Living with ADHD brings unique challenges, especially when it comes to managing emotions, handling stress, and staying on top of tasks. Many people with ADHD experience intense feelings of overwhelm, often triggered by seemingly routine events or responsibilities. But why is this so common in people with ADHD? And how does it connect to the brain’s natural “fight or flight” response?
Here’s a breakdown of how ADHD, overwhelm, and emotional regulation are connected, and how understanding these factors can help make life more manageable.
ADHD and Overwhelm: What’s Really Happening?
For individuals with ADHD, the experience of overwhelm isn’t just in the mind—it’s also a physiological response. ADHD brains often have a harder time filtering out sensory inputs, thoughts, and stimuli. Instead of focusing on one task or experience at a time, the brain can feel “bombarded” with multiple priorities, noises, and even emotions. This overload creates a sense of overwhelm that’s difficult to navigate.
On top of that, individuals with ADHD often face challenges with executive functioning skills like organizing, prioritizing, and time management. These skills help us keep tasks manageable, but ADHD makes them harder to achieve, leading to a cycle where tasks pile up and create an even greater sense of overload.
Emotional Regulation and the ADHD Brain
People with ADHD often struggle with emotional regulation, meaning it’s harder for them to manage their emotional responses to stressful situations. Emotional regulation helps us to:
Calm ourselves when upset
Resist impulsive reactions
Process strong feelings constructively
But ADHD can make it difficult to pause and reassess. When overwhelmed or frustrated, the brain has a tendency to jump to intense emotions without a buffer to soften the response. For example, minor setbacks can trigger significant stress or anger, intensifying that feeling of overwhelm.
The Fight-or-Flight Connection
Overwhelm for someone with ADHD can trigger a “fight-or-flight” response, a natural survival mechanism that prepares the body to face (fight) or avoid (flight) perceived threats. In an ADHD brain, this response can be activated not just by life-threatening dangers but also by everyday situations—like missing an appointment, facing a full inbox, or handling sudden changes in plans.
When in “fight-or-flight” mode, the body releases stress hormones, speeding up heart rate and breathing, and sending extra blood flow to the muscles. While helpful in short bursts, this response is draining and uncomfortable if it’s frequently triggered by everyday stressors. Over time, this can lead to burnout and anxiety, which further contributes to the cycle of overwhelm and emotional dysregulation.
Practical Tips for Managing ADHD Overwhelm
Understanding how ADHD impacts overwhelm and emotional regulation is a valuable first step, but here are some practical tips to help manage these challenges:
Break Tasks into Small Steps: Reducing the feeling of “too much at once” can help ease overwhelm. Break down big tasks into small, manageable steps and focus on one step at a time.
Use “Pause” Techniques: When you feel the first signs of overwhelm, practice pausing—take a few deep breaths or step away briefly. This momentary pause can help your brain recalibrate and prevent immediate emotional reactions.
Create Visual Reminders: Using visual aids like lists or sticky notes can help make tasks feel concrete and manageable, giving your brain a clearer structure and reducing overload.
Build in Small Breaks: Scheduling brief breaks throughout the day can help reset your brain’s stress response and prevent the fight-or-flight system from taking over.
Seek Support: Whether it’s therapy, coaching, or joining an ADHD support group, having a support system helps you feel less alone and provides tools to better manage emotional regulation.
For those with ADHD, it’s important to remember that feeling overwhelmed doesn’t reflect a personal failure. Rather, it’s a natural response linked to the unique ways an ADHD brain processes information and emotions. With the right tools and support, managing overwhelm and emotional responses is possible, allowing you to reclaim energy and focus on what matters most.
And Remember
"I want to make a difference in people’s lives!
I work to ensure everyone has an
equal opportunity to succeed."
-- Gretchen Pound, PhD