Mental Health

The Weight of Guilt

I haven’t posted in a while. Whenever I thought about writing, a familiar feeling crept in - the heavy, suffocating weight of shame. It wasn’t just guilt for skipping a post; it was the insidious thought that I was doing it all over again: letting another thing slip, abandoning something I love, proving to myself that I can’t follow through. The longer I stayed away, the worse it got. It wasn’t just about writing anymore - it was about all the unfinished projects, the unanswered messages, and the hobbies I once loved but left behind. And as the shame grew, it became nearly impossible to start again.

ADHD and Substance Abuse: Are you still Self-Medicating?

For much of my life, I struggled to find peace amidst the chaos of my thoughts, behaviours, and emotions. It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 30 that I began to comprehend the reasons behind my impulsivity and restlessness. However, before this diagnosis, I tried various coping mechanisms—obsessive sports, shisha, sex, cannabis, and recreational drugs—each providing temporary relief but ultimately intensifying my struggles. In this article, we will explore the relationship between ADHD and substance use, informed by both personal experience and the latest scientific research.

Cognitive Distortions - A Practical Guide (Part 3)

As we venture deeper into the labyrinth of our minds in Part 3 of our journey through cognitive distortions, we continue to unravel the threads that tangle our thoughts and actions. Building on the groundwork laid in Parts 1 and 2, where we explored the likes of all-or-nothing thinking and mental filtering, we now turn our attention to a new set of distortions that subtly shape our reality.

In this third and final part of our series on cognitive distortions, we’ll wrap up by exploring the last five patterns (from the 10 I picked, not overall 😉) that warp our thinking. We’ll dive into Emotional Reasoning, Should Statements, Labelling, Personalization, and Magnification/Minimization. This chapter is not just a continuation but a call to action for those eager to challenge and change their thought patterns. If you’re curious about going deeper into any of these distortions, your feedback and questions are not just welcome—they’re essential for fostering a deeper understanding and dialogue around these important psychological concepts.

Cognitive Distortions - A Practical Guide (Part 2)

Welcome to Part 2 of our journey through the complex terrain of cognitive distortions. In the first part, we laid the groundwork, introducing what cognitive distortions are and their significance, especially for those grappling with ADHD and chronic procrastination. We also began exploring practical strategies to identify and challenge these distortions.

Now, we delve deeper, examining five common cognitive distortions in detail: All-or-Nothing Thinking , Overgeneralization , Mental Filtering , Discounting the Positive , and Jumping to Conclusions. By understanding these distortions, we can better recognize their influence on our thoughts and behaviours. This knowledge is not just theoretical; it’s a tool for real-life application, offering us the means to reshape our thought processes, enhance our decision-making, and improve our overall mental well- being.

Understanding and Tackling Cognitive Distortions - A Practical Guide (Part 1)

We’ve all been there: stuck in negative thought loops or deferring tasks endlessly. These patterns are not just random; they’re signs of cognitive distortions, especially prevalent when we’re stressed or emotionally charged. For those battling ADHD or chronic procrastination, these mental distortions can act as formidable barriers. This guide aims to shed light on these patterns and offer strategies to navigate them effectively.

What Are Cognitive Distortions?

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Are you still afraid of boredom? It might help you

If you’re like me, constantly tired of postponing your life to tomorrow, next week, month, or even next year, you might feel as if life is passing you by. Those postponed tasks and unfulfilled ambitions can feel like haunting ghosts, trailing you day and night, robbing you of peace and restful sleep. In an attempt to escape, perhaps you find yourself binge-watching Netflix, scrolling endlessly through TikTok, or seeking refuge in distractions like smoking weed, just to avoid confronting these daunting specters.

My constant fight with procrastination 🦦

If I think about my productivity I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t struggling with it. I stopped doing homework for school at 12, which required creativity and a good understanding of the program. I learned how to read big chunks of text super fast and most of the time I was reading pages almost instantly just skimming the page to get the main idea. That is why I know really well how physics works but had to check formulas every time I tried to calculate something. Or I know the political situation or the reason for many geopolitical events in history, but I have difficulties remembering any name or any dates, even if it is a band name that I like or an actor name from my favourite movie. This never stopped me from finishing school or university, because as my teachers and parents were always telling me - you are as smart as you are lazy.