ADHD and That Constant, Rushing Feeling

Sometimes my ADHD makes me feel like I'm being chased by an invisible “tag” partner—even when I'm sitting still.

And it's not just me, many of my clients have mentioned that inner rushing as well. 

It’s that sensation of someone right on your heels… except there isn’t anyone. There’s no game. No danger. And yet your body acts like something bad is going to happen.

BUT…

This rushing isn’t the same as having energy. In fact, many of us feel it while we’re exhausted. It’s not momentum—it’s trapped activation. A nervous system stuck in “go-go-go” with nowhere to go.

So, why the heck does this happen, especially for women with ADHD? And what are some simple, realistic ways to soften that inner speed?

Why ADHD Creates That “Constantly Being Chased” Sensation…

Women with ADHD often grow up masking, keeping up appearances, overperforming, and anticipating problems before they arise. That teaches the brain one central message, “You must stay alert to be safe.”

This creates…

1. A chronically activated nervous system. ADHD brains tend to run on higher baseline levels of internal arousal—almost like a car whose engine idles at 2,000 RPM instead of 500. It’s not anxiety per se… but the body interprets it as urgency. 

2. Time-blindness + pressure = stress chemicals. When your brain struggles to sense time accurately, it constantly feels behind. That releases adrenaline and cortisol, nudging your system into “hurry mode,” even when there’s no real reason to rush.

3. Executive functioning load. Women with ADHD often carry hidden mental to-do lists, emotional labor, and sensory load. This creates a background hum of, “I should be doing something right now,” even while resting.

4. Fatigue and hyperarousal can coexist. Exhaustion doesn’t turn off the stress response. Many of us feel like we’re tired but wired—a perfect recipe for burnout and emotional overwhelm.

If you feel this, there is nothing wrong with you. Your body is doing exactly what it learned to do to keep you going.

But you can teach it a different rhythm.

Here's what's been helping me lately…

Recently, whenever I feel that internal rushing, revving feeling—whether I’m getting dressed, writing, or walking to the car—I pause for just a moment and say, “I notice this feeling inside of me. I’m intentionally pausing for this moment to breathe and slow down.”

It doesn’t last long. It doesn’t need to.

For ADHD brains, micro-pauses are much more realistic and far more effective than long meditations that make us want to claw our eyes out.

The amazing thing?

Doing this once a day usually leads to twice a day… then more. And over time, I’ve felt my internal speed soften. Not disappear—but become something I have influence over instead of something that controls me.

Simple, Science-Backed Ways to Slow the Inner Rush…

Use these as micro tools—don’t try all of them at once. Pick one and let it meet you where you are.

1. “Name It to Tame It” (30 seconds)

When you name a sensation—“My body feels rushed right now”—it engages the prefrontal cortex, calming the emotional brain.

It lowers physiological arousal without asking you to stop what you’re doing.

 2. The 4-Second Drop

• Drop your shoulders

• Exhale for 4 seconds

• Let your belly soften

This signals “safety” to the vagus nerve instantly.

3. The ADHD-Friendly Pause: 5-4-3-2-1 Micro Check-In

Pick one sense and bring your attention to it for five seconds. Touch the counter. Notice your feet. Listen for a sound, notice a smell.

A single sensory anchor interrupts rushing without derailing your momentum.

4. The “Start in Neutral” Rule

Before beginning a task, take 3 breaths with your jaw unclenched. This shifts your nervous system out of threat mode and into something more grounded.

5. Body Pressure = Instant Calming

Weighted blankets, compression clothing, or even hugging yourself tightly can reduce internal activation.

Deep pressure input is one of the fastest ways to shift a dysregulated ADHD nervous system.

6. “Safe to Slow Down” Affirmations, not fluffy mantras—regulating ones:

 “I can move at the pace my body needs.”

“Nothing urgent is happening right now.”

“I don’t have to keep up with the pressure in my mind.”

“I am allowed to pause.”

 Saying these while exhaling makes them far more effective.

7. Body-First, Mind-Second

If you know me, you know that a lot of the work I do with clients is mindset/cognitive behavioral work BUT you can't mindset your way out of nervous system activation. ADHD requires a two-part approach:

Mindset: understanding the pattern

Body: signaling safety

Without the second part, the first isn't nearly as effective. 

Please remember, you’re not failing, your system is overworking.

And that’s something we can gently, compassionately retrain. If all you do this week is pause once—just once—for a single breath and say, “I notice this,” that’s a powerful act of self-trust.

That’s how change begins for our brains. Not with force, but with consistent, compassionate noticing.

I’m in this with you.

Always cheering for your nervous system and your beautiful ADHD mind.

Xo, Jody