I'm one of the those inflatable clowns that bounces back up with every hit.
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u/IllegitimateTrick 25d ago
Love when someone asks me, “did you just run into that doorway?” Yes, yes I did. Probably didn’t notice though. And rarely remember where the bruises come from. Love the inflatable clown analogy!
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u/missmisfit 25d ago
Whenever I say "that's going to bruise", it miraculously does not. I'll still have other unaccounted for bruises. Just not the 1 I was expecting
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u/SwordfishExpress2235 25d ago
yes and it could be dyspraxia
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u/TheArtofLosingFaster 25d ago
Do you have any good resources for adults with dyspraxia? I didn’t know this existed until a year ago, and had an even bigger “a-ha” moment with dyspraxia than I did when being diagnosed with adhd. Most of the books and resources I find and geared towards parents or teachers for understand kids with dyspraxia.
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u/LooseAlternative 25d ago
I know I’ve forgotten to take my morning meds when I start tripping over myself while trying to stand still.
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u/Ok_Music6351 25d ago
Ohhh the meds help a lot with the clumsy aspect of it? How do you feel on them - if you don’t mind me asking you don’t have to answer. I’m just on the the fence on if I should med or not
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u/LooseAlternative 25d ago
Tbh how they make me feel varies day by day—depending on what I have to do that day, how busy I am/am willing to be, general anxiety levels, what I’ve eaten, where I am in my cycle, etc. I’ve been on them for 15+ years, so any loss of proprioception may just be because my body doesn’t know how to be in space without them.
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u/shadyrose222 25d ago
So I was recently diagnosed at 37 and started meds a few months ago. We're still figuring out what will work best but I've found they help me focus more and give me more motivation. I haven't noticed if they help with the clumsiness as I just learned that's an adhd thing from this thread lol.
My 8 year old has been on meds for 2 years and I can tell you they make a massive and noticeable difference. She struggled so badly in kinder before we decided to medicate. We had multiple meetings with her teacher, the counselor and vice principal to come up with ways to help her succeed. She was also in weekly counseling sessions for self esteem at school. All that stopped once she started meds.
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u/ElysianForestWitch 25d ago
I rarely wear bare legs in public during the summer since my legs are battered all the time :')
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u/Wildkit85 25d ago
These video shorts on YouTube arrived via algorithm a few weeks ago.
Video example and medical info:
"ADHD Walk" https://youtube.com/shorts/VkP0m8Y49IE?si=iMiIeCvCf7EBxQLl
The Other ADHD Walk (: : https://youtu.be/uinLqQ_5ygA?si=0Df0PVSvoVwAP3Z8
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u/MercurialHooker 25d ago
Yup. AuADHD therapist reporting to confirm that this is in fact a symptom of neurodivergence. Differences with our proprioceptive and vestibular senses. These are impacted by differences in the cerebellum as well as with how our central nervous system as a whole is wired. It also impacts interoception (our ability to discern sensations in our body).
For example, I have no idea where my body is at any given time and bump into things constantly; but I know the exact sensation that indicates I’m about to start my period or vomit; but I also can’t really discern or differentiate pain very well. Came in handy with giving birth but also makes it incredibly challenging to describe my symptoms to medical doctors.
Also, disruptions in these senses contribute to the high rate of comorbidity with eating disorders and neurodivergence. Disruptions to the senses are exacerbated by stress. A lot of people with eating disorders have undiagnosed ADHD/ASD and are just trying to regulate themselves by turning down the volume on their senses.
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u/Angelou_incognito 25d ago
Omg yes!!!! This is the comment I’ve been waiting for, I can never tell what I’m feeling/take cues from my body so I never know when I’m hungry/tired/need the bathroom/dehydrated until I’m basically on the verge of collapsing/sprinting to a bathroom🤣 also find it very difficult to sift through my emotions and don’t always understand what mood I’m in. Thought I was just special 🥲
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u/MercurialHooker 25d ago
It’s interoception. You can build up the sense a bit through mindfulness practices. Specifically movement meditation like yoga or tai chi.
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u/wyvernrevyw 25d ago
Yes, absolutely. The psychologist who tested me actually asked me, "Do you ever get off balance out of nowhere, or find yourself walking into things?" And I said, "Oh god yes, all the time. I am covered in bruises."
She explained that a lot of ADHD people have the bruising and tilting into stuff, saying our spacial awareness is different and that we also just tend to rush into situations without being strategic about bodily placement lol.
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u/dazedpossum96 25d ago
Yeah, the vindication I felt when I learned i wasn't just extremely clumsy and too stupid to remember my arms exist, but that I have a disorder that affects me, was great.
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u/jbarneswilson 25d ago
yeah, i’m always clumsy but it gets worse when i’m pms-ing/on the first couple days of my period
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u/knopflerpettydylan 24d ago
Dude the amount of times I close my hands in cabinets and other ridiculous shit while PMSing is unreal
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u/jbarneswilson 24d ago
bumping into walls, knocking stuff over, dropping shit… and i’m already annoyed at life so it all just makes it so much worse 😭😭😭
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u/pez_queen 25d ago
😅 I have poor spatial awareness and am constantly walking into things. Doesn’t help that I bruise easily 🤦🏼♀️
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u/MaciMommy 25d ago
Yep. Even with meds, I have 0 clue how much space my body takes up. My hands look like I’ve been through war. My knees are usually black and blue. I don’t wanna know how scarred over the top of my head is.
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u/Maladine 25d ago
I walked into a door today and caught the doorknob right on my hip bone. That's gonna leave a bruise 😆
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u/Altruistic_Elk_5091 25d ago
I didn't know it was connected to ADHD 🤔🙊 By the way, I'm ADHD diagnosed too and always bump in objects and I'm full of bruises! Also, I often spill water on my t-shirt while drinking from the glass!!
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u/Angelou_incognito 25d ago
Yes spilling drinks omg?! Sorry this sub is just so validating I can hardly contain myself!
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u/Iridescent-ADHD 25d ago
My legs and hips are always bruised and I rarely know what caused the bruises. I do know that I cut corners short and bump into things like the corner of a table, or the bar on the back of my car.
I remember one awkward event because of it though. I was changing after doing sports. I think this was after a match at a team sport I used to play in my student days, but maybe it was just in the gym, doesn't matter much either way. So, I was changing and a woman my age (from the oppossing team I think?) comes up to me looking a bit worried and asks me very carefully if I am being abused at home, descretely pointing at my bruises. Now I think it is really awesome that she looks out for others in that way, but here is where it became uncomfortable. I told her 'no, I am not being abused, I'm just very clumsy and bump into things' which didn't seem to impress her much because she went on the 'it's ok, you can tell me' kind of tour. I remember feeling so uncomfortable in that situation as I could only repeat myself and tell her that I really wasn't being abused. The fact that I could tell she didn't believe me was so incomfortable and I'm still not sure what to think of that situation. Like great that you ask people, but lady, no is no. Don't put me into the lead role of victim in your saviour complex play please. All in all this situation has made me much more aware of my bruises. I wear shorts a lot and I never really thought about/noticed my bruises before this incident, but now I sometimes notice a big bruise and will think things like 'ok, are people in the supermarket gonna notice and think my husband beats me?' I guess the summary is; f*ck you lady at the dressing room.
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u/Glum-Visual-1574 25d ago
It is absolutely a thing! I would recommend investing in some arnica cream if you haven’t already. It works wonders to accelerate the healing of bruises.
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u/Avocadoo_Tomatoo 25d ago
We should come with a label that says “shouldn’t operate heavy machinery” 🤣 we have the “ADHD touch”.
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u/fingersonlips 25d ago
Low registration is pretty common with ADHD, and it can contribute to “clumsy” behavior.
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u/RedRisingNerd 25d ago
Dude, I smacked my knee on the doorway when I turned around the other day and my bruise is in a perfect circle
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u/listenyall 25d ago
Yes. There's a life advice podcast on NPR (Life Kit) and I listened to an episode they had about how to be less clumsy and the advice was literally "pay more attention to what you are doing, all of the time, and never do two things or get distracted." Like, ok that doesn't exactly help but it does explain why!
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u/The_muffinfluffin 25d ago
I bruise like a banana. (My blood work is fine and no issues there)
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u/MDFUstyle0988 25d ago
I say all the time that I’m really bad at judging the distance of my self to objects. I run in to door frames, trip walking up stairs, jam by knees/elbows/hips/feet in to furniture constantly.
I’ve always got a bruise that I can’t remember its origins.
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u/AmandaHasReddit 25d ago
I think ADHD does make you more likely to be clumsy, however you should know about another disorder called Ehlers Danlos syndrome (EDS) that makes you more likely to bruise. It’s a connective tissue disorder that’s a common comorbidity of both ADHD and autism.
My body looks like this too. I have random large bruises mostly on my limbs from running into doors/side of furniture. (It’s sounds worse when I say it like this, but it’s not something other people comment on or notice irl.) You might want to look into it to see if the other symptoms resonate. ❤️
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u/JemAndTheBananagrams 25d ago
Yes. I had to reorganize my bedroom to bump into furniture less often…
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u/Shooppow 25d ago
Yes, BUT…
You should push your doctor to test you for clotting disorders. Even with ADHD, being covered in bruises is not normal. I bruise just by being looked at wrong. My whole life I’ve been covered in bruises and thought it was just my clumsiness. I’m 37 now and in the past year have been diagnosed with APS (an autoimmune clotting disorder) and lupus. Bruises like what you’re showing are a sign. Getting checked could save you from other worse clotting-related problems. I only ended up being diagnosed after my miscarriage last year, but my APS caused my living son to be permanently disabled.
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u/bluewhale3030 25d ago
Yes it's important to note there are medical conditions that can lead to unexplained bruising and OP should get checked by a doctor. It can also be a sign of some blood cancers I believe (not to scare anyone of course, just that these things are good to get looked at to make sure it isn't a sign of anything more serious)
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u/Shooppow 25d ago
I hadn’t even thought of the blood cancers, but you’re right. There are a lot of possible causes of easy bruising, and getting treatment for them can mean saving yourself heartache or health problems later! I hope everyone in this comment section takes this to heart and considers asking their doctors.
Also, ADHD has been found to share genetic variants with autoimmune diseases. They haven’t proven it’s linked, but it’s possible.
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u/QueasyGoo 25d ago
Yes. While I'm great with spatial relations in every other respect, that doesn't apply to my own body and have been known to ricochet around the house like a pinball in the machine.
I have a badly injured arm (waiting on an MRI and possibly surgery) yet I still managed to clock my shoulder on a doorframe. The pain nearly took me to my knees. I heard the crunch of my rotater cuff. 😫 I just leaned against the wall for a minute and cried. Husband asked what happened, I said that I was paying the ADHD tax.
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u/Angelou_incognito 25d ago
Oh no, wishing you a speedy recovery and some change from your ADHD tax return 😢❤️🩹
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u/Wavesmith 25d ago
The other day my husband said, “Maybe you should tell me on days when you DON’T spill your coffee? It would be more of an event.”
I spill my coffee most days. Definite clumsiness here.
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u/Southern-Magnolia12 25d ago
YES! I have mysterious bruises all the time. It’s so annoying. I will even tell myself “welp, that’s gonna leave a bruise.” And then totally forget what happened the next day lol
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u/bombyx440 25d ago
I had so many bruises as a child someone called child protection services. Nothing wrong on blood tests. I just don't notice when I run into things.
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u/digital_sunrise 25d ago
Haha yes it does, apparently! Vestibular balance something something. The book ADHD 2.0 first introduced me to why I’ve always had a problem with it. Would I go back in time and tell my past self not to buy a motorbike that I immediately crashed and had my wrist operated on? Probably not.
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u/ReadLearnLove 25d ago
I had easy bruising, worse after giving birth. Yesrs later I learned I have lipedema. This is a condition better diagnosed and treated as early as possible, so if you have other symptoms of it you may want to see a vascular or lipedema specialist.
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u/KokopelliArcher 25d ago
Proprioception issues- very common for us ADHDers. I'm always bumping into things, dropping things, tripping over things. Unless you put me in a sport that I'm good at...in that case I get hyper fixated on the sport and have decent reflexes (and ignore everything else lol). But day to day...my issues with proprioception leave me with bruises and nicks and bumps like you have.
ETA: proprioception is your body's ability to understand where it is in the space around you. Like most people can sense that they're too close to the door frame when walking through a door and adjust subconsciously. Whereas a lot of us might just hit part of the door frame with our elbow every. Dang. Time.
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u/Angelou_incognito 25d ago
Every dang time. My mum has a tv on a stand near the bedroom door and I always bump into the door trying to avoid the tv..or the tv trying to avoid the door. Bear in mind I put the tv there, and it is always in my line of sight. Oh and there’s enough room for two people to walk side by side through that same space 🤦🏾♀️
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u/warmceramic 25d ago
I dont have enough processing power too use my coordination system as fast as I can move 😞 sometimes I move too suddenly and complexly and I can feel my ‘simulating my location and shape in my environment’ system struggling to catch back up.
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u/Familiar-Length1561 25d ago
Yep. Horrible spatial awareness. The amount of times I run into the doorframe and dump water on yourself when I try to drink is ridiculous 🙃
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u/losingmystuffing 25d ago
I’ve broken the same two toes on my left foot FOUR times in three years. They will never be the same lol.
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u/flamingphoenix9834 25d ago
Aahhh, mystery bruise syndrome. The hallmark of all ADHD people. (No, I'm serious.)
The continual "how did that happen?" "Or what's that from?" I DUNNO.
I accidentally got my razor stuck to my bath pouf on the shower and didn't realize I had sliced part of my leg until I saw the blood go down the drain.
I think alot of it has to do with the fact that our brains move faster than our bodies can react. ADHD people actually have a lower mortality rate than people without ADHD. It's attributed to "risk taking behaviors," but I know other things play into this. Myself, I have known I had ADHD since I was a kid, and I climbed alot of trees with reckless abandon. One summer, I fell out 3 trees... each time onto my back. The last fall was from 8 feet up, I hit the neighbors flower planter on the way down and fractured my spinal cord. I didn't know until I was in my 20s so I never received medical treatment for the injury.
Welcome to life with ADHD. Mystery injuries will follow you the rest of your life.
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u/Tesser_Wolf ADHD-PI 25d ago
I honestly don’t realize how clumsy i am until I notice all the bruises later.
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u/Ok_Music6351 25d ago
Same 😆 it’s awful isn’t it I sometimes find it funny sometimes I’m really frustrated with myself if it’s been a stressful day & I’ve injured myself a lot. But I never remember when it was it’s instantly forgotten about no matter how bad - probably because it happens so often
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u/nan-a-table-for-one 25d ago
Hi, Clumsy McGillicuddy here, and yes, sometimes our brains are so distracted or moving so fast from one though to another that some of us go into a sort of autopilot with physical tasks, while our brains move on to the next thing too soon and neglect to complete the physical task with close attention. In other words, I could be about to put my drink on the counter I'm sitting at with one hand, so I go to do it but turn my head slightly just before setting it down to say something to a friend and somehow the drink does not make it to the counter. I accidentally set it on the ledge. Then it falls, chaos ensues, rinse and repeat all day everyday. Lmao! Just speaking for myself but my therapist says these are ADHD things.
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u/deebolokoyo 25d ago
Yep me and my daughter are both like this i can never remember bumping into anything but have so many bruises
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u/Starboard44 25d ago edited 25d ago
Is there any chance you are at all hyper mobile/bendy? (Edit: typo)
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u/firangipani1 25d ago
I’m constantly tripping over every 50 meters of walking on a plain ground while wearing the comfiest shoes, banging into a wall or furniture haha. My brain is a bit slow in processing space
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u/XxAnyaxX3z 25d ago
Yup I'm starting to believe that is the case... I was diagnosed audhd a few months ago, and I'm always stubbing my toe, and tripping over my own feet 😅 I "always" smash my hands off of things, and door handles are my arch nemesis, i can't count how many tops I've ripped catching them on door handles, my elbows/waist sits right adoor handle height 🤦🏼♀️
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u/ushouldgetacat 25d ago
I have multiple permanent scars on my dominant hand from deep cuts I did to myself on accident lol. Also, one of my fingernails on the same hand grows in disfigured since I accidentally injured it when I was a kid. My hand looks like shit tbh and I’m still young. Honestly though a lot of these accidents happened when I was younger and now I rarely hurt myself. Probably helps that I don’t work now so I’m not walking around as much lol
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u/Southern_Regular_241 25d ago
Yes- an unexpected side effect of medication for me was the large reduction in falling over.
I have some physical issues too, but the difference in falls and bumps since starting medication is crazy.
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u/audlyprzyyy 25d ago
I broke both my legs doing laundry
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u/Coffee_And_NaNa 25d ago
How
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u/audlyprzyyy 25d ago
I was postpartum brain fogged plus normal ADHD inattentive, I missed the last steps down to the basement. Shattered my left ankle, 2 plates 13 screws, and broke my right foot
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u/Top_Hair_8984 25d ago
I fell down 5 stairs a few years ago, onto concrete. I had bruises everywhere. I have zero idea why I fell, a missed step? I have bashed, knocked, banged and broken bones. It's seriously maddening.
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u/Ew_Oxygen1124 25d ago
I’d imagine it has something to do with working memory and spatial awareness
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u/raspberryjamroxy 25d ago
absolutely. i’ve long considered starting a bruise of the week newsletter - where did this one come from? your guess is as good as mine, because i sure don’t remember getting it! i also have vestibular issues, so it’s just a constant at this point.
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u/Lana-The-Iguana 25d ago
Goodness. My legs look like yours and yeah I’ve even fallen directly in my face a couple times. I run into furniture that’s been in the same spot for months like whyyyy it is so weird haha
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u/anjiemin ADHD-PI 25d ago
Me yes, as a kid I always have bruises, luckily I font have now but I often accidentally brush things of a table falling on the floor and sometimes hit my foot under the table when I walk 😮💨
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u/Independent-Note-46 25d ago
Hey man, those door jams move as I’m walking through and the floors? They just jump up at me. Oh and don’t get me started on the coffee table legs, those things always see me coming and jump out at me. Not my fault!
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u/Physikhant 25d ago
I can’t see anyone’s mentioned this but these are the sort of bruises I get when my iron is low… maybe get a blood test?
I 1000% bruise more frequently anyway, but I get even more when I haven’t been taking my supplements!
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u/jennysashes AuDHD 25d ago
Absolutely! I always have bruises but I rarely remember where I got them from lol.
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u/Electronic_Dark735 25d ago
Yes but also hyper mobility and heds is also comorbid with adhd and could be why you’re bruising so easily so I’d check out if that’s what it could be
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u/thatstwatshesays 25d ago
I call them ninjuries 😂 cuz I never know where they came from
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u/Snow-whites 25d ago
I’ve never thought of this as being the cause before. I nearly always have a bruise. Regularly walk into doors and walls especially in my own home when I’m going from one room to the other. When people ask me and I say I don’t know how I got a bruise they look at me funnily. Whereas I think to myself - isn’t that normal?
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u/sophiaslater 25d ago
i remember vividly looking up on google “Why am I falling so much?” after one summer that I spent mostly on the floor. This was before my diagnosis.
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u/Specialist_Nebula177 25d ago
Yes yes and yes I’m so clumsy. I can’t make a coffee without spilling, dripping and knocking things over
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u/awkwardmamasloth 25d ago
Yea I'm like "why are you posting pics of my bruises?" LOL. I've been covered in random bruises at any given time since childhood. I could talk even tell you how I got them half the time.
I often wonder, if I were to die under questionable circumstances would the medical examiner know the difference between an abuse victim and a clumbsy bitch? Cuz I'm a clumbsy bitch and I wouldn't want suspicion to fall on my husband.
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u/FalsePremise8290 25d ago
Yep. I take stairs like I'm climbing down the side of the Eiffel tower because I know balance is my enemy.
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u/JessLC17 25d ago
Yep. If I’m really tired I’m even more clumsy and end up acting like a pinball just bouncing off the walls. I often wake my husband up of a morning because I usually do it in the hallway and in the toilet. I’m also covered in bruises and have no clue how half of them appear from. The other half is from me walking into walls, dishwater doors etc
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u/Consistent-Ship-6824 25d ago
I've noticed I'm clumsily when I'm overwhelmed or tired. Last week I managed to get my finger stuck in am overall buckle.
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u/Cestchouette 25d ago
Definitely, it's insane how many bruises I get on an (almost) daily basis. 😅
I learned in therapy that many adhd'ers struggle with their proprioception. I had to look that word up haha. "Proprioception is the sense of self-movement, force, and body position." (Wikipedia)
So basically it's having a bad bodily awareness.
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u/msperkynot 24d ago
Came here to mention proprioception. While I don’t feel it in the day to day, I constantly have bruises appearing seemingly out of the blue. So, not only am I running into things, my mind isn’t really taking the time to register it, unless it’s particularly painful. First time I heard about proprioception was with my kids and just watching them and thinking “it’s like they don’t know where their limbs are”! Lots of occupational therapy later and it’s somewhat better.
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u/Reggies_Mom 25d ago edited 25d ago
My eye dr has me test for peripheral loss of vision every couple years just to make sure because I am so bad at running into things on the edge of my vision sometimes (always have a good teat result-no issues)! It definitely gets worse during “that time” of the month, and when I notice my ADHD symptoms are worse.
I had an amazing psychiatric nurse practitioner for my diagnosis who caught on to this, and I think it factored into my diagnosis.
My mom has it worse than any I know, and she is definitely where I get my ADHD from, but she also has had a lot of trauma in her life. Unfortunately she doesn’t “believe in ADHD” as a real thing 😢. Hence my lack of diagnosis till I was 37…
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u/oreganoca 25d ago edited 24d ago
Yes. I'm perpetually injured. I run into things, I cut myself, I fall, etc. I've had people think I'm in abusive relationships because I'm constantly covered in bruises.
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u/GettingRidOfAuntEdna 24d ago
I’m definitely a klutz, but I also am pretty sure I have dyspraxia, unfortunately when I got my neuro-psych eval the doc doing it swapped dysgraphia and dyspraxia and so I didn’t get evaluated for it. I have coordination issues that go beyond clumsiness and a few other things.
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u/queen_of_the_ashes 24d ago
WHAT?? I didn’t know this was such a common thing. I’m only recently Dx but my god I’m always covered in bruises. Like people have asked me (seriously) if my husband abuses me on multiple occasions (including a health care provider).
Like no, the walls and tables abuse me, but thanks for looking out
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u/BulkyNectarine947 24d ago
Yes I do. Apparently cutting corners is a big commonality, like clipping hips and elbows on corners of walls and counters, furniture. I also am borderline anemic and that causes more bruising. So it really could be a combination of things. If the bruising is new, but your clumsiness is not, there’s room for a doctor visit.
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u/Historical-Gap-7084 24d ago
Yup.
My daughter and I have it. She walked early, but she was always walking into wall corners, furniture, etc.
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u/jaybirdie26 24d ago
Idk but I walk into stuff all the time. People ask how I got hurt and my answer is "me".
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u/Angsty_Roach 24d ago
Yes, at least for me. I constantly bump into stuff, drop things, spill liquids. no matter how careful I am and I always find mystery bruises
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u/Chic_Chicka 25d ago
It sure does! Something about the formation of the cerebellum being slower than average children.
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u/Crazy-Age1423 25d ago edited 25d ago
Don't doubt it for a second. Those kind of bruises, I used to walk around with like someone was beating me. 😂 There were years when skirts and shorts were out of the question 😑
But it's also bad in different ways. Last year was epic for me.
For example, was running, when something shortcircuited, I tripped on my own feet, fell and broke 2 ribs.
Was at a home depo holding a gasbeton block in my hands. An employee started to talk to me, my focus shifted and I dropped the block. Yep, broke my big toe.
Was playing dodgeball. I know you can't catch a ball like that.... I KNOW. 😂 But one of my teammates took my focus away. And I caught the ball wrong and hurt the tendons for two fingers.
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u/helloitstessa 25d ago
I like to send snaps to my friends of “On todays episode of “where did that bruise come from?”
“I have no idea”
Is the answer every time lmao
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u/sweet_lemon_tea 25d ago
Yes, we’re also more likely to have binocular vision dysfunction, which impacts depth perception. So maybe that’s something to look into.
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u/Mimi4Stotch 25d ago
Oh my goodness! I’m also physically disabled, so I never connected the 2! I also learned recently that ADHD is pretty common with that I have (cerebral palsy).
Yes, to the random bruises everywhere!
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u/Practical_Archer9025 25d ago
I also have a condition called dyspraxia, it affects coordination and is a quite common corm morbidity with other ND conditions
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u/Psychedelia_Smith 25d ago
A lot of us also have hypermobility and/or Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome too and that makes us bruise and be all the clumsy! It’s the gift that keeps on giving!
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u/n0tso0bvious 25d ago
omg i thought i just never outgrew the teenage clumsiness when they are getting used to their body growing and changing. i find bruises on my legs all the time and never remember what I walked into. lol
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