Living with ADHD is unique, and those that have ADHD may have habits or behaviors that can seem unrelated to the ADHD itself, but are actually directly connected to it.
For example, many people with ADHD report that they love to rewatch shows and movies that they’ve seen many, many times in the past. In fact, not only do they enjoy watching shows they’ve seen, but they may find comfort in shows and movies from their youth – even if their current age range far exceeds the audience the movie was made for.
Why would ADHD be linked to the desire to rewatch TV and movies that they’ve seen many times in the past?
It actually makes quite a bit of sense:
- New Shows Are Mentally Challenging – When you struggle with attention, trying to focus your attention on something new can be immensely difficult, even exhausting. Old shows and old movies require much less processing and attention.
- New Details Emerge – When you struggle with ADHD, you might have a difficult time noticing (or remembering and processing) every detail of the movie. Every time you rewatch it, you may have new questions or spot something new, helping the movie feel like it’s not a chore to rewatch it.
- Familiarity is Safe – When something is familiar, predictable, and easy to follow (because you’ve seen it so many times before), it can feel much safer for someone with ADHD. Many people with ADHD do not like discomfort, and a movie that they’ve seen before is something unlikely to cause them discomfort.
- Finding New Shows is Hard – Even if someone with ADHD wants to find a new show, they’re more likely to be picky about what to watch. But, since many of them also struggle with decision making and do not necessarily have the attention span to read synopses and reviews, how are they to find a show that they might like and sit through?
As you look at behaviors around television shows and movies, it becomes much easier to understand why someone with ADHD may not be comfortable with the idea of engaging in something “new” – not when the familiar is so much easier to manage, and helps them avoid some of the challenges their ADHD causes.
If you would like help understanding your ADHD or the ADHD of someone you love, please reach out to ADHD Training Center, today.