Holistic Support for Adult ADHD

Living with ADHD as an adult is a full-time job no one sees you working. Most of the labor is invisible: the effort it takes to sit still when your body wants to move, to swallow your questions so you don’t interrupt, to force eye contact when it feels like staring into the sun. The world tells us to be polite. Calm down. Stop fidgeting. Stop noticing so much. Stop needing so much. Just stop.

But we don’t stop. We hide.

We bite our tongues and clench our hands. We hold our breath in rooms that feel too bright, too loud, too tight. We play at being normal until we forget what it feels like to be ourselves. And no one sees the cost. No one sees the sensory storm inside - the way the flicker of a light, the tag on a shirt, the hum of the fridge can feel like needles under the skin.

It’s not just that we’re sensitive. It’s that we’re awake. We catch things other people miss. We live in high resolution. And still, we’re asked to tone it down. To shrink. To comply.

So we mask. We behave. We bend ourselves into shapes that fit the space. And it works - until it doesn’t. Until we burn out, or melt down, or wonder why we feel so far from ourselves.

Productivity Culture Is Its Own Kind of Dysfunction

Living in late-stage capitalism can be utterly exhausting for people with ADHD. Everything moves fast, in straight lines, with tight deadlines and endless to-do lists. There’s constant pressure to produce, to prove your worth through output, to stay “on” even when your brain and body are asking for something slower, deeper, more human.

It’s not easy when your natural rhythm doesn’t match the pace of the world around you. When rest feels like rebellion. When joy feels like a luxury you haven’t earned yet. When you measure your day by what you got done instead of how you felt doing it.

But here’s the truth: the way you think, feel, sense, and move is absolutely, wholly correct. I'm Jewish, and in Judaism we have a concept - b'tzelem elohim. It translates into "made in the image of g-d," and it's a concept spoken and repeated by queer and trans Jews: we are all equal, valuable, and entirely integral aspects of creation, exactly the way that we are. You’re a being, an inherent part of our world, with deep sensitivity, wild creativity, and a nervous system that notices what others miss. You bring wonder into the room. You ask good questions. You care in ways that can’t be measured on a spreadsheet. That’s not a weakness. That’s a gift.

So what if the real work is not trying to fit harder but learning how to honor what’s already yours? Your joy. Your pace. Your way of seeing the world. You’re allowed to protect your energy, to find meaning beyond productivity, to choose connection over performance.

ADHD in this world is hard. But it also holds a kind of magic, an invitation to live more fully, more freely, and more honestly. You are not behind. You are becoming.

Parenting with ADHD

Parenting with ADHD is a special kind of intensity. You’re asked to be the steady one, the regulating force, the grown-up—while your own nervous system is already at capacity. You wake up tired. You move through the day balancing your kid’s needs with your own chaos, trying to stay present through the noise, the mess, the feelings (theirs and yours). You want to respond calmly, wisely. But sometimes you’re just overstimulated, overextended, and under-resourced.

And when your kid has ADHD too? It’s can be like adding gasoline to the fire. You get what it’s like to feel out of sync, to be too loud, too sensitive, too much. You know why they do what they do - the meltdowns, the verbal stimming, the monologues - but that doesn’t make it easier. Because when they melt down, you might be seconds away from your own. When they forget their shoes for the third time, your executive function is already hanging by a thread.

And if your child is neurotypical, you might feel out of step in other ways, like you’re supposed to “model” regulation you’re still learning yourself. Like you’re expected to offer calm containment when your own mind is darting in ten directions and the sound of crinkling snack bags makes you want to scream.

But here’s the thing: parents with ADHD develop some of the most creative, compassionate coping strategies. We learn how to co-regulate through movement and music. We build visual schedules and make up amazing rituals. We lean into play, we say “I’m sorry,” we start over. We find ways to get back in rhythm, together.

Our neurodivergence doesn’t make us bad parents. It makes us deeply attuned to what’s underneath behavior. It makes us empathetic. It makes us adaptive. It teaches us to value process over perfection and to notice when the expectations themselves need to change. You are doing a good job. Absolutely, 100%.

Holistic Support for Adult ADHD

Naturopathic medicine has so much to offer folks with ADHD, whether they are currently medicated or not (side note: if you're considering medication but haven't tried it yet that's something we can talk about as well).

For some people, stimulant medications are life-changing. For others, they’re helpful but come with side effects. And some folks just can’t tolerate them. Wherever you land, naturopathic care can work alongside medication—to manage your prescriptions, reduce rebound effects, and support sleep, digestion, and emotional regulation.

Herbs for Adult ADHD

Herbal medicine is one of the most accessible ways in. If you’re dealing with anxiety, overstimulation, or emotional volatility, anxiolytic herbs like lemon balm, passionflower, skullcap, and chamomile can offer gentle calm without dulling your spark.

If you’re burning the candle at both ends - and who isn’t? - adaptogens like ashwagandha, holy basil, and rhodiola can help build resilience over time. These herbs don’t work overnight, but with consistent use, they can offer noticeable support.

For mental clarity and focus, nootropic and circulatory herbs like rosemary, gotu kola, and ginkgo can increase alertness and improve executive function, especially when combined with good sleep and blood sugar regulation. Even something as simple as a daily rosemary tea or essential oil in a diffuser can help signal your brain: wake up, let’s go.

ADHD and Homeopathy

Homeopathy is another powerful tool in the toolbox for adults with ADHD. Rather than focusing on symptoms alone, homeopathy works on a deeper level - it addresses the underlying programming that shapes the way we respond to the world. When you find a good homeopathic remedy match, it’s like your internal system finally finds its rhythm. You're still just as sensitive, just as creative, but you have more choice - you can choose how to respond to the things that happen in your life, instead of just reacting.

Two of the homeopathic remedies I use again and again for my patients with ADHD are Phosphorus and Tuberculinum. 

The Phosphorus type person is magnetic, bright, emotionally porous. They sense, notice, and feel everything, including things that other people miss. They crave social connection but burn out quickly and need alone time to refill their reserves. They are anxious, imaginative, and seek connection in part because the constantly need a reality check. Think, classic hyperactive impulsive or combination ADHD.

Phosphorus supports emotional balance, focus, and resilience in people who are ultra-sensitive to sensory input and emotional shifts, helping them have more ease in a world that is constantly, relentlessly setting them off.

Tuberculinum is another type of ADHD archetype - the inattentive, distracted, dissatisfied type who craves stimulation and struggles with the repetitive boredom of routine. They can be sensitive to criticism and very resistant to being told what to do, as that grates against their need for movement in search of the next dopamine trigger. Restraints and demands can feel so hard to bear they can even cause depression or extreme irritability. 

Tuberculinum helps folks with this type of ADHD expression feel more ease with the constraints of living in a social structure that demands repetition and constant engagement with - let’s just say it - the boring and often absurd tasks common in the modern workplace. 

These are just two of the remedies I use frequently for ADHD. There are so many others, and each one is similarly well suited for a specific type of presentation or patterns. As a homeopath, my first job is to see the person in front of me - truly understand them, where they’re coming from, what’s motivating them - and then to match them with the right remedy, out of thousands of options. 

Getting the Care You Need

Living with ADHD, whether as an adult or in a parenting role, is a deeply complex experience. It’s not about fitting into a mold that wasn’t made for you, or constantly playing catch-up with a world that demands more than your natural rhythm can sustain. It’s about embracing the unique ways in which your mind works—sensitive, sharp, vibrant—and finding strategies that honor those strengths while offering support where it’s needed most.

If you’re looking for more support in navigating life with ADHD, whether through herbs, homeopathy, or personalized care strategies, I’m here to help. Together, we can find the right path for you—one that honors your uniqueness and supports your well-being, allowing you to feel more centered, clear, and empowered in your daily life.