What Happens When You Become ADHD-Overwhelmed?
ADHD can cause different symptoms for different people. Some may find it hard to focus for long periods, while others may have trouble sitting still, staying organized, or controlling their impulses. ADHD can also contribute to overwhelm, a feeling that can arise when your brain perceives more problems, emotions, or sensations than it can handle. To manage overwhelm, it can be helpful to engage in grounding exercises, take a step back, break down tasks into smaller steps, and practice self-compassion. Therapy, whether in-office or online, can also be an effective way to address ADHD symptoms.
What is ADHD?
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that typically affects executive function. Executive function generally refers to your brain’s abilities to do things like make plans, multitask, stay focused, and make decisions.
ADHD is usually classified as a form of neurodiversity, which can mean that brains with ADHD work differently than brains without ADHD. Research has found that the ADHD brain tends to be structurally different in places like the prefrontal cortex, which is an area near the front that normally plays a role in working memory and decision-making.
In general, ADHD causes three types of core symptoms: inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. Inattentiveness, which can describe challenges related to focus and attention, may involve the following symptoms:
- Trouble starting and finishing tasks
- Trouble concentrating for long periods
- Forgetfulness
- Distractibility
- Daydreaming, “spacing out,” or losing track of conversations
The next core symptom of ADHD is hyperactivity, which primarily describes challenges related to managing energy. These might include those listed below:
- Restlessness
- Fidgeting
- Trouble relaxing quietly
- Excessive talking
- A constant need to be engaged in an activity
Finally, impulsiveness generally refers to difficulty with controlling urges and thinking things through. This could lead to symptoms like the following:
- A tendency to make decisions and commitments on a whim
- Risky behavior, like unsafe sex, impulse shopping, or reckless driving
- Trouble being patient
- Intense emotional reactions
ADHD symptoms like these can cause challenges at work, in relationships, and in daily life.
Understanding overwhelm
Beyond the ones we’ve discussed, overwhelm is another symptom that often affects people in the ADHD community. In general, “overwhelm” describes a situation in which you’re faced with more tasks, emotions, or sensations than your brain can handle at once. This is often referred to as “being overwhelmed,” which can lead to feelings of stress, anxiety, and even panic. Other symptoms of overwhelm may include those below:
- A sense of being paralyzed
- Restlessness or agitation
- Confusion or forgetfulness
- Dizziness, shallow breathing, or a rapid heartbeat
- A sensation of “shutting down”
There are a few types of overwhelm people with ADHD may experience. Let’s take a look at a few of the most common.
- Cognitive overwhelm: If you have ADHD, your thoughts may sometimes race, bounce around, or change course faster than you can keep up with them. This can be mentally exhausting and potentially even overwhelming.
- Emotional overwhelm: ADHD may make it hard to manage emotions, possibly leading to intense mood swings or outbursts. You might even experience so many conflicting emotions that you can’t identify what you’re feeling. This can lead to overwhelm.
- Logistical overwhelm: ADHD can make it hard to multitask, change focus, plan ahead, and avoid distractions. This can make it overwhelming to manage tasks that involve multiple steps, many small details, or a lot of organization and planning.
- Sensory overwhelm: Sometimes called “sensory overload,” this form of overwhelm can happen when someone with ADHD is exposed to too much stimulation or sensory input at once. While this can happen anywhere, it may be especially common in crowds, noisy places, or environments with a lot of flashing lights.
- Clutter overwhelm: For some people with ADHD, clutter can be a source of overwhelm. Being in a messy environment may make it hard to focus and get started on things, which can make logistical overwhelm worse. ADHD can also make it hard to tidy up, which may add to the stress. Some people may also experience sensory overload in a cluttered environment.
These are just a few of the ways people with ADHD might become overwhelmed, but there may be others, too. Any situation that puts more demands on the brain than it can handle may lead to overwhelm. This can be upsetting and add to the challenges of living with ADHD.
Over longer periods, overwhelm may also contribute to other mental health concerns, like chronic stress and low self-esteem. Therefore, it can be important to take proactive steps to manage overwhelm.
Tips for when you’re ADHD-overwhelmed
Feeling overwhelmed can be distressing when you have ADHD, but it may be possible to reduce those negative sensations and restore your sense of control. The next time you feel overwhelmed, the following coping strategies may help.
Ground yourself
If overwhelm is leading to feelings of panic or anxiety, grounding strategies may be helpful. These methods generally aim to help you reconnect with your body and calm your nervous system. Below are several examples:
- Taking deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth
- Focusing on physical sensations, like the ground under your feet or the feeling of your clothing on your body
- Tensing all your muscles for 10 seconds and releasing them all at once
- Engaging in gentle movement like walking or yoga, focusing on each physical sensation as closely as you can
- Closing your eyes and counting down slowly from 100
Take a step back
Even in high-stakes situations, it can be helpful to step away for a few minutes if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Try taking a five-minute break before returning to the situation with fresh eyes. If possible, move to a different environment to reset your mind. (This can be especially important if you’re experiencing sensory overload.)
Break things down
Sometimes, just getting started on something, no matter how small, can help you break free of paralysis. If you feel overwhelmed by a project or the tasks on your to-do list, see if you can break them down into smaller parts. Start with the easiest thing you must do, and then break it down even further, ideally into the smallest possible steps. Once you finish one, see if you can do another. As you build momentum, you may start to regain a sense of control over the situation.
Be kind to yourself
Self-compassion can be thought of as the act of treating yourself the way you would treat a friend or loved one in the same situation. See if you can acknowledge what you’re feeling while avoiding negative self-talk. Using affirmations like “I forgive myself for feeling overwhelmed,” or “This is challenging, but it’s also a learning opportunity,” may also be helpful.
Get support
While the above tips may be useful in a pinch, if ADHD-related overwhelm is getting in the way of your daily life, you might benefit from talking to a professional. If you haven’t already, asking your doctor about starting treatment may be a good idea.
Therapy often plays a key role in treating ADHD. A therapist may be able to help you find custom strategies for managing overwhelm and reframing negative thought patterns that might be adding to your stress.
If ADHD symptoms make it overwhelming to meet deadlines and manage logistics, then commuting to in-person therapy appointments may be stressful. With online therapy, you can receive professional help from your own home. This may make it a more convenient option if you’re living with ADHD.
Research suggests that online therapy may be an effective treatment for ADHD. In a 2022 analysis, researchers reviewed data on 261 individuals from six different studies of online ADHD interventions. They found that online treatments typically led to improvements in attention and social function.
Takeaway
ADHD is a condition that can cause symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. It can also make people feel overwhelmed in certain situations, like when there are too many tasks to complete or too many physical sensations to process. This can be stressful, but by doing things like seeking online or in-person therapy, breaking tasks down, grounding yourself, and practicing self-compassion, you may be able to manage overwhelm more effectively.
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