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Do you ever feel like your mind is constantly running a marathon with no finish line in sight? It’s like there’s always something to think about, something to solve, something to fix. My brain doesn’t come with an off switch—believe me, I’ve searched for it. Instead, it’s a relentless machine, whirring with thoughts about everything from the monumental to the mundane.

Take this for example: Someone I care about is fighting a personal battle, and I feel an overwhelming need to figure out how to help. My mind cycles through scenarios, potential solutions, and contingency plans, even as I try to focus on other tasks. But I can’t focus, because then I remember the laundry—did I swap it out? And what about the car? Did I get the oil changed? How many miles am I over?

It feels like there’s a never-ending list of things that need my attention, my energy, my brainpower. This cycle of thoughts is relentless, and for someone with ADHD or anxiety, it can be utterly exhausting. I lie in bed at night, knowing that I should be resting, but my brain has other plans. I think about what I didn’t accomplish today, what I have to do tomorrow, and all the ways I feel like I’m falling short.

Do you lose sleep over this too? Do you find yourself overeating, trying to compensate for the failures that seem to pile up as the hours tick by? It’s like the world’s problems are my problems, and even though I know I can’t solve them all, I’m still going to try. Maybe not today, but definitely in about two hours when I wake up from a dead sleep and start the whole cycle all over again.

The Impact of Constant Mental Overload

I wish I had the answers to this overwhelming mental overload, but I don’t. However, statistics paint a pretty clear picture of what many of us are going through. Research shows that chronic stress and anxiety can lead to significant health issues, both physical and mental. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), anxiety disorders affect 40 million adults in the United States every year. That’s 18.1% of the population, and many of these individuals, like me, find it nearly impossible to shut their brains off.

When you combine anxiety with ADHD, the impact on daily life can be even more pronounced. The ADHD Awareness Month Coalition reports that around 4.4% of adults in the U.S. have ADHD, and many of them experience symptoms that include not only difficulties with attention but also problems with sleep and an increased likelihood of developing anxiety.

These constant thoughts don’t just steal sleep—they rob us of peace, leaving us in a state of perpetual alertness. This hyperactive brain state can lead to a vicious cycle where the lack of sleep exacerbates anxiety, which in turn makes it even harder to sleep. The National Sleep Foundation found that people with insomnia are ten times more likely to have clinical depression and 17 times more likely to have clinical anxiety than those who sleep well.

The Unanswered Questions

So here I am, armed with all these statistics, but still without the answers I need. Now I find myself wondering when and how to use these findings. How do I apply them to my own life? How do I make these statistics more than just numbers and actually find a way to quiet my mind? And, of course, now I need to figure this out—which will likely mean losing even more sleep as I overthink it all.

I wish I could say I have a solution, but I don’t. What I do know is that I’m not alone in this struggle, and neither are you. We’re all in this together, trying to navigate the constant hum of thoughts that refuse to be silenced. Maybe we can’t solve the world’s problems today—or even tomorrow—but we can take it one step at a time, knowing that it’s okay to pause, breathe, and take care of ourselves in the process.

References

1. Anxiety and Depression Association of America. “Facts & Statistics.” Retrieved from adaa.org

2. ADHD Awareness Month Coalition. “ADHD Statistics.” Retrieved from adhdawarenessmonth.org

3. National Sleep Foundation. “Sleep and Mental Health.” Retrieved from sleepfoundation.org