ADHD and the February Blues

February is a strange month. The holiday buzz has long since faded, the new year motivation has quietly packed its bags, and spring still feels impossibly far away. For most people, this time of year brings a general sense of flatness. But if you have ADHD, that flatness can feel heavier, stickier, and a whole lot more personal.

It’s not your imagination and you're definitely not alone. 

Why February Hits Differently With ADHD

The "February blues" is a real phenomenon. Reduced daylight hours, colder temperatures, and social isolation all contribute to dips in mood and motivation. For neurotypical people, it can feel like running at 80% for a few weeks. For those of us with ADHD, it can feel like the engine has cut out entirely.

Here's why:

Dopamine is already doing a lot of heavy lifting. ADHD brains are wired differently when it comes to dopamine, the neurotransmitter linked to motivation, pleasure, and reward. In winter, reduced sunlight naturally lowers serotonin and dopamine levels in everyone. For ADHD brains that are already working harder to regulate these chemicals, that dip can feel dramatic.

Routine is our lifeline and winter disrupts it. Many of us thrive when we have structure. But shorter days, less outdoor time, and post-holiday upheaval can throw our carefully constructed routines into chaos. And when the routine goes, so does the scaffolding that helps us function.

Time blindness gets worse. ADHD affects our perception of time, and the monotony of grey winter days makes every week blur into the next. It becomes genuinely hard to tell if it's been two days or two weeks since you did anything meaningful and that disorientation can spiral fast.

Rejection and comparison creep in. Social media in February is full of Valentine's Day content, gym transformations, and people seemingly thriving at their goals. For ADHD brains prone to rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), this backdrop can quietly amplify feelings of failure or falling behind.

What It Actually Looks Like (You'll Recognize This)

The February ADHD slump doesn't always look like sadness. It can look like:

• Spending three hours on your phone without meaning to, then feeling awful about it

• Starting five tasks and finishing none

• Cancelling plans and then feeling both relieved and guilty

• Struggling to remember why things you used to love felt good

• A constant, low-grade sense of being behind on everything

• Irritability that seems to come from nowhere

If any of this sounds familiar you're not lazy, crazy or broken. Your nervous system is working overtime in conditions that are genuinely harder for it.

Things That Actually Help (For Real ADHD Brains)

Let's skip the "have you tried a planner?" advice and talk about what actually moves the needle.

Light therapy. A good light therapy lamp used for 20 to 30 minutes in the morning can genuinely shift mood and energy. Light therapy mimics the effect of natural sunlight and can help regulate your body clock. This is one of the most evidence-backed interventions for winter mood dips, and even better, it doesn't require remembering to do anything complicated.

Micro-habits over grand plans. February is not the month to overhaul your life. Instead, anchor one tiny habit to something you already do. Make your bed after your first coffee. Walk around the block after lunch. Focus on small wins that build momentum without requiring willpower you don't have right now.

Body doubling. Working alongside another person, whether in person or virtually, can be a game changer for ADHD productivity. There are whole online communities built around this. Look up virtual co-working sessions or body doubling apps if you haven't already. I use FocusMate. Here is the blog I wrote recently on body doubling, if you want to take a deeper look at this ADHD brain hack: https://www.drjennadunlop.com/blog/the-magic-of-body-doubling

Get outside, even briefly. Even 10 minutes of daylight exposure (yes, even on cloudy days) can influence your mood and circadian rhythm. You don't need a long walk. You just need to be outside for a short time.

Lower the bar, genuinely. This isn't giving up. It's a strategy. If your brain is running at 60% capacity in February, expecting 100% output is a recipe for shame spirals or paralysis. Decide what "done" looks like at reduced capacity and honour that.

Talk to someone who gets it. Whether that's a therapist familiar with ADHD, an ADHD coach, or a community of people who just understand, connection is protective. ADHD can be isolating at the best of times. Don't let February make it worse.

A Note on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

It's worth knowing that ADHD and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) frequently co-occur, and the symptoms can overlap significantly. If your February slump is consistent year after year, significantly impacts your functioning, and doesn't lift as the season changes it might be worth speaking to your healthcare provider. There are effective treatments for SAD, and managing both conditions together is very possible.

You'll Get Through This!

February is only 28 days long. The light will come back. Your motivation will come back. It's just that ADHD makes the waiting harder, the dip deeper, and the self-criticism louder.

So if you're reading this while wrapped in a blanket, procrastinating on something you told yourself you'd start three weeks ago, we’re waving hello. We see you. Give yourself the grace you'd give a friend, and take it one small step at a time.

Spring is coming. You've got this.

If you found this helpful, share it with someone who might need it. And if you're struggling with more than the February blues, please reach out to a mental health professional.

Ready for Support That Actually Gets Your Brain?

Navigating ADHD — especially through the harder seasons — is so much easier when you have the right support in your corner. I work with people with ADHD to build strategies that work with how their brain is wired, not against it.

If you're tired of one-size-fits-all advice and want personalized, practical support, I'd love to connect.

👉 Book a free discovery call at https://www.drjennadunlop.com/store/p/complimentary-life-wellness-coaching-session no pressure, just a conversation about where you're at and how I can help.