By Molly Anne Summers, P.C.C.
The holidays can be beautiful… and they can also be overstimulating, unpredictable, and full of expectations.
For people with ADHD tendencies, this season often highlights the exact challenges that make daily life harder: disrupted routines, sensory overload, emotional intensity, and decision fatigue.
If you feel overwhelmed this time of year, it isn’t a character flaw.
Your brain is asking for more support, not more pressure.
1. When Routines Shift, ADHD Tendencies Get Louder
Research shows that changes in structure increase overwhelm and inattention in people with ADHD tendencies. Holiday travel, guests, and shifting schedules remove the predictability the brain depends on.
Prompt:
What is one small routine I can protect no matter where I am?
2. Holiday Sensory Load Drains Mental Energy
Lights, noise, crowded rooms, constant activity It’s a lot. Studies show the nervous system behind ADHD tendencies processes sensory input more intensely.
Prompt:
What does my “quiet exit plan” look like if I get overstimulated?
3. Working Memory Gets Overloaded Easily
Gift lists, cooking, remembering details, managing logistics can be overwhelming. Research from Barkley & Murphy shows these layered tasks strain the working memory of those with ADHD tendencies.
Prompt:
What can I write down or off load, so my brain doesn’t have to hold it all?
4. Emotional Regulation Gets Harder Under Stress
Family dynamics, grief, pressure, and social expectations can intensify emotional responses. Research, links disrupted routines with higher emotional reactivity for those with ADHD
Prompt:
What emotion is underneath my frustration, and what does it need right now?
5. Decision Fatigue Happens Faster
“What should we bring?”
“Where should we go?”
“How much should we spend?”
People with ADHD tendencies tire more quickly when faced with layered or emotional decisions.
Prompt:
Where can I choose the “good enough” option instead of the perfect one?
A Kinder Way Through the Season
You don’t need to match anyone else’s pace.
You don’t need to stay longer than your nervous system can tolerate.
You don’t need to pretend the holidays aren’t demanding for a brain wired like yours.
What you do need is permission to honor how you function.
Final Reflection:
What is one compassionate choice I can make this season that supports my well-being. Not a choice out of guilt, but out of self-respect?
Warmly,
Molly A. Summers, P.C.C.
Life Coach & Author
Thank you for spending this time with me inside The Attachment Style Journal.
I hope these words remind you that your attachment style is not your whole story — and you don’t have to navigate change alone.
If you’d like more gentle support, my virtual coaching and self-guided book are here for you anytime.
Schedule your free call or explore my books at coachingwithmollysummers.com.
Coaching with Molly Summers 
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