illustrates the lesser-known, dark side of ADHD. I like to describe the feeling of ADHD as a TV or radio constantly playing and suddenly switching channels without notice. My video essay illustrates how my mind jumps from one interest to another. However, this lack of control over my thoughts leads to anxiety and unwanted, intrusive thoughts that affect my self-esteem and my comfort level in situations. The switch from one train of thought to the other is sudden and can be triggered by even the most minor thing, like someone mentioning something I did wrong once. The immediate shift in my brain’s train of thought can be jarring and take me out of the present moment, having to divert all my mental energy into becoming present and functional again.

In my piece, I use disorienting cuts, harsh audio, and fast-paced editing to create an overwhelming feeling of mental noise and emotional whiplash. I include many moving visual aspects that catch the viewer's eye to replicate the way my ADHD brain struggles to sort through relevant and irrelevant stimuli. I also included sudden moments of silence and stillness, contrasted with sudden moments of noise and chaos, to illustrate how jarring a sudden change in thought pattern is. The sound design is one of the most crucial factors of the piece. The overlapping voices, rising tension, and distorted background noise reflect the internal chaos within my ADHD brain.

This project is another step in my fight to spread ADHD awareness and help others like myself who misunderstand ADHD as just being easily distracted or hyperactive. Learning about all the additional mental battles that come with ADHD changed my life. It is only my hope that I can change others’ lives too.