ADHD Overwhelm: 9 Coping Tips That Actually Work

Ever stare at your to-do list and immediately feel like your brain short-circuits? Like – cool cool cool –  I’ll just cry instead of starting anything. 

 

If you’ve got attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, this isn’t a rare moment. This type of emotional overload is pretty much a Thursday.

 

When everything feels too loud, too fast, or just too much, that classic ADHD overwhelm hits hard and suddenly, brushing your teeth and answering a text feel like Olympic events.

 

Sometimes ADHD overwhelm looks like self-sabotage in disguise.

But here’s the thing: you’re not lazy, broken, or doomed to chaos. Your brain is just doing its best to juggle thousands of thoughts, and sometimes, it needs help hitting reset.

This post is your calm-in-the-storm guide. Not productivity hacks. Not hustle culture. These are just real strategies for figuring out how to deal with being overwhelmed and finding relief when everything feels like too much.

 

 

 

Why ADHD Makes You Feel So Overwhelmed

Whether you have ADHD symptoms or you’re a certified ADHDer, you may still be confused about why ADHD makes you feel so overwhelmed.

 

Let’s break down the common triggers of ADHD overwhelm:

• Executive dysfunction: That feeling when you can’t sort, plan, or prioritize, and you have a hard time with time management.
• Sensory overload: The sensation that there is too much light, sound, clutter, or even movement overstimulates the brain.
• Decision fatigue: Feeling like you’ve made too many tiny decisions already (what to wear, what to eat, which email to answer).
• Emotional dysregulation: When a small stressor during the demands of daily life triggers a massive reaction.

Do these sound familiar?

 

If so, take solace in the fact that you’re not dramatic or lazy (or broken). Your brain is just working like a car engine with too little fuel at the moment.

 

It’s like having 35 browser tabs open while someone plays loud music, and you can’t find which tab is making noise.

 

Understandably frustrating and confounding.

 

Luckily, there are grounding techniques that do wonders for reducing your anxiety and emotional overwhelm.

 

 

 

 

ADHD Overwhelm: 9 Coping Tips That Actually Work

 

 

 

1. Name What’s Happening

It may sound cliché, but the first step to dealing with ADHD overwhelm is to acknowledge ADHD overwhelm. Yes, AA style.

 

Saying “I’m overwhelmed” out loud helps you to name the panic you’re experiencing and reduce it. This also gives your brain a label for the overwhelm happening and helps you to recognize the sensation.

 

As an added bonus, it creates distance between you and the reaction. 

 

Rather than tensing up and stressing out, you can think, “This is a feeling, not a freak out.” Talking to yourself, not your jam? You can write it down or record a voice memo instead.

 

Remember: The first step to regulating your experience is labeling it.

 

 

 

2. Reduce Visual Input

It may not be what you want to hear, but a cluttered or disorganized space often contributes to a cluttered mind.

 

Think about it. Messy rooms, bright lights, and random items (i.e., clutter) are all huge contributors to sensory stress.

 

Even a quick spring clean helps cut visual noise.

 

Reduce your visual sensory input by tossing unnecessary stuff, unused items, and straight-up trash into a bin. Dim the lights. Shut the door (if you can). All of these things go a long way towards quieting visual noise and, as a result, mental noise.

 

You don’t need to clean, although you totally can clean with ADHD. You just need to simplify what your brain has to process.

 

 

 

3. Pick One Sense to Anchor To

When everything feels like too much, it can be cruelly difficult to focus on anything, much less one thing. But one of the ADHD coping strategies with a high success rate is grounding.

 

Grounding yourself in one sense pulls you out of your overwhelm and back to the present.

 

Want to try it? Hold something warm, smell something invigorating or yummy like peppermint or vanilla, or focus on the feeling of your feet on the ground.

 

Whenever your brain is spinning, use grounding to bring it back.

 

 

 

4. Lower the Noise Floor

Do certain sounds make you feel exhausted? Don’t tell me it’s just me. 

 

This could be background noise at work, in your home, or anywhere else that can cause you to feel stressed or off-balance.

 

ADHD brains are highly reactive to ambient noise, like barking dogs, fridge hum, sirens, and traffic.

 

Stop or mask these sounds and get relief.

 

Try soft instrumental music, white noise, or total silence if you’re so inclined. Whatever calms your nervous system is the best choice.

 

Pro Tip: Earplugs or noise-canceling headphones are your best friends for controlling sound. Less sound = fewer distractions = increased calm.

 

 

 

5. Body First, Tasks Second

Have you ever experienced tension in your body so strong that even the deepest deep tissue massage probably wouldn’t unravel it?

 

Have you tried to think and be productive while experiencing this?

 

If so, you *know* that’s nearly impossible to think while your body is in this state.  That’s because you can’t think clearly when your body is screaming at you. It’s key to calm the body first.

 

You can do this by:

• Taking a few gulps of water.
• Deep breathing for a few breaths (Take a slow, deep breath for 4 seconds, holding for 4 seconds, and exhaling for 4 seconds, then repeat).
• Stretching or going outside for a short walk (even 2 minutes).

When you’re overwhelmed, your nervous system needs regulation before your to-do list. Listening to your body is one of the most vital self-care habits.

 

 

 

6. Say What You Need Out Loud

If you catch me in a room alone, it’s not uncommon to hear me talking to myself *out loud*. (Hello again, tip #1).

 

It may seem strange, but speaking to yourself outside of your head works wonders for lowering ADHD overstimulation and reducing intense emotions in day-to-day life. This is because verbal processing reduces internal pressure.

 

Try saying things like “I need to pause”, “I can’t decide right now,” or “This is too much.” Even if no one hears you, this type of honesty and realness helps to create clarity (and reduce analysis paralysis) in your likely anxious brain.

 

Saying what you need out loud can help to stop the spiral of decision paralysis, rumination, and guilt.

 

 

 

7. Try the 3-Item Rule

Do you ever feel like your mind is going in a million different directions at once? 

 

You may be thinking of things you need to do, trying to remember important thoughts, and dealing with other mental clutter that makes you want to stop and give everything the finger. When *everything* feels overwhelming, pare things down to 3 small things only.

 

For example, you could:

• Put away five items that are cluttering your immediate area.
• Eat a small snack.
• Send one text.

The combinations and choices are endless. But the point is that doing three small tasks like these will boost your confidence, give you small wins, and make you feel in control.

 

The goal is to restore agency and reduce potential shame surrounding productivity (or not being so productive). Everything that you accomplish beyond these three things is a bonus.

 

 

 

8. Create a Reset Corner

It’s highly underrated, but having a cozy corner (or chair or cushion) to escape to is immensely calming and soothing to frayed nerves.

 

The designated zone that you create can contain whatever your heart desires, as long as it helps you chill out.

 

Think candles, soft lighting, a calming playlist, and maybe a book or journal. Throw in a soft cushion or seating and a blanket, and you’ve built a reset corner meant for rest and relaxation. Like an evening ritual, a reset corner helps you decompress.

 

You don’t need to spend money to do this. Just grab things from around your home and put them in a specific space that will be used only for resetting.

 

No screens allowed in this area. Just calm visual input. This type of ADHD-friendly nesting helps to reset your overstimulated brain.

 

 

 

9. Remind Yourself It Will Pass

In the moment, feeling crappy and stressed out *feels* like it will last forever.

 

It may be cliché to say, but “this too shall pass.” Reminding yourself of this, and actually believing it, can be a challenge.

 

Try saying “This isn’t forever. This is just for now.” as a brief, yet effective, reminder that the overwhelm you’re experiencing isn’t eternal.

 

Your overwhelming feelings are absolutely valid, but they aren’t permanent.  When overwhelm feels endless, just remember that it’s your body trying to help you cope.

 

 

 

What Not to Do When You’re Overwhelmed

A quick aside: There are *absolutely* things that you should not do when you’re spiraling, overwhelmed, and dealing with ADHD struggles. 

 

A few things to keep in mind:

• Don’t just “power through” ADHD paralysis and overwhelm. It usually backfires and increases shutdown later.
• Don’t start eight things at once, hoping one will stick. (Been there, done that. It doesn’t work. Trust me.)
• Don’t scroll social media to “escape.” It often adds to mental clutter and can result in spending hours of potentially regrettable time.
• Don’t compare your energy to neurotypical standards.

Instead of doing these don’ts, picture your shoulders dropping and your jaw unclenching as the room grows quiet, because you anchored to one sense and let the rest blur.

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts: You’re Not Lazy — You’re Processing Too Much

Unfortunately, and this pains me to say, stress and overwhelm are a part of life for many of us ADHD individuals.

 

As ADHDers, ADHD overwhelm is an all too common issue that we deal with. Because of this, having an arsenal of effective strategies and management tools for dealing with emotional responses can be immensely gratifying and effective for your mental well-being.

 

Overcoming ADHD challenges can be as simple as making changes to your typical routine or having a safe space to reset.

 

Next time you’re experiencing ADHD overwhelm, try picking one of the simple tasks from this list (not all 9!) and implementing it for a little relief.

 

Pair these tips with quick mindset shifts for a little bit more calm.

 

Remember, emotional regulation is a skill, not a personality flaw. The fact that you’re reading this means you’re trying, and even trying is a form of calm in the storm.