May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which makes it a good time to talk about something that can quietly shape the way adults with ADHD experience stress, anxiety, work, relationships, and daily life: cognitive distortions.

Cognitive distortions are “biased, irrational thoughts that can lead to negative thinking and anxiety.” This is also an area where a certified mental health provider can offer deeper support than what we unpack in coaching.

If you have ADHD, you may already know what it feels like to have a brain that moves quickly, reacts strongly, and sometimes turns one unfinished task into a full internal courtroom drama. Cognitive distortions can add another layer to that experience. They don’t mean you’re being dramatic or unreasonable. They mean your brain is interpreting information through a stressed, protective, or overwhelmed lens.

Common Cognitive Distortions

Some common cognitive distortions include:

• All-or-nothing thinking: Seeing things in extremes. This line of thinking is often accompanied by perfectionist tendencies.
• Catastrophizing: Imagining the worst-case scenario.
• Mind-reading: Assuming what others are thinking, usually negatively.
• Discounting the positive: Downplaying accomplishments.
• “Should” statements: Placing unrealistic demands on ourselves.
• Magnification: Exaggerating the significance of problems.
• Minimization: Trivializing accomplishments.

For adults with ADHD, these patterns can show up in very practical, everyday ways. All-or-nothing thinking might sound like, “If I can’t finish the whole to-do list today, I’ve failed.” Catastrophizing might turn one unanswered email into, “They’re upset with me.” Mind-reading might convince you that your boss thinks you’re incompetent, even when you don’t actually have evidence for that.

Discounting the positive can be especially sneaky. You finish something hard, but instead of letting yourself recognize it, your brain says, “That wasn’t a big deal” or “I should have done it sooner.” Magnification makes mistakes feel enormous, while minimization makes progress feel invisible. Tiny gremlins in business casual, basically.

Why This Matters for ADHD

ADHD already affects executive function skills like planning, prioritizing, task initiation, emotional regulation, and working memory. When cognitive distortions are layered on top of those challenges, the day can feel even heavier.

A task doesn’t just feel hard. It starts to feel impossible. Feedback doesn’t just feel uncomfortable. It starts to feel like proof that you’re failing. A delay doesn’t just feel inconvenient. It starts to feel like everything is falling apart.

This is why awareness matters. You don’t have to believe every thought your brain offers you. Sometimes the thought is not a fact. Sometimes it’s a stress response. Sometimes it’s an old pattern. Sometimes it’s your nervous system trying to protect you, but using very outdated software.

How to Start Working With These Thoughts

The goal is not to force yourself into positive thinking. That usually doesn’t work, and for many ADHD brains, it can feel fake or dismissive. A more helpful starting point is noticing the pattern without immediately arguing with it.

You might try asking:

• What unhelpful thinking patterns might be showing up here?
• Do I have evidence for this thought, or am I filling in the blanks?
• Is this thought helping me take action, or is it increasing pressure?
• What would be a more accurate version of this thought?
• What is the smallest next step I can take from here?

For example, instead of “I always fall behind,” you might shift to, “I’m noticing all-or-nothing thinking. I’m overwhelmed right now, and I need to choose one next step.” Instead of “They think I’m terrible at this,” you might try, “I don’t actually know what they’re thinking. I can ask for clarification if I need it.”

These shifts may seem small, but small shifts matter. They create space between the thought and your response. That space is where regulation, choice, and problem-solving can come back online.

Where the RIEAAR Framework Fits In

This is where the RIEAAR framework can be helpful. Regulation comes first because it’s hard to challenge distorted thoughts when your nervous system is already in threat mode. If you’re dysregulated, your brain is more likely to jump to extremes, assume the worst, or interpret neutral information as negative.

Once you’re more regulated, Intention can help you notice your self-talk and reconnect with what actually matters. Externalizing can help you get thoughts and tasks out of your head so they feel less tangled. Accommodating can help you reduce the friction that makes distorted thoughts louder. Accountability and Reward can help you build support and reinforce progress along the way.

Final Thoughts

Mental Health Awareness Month is a good reminder that mental health is not just about “handling stress better.” It’s also about understanding the patterns that may be adding pressure in the first place.

If you notice cognitive distortions showing up often, try to notice without judgement. Your brain has learned a pattern, and patterns can be noticed, supported, and shifted over time.

You don’t have to believe every thought you have. You can pause, name the pattern, regulate your nervous system, and choose a more accurate next step.

And if these thoughts are creating significant anxiety, distress, or disruption in your life, support from a certified mental health provider can be a very helpful next step. Coaching can support awareness, systems, and practical strategies, while therapy can help you work more deeply with the thought patterns themselves.