My Study, a study in Doom Piles.

Summary

The article discusses the concept of "doom piles," cluttered accumulations of personal items that are a common consequence of living with ADHD, reflecting the author's personal struggle with organization and the dichotomy between the desire for order and the tendency to create chaos.

Abstract

"My Study, a study in Doom Piles" by John Rollason delves into the phenomenon of "doom piles," which are chaotic accumulations of belongings that tend to form in the homes of individuals with ADHD. These piles are characterized by a mix of dust, fur, and items that have been abandoned mid-project or haphazardly organized during brief bursts of energy and clarity. The author humorously likens the layers of these piles to an archaeological dig, revealing insights into the owner's interests and activities over time. The article highlights the internal conflict between the author's autistic inclination towards order and routine and the ADHD-driven impulse to start new projects and reorganize, often leading to unfinished endeavors and a cycle of creating and living amidst clutter. Despite the chaos, there is an optimistic belief that with better organization and routine, the author could complete projects and achieve goals.

Opinions

The author suggests that doom piles are a recognizable and relatable issue for those familiar with ADHD, symbolizing the challenges of maintaining order amidst the whirlwind of ADHD tendencies.
There is a humorous yet insightful comparison of the author's study to an archaeological site, with each layer of clutter telling a story about the inhabitant's life and interests.
The article conveys a sense of self-awareness and frustration with the cyclical nature of attempting to organize, only to create more clutter in the process.
The author expresses a desire for a better balance between the autistic preference for order and the ADHD inclination to explore new interests and reorganize, acknowledging the potential for achieving goals if this balance could be struck.
There is an underlying optimism that despite the challenges, it is possible to return to and complete old projects, suggesting that past endeavors are not forgotten and there is hope for future organization and productivity.

My Study, a study in Doom Piles.

Doom piles are one of those things that if you know, you know. You know because various mounds of personal belongings have somehow managed to congregate together in different areas, probably in more than one room. They invariable have a level of dust, and if you have pets that shed, a level of dust and fur, that more or less equates to the last time things were added to the pile.

Archaeologists could sift through the layers, revealing much about the civilisation that lived there. They would pull out an item and declare ‘I believe the people who lived here were part of the IT tribe of the early two-thousands’ as they wave a CD-ROM with Windows NT 4.0 printed on it. Another might state that ‘these were intelligent people who acquired the knowledge of others’ as book after book is carefully excavated from a different pile.

To those fortunate enough to be unaware, doom piles are an untidy consequence of having ADHD.

They, for me anyway, often come about because I’ll start a ‘project’ (hobby) get really invested in it and then drop it suddenly, as if I might catch something. Another different but actually very similar source of doom piles is when I get the energy to do something, and cleaning and tidying is what I decide to do. The ‘energy’ is actually my mental fog lifting, allowing me to see a way forward. However, in my newfound clarity I see the horizon and run straight at it. I set about tidying, and cleaning as I go, I tackle too much in one go. I don’t take breaks, I don’t eat. As I only get to do this once in a while, I go full tilt. Many hours later I have to stop. Instead of tidying things away, I have more than likely, tidied things into groups, to be put away. I have created doom piles.

The Autistic side of me loves order, routine, tidiness. The ADHD side of me loves to try new things. It isn’t necessarily opposed to order, but it is sure that there is a better order to be achieved. It will take the current order and try to improve upon it, getting better ideas as it goes. When it becomes bored or frustrated it finds something else to do. Maybe it might try to improve my routine for me.

So, I hate living in chaos, but I create chaos. It’s less Yin and Yang, more political swing. As my driving force lurches from one political extreme to the other, each insisting their way is better for everyone, undoing the ‘mess the other party made of things’ and forging ahead with their own agenda.

As you can see, my Study is a doom pile of doom piles. The two drawers used to be part of my desk. They were removed, along with their supports, so my new chair, which is under a pile itself, could slide under the desk, so it would be out of my way.

The wood supports are leaning against the bedside table which is pretending to be a printer stand. The ‘classic’ bookstand hiding in the corner, does admittedly have some books on it, but also CDs, DVDs, old computers, parts, box files, and wires, lots of wires.

In the corner with the two, still full, desk drawers, something is staring back at me, and staring somewhat accusatorily. It is the combination of a metal garden light, with its light section replaced with a 4G CCTV camera. It was also part of a project. It knows what I have done and planned to do but didn’t finish.

I’d argue that I haven’t finished it yet. I know, intellectually, that the chances of finishing something decreases the longer the gap since being involved is. I cling to those rare occurrences when I have returned to and finished something started months or years ago. I know that if I could just get organised, set a routine, I could accomplish anything I set my mind to.

“What was that?” ADHD asks. “I could help with that…”

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