ADHD & Stress - is chronic stress a silent threat for late diagnosed adults?

ADHD Powerful Possibilities: New and Late Diagnosis & Beyond

ADHD Coach Katherine Sanders

### Show Notes for "Daily Practices for Stress Relief" Podcast Episode: 2024 Q1 M2 Wk 2 - ADHD & Stress - Daily Management

#### Episode Overview:

In this week’s episode, we delve into the silent yet formidable challenge of chronic stress, particularly how it intersects with ADHD. Chronic stress is a major health risk, linked to the six leading causes of death. For those with ADHD, stress not only exacerbates mental health issues but also impacts overall wellbeing. Through this conversation, we aim to unpack the daily stressors for individuals with ADHD and provide practical strategies for managing stress on a day-to-day basis.

#### Last Week Recap:

We revisited ADHD and emotional dysregulation, exploring the neuroscience behind our emotions and why those with ADHD may experience heightened dysregulation. Key points included sudden mood changes, intense emotional reactions, and the significant impact these have on professional and personal relationships, especially as women approach perimenopause.

💡🧠 What you'll learn about in this episode:

Understanding the health risks associated with chronic stress and its heightened impact on individuals with ADHD. How ADHD exacerbates stress through unique challenges in executive function, time management, and emotional regulation.

- A look at how our bodies respond to stress, including the role of cortisol and adrenaline, and how ADHD affects this response.

- Differentiating between stress that motivates and stress that debilitates, with a focus on the ADHD experience.

- ADHD-Specific Stressors:Identifying common stressors for those with ADHD and strategies for managing them, such as simplifying executive function demands and avoiding multitasking.

- How stress feeds into and amplifies emotional dysregulation in ADHD, creating a challenging feedback loop.

-Tips for reducing stress, including exercise, mindfulness, and improving metacognition.

- Recognizing and avoiding harmful resilience patterns that can exacerbate stress and lead to burnout.

- The potential physical and mental health consequences of unmanaged stress.

-Techniques for recognizing and addressing the unique stressors in one’s life, including journaling and mindfulness.

Let me know how you're going to use this information to lighten the load of your invisible backpack. Share your thoughts, experiences, and progress with and consider how you might help someone else understand their stress better. Together, we can tackle the challenge of ADHD and stress, one stone at a time.

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