ADHD &...with Jorie Houlihan

ADHD & Learned Helplessness: Why You Feel Stuck (& It's Not Laziness)


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Welcome to the Season 2 premiere of ADHD &...! In this episode, Jorie tackles a concept many women with ADHD experience but often lack the language to describe: Learned Helplessness.

If you have ever felt like you are just "not trying hard enough," or if you avoid tasks because you are convinced you will fail, this episode is for you. Jorie explains that this feeling isn't a character flaw or a lack of motivation. It is a psychological response to repeatedly trying neurotypical strategies that weren't built for your brain.

In this episode, we cover:

  • Defining Learned Helplessness: Understanding why your brain decides to stop trying after repeated struggles.
  • The "Neurotypical Trap": Why trying harder at systems designed for other brains leads to burnout, not success.
  • The Consistency Myth: How "all-or-nothing" thinking sabotages your progress and how to embrace flexibility instead.
  • Self-Awareness vs. Shame: Why understanding your specific triggers (like "out of sight, out of mind") is more effective than brute force.
  • Identifying the Signs: How learned helplessness manifests as avoidance, not asking for help, or dismissing your own capabilities.

Mentioned in this episode:

  • The Clarity + Action Intensive: A premium one-on-one coaching program designed to help you build a system specifically for your unique ADHD brain: Learn More

I’m a life coach, not a medical or mental health professional—this content is for education only, not a substitute for professional care.

Next Week: Join us for a conversation with Laurie Stern from the Real and the Woo podcast on tuning into your body to manage emotional dysregulation.

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Resources:

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ADHD &...with Jorie HoulihanBy Jorie Houlihan