[sillycorn]

I tried using some fiddling stuff in past around people, it seems to annoy them.

But yeah, having this diagnosis was a relief in a way, it answered the unknown to me.

I'm still learning on how to cope with it, but definitely some helpful suggestions thanks.

[_boffin_]

When I do it, it’s always off camera. If I’m in person, depending who I’m around, if it’s close friends, I’ll just take it out and mess around with it. If not close friends, that’s where the fight comes in.

I had a professor once who I confessed to that I’ve read a paragraph more than 20 times and I don’t remember any of it, even after I just finished reading it. It was in a subject that didn’t interest me too much, and yeah, since I didn’t care too much about it, it was a damn fight to even sit there and get myself through that paragraph, let alone, remember it as there’s a battle going on in my head for attention.

The thing he said to me is something I’ll never forget, and that is, “when you’re going through that material that doesn’t interest you that much or at all, try and find figure out why the author of it found it so interesting. Why did the author spend their time and energy to research and publish this material? Look at it through their eyes and find their interest.” That reframing of how I go about reading has helped me more than almost anything else has.

Find ways to cope, reframe, and understand what feelings lead to what levels of inattention, anxiety, frustrations, etc…

[freedomben]

Yeah, the annoyance to others is a big thing. I've had success getting stuff that is quiet and sits in my pocket. If you search on Amazon for ADHD fidget toys for adults, you'll find quite a few options. The one that works the best for me, is a little brass cube that has gears on each side. You can spin the gears easily in your pocket without looking , and it is completely noiseless. I also use it during video meetings where I can hold it off camera.

Whatever you do, when you are in front of people, don't pick something that makes noise :-) it will annoy almost everyone, but very few people are willing to tell you.