When you have ADHD and your city falls apart
The floodwaters not only inundate homes but also the mind
One of the most precious things that the ADHD International Alliance has given to me is the opportunity to have contact with great people from all over the world. People from places I only knew because I'm extremely passionate about Geography, but barely knew anything about, and even less thought about having friends from there.
A few weeks ago, I made a friend during an argument in Threads about narcissism and ADHD. She was angry with me at the beginning, but a couple of messages later, we reverted the discussion to a friendly talk, and we have been in touch since then. She is Cecilia, from the city of Porto Alegre in Brazil.
Our warm communication about ADHD and the many interesting points about how we deal with it in different countries was abruptly interrupted by an unprecedented tragedy in her region. Her city and her state of Rio Grande do Sul have been going through the worst floodings ever recorded, not only in her area but also in the entire continental country of Brazil, which has a size comparable to the United States.
Over the first three days of the month of May, it has rained an amount of water equivalent to eight months of the normal rainfall expected for the area. The storms caused complete disruption first in the towns located in the highlands, where the rivers flow in strong currents and magnify the destruction as they take the force of Niagara Falls along their paths.
Cecilia was not directly affected at this first moment. As she lives in Porto Alegre, the capital city of Rio Grande, she was far from the worst spots of the event. But there was a problem: Porto Alegre, which translates to ‘Happy Port’ in English, lies in the lowlands, but by the margins of a lake that has its waters fed by the same rivers that caused so many tragedies upstream.
In fact, this strategic place where rivers meet is the exact reason the site was chosen to host a port three centuries ago, then a settlement developed around it and became the city that kept the port on its name.
In a matter of days, the Guaiba Lake in Porto Alegre rose its waters by a level that surpassed 10% of the highest observed in 300 years of history. Statistical models previewed such scale of disaster in one to 10,000 years. From night to day, 1.5 million people had lost their homes and everything they previously had to the floodwaters.
Porto Alegre is the center of a huge and bustling metropolitan area of 4.5 million people, the 5th largest urban agglomeration in Brazil, and would be the 13th in the US, situated between the San Francisco and Detroit metro areas. Can you imagine a metropolis of this size with two thirds of its territory completely underwater?
Cecilia told me that she was okay herself; she lives in a high area, but still has friends and family from the low-lying areas who are without a place to stay, without food, water, clothes. She deeply appreciates seeing many other people helping, people from other states and abroad who came to assist.
My friend also mentioned that living with ADHD in this environment makes this nightmare even worse. In a situation of chaos, the typical struggles of ADHD become magnified. The emergency sirens blaring, people shouting for help, helicopters overhead, overwhelm an already hyperactive mind. It's like trying to focus on a single drop of water in a raging river.
Maintaining attention and concentration becomes a monumental task. The flood disrupts routines and structures that are critical for managing symptoms. Suddenly, there's no familiar environment to rely on, no established patterns to follow. Everything is in flux, which potentiates the feelings of restlessness.
It's impossible to do anything close to organization or planning in the aftermath of such a disaster. It's paramount to establish priorities, but how to make it happen when we are cut off from the potable water network and with inconsistent supply of electricity and telecommunications? Knowing that entire districts that were so part of your daily life are now flooded and with the expectation of remaining so for at least weeks?
An extreme event like this brings uncertainty and unpredictability, which can fuel anxiety for anyone, but particularly for those with ADHD who struggle with emotional regulation. The floodwaters not only inundate homes but also inundate the mind with a flood of worries, fears, and racing thoughts.
Yet, amidst this turmoil, according to my friend, there can also be moments when hyperfocus can be for the collective benefit. Being intensely absorbed in a task can be good in the midst of a disaster because someone with ADHD might find themselves hyperfocused on helping others, tirelessly working to assist in rescue efforts or provide support to those in need. And Cecilia told me there are many of them without sleeping for days, especially those who know how to drive a boat because vast areas are only accessible by water and there are still thousands isolated.
Experiencing the worst flood of the century as someone with ADHD is like going through a storm within a storm. It definitely amplifies the already immense challenges of the condition, but it's also an opportunity for the entire community to join forces and take advantage of each individual feature for the common good. And we ADHDers have many unique characters that can be of amazing value for the efforts.
For now, the weather forecast is gloomy for Porto Alegre as it's expected additional rains for the next days. The water level of the lake will further rise, and the winds will blow in the opposite direction of its flow towards the sea.
But no matter from where we are reading this, our hearts, our minds are with Cecilia and the strong people of Porto Alegre.
As of the evening of May 10th, nearly 1.6 million people have been affected by the disaster in Porto Alegre and Rio Grande State, including at least 115 people who have lost their lives, another 140 still missing, and over 230,000 displaced from their towns.
Facing this disaster, Porto Alegre is in urgent need of support and relief. The ADHD International Alliance needs to take part in it somehow, that's why I've decided that every revenue generated with subscriptions to this Substack this month will be reverted to entities that are directly helping affected people locally. I've picked three entities that I will divert 100% of the funds:
Instituto Colo de Mãe (Mother's Lap Institute), dedicated to support families with autism, ADHD and other neurodivergences, Instagram: @somoscolodemae
Deise Falci (protection and rescue of animals), Instagram: @deisefalci
Badin Fundraising (from the digital creator Badin, it's the biggest fundraising of the region, raised more than $5 million to date, Instagram: @badincolono
If you prefer, you can also make a donation through our Ko-fi page, which I'll make sure everything will reach these entities: ko-fi.com/adhdinter