Internalized shame plagues many of us with ADHD, especially those diagnosed later in life. Pervasive and chronic shame is incredibly damaging because it causes us to question and second-guess ourselves at every turn. How can you be so good at some very difficult things, but so bad at basic tasks like opening mail, paying bills and showing up for appointments on time? It doesn’t make sense.
Shame damages our sense of self and can lead us down many dark paths — poor self-esteem, unhealthy coping strategies, strained relationships, and problems in practically all areas of life.
When you believe that you’re broken, you focus on your weaknesses, become blind to your strengths, and don’t know what it means to live to your potential. But what if you adopted these strategies to shatter internalized shame? Could you flip the script on your life?
Read more of this article I wrote for ADDitude here.
