How I Shed the Weight of ADHD Shame & the SCIENCE of Why It's So Important 🎭

Harvey LeNar
Oct 18, 2023
2 min read

I've been in a bit of a funk lately, my friends.

You see, I recently re-opened the doors for Catalyst Club's Wholistic ADHD Management Intensive: WAMI! 🎉 And with it came the mammoth task of content creation. I set myself a goal of batch creating 30 pieces of content, but guess what? Because that goal was so big, I couldn't get myself to make even ONE! 😱

There I was, stuck in a low-capacity part of my body's rhythms, feeling overwhelmed and, more than a little ashamed. But then I remembered something important. At Catalyst Club, we are radically anti-shame. We're all about simplifying, clarifying, and moving in small steps. So, I decided to take my own advice (something I have to remind myself of, often).

Instead of batching right now, I'm focusing on just one content piece a day, slowly regaining my social media stamina. 🐢✨

Why am I sharing this with you? Because it's all linked to an emotion we've all experienced at some point - shame. It's this deep feeling of embarrassment or humiliation that can sneak up on us when we feel like we've failed or done something wrong1.

The Science Behind Shame

Shame does more than just make us feel bad. It has real, tangible effects on our brains and bodies. When we experience shame, our brain perceives it as a physical threat, activating our "fight or flight" mode 2. This can lead to mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and paranoia 3. In fact, chronic shame has been associated with increased depression, anxiety, and even eating disorders 4.

But it's not just our minds that bear the brunt of shame. Our bodies suffer too. The stress from shame can contribute to weight gain and obesity, as stress triggers the release of cortisol, a hormone that can lead to increased appetite and fat storage 5.

Why We're Radically Anti-Shame at Catalyst Club

At Catalyst Club, we understand the damaging effects of shame. It can trigger emotional dysregulation, anxiety, overwhelm, depression, and low self-esteem - all things that can make us feel stuck. That's why we're radically anti-shame. 🙅‍♀️

We believe in creating a safe space where everyone can grow and heal without the burden of shame. We're all about taking small steps and moving at our own pace. Remember my content creation challenge? Well, I'm making progress, one step at a time. And you can too! 💪

Join Us in Our Journey

If you were a past WAMI member, or even if you weren't, help us spread the word about our reopening! 📣 Your support is invaluable as we continue to build this community.

Together, we can shed the weight of shame and move towards healthier, happier lives. 💖