Why ADHD Makes Feeding Yourself So Difficult with Michaela Thomas

I am so thrilled to have the wonderful Michaela Thomas - clinical psychologist, ADHD specialist, and author of The Lasting Connection - joining me for this fascinating deep dive into the ADHD brain. We’ve talked about neurodivergence on the show before, but rarely do we look at it through the lens of our relationship with food. Michaela completely shifted my perspective by explaining that ADHD isn't just a "focus" problem; it’s a systemic, whole-body regulation issue. We explore everything from the "good girl" conditioning that leads many women to mask their symptoms for decades, to the staggering reality of how internalised criticism eventually manifests as burnout or disordered eating. In the second half of our chat, we get into the nitty-gritty of why the kitchen can feel like a battlefield when your executive function is compromised. Michaela and I discuss the "decision paralysis" that strikes at 6:00 PM and the science behind "interoception" - the reason you might literally forget to eat until you're crashing. We also tackle the "dopamine seeking" behind sugar cravings and why we need to stop demonising food "shortcuts." This episode is an invitation to stop fighting your brain and start working with it, moving away from perfectionism and toward a more compassionate, neutral relationship with how we fuel ourselves. Find Michaela: Website: https://thethomasconnection.co.uk Instagram: @the_thomas_connection Buy her book: https://amzn.eu/d/03j7Dfna Find Anna: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dranna.co.uk/about⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/drannacolton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Book (Amazon): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.amazon.com/How-Talk-Children-About-Food/dp/1785120557⁠