21: Why You Can't Relax with ADHD and What Actually Works

If you can't relax even when you finally get the time, this episode names what's underneath that. I break down why the ADHD fight-or-flight response doesn't clock out for vacation, downtime, or a night off, and why rest keeps sliding into either running through your to-do list or writing off the whole evening. This is for the ADHDer whose nervous system never got the memo that it's safe to stop, even once the vacation's already started.

I talk about why relaxing with ADHD is hard in the first place, the three things that have to shift before rest sticks, and how all-or-nothing thinking turns a single TV episode into a lost night. I also get into why slowing down, not stopping, is what really breaks the swing between go-go-go and collapsing on the couch.

00:00 – Why ADHD Makes Rest Difficult

02:43 – Struggling to Relax Even on Vacation

06:51 – Three Barriers to Rest for ADHDers

10:11 – All-or-Nothing Thinking and ADHD Rest Patterns

16:17 – Why ADHD Advice Gets Transitions Wrong

Check out the show notes and other resources at https://jennafree.com/blog/why-you-cant-relax-with-adhd

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