Advertisement Overload on ADHD Brains

Anyone else feel like their brain is utterly fried from constant advertisements?

Especially during the holiday season when BLACK FRIDAY, CYBER MONDAY, and END-OF-YEAR SALES are screamed in our faces.

It's not that we're dramatic or “bad with money.” We’re likely just maxed out. And particularly for ADHD brains, this time of year hits especially hard.

Between flooded inboxes, non-stop pop-ups, and flashy “final deals,” ADHD brains are under siege.

And it’s not just annoying...it’s mentally draining.

Micro-Decisions Are Draining Our Mental Energy

Every single ad scrolled past asks the ADHD brain to make a micro-decision:

• Ignore it?

• Click and investigate?

• Buy it?

• Remember it for later?

Even when not actively shopping, the ADHD brain is still sorting through a firehose of choices, depleting precious executive function resources every step of the way.

ADHD brains already burn more fuel on decision-making. So when that fuel runs out, they crash... Mentally, emotionally, and often financially.

Bright, Fast, and Overstimulating by Design

Here’s the kicker: ads are built to hijack attention. (Like ADHD needs more of that)

• Bright colors

• Flashy movement

• FOMO-driven language

• Countdown clocks

• Scarcity messaging

All of it is designed to create urgency and override impulse control.

Marketing is actually engineered distractions designed to influence, not inform. They use strategic overwhelm to steer the brain’s dopamine.

And ADHD brains are more vulnerable because of how they process novelty, rewards, and emotional urgency.

The result?

Frazzled nervous systems and emotional whiplash, with little capacity left for anything else.

It’s Emotionally Draining (Not Just Mentally)

Think about it: the ADHD brain is being asked to weigh dozens of mini “yes or no” decisions per day, on top of regular responsibilities.

That pressure creates:

• Chronic tension from resisting temptation

• Decision fatigue from rapid-fire mental filtering

• Shame spirals if you give in and overspend

• Shutdowns when the ADHD brain says, “No more decisions today”

Even simple choices, like what to eat or wear, start to feel heavy and paralyzing.

Tips to Protect From Ad Overload

You don’t need more willpower. You need better boundaries between your brain and the barrage of stimulation.

Here’s how to build them:

🛑 Limit Ad Exposure

• When ads start, run out of the room and do an exercise like 30 jumping jacks then run back in (Repeat until ads end)

• Move shopping apps OFF your home screen

• Turn off notifications for any apps you don't need urgent updates from

• Switch your phone to grayscale to reduce visual dopamine hits and stimulation

• Download an ad blocker (or try a new one)

• Set a timer before you “just browse”, then do a body reset after

  • Jumping jacks. A cold splash of water. A short walk.

  • Reset your nervous system, not just your screen.

🧠 Create “Calm Zones” to Re-Regulate

The goal isn’t just to resist ads. It’s to reclaim peace in the body.

Build spaces that buffer the ADHD brain from the noise:

• A chair or corner that signals: "I'm safe".

Can include:

• Cozy blanket

• Dim, warm lighting

• Less noise or sound proofing

• Zero tech

• Your Reset bin: a small box with regulation items that work for you.

Can include:

• Chew necklaces

• Fidget tools

• Weighted blanket, plushie, or pillow

• Noise canceling headphones

• Stress ball

It doesn’t need to be a Pinterest-perfect space. The ADHD adult just needs a pocket of calm that reminds the brain it doesn’t have to be “on” all the time.

Oversaturated, Not Crazy

If an ADHD adult is forgetting appointments, snapping at a screen, or tearing up in a checkout line, it isn’t a personal failure.

It’s a nervous system pushed past capacity.

The ADHD brain isn’t just “distracted”, it’s flooded.

Flooded with ads. Flooded with choices. Flooded with urgency and pressure to respond, decide, and keep up.

What looks like overwhelm on the outside is overload on the inside.

The ADHD brain doesn’t need more motivation or grit...it needs fewer incoming signals. It needs margins, buffer, and breathing room.

Protecting peace isn’t a luxury for the ADHD adult. It’s maintenance. It’s how the brain stays functional, grounded, and safe enough to think clearly again.

This is the kind of stuff ADHD coaching exists for.

Not just planning your schedule, but protecting your energy, building nervous system awareness, and strategizing around your vulnerabilities so you stop spiraling and start recovering.

🧠 Book a call if your brain needs a buffer

You don’t have to do this alone.

Coach Brooke