Inhibitory Control
Also known as: Response Inhibition
Your brain's 'wait' button — the ability to pause before acting, resist a temptation, or stop a response that's already started.
The brain's ability to stop an automatic response, resist a temptation, or pause before acting. Like an internal 'wait' button. A core executive function. In ADHD, inhibitory control works differently — not absent, but less consistent — which is why impulsive words, purchases, or actions happen despite knowing better.
How it works
Your prefrontal cortex sends 'stop' signals that override automatic impulses. When this system is slower or less consistent — as in ADHD — you may blurt things out, act on impulse, or struggle to resist distractions. It's not a lack of willpower; it's a timing difference in your brain's braking system.
Think of it like
It's like having car brakes that work perfectly sometimes but have a slight delay other times — you know how to stop, but the response isn't always instant.
What it feels like
You say the thing before you've finished thinking it, click the link before deciding not to, or eat the snack before remembering you weren't hungry. The impulse wins the race against the pause.