Women and ADHD: Changing Destructive Self-Talk

I’m such a mess!  I can’t do the simplest things. Why am I so stupid? I’m too sensitive. Why am I so lazy? Everyone else can do this without any problems. Why can’t I?   I’ll never accomplish that. How does she get everything done?   Many women with ADHD wake up with these kinds of thoughts, and they follow them throughout the day. Perhaps similar thoughts have followed you, too, for a very, very long time. And the longer these thoughts have followed you, the more they’ve become part of your sense of self, chipping away at how you see yourself, your abilities, and your worth. In their insightful, compassionate, encouraging book, A Radical Guide for Women with ADHD: Embrace Neurodiversity, Live Boldly, and Break Through Barriers, psychotherapist Sari Solden, MS, and psychologist Michelle Frank, Psy.D, note that individuals commonly view ADHD challenges and symptoms as character flaws or some version of “I am bad.” This is especially common in the early stages of living with undiagnosed ADHD. You assume that your confusion, overwhelmed state, and exhaustion are a result of doing something wrong—or being wrong. According to Solden and Frank, “Because we tend to seek confirmation of what we already believe, the layers add up over time. Living with anticipation of future rejection and judgment can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies and unhelpful, avoidant coping mechanisms.” It can lead you to become even more overwhelmed, to shut down, to drink, to b...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: ADHD and ADD Books Disorders General Motivation and Inspiration Self-Help Stress Success & Achievement Women's Issues Adult Attention Deficit Destructive Patterns self-compassion Self-Talk Source Type: blogs