In my country and culture, the days between Christmas and New Year are often filled with visits — parents, friends, relatives. We move from one household to another, or prepare our home to receive guests.

For a highly sensitive nervous system (HSP), these gatherings can be heavy even when nothing is wrong. Closeness without breaks is real work.

Too many people. Too many sounds, lights, tastes. Everything is in motion.

Add ADHD, and even the logistics — packing kids, planning, constant transitions — can be exhausting on their own.

I live with both ADHD and HSP, and knowing this about myself has been a quiet relief during this period.

Needing time alone doesn’t mean I don’t care. It means I accept how my system works, and treat it with more kindness.