You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - adhdwithjennafree.com/adhdguide

Chapters

00:00 Understanding ADHD and Rest 00:49 The Impact of Dysregulation on Enjoyment 04:26 Chronic Fight or Flight and Its Effects 07:44 Challenging Thoughts and Beliefs 11:08 Nervous System Regulation Strategies 13:56 All or Nothing Thinking in Rest 16:35 Finding Balance in Rest and Productivity 19:30 Transitioning Between Tasks 25:51 Overcoming Barriers to Rest

Summary

In this episode of the ADHD with Jenna Free podcast, I dive into rest and ADHD, exploring the struggle between dysregulation and the ability to relax. I get into how external factors often get blamed for difficulties in resting, while the real issues may lie within our thoughts, beliefs, and nervous system regulation. I talk about how to challenge all-or-nothing thinking, the importance of finding balance in daily life, and practical strategies for achieving a more regulated state that allows for genuine enjoyment and rest.

Takeaways

• Rest is often hard for those with ADHD due to dysregulation.
• Chronic fight or flight states hinder relaxation.
• External factors are not the sole cause of our inability to rest.
• Nervous system regulation is crucial for relaxation.
• Slowing down can help manage dysregulation.
• All or nothing thinking can prevent effective rest.
• Regulated rest is about balance, not extremes.
• Rest should be integrated into daily life, not seen as a reward.

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Learn more about the ADHD, Regulation and Intuitive Eating workshop here - adhdwithjennafree.com/ieworkshop

You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - adhdwithjennafree.com/adhdguide

Chapters

00:00 Understanding ADHD Regulation 05:25 Dysregulation and Emotional Responses 08:39 The Impact of Fight or Flight on ADHD 11:30 The Theory of ADHD Regulation 14:32 The Dysregulation Cycle 17:16 Finding Balance in Regulation 20:17 Three Types of Regulation 23:07 The Path to a Regulated Life

Summary

In this episode of the ADHD with Jenna Free podcast, I discuss the complexities of ADHD regulation, diving into the dysregulation cycle and the impact of being in a constant state of fight or flight. I share the need for a three prong approach that includes nervous system regulation, cognitive restructuring, and behavioral changes to achieve lasting change.

Takeaways

• ADHD regulation involves more than just nervous system regulation.
• Emotional dysregulation is often a symptom of a system in fight or flight.
• Understanding the dysregulation cycle is crucial for change.
• Working on your thinking and beliefs can help alleviate dysregulation.
• Regulation work is a gentle but long-term process.

Connect with Jenna

• Instagram
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Check out the ADHD and Intuitive Eating workshop here - adhdwithjennafree.com/ieworkshop

You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - adhdwithjennafree.com/adhdguide

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to ADHD and Food Relationships 04:29 Understanding Unhealthy Relationships with Food 09:47 My Personal Journey with Food and ADHD 15:58 Principles of Intuitive Eating 21:36 The Role of Dysregulation in Eating Habits 24:36 Workshop Announcement!!

Summary

In this episode of the ADHD with Jenna Free podcast, I discuss the complex relationship between ADHD and food. I dive into the challenges faced by ADHDers regarding their eating habits, including unhealthy relationships with food, binge eating, and the impact of dysregulation. I share my personal journey from dieting to intuitive eating and how you can use intuitive eating and regulation to begin building a more balanced and healthy relationship with food.

Takeaways

• ADHD can significantly impact your relationship with food.
• Many individuals with ADHD struggle with binge eating and dysregulation.
• A healthy relationship with food involves nourishment and enjoyment, not punishment.
• Intuitive eating can help create balance in eating habits.
• Ditching diet culture is essential for a healthy food relationship.
• No foods should be labeled as good or bad to avoid moral judgments.
• Regular eating can help regulate emotions and prevent binge eating.

Connect with Jenna

• Instagram
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Check out ADHD Groups here - adhdwithjennafree.com/groups

You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - adhdwithjennafree.com/adhdguide

Chapters

00:00 Understanding Negative Self-Talk in ADHD 04:00 The Impact of Negative Self-Talk on Regulation 07:26 Shifting from Negative to Neutral Self-Talk 12:01 Learning from Mistakes and Reflection 16:51 Embracing a Kinder Inner Dialogue

Summary

In this episode of the ADHD with Jenna Free podcast, I discuss the pervasive negative self-talk among ADHDers. I explore the reasons behind this, and share how it stems from a dysregulated state and serves as a misguided defense mechanism. I provide practical strategies for you to shift your mindset from negative self-talk to a more neutral perspective, encouraging self-compassion and reflection on mistakes without harsh judgment. The conversation highlights the importance of awareness and the need to create a positive mindset to improve overall well-being and reduce ADHD symptoms.

Takeaways

• Most ADHDers experience a lot of negative self-talk.
• Negative self-talk serves as a misguided motivator.
• You are safe without negative self-talk.
• Shifting to neutral thinking can help reduce self-criticism.
• Curiosity about mistakes leads to better understanding.
• You deserve to live a life that's enjoyable and easier.
• Negative self-talk hinders personal growth and happiness.

Connect with Jenna

• Instagram
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Get your spot in the Free ADHD Beliefs Workshop here - adhdwithjennafree.com/beliefs

You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - adhdwithjennafree.com/adhdguide

Chapters

00:00 Understanding ADHD and Money 02:16 Survival Mode and Short-Term Thinking 03:39 Shopping as a Coping Mechanism 10:27 The Rush and Its Impact on Spending 13:17 Dysregulation and Financial Avoidance 18:29 Facing Financial Discomfort 23:44 Balancing Short-Term and Long-Term Goals

Summary

In this episode of the ADHD with Jenna Free podcast, I discuss the complex relationship between ADHD and money management from a dysregulation lens. I explore how ADHD (particularly dysregulated ADHD) can lead to impulsive spending, avoidance of financial responsibilities, and the impact of survival mode on long-term financial planning. We are talking about why money can be hard and what we can do to make it better.

Takeaways

• ADHD can complicate money management due to impulsivity.
• Survival mode affects our ability to think long-term about finances.
• Shopping can provide temporary relief from dysregulation.
• Rushing leads to poor financial decisions and increased spending.
• Avoidance of financial responsibilities can create a cycle of shame.
• Slowing down can lead to more thoughtful spending decisions.
• Urgent purchases often indicate dysregulation.
• Balancing short-term enjoyment with long-term goals is crucial.
• Mindfulness and regulation are key to improving financial health.

Connect with Jenna

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Grab your spot in "The ADHD Beliefs Keeping You Stuck in Survival Mode" Workshop - https://www.adhdwithjennafree.com/beliefs

You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - adhdwithjennafree.com/adhdguide

Chapters

00:00 Understanding Dysregulation in ADHD 07:21 The Three Layers of Regulation 19:27 Shifting from Scarcity to Abundance 28:12 The Importance of Relaxation

Summary

In this episode, we explore the connection between dysregulation and ADHD, emphasizing the importance of addressing both the nervous system and belief systems to improve overall well-being. I dive into common beliefs that contribute to dysregulation, such as "I' m behind and I need to catch up", and offers strategies for shifting to more regulating beliefs.

Takeaways

• ADHDers often experience chronic fight or flight due to dysregulation.
• Dysregulation can exacerbate ADHD symptoms, making them harder to manage.
• There are three layers of regulation: nervous system, thoughts and beliefs, and behavior.
• Shifting beliefs can lead to better regulation and improved functioning.
• The idea of being 'done' is a myth; life is ongoing.
• Scarcity mindset can lead to feelings of desperation and overwhelm.
• The dangling carrot philosophy keeps individuals in a cycle of stress.

Connect with Jenna

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If your days feel like a sprint and every ADHD tool you've tried has only added more speed, this one's for you. I'm walking through the six external tools for ADHD that helped me stop the frantic rush and crash cycle. This is for the late-diagnosed adult who's ready to stop hacking and start regulating from the outside in.

I get into why cramming your schedule reads as chaos to your nervous system, the household shifts that slowed my whole family down (including a landline and a record player), why a paper calendar might be the best calendar for ADHD brains stuck in overwhelm, and what I'm testing to change my relationship with ADHD and social media, including a dumb cell phone. I also talk about the all-or-nothing thinking trap that turns a 2-minute break into "why bother," and the one rule I follow when I want to change something in my life so I don't spiral into ADHD burnout. Nervous system regulation for ADHD is always the foundation, and this episode is about what you can build on top of it.

00:00 - Why external tools support internal regulation

03:30 - Slowing down the household and parenting with ADHD

06:10 - Why a paper calendar works when apps don't

08:59 - ADHD and social media, and the dumb cell phone experiment

12:06 - Taking breaks and the all-or-nothing thinking trap

15:50 - Implementing one new thing at a time to avoid ADHD burnout

Check out the show notes and other resources at https://jennafree.com/blog/6-external-tools-for-adhd-regulation

Let's stay connected!

You can get your new and improved free ADHD Reset Guide here: adhdwithjennafree.com/adhdguide

Want more thriving with ADHD? Come hang out with me on Instagram!

Get out of paralysis, be more productive, and enjoy your life again! Join an upcoming group!

If you've labeled yourself as bad at ADHD prioritization and you're tired of the ten-things-on-the-list-and-nothing-got-done cycle, this episode gives you a different way in. I'm walking through why prioritization is so hard for adults with ADHD, and it's not what you've been told. This one is for you if you're ready to stop treating the symptom and get to what's actually driving it.

I break down why prioritization only happens in action (not in your head), how ADHD paralysis and overwhelm are downstream of nervous system dysregulation, and the all-or-nothing thinking trap that keeps you stuck choosing between everything and nothing. I share the line and the ride analogy that names what's really going on when you can't pick, why every priority comes with a sacrifice you have to accept, and the one mantra I come back to when I catch myself spinning. If you've been in survival mode with your to-do list, this is the reframe.

00:00 - Why ADHD Prioritization Feels Impossible

02:31 - The Definition Flip: Prioritization Only Happens in Action

04:29 - Fight or Flight and Why Everything Feels Equally Urgent

12:29 - Every Priority Comes With a Sacrifice

14:56 - The Line and the Ride: What You're Really Fighting

23:13 - Treating the Root, Not the Label

Check out the show notes and other resources at https://jennafree.com/blog/rethinking-adhd-prioritization-and-why-youre-not-bad-at-it

Let's stay connected!

You can get your new and improved free ADHD Reset Guide here: adhdwithjennafree.com/adhdguide

Want more thriving with ADHD? Come hang out with me on Instagram!

Get out of paralysis, be more productive, and enjoy your life again! Join an upcoming group!

If you've been managing your ADHD for years and still feel like you're barely holding it together in daily life, this episode is about why that happens and what changes it.

I'm sharing my own ADHD story in this one, from a postpartum diagnosis I didn't see coming to seven years of dysregulated entrepreneurship, and what daily life looks like now that nervous system regulation is the foundation. I cover why the ADHD dysregulation cycle is so hard to spot from the inside, what fight-or-flight has to do with overwhelm and paralysis, and why external wins like a degree, income, and business growth don't touch the internal experience until the regulation work does. This one is for adults with ADHD who are tired of outsmarting their symptoms and want to understand what's really driving them. 00:00 - Introduction: ADHD, Regulation, and My Story 04:12 - ADHD Diagnosis During Grad School 07:34 - Connecting ADHD Symptoms to Fight or Flight Response 12:12 - Being Present: The Key to Reducing ADHD Overwhelm 19:07 - Breaking the Overwhelm-to-Paralysis Pipeline Check out the show notes and other resources at https://jennafree.com/blog/how-adhd-regulation-changed-my-daily-life

Let's stay connected!

Want more thriving with ADHD? Come hang out with me on Instagram!

Get out of paralysis, be more productive, and enjoy your life again! Join an upcoming group!

If you've ever found yourself so focused on doing things efficiently that you still haven't done anything, this episode is about what's really going on there.

I'm talking about why your obsession with efficiency isn't about time management. It's what survival mode does to an ADHD brain. When you're dysregulated, the nervous system demands you go all in or not at all, and that all-or-nothing thinking is what turns five errands into zero errands for two weeks straight. This episode covers why the efficiency trap works against you, what ADHD burnout cycles have to do with perfectionism, and what it actually looks like to get things done when you stop chasing efficiency and start thinking sustainably.

00:00 - The Efficiency Obsession and Where It Comes From

03:12 - All or Nothing Thinking and the Errand Problem

08:20 - ADHD Perfectionism Through the Back Door

13:45 - Transitions, Batching, and What Dysregulation Is Doing

18:02 - What Sustainability Looks Like in a Day

Check out the show notes and other resources at https://jennafree.com/blog/adhd-obsession-with-efficiency

Let's stay connected!

You can get your new and improved free ADHD Reset Guide here: adhdwithjennafree.com/adhdguide

Want more thriving with ADHD? Come hang out with me on Instagram!

Get out of paralysis, be more productive, and enjoy your life again! Join an upcoming group!