ADHD and Money: Impulsivity, Debt, and the Skills Nobody Taught You - 135
Sep 15, 2026Impulse buys at midnight. Bills that quietly turn into late fees. A banking app you haven't opened in weeks. If ADHD has ever made money feel like a moral test you keep failing, this episode is for you. DrB breaks down why ADHD brains struggle with money — dopamine, time blindness, working memory — and shares five practical skills for building a system that works with your brain instead of against it.
Key Points Covered
- Why ADHD brains are especially prone to impulsive spending and financial avoidance
- How time blindness and working memory challenges turn into late fees and forgotten bills
- "Money paralysis" — why avoiding your bank app can feel safer than checking it
- Why all-or-nothing budgets fail, and what to build instead
- Five practical skills: automation, the purchase pause, making the invisible visible, separating worth from numbers, and sustainable support
Links Mentioned
drbarbaracohen.com — All episodes + show resources
It Was Never You Masterclass – More Than ADHD Coaching (FREE), September 22, 2026, 10 am – 2 pm pacific time + VIP hour: https://itwasneveryoumasterclass.com/
Get Sh*t Done (GSD) Program Information – 9-month program
https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/gsdprogram
Grant assistance page for help with funding for GSD program:
https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/financial-assistance
The Transformation Club (TTC) – if time or money commitments have been holding you back - the affordable membership program for Executive Function skills development:
https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/ttcprogram
Free PDF - 13 Signs Weak Executive Functioning Is Holding You Back:
https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/Executive-Function
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