ADHD Executive Functioning Meltdowns: What the Research Really Says

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Mar 10, 2025

Dive into the chaotic world of executive functioning in ADHD, where stress can tank your decision-making. Discover why your brain freezes under pressure and the surprising reasons behind emotional meltdowns, like crying over emails. Learn practical, science-backed strategies to reset after emotional overload and understand the unique challenges ADHD professionals face in task transitions. Plus, the hilarious juxtaposition of how different ages perceive rewards sheds light on the complexities of motivation. Get ready for some eye-opening insights!

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INSIGHT

Hot vs. Cold Executive Functioning

Hot executive functioning involves emotional stimuli, while cold executive functioning does not.
The presence of emotions, like a cartoon character with steam coming off their head, makes it "hot".

ANECDOTE

Driving Under Pressure

Skye describes a stressful driving experience as an example of hot executive functioning in action.
Receiving conflicting instructions while driving can overload the executive functions.

INSIGHT

Impact of Emotions on Executive Functions

The three primary executive functions are working memory, set shifting, and inhibition.
Research suggests only inhibitory control is reliably impacted by emotional stimuli.

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If task-switching under stress wrecks your day, you’re not alone. Researchers have spent 20+ years studying executive functioning in ADHD, and honestly? Their findings are a bit of a mess.

In this episode, we break down a new critical review of the research (and trust me, the we have some thoughts). We’re talking hot executive functioning, emotional overload, and why decision-making goes out the window under stress.

What you’ll learn:

Why your brain freezes in high-pressure situations (and what science says you can do about it)
The real reason ADHD professionals struggle with task transitions and emotional reactivity
What this research tells us about why we cry over emails (yes, really)
Practical, science-backed tools to reset your brain after an emotional overload

There’s a reason ADHD professionals burn out faster—and it has everything to do with how we process stress. Let’s break it down.

References:

A critical review of hot executive functioning in youth attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Methodological limitations, conceptual considerations, and future directions

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