ADHD and memory challenges: What’s the link?

Living with ADHD can sometimes feel like your mind is working against you. You might have frequently missed appointments, misplaced everyday items, or lost your train of thought mid-conversation.

These slips might seem small on the surface, but they can affect a person’s confidence, relationships, or even their ability to hold down a job.

What’s often overlooked is that these memory challenges are not just forgetfulness. They reflect the way ADHD affects how your brain processes, stores, and retrieves information. Attention and memory are closely linked, and when your focus is constantly being pulled in different directions, your ability to hold onto details naturally suffers.

How ADHD affects memory

Understanding your working memory

Working memory is your brain’s short-term storage system. It allows you to hold and manipulate information for a short period of time while you complete a task. If you have ADHD, this system might not work as reliably as it does for others.

You may find it hard to keep track of steps in a task, remember names or instructions, or stay on course during a conversation. It might feel like your thoughts scatter or drop out as quickly as they appear.

This can lead to a sense of mental overload or even ADHD paralysis, where the demands of the moment feel so overwhelming that you shut down altogether. Studies have found that adults with ADHD tend to perform significantly lower on working memory tasks compared to neurotypical adults, showing consistent deficits in both verbal and visuospatial working memory (Alderson, Kasper, Hudec, & Patros, 2013).

Long-term memory and encoding

Long-term memory is usually intact in ADHD, but the issue often lies in encoding. This means that if your attention is elsewhere or if you're distracted during a conversation or task, the information may never properly register in your memory.

When this happens, you may not recall details later, not because you forgot them, but because they were never clearly stored in the first place. This can be especially frustrating when it feels like you were paying attention at the time, only to realise later that the details are missing.

Should I worry about other brain issues?

It's understandable to wonder whether your forgetfulness could be a sign of something more serious. For most adults with ADHD, memory difficulties come from attention and processing differences, not from memory loss in the traditional sense.

However, it’s important to notice any changes over time. If your memory problems are new, getting worse, or affecting basic orientation or language, it may be worth seeking a broader cognitive assessment. ADHD can overlap with other health conditions, so it is helpful to look at the full picture.

Recent research published in JAMA Network Open found that adults diagnosed with ADHD had a significantly higher risk of developing dementia later in life. However, the authors noted that this association may be influenced by other factors, such as psychiatric comorbidities, sleep disruption, chronic stress, and long-term health behaviours, which often co-occur with ADHD and may contribute to cognitive decline.

If you’re concerned about memory changes, it is always better to talk with a professional. Early support can make it easier to understand what you are experiencing and what you can do next.

Addressing ADHD-related memory issues

1. Limit task-switching to reduce mental overload

Each time you switch from one task to another, your brain has to reorient and refocus. For people with ADHD, this can be especially taxing and often leads to losing track of what you were doing. 

One way to help is by grouping similar tasks together. If you need to reply to messages, try handling them all at once rather than bouncing between texts, emails, and calls throughout the day. Fewer transitions help your brain stay in one mode of thinking, which makes it easier to keep track of what you are doing.

2. Use your environment as a cue

Instead of relying only on mental reminders, try turning your environment into a memory tool. Visual and physical cues can reduce the pressure on your brain to hold everything in working memory.

Place your keys in the same spot every time you come home. Keep your to-do list in a visible area like your bathroom mirror or fridge. If you need to remember something in the morning, set it near the item you always reach for first, like your phone or kettle.

These small changes act as helpful nudges and take some of the burden off your memory.

3. Talk yourself through tasks out loud

Verbalising what you are doing as you do it might feel a bit odd at first, but it can strengthen your working memory. This technique, often called self-instruction, helps anchor your focus and makes each step more noticeable.

For example, while packing your bag, say the items out loud as you place them inside. This helps you stay present and gives your brain multiple ways to register what’s happening. If speaking aloud isn’t practical, you can whisper or repeat the steps in your head using the same method.

4. Create simple routines between tasks

Transitions are a common time for memory slips. You might leave the house and forget your wallet, or finish a meeting and lose track of what comes next. To reduce this, try creating short transition rituals that help you mentally reset.

Before ending your workday, take a moment to jot down what you completed and what needs attention tomorrow. When you leave the house, pause and run through a mental checklist of essentials. These brief routines give your brain time to slow down and help you stay grounded as you move from one task or environment to the next.

5. Allow yourself to pause before acting

Impulsivity can often disrupt memory. You might act on a thought quickly and then forget what you were originally doing. To counter this, try building in a small pause before taking action.

Before responding to a message, walking into another room, or starting a new task, take a few seconds to check in. Ask yourself what your goal is, what step you were on, or whether you need anything before you continue. This intentional pause helps your brain stay connected to the task at hand and reduces the risk of losing your train of thought.

6. Use sensory techniques to support memory

If traditional reminders and visual aids don’t always stick, adding sensory input can help. Many people with ADHD find that incorporating touch, movement, or sound makes it easier to retain information.

You might use a specific sound or action to mark the start of a task, like clapping once before reviewing your checklist. Or you could keep a textured object on your desk that you touch when trying to focus.

These sensory cues create stronger associations and make tasks feel more concrete, which can be especially useful if your memory tends to feel slippery or abstract.

Final thoughts

Memory challenges are a core part of living with ADHD for many people. If you often feel like your thoughts are slipping through the cracks or that you’re working twice as hard just to keep up, you are not imagining things. The frustration, the overwhelm, and the exhaustion are all real.

By understanding the link between ADHD and memory, you can start building strategies that support you in a way that feels realistic and sustainable. Whether that means using tools and reminders, establishing stronger routines, speaking with an ADHD therapist, or all of these together,  helping yourself today can go a long way to transforming how much more manageable your daily life will be.