ADHD and Investing: My Brain vs. My Bank Account
The Allure of the Shiny New Investment Object
Okay, so, full disclosure here. I have ADHD. And honestly? It makes investing…interesting. I think “challenging” is the polite word, but sometimes it feels more like a full-blown disaster movie starring my bank account. I mean, who hasn’t been captivated by the next big thing? Crypto! NFTs! That meme stock that’s totally going to the moon, right? My brain loves shiny new things. Especially if they promise to make me rich quick. The problem? My attention span can be shorter than a TikTok video, which is not exactly ideal when you’re trying to make informed financial decisions.
It’s kind of like being a moth to a flame. I see the potential, the excitement, the sheer *possibility* of something amazing, and I just have to jump in. And then, like, two weeks later, I’m onto the next thing, leaving the original investment to…do whatever it’s doing. Probably losing money. Which brings me to my first major ADHD investing mistake: chasing trends without doing my homework. I figured I could skim a few articles and that was good enough. Nope.
My First Investing Disaster: Meme Stocks and FOMO
Remember the meme stock craze? Yeah, I jumped right on that bandwagon. I mean, everyone was talking about it! It felt like missing out on the biggest party ever if you weren’t in on the action. I remember specifically, I put a chunk of change into one particular stock that shall remain nameless (because the shame is still real), based entirely on a Reddit thread and the general feeling of…exuberance. Honestly, I barely understood what the company even *did*. I just saw dollar signs and assumed it was going to keep going up. Spoiler alert: It didn’t.
It plummeted. And I panicked. Sold everything. Took a massive loss. And then, to add insult to injury, watched it rebound slightly a few weeks later. Ugh, what a mess! Looking back, it’s clear that my ADHD brain was completely in charge. The fear of missing out (FOMO) was overwhelming, the impulse control was non-existent, and the research? Well, let’s just say it was…minimal. It taught me a valuable lesson, though, a lesson I seem to need to relearn every so often: Investing based on hype is a terrible, terrible idea. Who knew, right?
The Hyperfocus Advantage (Sometimes)
Okay, it’s not all doom and gloom. ADHD can actually be a superpower when it comes to investing, sometimes. The hyperfocus, when channeled correctly, can be amazing. I’ve found myself spending hours, I mean *hours*, researching a particular company or industry. Diving deep into financial statements, reading analyst reports, and basically becoming an expert on whatever it is I’m interested in. But this only works if I’m truly, genuinely engaged. If it’s something I find boring or tedious? Forget about it. My brain will wander off to, like, planning my next snack or researching the history of staplers.
Funny thing is, I actually did pretty well with a renewable energy company a few years ago because I became obsessed with learning about solar panel technology. I think I stayed up until 3 a.m. one night comparing different types of solar cells. It was…intense. I made a pretty decent profit, but I also burned myself out completely. Which leads to another ADHD investing problem: sustainability. Can I keep this up? Probably not.
Staying the Course: A Constant Battle
One of the biggest challenges for me is sticking to a long-term investment strategy. My brain is constantly craving novelty, excitement, and instant gratification. This makes it really hard to resist the urge to constantly tinker with my portfolio, chasing short-term gains or panicking at the slightest dip in the market. It’s kind of like trying to run a marathon while also simultaneously trying to play a game of Whac-A-Mole. Exhausting.
I tried setting up automatic investments into index funds, thinking that would solve everything. And it helped, somewhat. But even then, I found myself checking the performance multiple times a day, obsessing over tiny fluctuations, and generally driving myself crazy. I finally had to block myself from accessing my brokerage account during certain hours of the day. Seriously. If you’re as curious as I was, you might want to dig into behavioral economics. It explains so much.
Tools and Strategies That (Sometimes) Work
So, what’s a scatterbrained, impulse-driven investor to do? Well, I’ve been experimenting with a few different strategies to try and manage my ADHD tendencies. One thing that’s helped is setting really specific goals. Instead of just saying “I want to be rich,” I try to define exactly what I want my money to do for me, whether it’s buying a house, traveling the world, or retiring early. Having a clear goal in mind helps me stay focused and resist the urge to make impulsive decisions.
Another thing is building a “boring” portfolio. Lots of index funds and ETFs, diversified across different asset classes. It’s not exactly thrilling, but it’s a lot less stressful than trying to pick individual stocks. I also use an app that sends me daily summaries of my portfolio performance, but only at a specific time of day. This prevents me from constantly checking and obsessing.
And finally, I’ve started working with a financial advisor. I know, I know, it sounds expensive. But honestly, it’s been worth every penny. Having someone to talk to, who can provide objective advice and keep me from making rash decisions, has been invaluable. They basically act as my ADHD investing babysitter.
Accepting the Imperfection
The truth is, I’m never going to be a perfect investor. My ADHD brain will always be a little bit chaotic, a little bit impulsive, and a little bit distracted. But that’s okay. I’ve learned to accept my imperfections and work with them, rather than against them. I still make mistakes. I still get tempted by shiny new investment objects. But I’m also learning to be more mindful, more patient, and more disciplined. It’s a journey, not a destination. And hey, at least it’s never boring.
I totally messed up by selling too early in 2023, when I let my emotions take over. It was a huge learning experience, even though it was painful at the time. Now, I try to take a deep breath and remember my long-term goals before making any big decisions.
So, What’s Next?
Honestly, who even knows what’s next? The market is unpredictable, my brain is unpredictable, and the combination of the two is, well, exceptionally unpredictable. But I’m committed to continuing to learn, to adapt, and to manage my ADHD tendencies as best as I can. And maybe, just maybe, one day I’ll actually become a responsible, financially stable adult. Or maybe I’ll just keep chasing meme stocks and hoping for the best. Only time will tell. But at least I’ll have a good story to tell, right?
