Summary

Our ability to control our reactions and manage our emotions can be challenging on any given day, let alone trying to remember everything on our to-do list as well. For those who are neurodivergent, managing how we feel and retain information can be challenging as our main ‘management system’ in charge of memory and emotions may function differently. In this article, we will begin to understand why this may be occurring and explore ways to cope and navigate life’s challenges with a little more ease.  

What is it?

ADHD is believed to impact our brain's executive functioning, which can be referred to as the “management system of the brain”. This system allows us to set goals, plan, and get things done (Diamond, 2020).

There are three main areas that executive functioning impacts, these include;

• Working memory (our ability to hold information in mind and manipulate it)
• Cognitive flexibility (our ability to think flexibly and switch between tasks/rules)
• Inhibitory control (our ability to suppress our thoughts/actions/feelings)  

As such, our executive functioning is important for many skills, such as:

• Paying attention
• Organising, planning, and prioritising
• Starting tasks and staying focused on them to completion
• Understanding different points of view
• Regulating emotions
• Self-monitoring (keeping track of what we are doing)

Emotions and ADHD

Our emotions play a vital role in how we respond to our environment. They give us context and meaning to situations and afford us the ability to connect and relate to others. A study focusing on emotional regulation and ADHD suggests that there could be differences in the brain’s ability to process incoming information from an emotional stimulus. This might affect our ability to effectively organise or interpret the information, which in turn could lead to difficulties in managing our emotions or responding appropriately to our feelings (Shaw et al., 2014). This might look like overreacting to situations or reacting disproportionately to a situation. If we also have difficulties with inhibitory control, we may not be able to “stop ourselves” from blurting out something inappropriately, be able to suppress how we are feeling leading to “reactive outbursts” or being “overly sensitive to feedback or stress”. As executive functioning also impacts our cognitive flexibility, we may become rigid on a particular idea or task at hand, making it incredibly difficult to change our routines, schedules or stop a task, leading to heightened emotional responses as a result. Understanding our emotions involves examining an array of complex processes, as there are many different aspects influencing how we interpret an emotional stimulus. Hopefully, in time, the research surrounding emotions and ADHD can provide new insights to the neurodivergent population.  

Memory and ADHD

Our working memory (WM) is essential for holding new or incoming information, and part of this information processing involves encoding, maintaining information, and retrieving it. When our executive functioning including our WM is impacted, our everyday functioning can be affected such as how we engage socially, at work, or keeping up at school. Regarding how ADHD plays a role in memory, some studies suggest our capacity to maintain attention on tasks or the amount of information impacts our ability to properly organise it in our WM (Kim et al., 2014). One study explored how the type of information we receive may impact how we store it in WM, for example learning phonologically (language, sound, speech) may be more challenging for those with ADHD, as opposed to learning material visually (visuospatial) (Alderson et al., 2013). Another study also explored the potential of low processing speeds and distractibility potentially influencing an individual’s ability to retain information (Butzbach et al., 2019). As ADHD is diverse across the population, some individuals may experience difficulties with learning and memory whilst others do not, therefore we encourage you to seek resources and tools that benefit you.  

Putting it into practice

Do you want to manage your emotions more efficiently? Try these strategies:

Deep Breathing – When our emotions are heightened, we may feel overwhelmed in our body which can be managed by focusing on the breath. There are different techniques you can try, an easy one is the 4-2-6 breathing technique.

Using the STOPP Method – This method is used in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to reduce our need to react and respond immediately when we are feeling triggered. Try to practice the STOPP method daily.

Practising Mindfulness –If we practise mindfulness, this can allow us to become aware of how we feel, be patient with our emotions and be able to reflect before reacting.  

Grounding Techniques - If we are overwhelmed, our mind and body become disconnected from the present. By focusing on grounding ourselves in the here-and-now, we are more likely to feel less overwhelmed by our thoughts and feelings. We can ground ourselves by paying close attention to our senses – sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch.  

Do you want to improve your memory/attention? Try these tips and tricks:

At school/uni: Taking fidget toys or tactile objects into class and playing with them, sitting next to a friend to keep you on track, sitting closer to the teacher/lecturer, using lists or checklists, having a study schedule, using mind maps/flow charts/drawings and images, having a “sensory break” involving going for a walk or taking a break from class.  

At home: Having a designated area for items, using a whiteboard or visual reminder in an area visible to you every day, pairing a fun task/activity with a less exciting task, having a “body double” someone who can act as a motivator, taking regular breaks between tasks. Organising your home to minimise the steps required to complete a task (placing all objects/items in one area to prevent getting distracted).  

At work: using visual timers for tasks, fidget objects or material, chunking tasks into smaller steps to reduce overwhelm, reducing distractions in your environment, using music to help support concentration, using the Pomodoro method to schedule “work time” and “break time”.  

If you are looking for professional support to manage ADHD symptoms get in touch with one of these qualified experts.

Resources

Apps

• Calm
• Smiling Mind

Books

• How to ADHD: An Insider’s Guide to Working you’re your Brain (Not Against it) by Jessica McCabe

Websites

• https://adhdguideline.aadpa.com.au/lived-experience-factsheet/#:~:text=They%20can%20experience%20difficulties%20with,enjoy%20leisure%20time%20and%20relax  

YouTube

How to ADHD - https://www.youtube.com/@HowtoADHD

References 

Alderson, R. M., Kasper, L. J., Hudec, K. L., & Patros, C. H. (2013). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and working memory in adults: a meta-analytic review. Neuropsychology, 27(3), 287. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23688211/.    

Diamond, A. (2020). Executive functions. In Handbook of clinical neurology (Vol. 173, pp. 225-240). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-64150-2.00020-4  

Bellin, Z. J. (2015). The meaning connection between mindfulness and happiness. The Journal of Humanistic Counseling, 54(3), 221-235. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/johc.12013.   

Butzbach, M., Fuermaier, A. B., Aschenbrenner, S., Weisbrod, M., Tucha, L., & Tucha, O. (2019). Basic processes as foundations of cognitive impairment in adult ADHD. Journal of Neural Transmission, 126, 1347-1362. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00702-019-02049-1.  

Hazlett-Stevens, H., & Craske, M. G. (2009). Breathing retraining and diaphragmatic breathing. General principles and empirically supported techniques of cognitive behavior therapy, 166. https://www.wiley.com/en-au/General+Principles+and+Empirically+Supported+Techniques+of+Cognitive+Behavior+Therapy-p-9780470227770.  

Kim, S., Liu, Z., Glizer, D., Tannock, R., & Woltering, S. (2014). Adult ADHD and working memory: neural evidence of impaired encoding. Clinical Neurophysiology, 125(8), 1596-1603. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1388245713013485.  

Microsoft Copilot. (2024). Conversation on ADHD. GitHub.

Najavits, L. (2002). Seeking safety: A treatment manual for PTSD and substance abuse. Guilford Publications. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2006-23175-007.  

Shaw P, Stringaris A, Nigg J, Leibenluft E. Emotion dysregulation in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Am J Psychiatry. 2014;171:276–93. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2013.13070966.  

Zoogman, S., Goldberg, S. B., Hoyt, W. T., & Miller, L. (2015). Mindfulness interventions with youth: A meta-analysis. Mindfulness, 6(2), 290-302. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2014-01649-001.