4 november ADHD cafe Rotterdam - English version on alexithymia
27 oktober 2026
When Feeling Is a Blind Spot: How Alexithymia Can Make ADHD the Ultimate Addiction. A talk by Natascha van Eijk, lived-experience expert and author of Verander je Levensloop. A book about generational emotional immaturity.
Emotional blind spot
What if the constant chaos in your head isn’t the real—or only—problem, but actually a way of coping with something much deeper?
In this personal talk (and the result of some good old-fashioned hyperfocus 😉), I’ll take you into the world of an often-overlooked phenomenon: alexithymia—the biological difficulty or inability to feel, recognize, and put your own emotions into words.
Many adults with ADHD unknowingly struggle with this emotional blind spot. It can be deeply rooted in survival strategies and patterns developed during childhood.
When you don’t have the words for your emotions, a vague, anxious tension can build up inside. Because your brain can’t label what your body is picking up, your ADHD can shift into overdrive.
Hyperfocus, the constant need for stimulation, and the exhausting analysis loop can then become the ultimate biological “addiction.” As long as your mind is working overtime to explain the world logically, you don’t have to face the emptiness and pain of not being able to feel.
Your ADHD symptoms can become the perfect smokescreen, hiding the deeper echoes of trauma.
Alexithymia is more common among neurodivergent people, but it’s rarely talked about.
Info details
We're located in the Stadshaven Brouwerij at Galileïstraat 24, Rotterdam. Parking is free, admission is free, and Impuls & Woortblind membership is optional but appreciated. If you're coming by public transport, metro station Marconiplein is nearby. Coming by train from The Hague? You can change to the metro in Schiedam. The final stretch on foot isn't very gezellig, but if you let us know, someone will be happy to walk with you.
There's no formal start or finish — just drop by around 19:30. You'll find our corner at the back, behind the kitchen (and our I&W banner), at one of the long high-top tables. You'll be given a QR code to scan when you want to order drinks. Hold on to it, and hand it in at the counter to settle your bill on your way out.
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