07/09/2026
ADHD, Autism and a Nervous System That Struggles to Switch Off
Is your neurodivergent brain and body always on the go and struggling to unwind?
Do you have ADHD, autism or AuDHD and often feel like your brain simply won’t switch off?
Are you often feeling very overwhelmed and can’t find a way to manage the constant churning, racing thoughts and busyness in your mind?
For many autistic and ADHD adults, overwhelm isn’t just something that happens in the mind. Your body and nervous system can also feel as though they are constantly on the go.
This can make it incredibly difficult to slow down, regulate and properly rest.
ADHD, autism and using alcohol or substances to unwind
Many of the neurodivergent clients I work with have developed coping mechanisms for this experience, and sometimes this is through alcohol or drugs.
These can help the nervous system to unwind, often quickly and with very little demand.
Clients often come to see me for ADHD or autism therapy when they want to understand why they rely on these ways of coping and find healthier ways to manage their racing mind, overwhelm and busy life.
Rather than simply taking away a coping mechanism, we can become curious about what that coping mechanism has been doing for your brain and nervous system.
Understanding your ADHD or autistic nervous system: think about the gears on a car
One of the first steps in therapy is looking at the brain and body as though they operate like the gears on a car.
Often with ADHD, the brain can feel like it is running in 4th gear and the nervous system is responding to this demand.
There may be high levels of adrenaline and other stress hormones helping the body facilitate this level of energy and stimulation.
Often at the end of the day there is a crash into neutral, like the brakes have suddenly been slammed on.
Or there can be difficulty getting from gear 4 to gear 1 and then into neutral without it feeling clunky and uncomfortable.
This difficulty transitioning from being highly stimulated to resting can be particularly difficult for ADHD and AuDHD adults.
This is often where substances come in because they can make this transition feel easier.
Autism, hyperfocus and not noticing that you need to slow down
For autistic people, switching off can be difficult in a slightly different way.
Sometimes we may not even notice that we need to switch off.
When we are deeply focused on an interest, task or activity, particularly when hyperfocusing, it can be difficult to notice what is happening elsewhere in the body.
We may not recognise that we’re hungry, thirsty, tired, need the toilet, need to move, or that our nervous system is becoming increasingly frazzled.
For AuDHD adults, there can be another layer to this. The autistic brain may want to stay deeply engaged in something while the ADHD brain is still seeking stimulation.
So the answer isn’t necessarily “stop hyperfocusing.”
That may not be realistic, helpful or particularly neuroaffirming.
Instead, we can ask: how can I meet more of my needs while I’m hyperfocusing?
Can you hyperfocus in a slightly lower gear?
This is where the gears analogy can be helpful again.
Rather than expecting yourself to go from gear 4 straight into neutral, could you find ways to continue doing what your brain wants to do but in a slightly different gear?
Perhaps you’re still occupied. You’re still interested. You’re still getting stimulation.
But you’re also finding ways to prompt yourself to notice and meet your body’s needs.
This might mean building in external prompts to eat, drink, move, use the toilet, change position, step outside, reduce sensory input or simply check in with how your body is feeling.
The aim isn’t to constantly interrupt your autistic or ADHD hyperfocus.
It’s to create prompts that help you meet your needs while you’re in it.
That might allow you to move through your day at a slightly slower pace while still doing something your brain finds engaging.
And that can become part of rest and recovery too.
How can we interrupt the overwhelm and burnout cycle?
Instead of expecting your ADHD or autistic brain to suddenly switch off, we can find ways to take the nervous system and brain from gear 4 down to gear 3, and then gear 2.
Ask yourself:
What could I do that still occupies my mind and gives my brain some stimulation, but at a lower level of demand?
What helps my body recognise that it is beginning to slow down?
What does gear 3 look like for me?
What might gear 2 look like?
And if I’m hyperfocusing, what prompts could I put around myself that help me notice and meet my needs without demanding that I stop?
This isn’t necessarily about forcing yourself to relax or expecting a busy neurodivergent brain to suddenly become quiet.
It is about gradually learning how your individual brain and nervous system work.
Nervous system regulation for ADHD, autism and AuDHD
Awareness of this process over time can help you develop a more regulated nervous system that feels less frazzled, overwhelmed and less in need of a substance to ease the gears.
For ADHD, autistic and AuDHD adults, nervous system regulation isn’t necessarily about being calm all the time.
It can be about recognising what gear you’re currently in and finding ways to move between those gears that work with your neurodivergent brain rather than against it.
Sometimes that means slowing down.
Sometimes it means continuing to hyperfocus but finding ways to look after your body while you’re doing it.
And sometimes it means recognising that rest doesn’t always have to mean doing nothing.
Your version of rest and recovery might still involve stimulation, movement, an interest or something that occupies your mind, simply at a lower level of demand.
The nervous system takes time to learn how to exist in a different gear.
Initially, slowing down may feel unfamiliar and almost unpleasant, particularly if your brain and body have become accustomed to operating at a high level of stimulation.
Spend short periods of time being curious about which gear you’re in, what your body might need, how you could alter the gear slightly and how each gear feels.
The aim isn’t to make your neurodivergent brain behave more like a neurotypical one.
It’s about understanding your brain and finding ways to work with it.
How can neurodivergent therapy help with ADHD overwhelm, autistic burnout and hyperfocus?
As a therapist specialising in ADHD, autism and neurodivergence, I work with adults who experience overwhelm, racing thoughts, anxiety, autistic burnout, ADHD burnout, hyperfocus, emotional dysregulation and difficulty switching off.
Neurodiversity-affirming therapy can help you understand your own patterns, recognise what your nervous system and body need and find practical ways of regulating that work with your brain.
You don’t necessarily need to stop hyperfocusing.
You don’t need to force your brain into neutral.
Sometimes we simply need to learn how to move through the gears differently, while making sure our needs come along with us.
If you are struggling with any of these issues and would like to talk to a therapist who understands neurodivergence, please see my website to get in touch ⬇️
https://janemcphillipshypnotherapy.com/
Solution-Focused Hypnotherapist based in Sheffield. Hypnotherapy helps with anxiety, panic attacks, stress, fears, phobias, weight management, eating disorders, low confidence, menopause, chronic pain, giving up smoking, sleep problems, Long Covid.
