ADHD Experts Podcast 593- Stop People Pleasing! Halting the Cycle of ADHD Self-Doubt, Perfectionism and Procrastination
144 snips
Feb 3, 2026 Alan Brown, ADHD coach and author of ADD Crusher, brings practical, evidence-based tools for reclaiming self-worth. He explores how ADHD fuels self-doubt, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and procrastination. Short, actionable writing exercises and rituals for changing limiting stories are highlighted. Strategies for handling anxiety, criticism, time-blindness, and workplace adjustments are also discussed.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
ADHD Fuels Deep Self-Doubt
- Adults with ADHD commonly carry deep self-doubt formed by repeated criticism and social feedback during childhood and adolescence.
- Alan P. Brown links persistent people-pleasing, perfectionism, and procrastination directly to low self-esteem in ADHD brains.
Genetics And Environment Double-Down
- Self-esteem is partly genetic and moderately heritable, so ADHD plus inherited low self-esteem compounds risk.
- Environmental factors like family feedback and life events then amplify or mitigate that genetic baseline.
Cognitive Distortions Are Amplified
- ADHD increases cognitive distortions like negativity bias, black-and-white thinking, and the spotlight effect.
- Those amplified distortions reinforce limiting stories that shape behavior and drop motivation.
