If you live with ADHD, you probably already know that life can feel more stressful than it does for other people. You might feel like you’re always behind, overwhelmed, or frustrated. Maybe you’ve been told to “just try harder,” but that only adds to the pressure.

You are not alone. And you’re not doing anything wrong.

A recent study published in the Journal of Neural Transmission helps explain why daily life can feel so hard for adults with ADHD. The study is called “The Role of Stress Coping Strategies for Life Impairments in ADHD” by Steffen Barra and his research team. The study shows that the way people with ADHD deal with stress has a big effect on how much ADHD impacts their lives.

Let’s take a closer look at what this study found and how it can help you.

ADHD Affects More Than Focus

Many people think ADHD is only about paying attention. But ADHD affects much more than that. It can make everyday life feel harder at work, at home, and in relationships.

The study found that adults with ADHD are more likely to:

• Struggle with work or school responsibilities

• Have more difficulty in relationships

• Experience stronger emotional distress

• Feel less satisfied with life overall

These challenges are not your fault. They are linked to how ADHD affects your brain’s ability to manage attention, emotions, and tasks.

The Stress Loop

Stress and ADHD are closely connected. In fact, they can feed into each other.

Here is how it works. When you have ADHD, your brain is already working hard to process everything around you. That can lead to overwhelm. When you get overwhelmed, it is harder to focus, stay organized, or keep emotions in check. This leads to more stress.

This stress then makes it even harder to manage ADHD symptoms. It becomes a loop that is hard to break.

But the study found something really important. How you cope with stress can make a big difference.

Some Ways of Coping Help. Others Don’t.

The study looked at 230 adults and how they manage stress. It found that adults with ADHD were more likely to use unhelpful coping strategies. These included:

• Avoiding problems

• Shutting down or pulling away from others

• Getting stuck in negative thoughts

• Blaming themselves

• Feeling hopeless or giving up

These responses often happen automatically. Sometimes they may feel like the only way to get through the day. But over time, these coping habits can make things worse. They can increase problems at work, in relationships, and with emotional health.

Helpful Coping Skills Do Make a Difference

The good news is that the study also found that some coping strategies can make life better. These healthier strategies included:

• Positive self-talk (saying kind things to yourself)

• Reframing problems to feel less overwhelming

• Pausing before reacting in anger or frustration

• Reaching out to others for support

People who used these helpful strategies had fewer life problems, especially in relationships and social situations. These strategies did not make ADHD go away, but they helped reduce how much ADHD disrupted their lives.

What This Means for Therapy

In my therapy work with adults who have ADHD, I see this all the time. It is not just the symptoms that cause stress. It is also the way people respond to that stress.

This study reminds us that therapy is not just about helping someone get more organized. It is also about helping them feel more calm, more confident, and more in control. That happens by learning better ways to deal with stress.

In therapy, we focus on:

• Noticing your current stress responses

• Understanding where those patterns come from

• Practicing new coping skills that actually help

• Rebuilding trust in yourself

What You Can Try Right Now

If you live with ADHD and feel overwhelmed by stress, here are a few small steps you can try:

1. Notice your patterns. When you get stressed, what do you usually do? Do you avoid tasks? Get irritated? Shut down?

2. Be kind to yourself. Instead of saying “I’m a mess,” try “This is hard right now, but I’m learning.”

3. Take a breath before reacting. Even a small pause can help you respond instead of react.

4. Ask for help. Whether it is a friend, family member, or therapist, reaching out can make a big difference.

You Are Not Alone

This study by Barra and his team gives us helpful insight. It shows that the way we deal with stress matters just as much as the symptoms of ADHD. And that is something we can work on, one step at a time.

If you feel like stress and ADHD are running your life, know that there is hope. You can learn new ways to cope. You can feel more in control. And you do not have to figure it out alone.

Want support with ADHD and stress? I help adults who feel overwhelmed build better coping tools and create calmer, more connected lives. To learn more or book a consultation, visit www.drnatetherapy.com. I would be honored to support your next step.