ADHD and Coping with Change
Change is weird when you have ADHD. Like, really weird. On one hand, it can feel electric—new surroundings, new energy, new possibilities. On the other hand, it can feel like your brain got tossed in a blender and you’re just kind of… waiting for the lid to fly off. I recently went through a big move, and let me tell you, I felt everything. Like, all of it. The excitement, the sadness, the anxiety, the thrill. Sometimes all in the same five minutes.
That’s the thing with ADHD. Change isn’t just change. It’s an emotional rollercoaster with extra loops. We don’t just feel it—we *really* feel it. Our highs feel higher and our lows feel lower. One second I was like, “This is the fresh start I’ve always needed,” and the next I was staring at an unpacked box wondering if I just made a huge mistake. Fun times.
Why Change Hits Differently With ADHD
Change messes with routines, and routines (as shaky as they may be) are often what keep us grounded. So when everything shifts at once—environment, schedule, relationships—our brains don’t get the usual scaffolding they rely on. That can trigger overwhelm, executive dysfunction, or just plain shutdown mode.
Also, change usually comes with a lot of decisions. And decision fatigue is no joke for ADHD brains. Even deciding where to put your toothbrush in a new bathroom can feel like a crisis. Combine that with sensory overload, emotional intensity, and sleep disruptions, and yeah, it makes sense why even “good” change feels like chaos sometimes.
ADHD and Sleep: The Hidden Fallout of Change
One of the most annoying side effects of change for me? Sleep. Or lack of it. When everything feels unsettled, my brain refuses to wind down. It’s like it thinks night is the perfect time to reanalyze every decision I made all month. If you’ve been struggling with that, you might relate to Why ADHD Keeps You Up at Night, which goes deeper into how change and restlessness feed off each other.
So... Does That Mean ADHDers Are Bad With Change?
Surprisingly, not always. There’s this wild duality where ADHDers can be great at jumping into new things. We can adapt fast, especially when we’re interested or emotionally invested. We might thrive in the novelty for a bit. But the emotional processing often lags behind. So while we’re adjusting on the outside, the inside might be quietly short-circuiting.
That’s why it’s so hard to tell if we’re “bad” at change or just overwhelmed by how deeply we feel it. Sometimes both. And that’s okay.
Helpful Things (That Aren’t Just “Take a Deep Breath”)
- Let your feelings be loud. You don’t need to process change quietly. Journal. Voice note. Talk to a friend. Let it out.
- Keep one thing consistent. Whether it’s your morning coffee, your playlist, or the way you fold socks, find one thing to keep stable.
- Build a soft routine, not a strict one. Give your days a shape, not a script.
- Expect some random meltdowns. They don’t mean you’re doing it wrong. They just mean your brain is recalibrating.
- Use support systems. I found this page helpful: ADHD Resource Center. It’s got a mix of ADHD education and support for navigating daily life stuff.
The Peaks and Valleys Are Real
Change is a lot. Especially with ADHD. It’s okay if it takes you longer to settle in, longer to feel “normal,” or longer to figure out how to function in your new setup. Your ADHD brain isn’t broken. It’s just trying to recalibrate with a very sensitive internal compass.
So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, scattered, or weirdly emotional about something you “should” be happy about, you’re not alone. It’s just the ADHD version of processing change. And it’s valid. You’re valid.