Upcycling allows me to keep alive - albeit in a cannibalized form - previous projects that I’ve long abandoned. Can I turn those old ceiling fans into giant flowers for house décor? Other times, I start out with an idea and hunt down the pieces to complete it. Sometimes I start with an item that is begging to become something else. (I don’t have to rely as much on virtual shopping carts and same-day delivery for dopamine hits.) Thrift and scrap-reuse stores are playgrounds for my brain, which treats the array of second-hand items like puzzles. Upcycling and reusing still allow me to follow my creative spark, but with less waste and less of a dent in my wallet. Why Upcycling Is a Must for My ADHD Obsessive Interests My solution to avoid buyer’s remorse and shame while in pursuit of my obsessions? Upcycling. The act of spending money can be as big a dopamine rush as the items we order. (Just one of many examples of the “ ADHD tax” at work.) The two kayaks I bought last summer - and proceeded to use exactly once - come to mind. Or the fancy cocktails and s’mores collections that reside next to the healthy-eating board.Ī problem for a lot of us with ADHD is the cost involved in our short-lived obsessions. Some are more fleeting, like the time I figured I could use the collection of empty toilet paper rolls in my bathroom to make…something. Some interests come and go in an identifiable pattern, like summer gardens, Halloween costumes, and birthday parties. And you can wash, rinse, and repeat for the pressure cooker and, more recently, the air fryer. There are the million recipes for the mini blender I was sure would save my sanity. My Pinterest boards are a graveyard of hobbies and projects that have come and gone in a frenzy of dopamine-laden hyperfocus. My whole existence sometimes feels centered on flitting from one interest to another.
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