Who knew that getting a tattoo would change the way I checked the time for the rest of my life?

What is object permanence and what does it mean for ADHD?

As defined by WebMD, object permanence is the ability to acknowledge that an object or person still exists even if they are out of sight and silent. Someone without object permanence issues can put an object in a drawer, and both remember it exists and be able to locate it even though it is hidden from view. ADHD brains cannot do this. For ADHDers, when an object (or person) of cognizance is out of sight, it is erased from the brain until it is seen or spoken about. Out of sight, out of mind. Now you know, and now you can take the power back.

Tattoos in Greece

A great example of ADHD and its link to object permanence is the story of me and my friends getting tattoos in Greece. One thing about tattoos is you can’t swim for a couple of weeks after getting one. So, we waited until our last night by the ocean to seal the deal. I had been drawing the tattoo I wanted for a few months by then. It had a lot of meaning to me, and I found the perfect spot for it. My perfect new tattoo was a small triangle below my watch on my left wrist. At the tattoo parlor, we told the artists what designs we wanted and where we wanted them. Since mine was on my wrist, I had to take my bracelets and watch off to clear the working space.

With an empty wrist, I showed the artist where I wanted my triangle to live, and he zapped away. I was so in love with my tattoo when it was finished. It wasn’t until I put my things back on my wrist that I realized my tattoo was completely covered by my watch! With my watch out of sight, I completely forgot it existed, even though I wore it every single day. I left Greece not only with permanent ink but with a lasting reminder of just how ADHD I am. Despite it all, I loved that triangle so much that I haven’t worn a watch since.

Object Permanence and ADHD

This deficiency in object permanence is different from the inability to locate a lost possession. Everyone can find themselves misplacing things from time to time in our distracted world. A faulty operation of object permanence can make some things difficult for ADHDers. Having an awareness of this reality is an empowering shift. Knowing that your ADHD brain won’t remember to take meds or vitamins if they are hidden from your typical line of sight can help you place them in a better spot. The same goes for other patterns you may find yourself in in your ADHD world.

Having dedicated landing points for important smaller objects like keys, sunglasses, and wallets will make it seamless for you to put them where they belong and remember where to look for them when you need them. It is also helpful to keep a habit of a clean space, even though this is against the ADHD instinct. A clean space inspires you to put your belongings away rather than where is convenient, which leads to an easier time finding them when they are needed again. I hope this new object permanence knowledge will ease the relationships you have with objects.

I hope this post was helpful to you! Share it with someone who could benefit from learning about object permanence.