ADHD Untangled S5 E11 - Tangled In ADHD: Big Feelings, Fight, Flight, Freeze & Fawn With Dr. Miguel Mateas
Jun 2, 2025
Dr. Miguel Mateas, an ADHD expert, dives into the emotional rollercoaster of living with ADHD. He explains the ‘curse and the gift’ of feeling things deeply, showcasing how intense emotions can lead to intuition but also overwhelm. The discussion highlights stress responses like fight, flight, freeze, and the often misunderstood fawn response. They explore Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, unpacking its physical and emotional impacts. Practical coping strategies, including grounding techniques and embracing authenticity, round out this insightful conversation.
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Freezing as Procrastination
- Freezing in ADHD appears as procrastination or doing unrelated tasks due to overwhelm.
- Decision paralysis is common as the nervous system becomes overloaded with stimuli and emotions.
Don't Rationalize Overwhelming Emotions
- Trying to rationalize or think your way out of emotional overwhelm worsens ADHD distress.
- Emotional moments require body-based grounding, not more thinking, for effective coping.
RSD Causes Physical Pain Feeling
- RSD in ADHD activates brain areas that process both physical and emotional pain, heightening rejection sensitivity.
- This explains why rejection feels physically painful and triggers intense emotional and behavioral responses.