How does hypersensitivity manifest in ADHD?
Many people with ADHD describe living with their senses and emotions turned up too high. Everyday experiences like background noise, criticism, or bright lights can feel overwhelming. According to NICE guidance, this heightened sensitivity isn’t a personality trait but part of ADHD’s underlying neurobiology.
What hypersensitivity looks like
The NHS and Royal College of Psychiatrists describe three main types of hypersensitivity in ADHD:
- Emotional sensitivity: Strong emotional reactions to criticism, rejection, or stress. Feelings can rise and fall quickly, leaving people drained or self-critical.
- Sensory sensitivity: Heightened reactions to sound, texture, smell, or light, for example, struggling with noisy offices, clothing tags, or crowded spaces.
- Social sensitivity: Deep discomfort from perceived rejection or exclusion, often called rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD).
For some, these sensitivities cause irritability or anxiety; for others, they lead to withdrawal or emotional “shutdowns.”
Why it happens
Neuroscience studies, including Frontiers in Psychiatry (2024), show that the amygdala, the brain’s emotion alarm system, is more reactive in ADHD. Meanwhile, the prefrontal cortex, which helps regulate emotion and attention, is less active. This imbalance means emotional and sensory input hits harder and takes longer to calm down.
ADHD also involves irregular dopamine and norepinephrine signalling, which affects how the brain filters noise, light, and emotional information. This creates what NHS researchers call “sensory gating difficulties”, trouble filtering out irrelevant stimuli.
How to manage hypersensitivity
According to NICE and NHS pathways, hypersensitivity can be eased not eliminated through a combination of therapy, environment, and routine:
- CBT and mindfulness: It help people recognise triggers and practise grounding techniques before emotional escalation.
- Sensory modulation strategies: such as noise-cancelling headphones, weighted blankets, or quiet spaces reduce overstimulation.
- Medication review: If sensitivity worsens with stimulants, NICE recommends adjusting dose or formulation.
- Lifestyle structure: Regular sleep, hydration, and exercise help regulate dopamine and stress hormones.
Occupational therapists within the NHS increasingly integrate sensory regulation techniques into ADHD support, reflecting new research confirming sensory integration differences as a real neurobiological factor.
Lived experience and compassion
Charities such as Mind and ADHD UK note that hypersensitivity can make daily life feel unpredictable but understanding it can transform self-esteem. When families, schools, and workplaces adjust expectations and environments, people with ADHD can thrive instead of coping in constant overwhelm.
Key Takeaway
Hypersensitivity in ADHD isn’t “overreacting”; it’s how the ADHD brain experiences the world. It reflects real neurobiological differences in how emotions and sensations are processed. With awareness, structured support, and self-compassion, sensitivity can shift from a source of stress to a sign of empathy and depth, one that deserves understanding, not judgement.
