The Life-Changing Magic of Pre-Sliced Watermelon for the ADHD Brain
One of the approximately 874 things that suddenly made sense to me after getting my ADHD diagnosis as an adult was finally understanding why the actual hell I couldn’t muster up the motivation to cut a damn watermelon if my life depended on it. If you’re wondering what cutting up a watermelon has to do with untreated ADHD, pull up a chair and prepare to be dazzled.
For my entire adult life, I displayed an uncanny ability to leave watermelons on my kitchen counter until they spoiled. I didn’t do this because I was a lazy, wasteful, irresponsible person (the things I used to tell myself). It was because every time my brain looked at that watermelon it saw so much more than a watermelon - it shut that shit down and told me there was no way I was cutting up that watermelon because it required way too damn much executive functioning power (*NERD ALERT - the part of the brain that is responsible for executive function tasks such as planning, organizing, sequencing, prioritizing - and cutting up watermelon - doesn’t exactly function super great for those of us who live with ADHD - click here to learn more).
Let me paint a picture for you…when my fabulously neurospicy brain sees the watermelon on the counter, it sees each and every detail involved in cutting it up. Here’s a glimpse into the inner workings of my brain when it sees a lone watermelon hanging out on my kitchen counter…
Get out the cutting board. Find a knife - oh shit! I forgot to wash the knives last night so that means I need to wash one. By hand. Nofuckingthankyou. Then I need to cut that big sucker in half. Then I need to chop it into smaller pieces. Dammit! Where’s the trash can? I need to throw the green part away. And… of course the trash can is full and can’t possibly take one more thing. Guess I’m taking out the trash now. After I take the trash out, I return to the cutting board (after washing my hands, of course).
Pretty soon there are so many watermelon chunks there’s no more room on my cutting board. And wouldn’t ya know…I forgot to get out a tupperware. Grab a tupperware. Fill it with said watermelon chunks. Shit. No lids - why can I never find a tupperware lid?! Anxiety and frustration abound…the inner dialogue in my head is in hypercritical mode - “Oh my gosh…you’re the actual worst. You have a master’s degree and you can’t even wash your dishes like a normal person. You’re overwhelmed and about to lose your everloving shit because you have to cut a watermelon. Seriously? Get it together, Sera.”
Folks, we still have half a fucking watermelon to cut. At this point I’m just ready to chuck the whole thing in the frickin’ trash.
If you’re wondering where I found the composure to cook dinner or keep my kids on task for their chores that night, the answer is - I didn’t find it. Did I mention ADHD brains also struggle with regulating emotions and often have bigger emotional reactions than their non-neurospicy counterparts?
Getting an official ADHD diagnosis is what I needed to give myself permission to buy pre-sliced watermelon from the grocery store guilt-free. It turns out I wasn’t wasting money. I wasn’t lazy. I wasn’t irresponsible. I was a woman with a brain on overload who deserved to have more self-compassion and less shame and guilt when it came to cutting up a watermelon. I recognized that my brain didn’t function the way I wished it would. My diagnosis turned this struggle from a perceived character flaw to a symptom that needed support.
There’s freedom in understanding yourself, understanding your brain and embracing self-compassion, and it can really, really help to have someone else there to support you along the way. You don’t have to figure it out alone, and it is totally possible to find more peace in that brain of yours.
Wondering if you might have ADHD? Or maybe you have ADHD and you’re ready to see what life might like if you had less guilt and shame and more self-compassion? If you’re wondering if therapy for ADHD can help you undo the shame spiral and figure out ways to support your ADHD brain, let’s talk. I offer free 15-minute consultations (click here to schedule one at a time that works for you) and I’d love to hear from you!
Sera Gray is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Arizona. As a neurodivergent therapist with ADHD, she is passionate about providing neurodivergent-affirming care to Highly Sensitive People (HSP) and adults with ADHD and trauma. When she’s not in therapy sessions she can be found with her nose in a book, hanging out in the forest or spending time with her family. Click here to learn more about Sera and here to schedule a free consultation.