Self-Care Strategies for ADHD That Actually Work: Young Adult Edition
For many adults with ADHD, “self-care” can feel like one more thing on the to-do list. You know it’s important — yet when the moment comes to choose between a long-term healthy choice and a short-term comfort, your brain often votes for now.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone — and it doesn’t mean you’re lazy, unmotivated, or incapable of change. It means your brain’s reward system simply works a bit differently.
Let’s explore why that happens and what you can do to make self-care not just possible, but realistic and sustainable.
Why ADHD Makes Self-Care So Hard
ADHD brains are wired to seek immediate reward.
That means short-term comfort (scrolling, gaming, take-out, skipping the gym) tends to feel more rewarding in the moment than long-term wellbeing (cooking, moving your body, getting enough sleep).
Even when you know you’ll feel better tomorrow if you cook or stretch or go to bed on time, it can feel nearly impossible to follow through. That’s not a character flaw — it’s a neurological difference in how dopamine (your brain’s motivation chemical) operates.
Example: The Evening Choice
Imagine this scenario:
You finish work and feel drained. You can:
Grab take-out and play video games for the evening (the short-term comfort), or
Cook yourself dinner and go for a walk (the long-term wellbeing).
You might want to choose the second option, but your brain is pulling hard toward the first. And by the time you’ve debated long enough, decision fatigue kicks in — take-out wins.
Sound familiar? Let’s break down how to work with, not against, your brain.
Strategy #1: Pause and Picture
Before making a choice, hit pause — even for 10 seconds.
Picture both paths in as much detail as possible.
How will you feel tonight if you choose option A?
How will you feel tomorrow morning if you choose option B?
Visualizing how “future you” will feel helps your brain see the delayed reward more vividly, which makes it easier to act in line with your longer-term goals.
Strategy #2: Don’t Rely on Willpower
Willpower is a limited resource. And when ADHD is part of the picture, relying on it alone is like trying to run your phone on 3% battery all day — it’s going to shut down eventually.
Instead, shift your environment to make the healthier choice easier and the less helpful choice harder.
ADHD-Friendly Environmental Tweaks
If TikTok distracts you at work: charge your phone in another room or use app-blocking software.
If you struggle to get to the gym: keep workout clothes in your car and go straight after work — no pit stops.
If you scroll yourself to sleep: move your phone out of your bedroom.
If you grab take-out too often: keep easy, comforting meals or snacks in your freezer or desk so hunger doesn’t lead to panic decisions.
Small shifts in your setup can make a huge difference in how easy self-care feels.
Progress, Not Perfection
You don’t have to nail every choice to make progress.
Choosing long-term wellbeing even some of the time builds momentum and strengthens that reward pathway in your brain.
Some days you’ll pick the take-out and Netflix — and that’s okay. The goal isn’t perfect habits; it’s creating a life where self-care feels possible, not pressured.
Try This
Next time you’re at a crossroads between short-term comfort and long-term care:
Pause for a beat.
Picture both paths.
Make one small environmental tweak that helps future-you.
Then notice how it feels — not to do it perfectly, but to do it with intention.
Coming Soon
Self-Care Strategies for ADHD That Actually Work — Parent Edition
Middle-Age Adult Edition
If you found this helpful, follow aware_psychology on instagram or email dr.rance@awarepsych.net to sign up for the newsletter!