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ADHD · ADHD

ADHD Shame Cycle

Miss → shame → avoid → miss more

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Miss → shame → avoid → miss more. The ADHD shame cycle isn't a character flaw; it's a predictable loop with intervention points.

The loop
  • Miss / forget / underperform
  • Internal 'what's wrong with me'
  • Avoid the person / task (makes shame worse)
  • Cycle deepens
  • Underlying: unaddressed ADHD needs, not character
My most common shame trigger
What a self-compassionate response sounds like
Repair action (accountability without collapse)

References & further reading

Conceptual background and further reading, not validation of this handout. Named instruments and methods belong to their original authors; custom prompts and trackers are not validated versions of those instruments.

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