Eye-opening simulation shows what it's really like to live with ADHD
An ADHD simulation video is making people with the neurodevelopmental condition feel very heard as more and more people think they have it.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often causes a lack of concentration, high energy levels and forgetfulness, with symptoms usually presenting themselves in childhood, according to the NHS.
However, more people are reporting symptoms as adults, with a 4.2 per cent increase in ADHD diagnoses in the UK from 2014 to 2023/24.
Symptoms include having problems with impulsiveness, feeling restless, focusing and completing tasks, following instructions, organisation and time management.
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Canada-based content creator Olivia Lutfallah says she was diagnosed with ADHD when she was about seven years old.
A video posted on her YouTube channel simulates how a simple task can become very complicated.
Olivia starts out by trying to get something to eat and clean the kitchen, but repeatedly encounters distractions and additional tasks.
While trying to do the dishes, she discovers the dishwasher was never turned on.
The influencer then feels the need to dry the rack, but the counter must be cleared before they can use it.
Clearing the counter leads her to notice the messy cabinets, which prompts a new task of cleaning them out.
The simulation also includes negative internal thoughts, such as calling herself irresponsible when she cannot find something or forget a task.
This adds frustration and stress to an already growing mental workload.
By the end, the original task of simply cleaning the kitchen has turned into about seven interconnected tasks.
"This made me cry, thinking, wait…everyone else doesn’t think about a million things at once too," one viewer commented.
"I actually CRIED watching this. I REALLY wish people without ADHD would see this so they’d understand what we go through," another penned.
"7 tasks and you don't know which one to start with. I feel you," someone else said.
Growing up, she often felt misunderstood because people did not always understand how ADHD affected her.
One teacher refused to give her extra time for assignments because Olivia had good grades.
She explained that ADHD did not affect her intelligence - it made it harder to organise, focus on, and complete tasks.
“And she said, ‘well, I’m a teacher. I took these courses. I know what that stands for’. And I said, ‘I know you think you know what that stands for, but I don’t think you know what it means’,” Olivia told Upworthy.
Eventually Olivia’s teacher apologized and told her: “Thank you for educating me. So I don’t make that mistake again.”
By the time she got into college and began studying biology, Olivia wasn't satisfied with the weak grasp people have on ADHD - so she launched a TikTok page completely dedicated to the subject.
Her goal is to educate people, reduce stigma and to encourage greater compassion for people with ADHD.
Anish Vij