Expert explains what ‘tossing’ is and how it could be a sign that you have ADHD

An expert has revealed what 'tossing' is, how it could be linked to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and what you can do to stop it.

The beauty of the modern age is just how much knowledge and information we can take in over a single day, all thanks to social media and the internet.

But sometimes, it's hard to keep up, with words such as 'tossing' coming into play recently and no, it's nothing sexual so get your mind out of the gutter.

What actually is 'tossing'?

It's all to do with a TikTok trend that went viral, something to do with the DOOM pile, with the acronym standing for 'didn't organise, only moved', and more people had it than you'd think.

Do you have a DOOM pile? (Getty Stock Photo)

A DOOM pile could consist of receipts and bills, or just general clutter that you've procrastinated putting away - the possibilities are endless.

But it looks like there may be a link between this and people with ADHD, who can easily get overwhelmed with things around them piling up, and it results in one thing: Tossing.

It essentially means what it says, you end up throwing everything out, tossing it in the rubbish without going through it and doing what you need to do.

What do the experts say?

Author and ADHD advocate and educator, Cate Osborn, has admitted that she too has 'tossed' in the past. She explained: “I do know what it’s like to be so completely overwhelmed that it’s easier to say ‘you know what, I don’t need any of this’ and just throw everything away.”

The podcast host admitted that she struggles with task prioritisation and time management, adding that when she does get to organising it, she has choice paralysis, asking questions like: “What should I keep? What if I need it? What if it’s useful later on.”

Putting off a task over and over again could be a sign of ADHD. (Getty Stock Photo)

“It absolutely makes sense that a person with ADHD would get overwhelmed and say, ‘I don’t have the time, space or energy to go through this process, I’m just going to toss the entire box and be free of the clutter,’” Osborn admitted.

Madison Perry, a psychologist, compares it to opening numerous internet browsers at once, saying: “Similarly, people with ADHD have too many mental tabs open at once,

“They can become overwhelmed and have to find a way to exit out of a tab or two. Throwing something away takes maintaining that item or finding its rightful storage space off of the overwhelming to-do list,” she revealed, later highlighting that it's important to avoid accidentally throwing away important items.

Tossing is linked to executive dysfunction, which is a behavioural symptom that interferes with ADHD-ers abilities to start tasks and understand what's required to complete them, according to American psychotherapist Oliver Drakeford.

He explained to Huffington Post: “It’s not just impulsive decluttering; for many people with ADHD, it’s an automatic, reactive behaviour that helps people avoid feelings of uncertainty, anxiety and overwhelm that arises when the brain is overstimulated by a big pile of clutter or mess.”

If this is a familiar sight, you might want to adopt the two-minute rule. (Getty Stock Photo)

Drakeford says that it can be linked with experiential avoidance, which are basically attempts to avoid thoughts, feelings, memories, physical sensations and other internal experiences in the short-term, possibly causing a bigger problem in the long-term.

He continued: “For example, rather than uncertainty and anxiety generated when you look at the pile of letters and bills that have accumulated, you avoid ― hopefully momentarily ― but throwing them all in a draw until you’re ready to look through them one by one.

“In the long run, tossing doesn’t really help develop distress tolerance for these uncomfortable feelings, nor does it help develop healthier ADHD management skills,” he concluded.

But how do you resist the urge to 'toss'?

Well firstly, it's important to give some thought to why you 'toss', and if it's linked to your emotional state.

Next, don't be afraid to throw things away that should be gotten rid of, and to take ownership of your space.

For ADHD-ers, try the 10 Things game, where instead of dealing with all the items from your DOOM pile at once, start with 10, as small tasks often feel more manageable.

You'll also want to have a 'two-minute rule', where if something takes you less than two minutes to complete, do it now to avoid putting things off.

Finally, it's crucial to be kind to yourself, stop putting yourself down and be productive with your comments. Don't let the DOOM pile win!