Interoception: Body Awareness, Routines and Self-Compassion - Part 2 of 2
Part 2 of this supportive interoception series explores what happens when body signals compete with attention, become harder to notice during stress, or need to be supported through routines and external reminders.
Many people with ADHD describe becoming so absorbed in an activity that hunger, thirst, tiredness or the need to use the toilet disappear from awareness until they become urgent. For people with ARFID, difficulty recognising hunger and fullness can add another layer to sensory sensitivities, food anxiety or low interest in eating. These experiences are not carelessness, laziness or poor organisation; they reflect differences in how attention, executive functioning and interoception work together.
The guide also looks at changes in body awareness during prolonged stress and autistic burnout, the relationship between interoception and mental health, and ways to develop greater awareness without turning body check-ins into another demand.
Inside this guide:
- Interoception, ADHD and hyperfocus
- The relationship between interoception and ARFID
- Burnout, stress and disconnection from body signals
- Interoception and emotional wellbeing
- Gentle body-awareness questions
- Practical routines for food, hydration and self-care
- Maggie’s reflection from the therapy room
- Myth versus reality
- Current research and key takeaways
- A closing message about self-worth and curiosity
This resource encourages readers to work with their nervous system rather than judge it. External supports such as visible drinks, meal reminders and predictable routines are presented as valid, person-centred tools rather than signs of failure.
Contributor: Maggie Learoyd MNCPS
Psychotherapist | ADHD, Autism & ARFID Specialist
Founder of Space to Breathe Therapy
Educational information only. This resource does not replace individual medical, nutritional or mental-health advice.
