Why ADHD Feels So Overwhelming—and What You Can Do About It

Written By Micah Saviet

Feeling Overwhelmed? You are not alone!

If you have ADHD you may feel overwhelmed at times, perhaps more often than your neurotypical friends or family members. This feeling of overwhelm can show up as emotional reactivity, difficulty managing tasks and keeping track of time, and even a feeling of shutdown or mental paralysis. Sound familiar?

Why does this occur?

Difficulties with executive functions (planning, prioritizing, organizing, etc.), emotional regulation, and sensory processing are all part of ADHD. Each of these can contribute to feeling overwhelmed. 

What does the research say?

It is well documented that ADHD is associated with executive functioning difficulties that can add to a sense of overwhelm. These occur in areas such as (see Brown, 2025):

  • Activation

  • Focus

  • Effort

  • Emotion

  • Memory

  • Action

A 2023 systematic review (which means it was a thorough review of existing literature) also found that adults with ADHD are less effective in regulating emotions, and the more severe the ADHD symptoms, the more challenging the individual’s emotional regulation. The study also found that patterns of brain activity among adults with and without ADHD may contribute to these differences in emotional regulation. 

Difficulties in both executive functioning and emotional regulation contribute to overwhelm. It’s not your fault! (Read on for what can help.)

What do we know about causes of overwhelm?

  • Executive Function Deficits: Individuals with ADHD often struggle with planning, organizing, prioritizing, and shifting attention, commonly leading to feelings of being overwhelmed and behind. 

  • Emotional “Dysregulation” or Reactivity: ADHD is associated with heightened emotional responses and difficulties managing emotions, which can contribute to feeling overwhelmed. 

  • Sensory Sensitivities: Some individuals with ADHD have heightened sensory sensitivities and can experience sensory overload, where sensory input, such as noise or light, can lead to feelings of overwhelm. 

What are the consequences?

ADHD overwhelm can contribute to high levels of stress, reduced productivity, and even “ADHD shutdown” or mental paralysis when a feeling of being frozen in place makes it hard to take any action.

  • Stress and Burnout: Stress is a common experience for individuals with ADHD, and stress can exacerbate ADHD symptoms and negatively impact mental health and work performance, potentially leading to burnout. 

  • Impact on Work and Academics: ADHD symptoms can significantly affect work productivity, leading to missed deadlines, careless mistakes, and difficulty managing work-related stress. 

  • ADHD Shutdown: Overwhelm can trigger a "shutdown" in individuals with ADHD, a feeling of being mentally frozen, making it difficult to start tasks or interact with others. 

Research-Based Strategies to Manage Overwhelm:

An ADHD coach can help you understand what contributes to overwhelm in your life. This is our specialty at Pathways Ahead! We can help you develop individualized strategies to reduce and manage ADHD-related overwhelm. The research-based strategies we use at Pathways Ahead can include:

  • Mindfulness and Relaxation: Cultivating practices like mindfulness meditation, yoga, and deep breathing can help reduce stress and improve focus. 

  • Self-Compassion: Learning ways to practice self-compassion and recognizing that ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition can help reduce feelings of shame and inadequacy. 

  • Prioritization and Task Management: Learning to break down tasks into smaller, manageable steps, prioritizing one task at a time, and avoiding multitasking can help reduce overwhelm. 

  • Time Management Techniques: Using timers, scheduling, and breaking down tasks into smaller steps can help with time management and organization. 

  • Creating a Supportive Environment: Modifying the environment to minimize distractions, and seeking external support as needed, can help reduce overwhelm. 

Conclusion

Feeling overwhelmed isn’t a personal failing—it’s a common and understandable experience for adults with ADHD. Executive function challenges, emotional reactivity, and sensory sensitivities can all combine to create a sense of overload. But there are ways forward. With the right tools, strategies, and support, it’s possible to reduce overwhelm, reclaim your energy, and approach life with greater clarity and confidence. ADHD coaching can help you create systems that work with your brain, not against it. You don’t have to figure it out alone—support is available.

  • Question to Consider: What is the first step you will take to address your overwhelm?

References

Micah Saviet
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Focus Is Not the Goal: Rethinking Success for Working Professionals with ADHD