From Head to Body: Reclaiming Presence in an ADHD World
For many women with ADHD, the mind is always on.
Thoughts race ahead, looping through to-do lists, past conversations, or a new idea that has captured all your attention. Sometimes this feels exhilarating — like when hyperfocus fuels a creative burst. Other times, it’s brutally paralysing: the ADHD paralysis is setting in, leaving you frozen while your mind spins.
Whether it’s the tunnel vision of hyperfixation or the overthinking that keeps you stuck, both experiences share one thing: they pull us out of our bodies.
When we live almost entirely in our heads, we lose touch with the steady, grounding presence our body offers. And without that anchor, it’s harder to regulate our nervous system, meet our needs, or feel a sense of true belonging.
ADHDers often feel the weight of the world inside their head due to overthinking, rumination and a mind that’s always “on”.
Why ADHD Can Leave Us “Living in Our Heads”
ADHD brains are wired for interest, novelty, and stimulation. In a world that demands constant task-switching and compliance with rigid systems, the mind becomes a survival tool — scanning, anticipating, and analysing to keep up. The ADHD brain’s filter for less important information and stimuli is not as active as in neurotypical people. This means our brains have to process a lot more incoming information at the same time.
For women with ADHD, this mental overdrive is often intensified by:
Masking and self-monitoring – Constantly checking how we appear to others.
Over-responsibility – Feeling we must overprepare to avoid mistakes.
Heightened sensitivity – Quickly picking up on environmental and social cues, sometimes at the cost of noticing what’s happening inside our own bodies.
Over time, the body’s signals — hunger, fatigue, stress — can get pushed to the background. We may only notice them when they become extreme.
The Cost of Disconnection from the Body
When we’re out of touch with our bodies (called disembodiment), the effects show up everywhere:
Losing bodily presence – Our body helps us stay present in any given moment. Our mind has the power to pull us into past or future scenarios, which can be stressful.
Regulation becomes harder – Without noticing early stress cues, we’re more likely to tip into ADHD paralysis or overstimulation.
Focus loses balance – Hyperfocus can spiral into burnout when we ignore the body’s need for rest, nourishment, or movement.
Belonging feels less accessible – It’s difficult to connect authentically with others when we aren’t anchored in ourselves.
This is why body-led nervous system regulation is central to my work with ADHD women. Before we can sustain focus or feel safe in relationships, we need to return home to the body. “Coming home to the body” is the essential work we do together in my coaching sessions on which everything that follows will have a more stable footing.
From ADHD Paralysis and Hyperfocus to Grounded Presence
The shift from “head-only” living to full presence doesn’t mean turning off the ADHD brain. It means letting the mind and body work together.
Body-led approaches include:
1. Sensory Awareness Practices – Tuning into simple physical sensations can help interrupt spirals of hyperfixation or the freeze of ADHD paralysis.
2. Movement as Regulation – Gentle, mindful movement helps release tension and bring attention back into the present moment.
3. Breathwork for Focus Reset – Breath pacing (e.g., inhale 4, exhale 6) signals safety to the nervous system, making it easier to re-enter tasks without overwhelm.
These tools create space between thought and action — allowing us to respond from presence rather than react from survival mode.
Why Presence Supports Belonging
Presence is more than being physically in a room. It’s the felt sense of inhabiting yourself fully.
When we’re present in our bodies:
We can sense and communicate our needs clearly.
We can pace our energy during periods of hyperfocus.
We can stay engaged in relationships without losing ourselves.
This embodied presence is the foundation for the two strands of my belonging concept: “belonging to self” and “belonging to others”. Without embodied presence, connection risks feeling performative or draining. With it, connection becomes a space for genuine exchange and curiosity.
A Practice to Bring You Back Into Your Body
Next time you notice your thoughts racing, or you’re deep in hyperfixation and losing track of time, try this:
Pause whatever you’re doing.
Name five things you can feel in your body right now (e.g., the texture of your clothing, the weight of your feet on the floor).
Breathe slowly, letting your exhale be longer than your inhale.
This simple act can help bridge you back from “head-only” into a state of grounded presence — ready to re-engage with focus and choice.
Coming Next in the Series:
The Two Waves of Belonging: From Self to Others in ADHD Community →
We’ll explore how belonging begins with self-connection and expands into safe, paced connection with others.
Related:
Read Part 1: Belonging and ADHD — Why You Have Always Been Part of the Story →
Read Part 2: Why Belonging Heals the Secondary Wounds of ADHD →
For many women with ADHD, the question of belonging runs deep.
Years of masking, micro-rejections, and feeling “too much” or “not enough” can leave us believing that acceptance is conditional.