17: ADHD and Money: Break the Spend-Avoid Cycle

If you feel like you handle money fine until you don't, and then you're staring at a credit card bill wondering where it all went, this episode is for you. I'm breaking down why ADHD makes money hard through a nervous system lens instead of a discipline one. This is for the adult who has tried every budgeting hack and still feels like their spending is out of their control.

I walk through four things that get in the way: survival mode keeping you locked into short-term thinking, spending as a quick fix for dysregulation, rushing that leads to impulsive purchases, and the shame and avoidance cycle that makes it harder to face your finances the longer you put it off. I also get into why that "I need this right now" pull is usually dysregulation talking, and how to slow down enough to tell the difference.

00:00 – ADHD, Money, and Survival Mode

02:21 – The Impact of Survival Mode on Spending

12:18 – Financial Shame, Guilt, and Avoidance

13:42 – The ADHD Money Snowball Cycle

14:50 – Spotting Urgency in Spending Triggers

Check out the show notes and other resources at https://jennafree.com/blog/adhd-and-money-spend-avoid-cycle

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