Why do I feel mentally drained after social interactions?

Socializing often requires constant self monitoring, impulse control, and attention regulation. For people with ADHD, this effort is cognitively expensive. Tracking conversations, staying present, and managing reactions all draw on executive resources. Even enjoyable interactions can leave you depleted. This does not mean you are antisocial or disengaged. It means your brain is working hard behind the scenes. Needing downtime afterward is a reasonable response to that effort.