https://www.yougotthisgalway.com/blog daily 0.75 2026-04-30 https://www.yougotthisgalway.com/blog/Blog Post Title One-3zaa9-zlxng-skzj5-jzl9l-tkpxz-c6nk7-5tzr4-xan83-aky4m-dwd96-el7k7-mfsby-t3gnn monthly 0.5 2026-05-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6970e31dcf65ea24db3d5d6d/e51a92dd-d84c-43ff-ad12-920088852c60/IMG_5975.jpeg ADHD and Menopause Blog - Your Brain's Stories Aren't Facts: 5 Kind Ways to Untangle From Unhelpful Thoughts (Copy) # Helping Others as a Way Out: What the Research Says About Prosocial Behaviour and Mental Wellbeing **By Dr. Ann Cronin, Chartered Psychologist** When you're in a dark place—anxious, stuck, overwhelmed—the last thing you probably want to hear is "go help someone else." It can sound like a luxury, or worse, like yet another demand on your already exhausted nervous system. But here's what the research actually shows: **helping others isn't a distraction from your own healing. It might be part of the healing itself.** This isn't about toxic positivity or pretending your struggles don't matter. It's about something more interesting: the growing body of peer-reviewed evidence suggesting that **prosocial behaviour**—voluntary action that benefits someone else—has measurable effects on the helper's mental wellbeing. And unlike some inward-focused practices like gratitude journaling (which work for some people but can feel like a chore for others), helping others seems to work through a different mechanism entirely. Let me walk you through the science, and then give you the practical stuff: small, low-effort things you can do online and in real life that might actually help you feel less stuck. The Science: Prosocial Behaviour and Wellbeing What Does the Research Say? A substantial body of experimental research shows that prosocial behaviour acts of kindness, generosity, or help directed toward others promotes happiness and subjective wellbeing in the helper . This isn't just a correlation. Experimental studies where participants are randomly assigned to perform kind acts versus neutral activities consistently show a causal effect: doing good makes you feel better. A comprehensive meta-analysis found that performing small acts of kindness had a small-to-moderate effect on the psychological wellbeing of the actor the person doing the kind thing, not just the person receiving it . The effect is modest but reliable, and importantly, these were experimental studies designed to test causation, not just association. Why Does Helping Help *You*? The most frequently cited theoretical framework for understanding this effect is **Self-Determination Theory (SDT) . SDT proposes that humans have three core psychological needs that must be met for mental and physical wellbeing: Autonomy : Feeling in control of your choices You choose to help; no one forces you Competence : Feeling capable and effective You see that your action made a difference Relatedness : Feeling connected to others Helping creates a moment of genuine human connection Prosocial behaviour provides an opportunity to experience all three simultaneously . That's a powerful combination. There's also a neurological story. Acts of kindness activate brain regions associated with reward, social connection, and meaning, releasing neurotransmitters like **dopamine** (pleasure) and **oxytocin** (bonding) . Over time, these small boosts can help counterbalance the stress hormones that dominate when we're anxious or depressed. How Does This Compare to Inward Practices Like Gratitude? Gratitude has received enormous attention in positive psychology, and the evidence for its benefits is real. But here's an interesting finding: a 2022 study on empathy and prosocial behaviour found that gratitude acted as a mediator between empathy and prosocial behaviour meaning gratitude is part of the pathway, not necessarily the starting point . More critically: helping others creates an outward shift in attention. When someone is struggling, their mental world often shrinks until it revolves almost entirely around their own distress . This narrowing of attention isn't selfishness; it's a natural neurobiological response to strain. Kindness particularly when directed outward has a powerful ability to gently widen that mental lens. Inward practices like gratitude journaling keep attention *inside* your own experience. For some people, that works beautifully. For others—especially those prone to rumination or self-criticism—turning inward can actually intensify the loop. Outward-focused prosocial behaviour interrupts that loop differently. It creates a moment of connection that says: *I exist in relationship with others, even when my internal world feels unbearable.* A Critical Caveat: Autonomy Matters Here's something important: not all helping is created equal. Research from Kelley, Weinstein, and colleagues (2023) found that the psychological benefits of prosocial behaviour depend heavily on whether the helper experiences autonomy a genuine sense of choice . When people felt *controlled* or *obligated* to help (e.g., "I have to do this or someone will be disappointed in me"), the wellbeing benefits disappeared. In fact, controlled helping was associated with increased negative emotions. Help in ways that feel like *you*. Say no to obligations that feel like burdens. The goal is not to add another demand to your life. The goal is to find small, meaningful moments of connection that genuinely feel like a choice. Online Prosocial Behaviour: What the Research Shows What about things people can do *online*. This is where the research gets particularly interesting. Digital Peer Support Works A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis of digital peer support interventions (29 studies, 5,825 participants) found that engaging in peer support online through forums, apps, or digital communities was associated with: - Moderate reductions in anxiety(SMD -0.47) -Small-to-moderate reductions in depression(SMD -0.28) - Modest improvements in social functioning, quality of life, and personal recovery The effects were sustained over time, and interestingly, interventions delivered by peers alone (without professional involvement) achieved similar outcomes to those delivered jointly with professionals . What this means for you: You don't need formal training to be helpful online. Simply showing up, offering a kind word, sharing a resource, or validating someone's experience in a digital space counts as prosocial behaviour and it appears to benefit you as much as it benefits them. What Counts as Online Prosocial Behaviour? A scoping review published in 2025 identified two broad categories of online prosocial behaviour : Intrinsic (altruism & reciprocity): Sharing information, offering emotional support, providing comfort, responding to someone in distress Extrinsic (social connectedness & reputation) Commenting supportively, sharing campaigns, donating through online platforms, offering technical help The motivators for engaging in these behaviours included altruism, empathy, self-efficacy, reciprocity, safety and trust (intrinsic), as well as ease of use, reputation, personal gain, and social connectedness (extrinsic) . The key insight: You don't need a grand reason to help online. It can be as simple as "this feels easy to do" or "I want to feel less alone." Both are valid. Online and Offline Helping Reinforce Each Other Research on adolescents and young adults (which likely generalises to adults) shows that online and offline prosocial behaviours are interdependent they reinforce each other . Engaging in prosocial behaviour online predicts prosocial behaviour offline, and vice versa. Digital environments can foster identity development, a sense of responsibility, and agency in society. Small, Low-Effort Acts of Kindness (That Actually Count) Here's the practical list. None of these require significant time, money, or energy. Some take less than 30 seconds. All of them have evidence behind them. Online Acts (Lowest Friction) | Leave a genuine, specific comment on someone's post | Specific praise is more reinforcing than general praise | 30 seconds | | Share a resource (article, video, tool) that helped you | Information sharing is a recognised form of online prosocial behaviour | 1 minute | | Send a supportive message to someone you know is struggling | Emotional support is one of the most frequently cited online prosocial behaviours | 2 minutes | | Like" or react to someone's content** when you genuinely appreciate it | Even small signals of acknowledgment create micro-moments of connection | 2 seconds | | Thank someone specifically for something they did (character-focused: "you're so thoughtful") | Gratitude expressions referencing character (vs actions) may be more reinforcing | 1 minute | | Offer a word of comfort to someone who has shared a difficulty | Empathic concern directly predicts prosocial behaviour | 1 minute | Offline Acts (Still Low Effort) | Hold the door for someone | Small, brief acts of kindness have measurable effects on the helper's mood | 5 seconds | | Ask someone how they are and actually wait for the answer | Genuine attention is a form of prosocial behaviour that meets the need for relatedness | 1-2 minutes | | Verbalise gratitude aloud for a specific thing someone did | Expressions of gratitude reinforce prosocial behaviour in both directions | 30 seconds | | Let someone speak without interrupting | Creates a moment of safety and connection; requires zero additional resources | Pick up something someone dropped | A classic prosocial act; low effort, high visibility of impact | 10 seconds | | Make eye contact and smile at a stranger on the street | Non-verbal prosocial behaviour still activates reward circuitry | 2 seconds | Acts That Cost Nothing But Attention | Listen without trying to fix | Relatedness without pressure; the other person feels seen, you feel useful without overextending | | Acknowledge someone's effort ("I see how hard you're trying") | Competence feedback for them; perspective-taking for you | | Name something you appreciate about someone—out loud | Expressing gratitude reinforces your own positive emotion while strengthening connection | The "How" Matters: Making This Work For You 1. Keep It Tiny The research on kindness interventions shows that **small, brief acts** are just as effective as larger, more effortful ones . You don't need to volunteer for a charity or donate money. You just need to do one tiny thing that shifts your attention outward for a moment. 2. Choose Acts That Feel Like *You* Remember the autonomy finding . If an act feels like an obligation, skip it. The goal is not to add pressure. The goal is to find moments of genuine choice. Ask yourself: What could I do right now that would take less than 60 seconds and feel like a choice, not a chore? 3. Use Behaviour to Lead Emotion You don't need to *feel* kind to do something kind. In fact, a common misconception is that kindness has to come from a place of warmth or generosity. In reality, it still has value even when it feels mechanical or effortful Behaviour can lead emotion, not the other way around. You may not feel motivated, hopeful, or connected, but choosing a small kind action can still create subtle emotional movement over time. 4. Notice the Shift, Not the Fix Don't expect a single act of kindness to pull you out of a depressive episode. That's not how this works. The research shows **small, consistent effects** over time . Mental health change is rarely dramatic; it's usually built from many small, steady steps. The win is not "I feel better." The win is "I did one thing that shifted my attention outward for 30 seconds." 5. Kindness to Yourself Still Counts (But That's Not What This Post Is About) Briefly: many people find self-kindness far more difficult than kindness to others . Speaking to yourself with the same understanding you would offer a friend, allowing rest without guilt, or recognising that struggling does not mean failing these are acts of self-compassion that support recovery. But this post is about turning outward. And interestingly, small acts of kindness to others can give your subconscious a model for a better way to speak to yourself . You practice kindness on someone else, and slowly, that template becomes available for yourself. A Note on When Helping Doesn't Help If you are severely depressed, exhausted, or in crisis, please do not read this as "I should be helping others instead of resting." **Rest is not failure. Rest is recovery. The prosocial behaviour research applies to people with the capacity to act. If you don't have that capacity right now, your only job is to rest. The helping can wait. Also: if you are in an unsafe relationship or situation, your priority is your own safety. Do not direct your helping energy toward someone who is harming you. That's not kindness; that's self-abandonment. If You Want to Read the Research Yourself Here are the key peer-reviewed sources referenced in this post: | Nuttall et al. (2025). Online Prosocial Behaviors: A Scoping Review. *Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking* | Identifies types and motivators of online prosocial behaviour | | Findings from a meta-analysis of digital mental health interventions show that digital peer support interventions produce modest improvements in depression and anxiety symptoms | Digital peer support reduces depression and anxiety | | Curry et al. (2018). Acts of kindness and happiness. Meta-analysis cited in URMC blog | Small-to-moderate effect of kindness on wellbeing | | Kelley et al. (2023). Emotional, motivational and attitudinal consequences of autonomous prosocial behaviour. *European Journal of Social Psychology* | Autonomy is critical; controlled helping backfires | | Zhao et al. (2022). Effect of Different Types of Empathy on Prosocial Behavior: Gratitude as Mediator. *Frontiers in Psychology* | Gratitude mediates the empathy-prosociality link | | A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis of digital peer support interventions | Digital peer support improves depression, anxiety, and social functioning | https://www.yougotthisgalway.com/blog/Blog Post Title One-3zaa9-zlxng-skzj5-jzl9l-tkpxz-c6nk7-5tzr4-xan83-aky4m-dwd96-el7k7-mfsby-rjkyj-7hgyr monthly 0.5 2026-05-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6970e31dcf65ea24db3d5d6d/57097b9e-566e-4be8-a21c-482e11cdde0c/IMG_6308.jpeg ADHD and Menopause Blog - How to Talk to Your Partner About Attachment Patterns If you’ve just discovered attachment theory. The lightbulb has flickered to life above you. You see your pattern. You see theirs. You finally have a language for the thing that has been derailing your relationship for years. Now what? How do you bring this up without sounding like you're diagnosing them? Without starting another fight? Without them feeling attacked or pathologised? This is the skill no one teaches you: how to talk about relationship patterns with your partner, not at them. Here's your script. Step 1: Check Your Timing (Seriously) Do not start this conversation: During or immediately after an argument When either of you is tired, hungry, stressed, or rushing In bed, right before sleep In public Do start this conversation: On a weekend morning, with time and space On a walk (side-by-side conversation is less threatening than face-to-face) After you've both eaten and slept What to say: "Hey, I've been reading something interesting about relationships. I'd love to talk about it with you when you have some space. Maybe Saturday morning over coffee?" This gives them warning. No ambushes. Step 2: Own Your Pattern First The single biggest mistake people make is leading with their partner's behaviour. Don'tDo"You always shut down when I try to talk.""I've noticed that I tend to chase when things get hard. I think I have an anxious pattern.""You're so avoidant.""I think I might have an anxious attachment style. I'm learning about it.""Here's what you're doing wrong.""Can I share something I've learned about myself?" Why this works: When you own your half first, you create safety. You're not pointing a finger. You're inviting them into curiosity alongside you. What to say: "I've been learning about something called attachment theory. I think I might have an anxious pattern – which explains why I panic when you get quiet. I wanted to share it with you, not because you're doing anything wrong, but because I understand myself better now." Step 3: Use "We" and "Pattern" Language, Not "You" The goal is to externalise the problem. It's not you vs. them. It's both of you vs. the pattern. Instead ofTry"You withdraw""We have this dance where one of us chases and one of us withdraws""You're needy""Our pattern seems to be that we both get scared – just in different ways""You need to change""I wonder if we could learn a different way of fighting together" What to say: "The more I read, the more I saw us in it. Not in a bad way. Just... oh, that's why we get stuck. That's the pattern. It's not your fault or mine. It's just what we learned." Step 4: Ask, Don't Assume You think you know your partner's pattern. But let them tell you. Ask: "When I get quiet, what goes on for you?" "When I chase, what do you feel?" "What did you learn about needing help when you were young?" Don't diagnose. Don't label. Just listen. What to say: "I have some ideas about my own pattern, but I don't want to assume yours. Can I ask you something? When we argue and I [your behaviour], what happens inside you?" Step 5: Invite, Don't Insist Your partner may not be ready for this conversation. They may dismiss it. They may get defensive. That's okay. You cannot force someone to look at their attachment patterns. You can only offer a framework and hope they're curious. If they shut it down: "Okay, no pressure. It's just something I'm finding helpful for understanding myself. The offer to talk about it more is always there." If they're curious: "Would you be open to learning a bit more together? There's a short quiz online, or I could find a video that explains it better than I can." What If They Refuse to Engage? This is hard. You've done your work. You've approached gently. And they still won't look. Ask yourself: Is the pattern safe enough to stay in? (No abuse, just avoidance) Can I do my half of the work without them doing theirs? (Sometimes, one person changing can shift the whole dynamic) What's my boundary if nothing changes? (Couples therapy? Individual therapy for you? A decision about staying?) You cannot heal a relationship alone. But you can heal your half. And sometimes, that's enough to invite them in. If it's not – that's what couples therapy is for. A neutral third party can name patterns that feel too dangerous for either of you to name alone. A Sample Script Here's one way this conversation could sound: "Hey, can I share something with you? I've been reading about attachment theory – it's basically about how the way we learned to get comfort as kids affects how we relate as adults. And honestly, I think I have an anxious pattern. That's why I panic when you go quiet. I'm not saying you're doing anything wrong – I'm just understanding myself better. I also noticed that we have this dance where I chase and you withdraw. It's not your fault. It's our pattern. And I'd love for us to figure out a different way together – not because something's broken, but because I love you and I want our fights to be less painful. I don't need an answer right now. Just... think about it? Maybe we could look at a quiz together sometime?" No accusations. No blame. Just curiosity, ownership, and an invitation. If You Get Stuck, Get Help Some couples can shift these patterns on their own. Many can't – not because they don't love each other, but because the patterns are too fast, too automatic, too wired. https://www.yougotthisgalway.com/blog/Blog Post Title One-3zaa9-zlxng-skzj5-jzl9l-tkpxz-c6nk7-5tzr4-xan83-aky4m-dwd96-el7k7-mfsby-rjkyj monthly 0.5 2026-04-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6970e31dcf65ea24db3d5d6d/41b4e1b3-6d7a-4681-aa01-faaf68533940/IMG_6372.jpeg ADHD and Menopause Blog -  That Fight Wasn't About the Dishes: Understanding Attachment Patterns in Relationships You know the feeling. You're tired. You walk in the door. They make a comment about something small the recycling, the washing up, why you didn't reply to a text. And within minutes, you're in a full-blown argument about... what, exactly? Not the recycling. Never the recycling. Underneath the surface fight is a much smaller, sadder question that neither of you knows how to ask: *"Do you still see me? Do I matter? Are we safe?"* If this sounds familiar, you're not broken. Your relationship isn't failing. You might just be bumping into something psychologists call attachment patterns—the invisible blueprints for how we love, fight, and seek safety. And the good news? Once you see them, you can change them. https://www.yougotthisgalway.com/blog/Blog Post Title One-3zaa9-zlxng-skzj5-jzl9l-tkpxz-c6nk7-5tzr4-xan83-aky4m-dwd96-el7k7-mfsby monthly 0.5 2026-04-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6970e31dcf65ea24db3d5d6d/e51a92dd-d84c-43ff-ad12-920088852c60/IMG_5975.jpeg ADHD and Menopause Blog - Your Brain's Stories Aren't Facts: 5 Kind Ways to Untangle From Unhelpful Thoughts Let me guess. Your mind has been running a commentary today that sounds something like: "You're messing up again. Everyone can tell you're struggling. You should be coping better by now." Sound familiar? Here's the thing I've learned as a psychologist with ADHD: your mind is a storyteller, not a news reporter. It spins stories to keep you safe but those stories aren't always true. And when you're navigating menopause and ADHD together, the stories get louder. Hot flush? "Something's wrong with you." Brain fog? "You're losing it." Tired? "You're lazy." Instead of fighting your thoughts or believing them blindly, you can learn to unhook from them. To notice them as mental events not commands you have to follow. So how do you actually start unhooking from unhelpful thoughts? Here are five gentle, practical strategies. https://www.yougotthisgalway.com/blog/Blog Post Title One-3zaa9-zlxng-skzj5-jzl9l-tkpxz-c6nk7-5tzr4-xan83-aky4m-dwd96-el7k7 monthly 0.5 2026-04-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6970e31dcf65ea24db3d5d6d/39266ce9-8dc6-48e8-8034-a74f6e4d342b/IMG_6176.jpeg ADHD and Menopause Blog - When Feelings Feel Like Too Much: 3 Gentle Ways to Make Space Let's be honest. When life feels like a , your feelings don't just show up they arrive. Hot flushes come with a side of irritability. Brain fog brings a wave of shame. Exhaustion drags along a heavy blanket of "I can't do this anymore." And your natural instinct? Fight it. Fix it. Make it stop. Here's what I've learned as a psychologist with ADHD: fighting your feelings doesn't make them go away. It just makes them louder. It's about learning to make space for them so they stop running the show. And the research backs this up. A large meta-analysis found that ACT is an effective intervention for reducing psychological distress and improving wellbeing. Another meta-analysis showed ACT significantly improves anxiety, depression, and psychological flexibility with benefits that stick around even after treatment ends. Even specifically for menopausal women, studies show ACT-based counselling can significantly improve mood, reduce anxiety and depression, and enhance quality of life across vasomotor, psychosocial, sexual, and physical domains. So how do we actually do that? Here are three gentle, practical ways to start making space for your feelings without fighting them. https://www.yougotthisgalway.com/blog/Blog Post Title One-3zaa9-zlxng-skzj5-jzl9l-tkpxz-c6nk7-5tzr4-xan83-aky4m-dwd96 monthly 0.5 2026-04-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6970e31dcf65ea24db3d5d6d/b0fac73d-16f5-465e-9628-025aaf624e57/IMG_5981.jpeg ADHD and Menopause Blog - The Biology of the 2-4 AM Wake-Up: The Dressle et al. (2022) Meta-Analysis A comprehensive meta-analysis by Dressle and colleagues, published in the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews, synthesized data from 20 high-quality case-control studies. It included 449 patients with chronic insomnia and 357 healthy "good sleeper" controls. The findings are clear: Patients with chronic insomnia show moderately but significantly elevated cortisol levels (SMD = 0.50, 95% CI: [0.21–0.80]). But here's the key: This isn't a problem of sleep deprivation. The study confirmed that insomnia is actually a disorder of 24-hour hyperarousal. The brain is "stuck in on," and this includes the body's stress system. This finding explains why you wake up at 2 a.m. wired. It's because your body's HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis) the central command center for your stress response is operating at a higher baseline than it should. The result? Your internal alarm clock is set too early and rings too loudly. https://www.yougotthisgalway.com/blog/Blog Post Title One-3zaa9-zlxng-skzj5-jzl9l-tkpxz-c6nk7-5tzr4-xan83-aky4m-dwd96-a22xf monthly 0.5 2026-04-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6970e31dcf65ea24db3d5d6d/ec0282e4-5e88-45c9-bff9-fb98a195c5c9/IMG_6184.jpeg ADHD and Menopause Blog - A trip to a garden might be the Best Vitamin D supplement you you can get It's not just in your head: A major 2025 study of nearly 500,000 people found that living near parks and gardens is directly linked to healthier vitamin D levels." For those of us in Northern Europe, where the winter sun is too weak to help, this isn't a minor issue. The same study highlights that greenspace may be a key public health tool to combat widespread deficiency. This is a perfect example of how our environment acts as a health modifier. It's not about one magic pill, but about how our surroundings shape our daily habits and, ultimately, our biology https://www.yougotthisgalway.com/blog/Blog Post Title One-3zaa9-zlxng-skzj5-jzl9l-tkpxz-c6nk7-5tzr4-xan83-aky4m monthly 0.5 2026-04-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6970e31dcf65ea24db3d5d6d/cd792277-fa85-4b1b-b24f-871663b99539/IMG_6111.jpeg ADHD and Menopause Blog - Why Your Nightcap Might Be Keeping You Up at Night There’s a certain cultural script many of us know by heart. After a long, stressful day, you pour a glass of wine or mix a drink to "take the edge off" and help you drift off to sleep. It feels relaxing, almost medicinal. But what if that nightly ritual is actually making things worse? New, comprehensive research reveals that while alcohol might help you fall asleep faster, it secretly sabotages the most restorative parts of your sleep, leaving you more vulnerable to stress the next day. https://www.yougotthisgalway.com/blog/Blog Post Title One-3zaa9-zlxng-skzj5-jzl9l-tkpxz-c6nk7-5tzr4-xan83 monthly 0.5 2026-04-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6970e31dcf65ea24db3d5d6d/00f4db01-0962-4314-be5a-512433e33055/IMG_7877.jpeg ADHD and Menopause Blog - Lifting Weights, Lifting Brain Fog: Why Strength Training Might Be for you Its not about becoming jacked its about letting your body work like it is supposed to, controlled, careful movement till exhaustion of specific muscle groups is amazingly chill. A comprehensive 2026 review published in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics (Khadilkar and colleagues) confirms what so many women experience: the hormonal shifts of menopause particularly the drop in oestrogen directly affect memory, attention, and executive function. The same review (click here) offers a clear, practical, and surprisingly powerful solution. Strength training. Let's talk about why picking up something heavy might be one of the best things you can do for your brain. https://www.yougotthisgalway.com/blog/Blog Post Title One-3zaa9-zlxng-skzj5-jzl9l-tkpxz-c6nk7-5tzr4 monthly 0.5 2026-04-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6970e31dcf65ea24db3d5d6d/d75e0be8-b840-4fa9-819f-18fae570713d/IMG_5295.jpeg ADHD and Menopause Blog - Three Small Acts of Kindness for when it all gets a bit hectic When you’re in the middle of a hot flush, a wave of anxiety, or that heavy, lead‑blanket exhaustion that seems to come from nowhere, it’s natural to want it to stop. But fighting it often makes it worse like trying to push a beach ball underwater. Here’s a different approach, gently lay a hand on the part of your body where you feel the discomfort most intensely. Maybe it’s your chest, your belly, your forehead. Don’t press. Just rest it there, like a warm, steady presence. Now imagine that this is a healing hand. Not in a magical, “make it disappear” way—more like the hand of a friend who knows exactly how you feel and isn’t trying to fix you. Let some warmth flow from your palm into that area. Not to get rid of the sensation, but to soften around it. To make room. To say, without words, “I know this is hard. I’m here with you.” This is kindness in its most physical form. You’re not abandoning yourself. You’re showing up. https://www.yougotthisgalway.com/blog/Blog Post Title One-3zaa9-zlxng-skzj5-jzl9l-tkpxz-c6nk7 monthly 0.5 2026-03-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6970e31dcf65ea24db3d5d6d/481437a3-c895-4cae-9075-f0475ac32658/IMG_5218.jpeg ADHD and Menopause Blog - 5 Ways to Stop Fighting Your Feelings (And Start Living the Life You Want ) - Advise from me, support from Pistachio Croissant :) If you’re navigating perimenopause or menopause or ADHD, your internal world can feel like a chaotic house party where nobody’s in charge. One minute you’re sweating through your shirt, the next you’re crying at a dog food commercial, and somewhere in between your brain decides to hide your keys, your phone, and your ability to form a sentence. It’s exhausting. And the natural instinct? Fight it. Fix it. Make it stop. But here’s the plot twist: fighting your feelings doesn’t make them go away. It just makes them louder. So, whether you’re dealing with hot flushes that feel like your internal thermostat is on holiday, brain fog that makes you forget your own birthday, or moods that swing faster than a Galway wind, these five strategies will help you stop the fight and start moving toward what matters. https://www.yougotthisgalway.com/blog/Blog Post Title One-3zaa9-zlxng-skzj5-jzl9l-tkpxz monthly 0.5 2026-03-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6970e31dcf65ea24db3d5d6d/3167613f-46c9-4f30-b942-05986d6a4c68/IMG_4957.jpeg ADHD and Menopause Blog - When Menopause Meets ADHD: Why You Deserve More Than Just “Understanding” - Advise from me, support from Shadow :) If you’re navigating perimenopause or menopause and you also have ADHD, you might feel like your brain and your body are speaking two different languages and no one gave you a translator. Hot flushes interrupt your focus, brain fog makes your executive function feel like it’s on strike, and the emotional ups and downs can crank up rejection sensitivity to eleven. Then, on top of all that, you might look around and wonder: Why does it feel so lonely? Why doesn’t my partner seem to get it? Why do I feel like I’m failing? A recent study published in Feminism & Psychology (Hayfield, Moore, & Terry, 2024) gives voice to exactly these kinds of experiences. As a psychologist who specialises in ADHD (and who has ADHD myself), I read this paper and thought: This is it. 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