376 When ADHD Looks Like Freeze: You’re Not Lazy, You’re Overwhelmed

In today’s episode, we’re talking about ADHD that looks like overwhelmed and under-functioning: when your brain gets so flooded that it can’t prioritize, and instead of choosing a next step… it shuts down.

You’ll learn what overwhelm really is in the context of ADHD (total cognitive, emotional, and/or sensory flooding), why “freeze” can be a very real nervous system response, and how this pattern often develops especially for those who grew up criticized, emotionally unsafe, unsupported, or chronically overwhelmed. If you’ve ever thought, “I’m not hyper—I’m stuck,” this episode is for you.

We’ll break down the common pattern: Overwhelm → Freeze → Underfunctioning

Not because you don’t care, but because your system can’t handle the load.

Then we move into gentle, practical ways to “thaw” without bullying yourself:

1. Name it and accept it (without shame)
2. Use safe, doable movement to activate your system
3. Shrink the cognitive load (two essentials, tiny timers, one-minute starts)
4. Borrow someone else’s brain (ask for help, then obey)
5. Reduce decisions wherever possible
6. Practice deep self-compassion as the pathway to change

Finally, we talk about when to get extra support—especially trauma-informed therapy and nervous-system-based approaches like EMDR or somatic work.

Watch this episode on YouTube

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