Is it ADHD or is everything a catastrophe?

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This week on Is it ADHD or Life? – A Couple’s Perspective, we’re talking about something that can take a tiny problem and turn it into a full-blown disaster in your head in about 0.3 seconds.

Episode: Is it ADHD or is everything a catastrophe?

Adam starts by defining what catastrophising actually means for him, because Donna’s neurotypical brain doesn’t fully get how it can feel so real, so fast, and so unavoidable.

We share how it shows up in everyday life, like being stuck in traffic on the way to work. For Adam, traffic can instantly become a chain reaction of worst-case outcomes. For Donna, it’s more like… “well, we’ll get there when we get there.” Same situation, completely different nervous system response.

We talk about how catastrophising can affect:
- Family life and the mood in the house
- Relationships and the fear that one argument means it’s all over
- Work and confidence (including how it’s pushed Adam to quit jobs)
- Health anxiety, where minor physical symptoms suddenly feel like something serious
- We also share a real example of being late for a theatre show, and how catastrophising can ruin an experience entirely before it’s even started. It’s not just “overthinking” — it’s the body reacting like the worst thing is definitely happening.

We explore the big question: is catastrophising ADHD, anxiety, life… or a messy mix of all three?

Catastrophising is a common cognitive distortion, and in ADHD it can be linked to fast thinking, emotional overwhelm, and anxiety. We talk about whether Donna gets the same feelings too, and how it shows up differently for her.

Donna shares how catastrophising used to make her assume relationships would end after arguments (and how she’s learned not to let her brain run away with that now). Adam explains how his brain constantly imagines worst-case outcomes to feel prepared, while Donna prefers to go with the flow.

If you’ve ever gone from “we’re in traffic” to “I’m going to lose my job, everyone hates me, and I’ll never recover” in one breath… you’re not alone.

Five Minute Moans this week:
A “meow” gesture for money (yes, really)
Being shut down in conversations.

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/46i0iGiwmgvFrlOzoW2SnS

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DO0mv6-MaPI

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