How do people switch off?

This is one of the things I felt was most misunderstood when I was accessing mental health services. It's really hard but my perspective and experience some things take the edge off - listening to music  (soothing to slow down or high tempo to override the brain), walking (longer than one hour as it can take that long for the brain to start to slow), and importantly, being in the right environment. Seek out pleasing sensory activities. Lastly meditation - you CAN train your brain. Each time you bring your thoughts back to your breathing you are strengthening something in the grey matter.  My experience is, sometimes the brain is so overactive, I haven't actually meditated, but the intention is there. It is not a magic wand but if you are consistent you will start to see something change. I also accept - this is how I'm wired. If it's not one thought it's another. But yes it's exhausting. 

See I've tried doing the breathing techniques but my ADHD brain gets distracted and then I forget to do it. So unless I had someone literally sitting next to me telling me how to do it. I'm not sure how I could possibly train my brain to meditate. Sitting still makes me so uncomfortable as it is, it seems like an impossible task.

Walks don't work at all for me. I find them so boring, my brain increases in thoughts rather than decreases. I've tried doing the grounding techniques like with the senses but that distracts me for about 30 seconds.

Music is hit and miss for me. Sometimes I would say it's helpful and sometimes it just irritates me. No song seems like the right song and I just end up skipping through them with no real productivity.

I do know my own brain can be like a box of frogs - for me it isn't about the breathing, but training one's attention. I use guided audio. It's like going to the gym - for some people it might be difficult at first, but you keep at it and strengthen the muscles. This is how I understand it but like I say it is simply my experience. There's no point in telling someone what's best as it is individual for everyone and you have to find what works best for you. I'd be interested to see what other people post.

It's a matter of keeping a balance.

Just wish I was better at it

Yes I do get what you mean. I'm not sure I'd do well at work without my ADHD side even though it can also cause problems. And as much as I hate my anxiety, I think it keeps the ADHD in check. But sometimes they're an absolute pain.

There are times where I think it's been positive though.

Times where my autism would keep me indoors away from people and avoid doing things, but the side of me craving to do something different, risky, new, dragged me out of my comfort zone.

The anxiety it can cause at times isn't great and the feeling of regret sometimes can be tough.

So I do think it's possible that having both can sometimes be beneficial and other times not!

Yes ADHD is very motivation based. It's also more of a difficulty in regulating attention rather than an inability to concentrate as many think it is.

Honestly I think having ADHD and autism is a cruel joke. I have 2 conditions that want entirely different things and they just seem to fight each other all of the time.

I've read bits about ADHD,, but mainly read up on autism (I was diagnosed autistic but told they suspect ADHD too, which seems fairly accurate)

From what I can gather, while autism is usually hyper or hypo senses and dis regulation of emotions etc , most ADHD traits seem to be more based around our minds chasing dopamine, so anything we find exciting or stimulating will always win our attention.

It's not very useful info though, as I can't make certain things interesting or exciting if they're just not.

I do find however that it explains why I often leave things to the last minute, my mind must enjoy the excitement of the panic to do something, but the autistic me hates what I do to myself.

I also crave order and routine but can't stick to it.

It's obvious at times that the two things play off against eachother.

Totally get what you mean about it's like your brain refuses. 

Fortunately, I have a very varied, on the go kind of job. There are only short bursts of concentration activities and I find in work I have the motivation to do these. However, I come home from work and cease to function. I can simultaneously do nothing yet be entirely unrelaxed. But I'm so exhausted from getting through the working day, I struggle to do anything else whether it be useful or productive.

It might not be much use or help, but I totally relate to most of what you and others have said in this thread.

My attention needs training, but it's the training it seems to avoid the most.

Anything that I force myself to read or concentrate on gets lost almost instantly, it's like my brain just refuses to do what I tell it unless it wants to.

When I read I often find myself off on a tangent looking things up or something in what I read reminds me of something else and I'm off.

I don't think I ever switch off. I have found I can sometimes relax if I find somewhere quiet from all sensory inputs, but it isn't long before I start to relax and my Brain will inadvertently shout "WE'RE RELAXING!! LETS GOOGLE THINGS ABOUT RELAXING!!" and off we go again...

Its a miracle I get through days at work, I think I spend more energy trying to stop myself flipping context and going off on tangents than I do on anything else, still  managing to do a job in-between it all but finding it exhausting. I can't imagine how amazing it would be to channel all that energy and focus into something productive!!

I have found coffee helps a lot, but I do worry about the amount I have and how it doesn't seem like the right answer.

If it was studying though for example. I can force myself to stay in that place for whatever amount of time. I can read a page of writing over and over again. Ask me what it was about afterwards and I wouldn't have a clue. My brain cannot take in information if I try to force myself to concentrate in that way. 

There are times when my interest takes me that I absolutely would take in every last detail of it.

But it isn't tasks like studying that concern me. In that way I've learnt to live with my brain and have found my own ways to complete these tasks that work for me.

It is being able to sit down and watch a TV programme without 10 billion thoughts bouncing round my brain that I would like to be able to do.

I agree about CBT but I did not know that at the time. I have since learnt a lot more. However, my difficulty is that I can't be selective on the NHS. If I say no to a therapist, I'd simply be discharged. I do not have the money to get a private therapist where I would have the freedom to pick someone that has the expertise I need. I just have to hope that the next step of NHS therapy has people more experienced in neurodivergency.

If it was studying though for example. I can force myself to stay in that place for whatever amount of time. I can read a page of writing over and over again. Ask me what it was about afterwards and I wouldn't have a clue. My brain cannot take in information if I try to force myself to concentrate in that way. 

There are times when my interest takes me that I absolutely would take in every last detail of it.

But it isn't tasks like studying that concern me. In that way I've learnt to live with my brain and have found my own ways to complete these tasks that work for me.

It is being able to sit down and watch a TV programme without 10 billion thoughts bouncing round my brain that I would like to be able to do.

I agree about CBT but I did not know that at the time. I have since learnt a lot more. However, my difficulty is that I can't be selective on the NHS. If I say no to a therapist, I'd simply be discharged. I do not have the money to get a private therapist where I would have the freedom to pick someone that has the expertise I need. I just have to hope that the next step of NHS therapy has people more experienced in neurodivergency.