GUEST BLOG: “My Body Was Tired, But My Brain Was Wired”: ADHD, Burnout, and Eating Disorders in a Disconnected Nervous System - by Becky Stone
“You need to slow down and eat mindfully.”
That advice sounds excellent to me.
But when your brain is wired, your nervous system is fried, and your body feels like a stranger, eating mindfully feels impossible.
Especially if you’re neurodivergent.
Especially if you’ve lived through disordered eating.
When You Can’t Hear the Body’s Signals
Last night, I climbed into bed exhausted. All day, I’d been dreaming of switching off. But as soon as I lay down, my brain surged to life.
Thought loops. Planning. Guilt.
The to-do list from nowhere.
And worst of all? The realisation that I’d barely eaten all day.
Not because I wasn’t hungry. But because I didn’t notice.
I was so wired I’d overridden entirely my body’s cues.
This is one of the hidden overlaps between ADHD, burnout, and eating disorders; you’re so used to being out of sync that it feels normal.
Why So Many Neurodivergent People Struggle With Eating Mindfully
Mindful eating sounds gentle. But it can feel terrifying.
For those of us with ADHD or trauma, the idea of sitting still and listening to the body often triggers anxiety rather than calm.
Our thoughts race:
How many calories is this?
Am I doing it right?
I shouldn’t be eating this…
What if I lose control?
We’re not in our bodies — we’re in our heads.
And because of that, we’re not eating from hunger or fullness.
We’re eating from fear, habit, stress, or sometimes… not at all.
The Neuroscience of Disconnection
ADHD brains have lower baseline dopamine.
So we chase stimulation to stay “engaged”, and often forget to eat until we crash.Meanwhile, disordered eating patterns (restriction, bingeing, purging) can reinforce the body’s stress response.
Over time, cortisol stays high, digestion slows, and interoceptive awareness (the ability to feel hunger/fullness/safety) becomes muted.
It’s not just about food. It’s about safety.
Somatic Awareness Is the Missing Link
Somatic therapy teaches us how to:
Reconnect to the felt sense of the body (not just the thoughts about it)
Track subtle signals like tension, emptiness, and anxiety before we act
Recognise when we’re wired, and offer tools to down-regulate the nervous system
Gently rebuild trust in our body’s cues, especially around eating
This is how we move from fear-based food rules to attuned eating — eating in response to what your body needs, not what your brain is yelling about.
Why “Slowing Down” Isn’t Always the Answer
For neurodivergent clients, stillness can feel like punishment.
It can increase dysregulation, not reduce it.
Instead, think of movement as regulation.
Try:
Walking while eating, if sitting at the table, feels overwhelming
Using sensory tools (warm socks, fidget items, calming smells) to ground while eating
Paddleboarding or hiking to calm the body before meals
Choosing music or rhythm that helps the brain soften before or after food
This isn’t “mindful eating” in the traditional sense.
It’s attuned eating for wired nervous systems.
Check In With Your Soma
Before your next meal or snack, ask:
Can I feel my breath, or is it stuck in my chest?
Have I moved today in a way that feels good?
Am I eating to nourish, or to soothe something else?
What would feel grounding now, something warm, soft, crunchy, cold?
These aren’t rules.
They’re invitations to come back to yourself.
Burnout + Disordered Eating = A Nervous System Crying for Rest
Burnout isn’t just physical. It’s emotional. Sensory. Relational.
It shows up as:
Forgetting meals or skipping food unintentionally
Obsessive control or rigid food rules
Feeling disconnected from hunger/fullness cues
Exhaustion that no amount of sleep can fix
This is why somatic work is so important. It gives us tools to notice these patterns without judgment, and begin to shift them gently.
Somatic Strategies That Help
Interoceptive Pauses
Place one hand on your belly. One on your chest. Breathe.
Ask: What do I need right now? Even if the answer is “I don’t know,” that’s data.
Movement Before Meals
If you’re wired, do 5 minutes of walking, shaking, or dancing before food.
It helps regulate your vagus nerve and improve digestion.
Anchor While You Eat
Use something tactile, hold a warm mug, sit on a soft cushion, or light a candle.
Give your body the signal that this moment is safe.
Rebuild Safety Slowly
If mindful eating feels terrifying, start with mindful noticing.
Just observe one part of the experience. Temperature. Texture. Breath.
That’s enough.
Affirmations for ADHD + Eating Recovery
I’m allowed to listen to my body without fear.
Nourishment is not a reward, it’s a right.
My body knows what it needs. I’m learning to trust it again.
It’s safe to pause and reconnect.
I don’t have to do this perfectly. I have to stay curious.
If This Resonates — You’re Not Alone
You are not broken.
You are a sensitive, powerful, intelligent human with a beautiful nervous system learned to survive by being switched on.
But survival mode is not where you have to stay.
With the right support, attuned tools, and somatic safety…
You can come home to your body.
Even if it’s been a long time.
Even if you’ve never felt safe there before.
