I’m Elena Thompson, and I’m excited to join ADHD Focus Founders. I’ve been navigating life with ADHD for years.. I also live with TINNITUS, which has taught me a lot about managing distractions, creating routines, and being patient with myself. I love exploring strategies for productivity, mindfulness, and balancing work with life. When I’m not working on projects or learning new focus strategies, I spend time with my three dogs, read, journal, or listen to music. I’m here to learn, share, and grow alongside all of you, and I’d love to hear what tools help you focus, what keeps you motivated, or even small wins you’ve had lately. Looking forward to connecting with everyone!

I often read that people with ADHD are triggered by certain human-made noises, usually smacking or slurping. I always thought I was some kind of exception. I don’t love those sounds, but they don’t send me into instant overload. That almost has to be true. My partner is obese, so I regularly hear loud breathing, slurping, and a whole collection of other very human noises. If I couldn’t filter those out, we simply couldn’t be together. As a child, though, sound already carried emotional weight. I remember my mom scolding me once for smacking while eating. I was angry because I was sure I wasn’t doing it. I concentrated as hard as I could, chewing carefully, trying to be completely silent. She told me I was still smacking. I ran from the table in tears, confused and ashamed, unsure how to fix something I couldn’t hear myself doing. 🏪 Yesterday... something happened. I was in the supermarket when I heard it. An elderly lady leaning heavily on her shopping cart, moving slowly through the store while constantly shuffling her feet. Shhh. Shhh. Shhh. The sound hit my brain like a red alert. Every step landed directly on my nerves. I tried to escape by rushing through the supermarket, but somehow the magical elderly lady stayed right behind me. She was leaning on a shopping cart. I had only a small basket. Physics should have been on my side, and yet there she was, shuffling steadily in my wake. Shhh. Shhh. Shhh... I’m fairly certain she helped me set a new personal speed record in that store. All powered by one noise my ADHD brain simply refused to filter out. 😁 What's your triggering noise?