Sometimes, the bravest thing your brain can do is ask for help.

A note for World Mental Health Day

This Friday isn’t about toxic positivity.
It’s not about hustle culture disguised as “self-care.”
And it’s definitely not about pretending that journaling fixes everything.

October 10 is World Mental Health Day, and for those of us with ADHD, mental health is not a side note. It’s woven into every part of our daily lives.

You don’t just forget appointments.
You carry the weight of that forgetfulness all week.
You don’t just struggle to focus.
You beat yourself up for not being able to “just start.”

So today, we want to offer you something real, not fluffy.

Here are a few mental health tools that actually work for ADHD brains.
No long routines, no shame, no “just push through.”
Just simple strategies that speak your brain’s language.

1. Movement that regulates, not punishes

You don’t have to do a 45-minute HIIT workout to take care of your mental health.

In fact, many ADHDers find that small, spontaneous bursts of movement are more effective than long workouts they dread.

Try:

Marching in place while you vent
Doing wall push-ups before you write an email
Walking while listening to a voice memo or podcast
Throwing on music and dancing for two minutes in your kitchen

This isn’t about fitness. It’s about regulating your nervous system.
When you move your body, you create momentum. You shake off the stuckness.
And for many ADHDers, that’s the gateway to emotional relief.

2. Externalise your thoughts, and give your brain some breathing room

When you’re spiralling, your brain is trying to hold too many tabs open at once.
It’s trying to remember, problem-solve, and self-soothe, all at the same time.

The fix? Externalise it. Get it out of your head.

Try:

Writing down what’s bothering you on paper (no structure needed)
Talking to yourself out loud in a mirror or while walking
Sending a voice note to a friend, even if you don’t need a reply
Brain-dumping every “should” that’s floating around

This is not weakness. It is strategy.
Your brain does better when it can see the problem, not just feel it.
You don’t need to organise it. You just need to unload it.

3. Grounding, but ADHD-friendly

Traditional mindfulness can feel impossible when your brain will not stay still.
But grounding isn’t about being silent and empty. It’s about coming back to the present.

Try:

The 5-4-3-2-1 sensory grounding method, but walking while you do it
Tactile objects like a smooth stone, stress ball, on your desk, or cold water
“Notice three red things in the room”, a game that pulls you into the now
Chewing gum, brushing your hair, or touching your arms to feel connected to your body

The goal isn’t to “clear your mind.”
It’s to anchor yourself in your body, even for just a moment.

Your brain can keep moving.
Grounding helps you move with it, not against it.

4. Body doubling, because everything feels easier when you’re not alone

If you’ve never tried body doubling, World Mental Health Day is the perfect time to start.

Body doubling is simply doing a task alongside someone else, even virtually.
It taps into accountability, structure, and social connection, which ADHD brains thrive on.

Ways to try it:

Hop on a Zoom with a friend and quietly work together
Ask a VA or accountability buddy to stay on the line while you do a task
Play a “study with me” video in the background for a sense of company

This works especially well for tasks that feel heavy, laundry, emails, dishes, starting a project.
It helps your brain move from stuck to started.

5. Compassion as a tool, not a bonus

We’re ending with the most important one.

Self-compassion is not optional.
It is not something you get once you’ve “earned” it with productivity or progress.
It is the thing that lets you try again.
It is what keeps you from burning out before the work even begins.

Mental health for ADHD is not about fixing everything.
It’s about shifting the story you tell yourself when things feel hard.

Your brain might need reminders.
It might need breaks.
It might need help from others.

None of that makes you weak.
It makes you human.

If your mental health is asking for support, listen to it

At Real Time VA, we don’t believe in doing it all alone.

So if your brain feels like it’s running on 17 tabs with no charger in sight, you don’t have to keep pushing through.
You can delegate. You can ask for help. You can let someone else hold the list.

We’re here to provide ADHD-friendly support that lightens your load, emotionally and practically.

Try us for a week, for just 99 dollars.

It’s not just about getting things done.
It’s about feeling less alone while you do them.

Take the first step today by booking your free strategy call.

Book Your FREE Strategy Call Here