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Podcast #28: Finding Balance

  • Writer: Lynda Price
    Lynda Price
  • Jul 9, 2024
  • 23 min read

Updated: May 3



There's one more piece to the puzzle of your life that can make a critical difference between satisfaction and unhappiness as an adult with an invisible disability. It's called balance--and once you figure out how to find that, you'll open the door to a truly satisfying quality of life as an adult.


If you talk to any of your friends or family, everyone seems to be stressed to the limit. We all seem to be over-worked, under-paid, under-appreciated, and just generally just in a funk. In fact, the American Psychological Association (2022) has reported that: "Americans are struggling with multiple external stressors that are out of their personal control, with 27% reporting that most days they are so stressed they cannot function." The American Institute of Stress (2025) concurs by saying that: "Gallup’s Global Emotions Report [2023] found that about 49% of Americans experience significant daily stress, one of the highest rates among high-income nations. For context, that’s nearly one in every two adults walking through life with a daily undercurrent of tension."

Such high levels of stress, frustration, and anxiety clearly takes it's toll on everyday life in multiple ways. For instance, people with disabilities report that they have much higher levels of stress when compared to people without disabilities. Researchers found that individuals with disabilities are stressed out 4.6 times more than their non-disabled peers, with 30% admitting that they experience 14 or more negative mental health days per month because of financial limitations, social isolation, or medical hurdles (Center for Disease Control, 2025).

These continued, high stress levels are also often contributing factors to other mental and physical health issues as well. For example, a study by Cree, Okoro, Zack, and Carbone (2020) revealed that adults with cognitive or mobility disabilities reported very high levels of stress, along with: "adverse health-related characteristics (e.g., cigarette smoking, physical inactivity, insufficient sleep, obesity, or depressive disorders)". Also, as illustrated in other Podcasts, this sense of anxiety and stress may be especially true if you have invisible disabilities, like dyslexia (International Dyslexia Association, 2020).

Perhaps, the most amazing thing to me about all of these disturbing statistics is that living in this continual state of tension, anxiety, and unease now feels "normal" for most of us. If everyone and everything around us is unhinged, uncertain, or just out of sync, living an unbalanced life can be a common experience for many people. So, figuring out a way to achieve balance in your life may be one of the most powerful tools in your toolbox to find happiness and contentment.

The research clearly shows that life balance is important. As Hirsch (2024) explains, "Studies indicate that intentionally crafting balance in your life is worth the effort. A greater sense of balance is related to a variety of work outcomes — such as job satisfaction, performance, and career development. However, there are even more substantial links with "life outcomes" such as life satisfaction, and physical and emotional well-being. For instance, some researchers have found significant links between a greater sense of life balance, and reduced stress, anxiety, and irritability. . . This evidence suggests that balance is a key ingredient for a satisfying life."

The good news is that there are free, easy to understand ways to do this--especially if you have an invisible disability. That's why the focus of this Blog and Podcast is to learn your own set of strategies to achieve balance in your everyday life. As the folks at Intelligent Change (2021) point out: "Achieving a balanced life will lead to you feeling happier, and what’s more important than that?"



DEFINITION and BENEFITs


What is "balance" in your life? Here's a great definition from Frye (2024): "Balance in life is the act of creating harmony in various aspects of your life. These aspects include your physical health, mental well-being, interpersonal relationships, work life, emotional state, and spirituality." This lofty goal is often made up of two components: internal and external balance (Intelligent Change, 2021). Examples of internal are: "Mind (thought processes, cognition); Health (mental, physical); and Emotions (control, expression)."

Examples of External balance are: "Work (professional goals, the level of enjoyment at work, relationships with colleagues); Friendships (nurturing your relationships with the people you like and satisfying your needs for socialization); Family (fulfilling your responsibilities towards your family as well as enjoying spending time with them, plus setting healthy boundaries in your relationships); and Fun and hobbies (me-time, participating in activities that are exciting to you and have nothing to do with pleasing others)" (Intelligent Change, 2021).

Remember, that balance in your life is a very personalized concept--it will look different to different people. For instance, one adult may need to have their family as the center of their life and everything else is secondary. Another person may be called to a certain occupation, so being of service to others will always be a top priority. But, no matter what you discover to be the preeminent area of your own life, the research clearly shows that you can't achieve that without the balance of other areas as well (Frye, 2024; Actiu, 2023; Medium, 2022). As the folks at Intermountain Health (2019) explain: "When life is out of balance, we feel overwhelmed and exhausted. At times seemingly insignificant tasks – like finally taking those pants that don’t fit quite right back to the store or picking up the dry cleaning – seem insurmountable. But when life is in balance we have more energy and peace of mind to be able toaccomplish the goals we’re striving for."

Hirsch (2024) goes one step further to apply this specifically to you. She suggests four areas (e.g., involvement, competence, feelings, and priorities) that make up the balance in your life. In other words, ask yourself these critical questions:

a) Where do I invest most of my time and energy?

b) How effective and competent do I feel in different areas of my life (i.e., work, school, home, family, friends, community, etc.)?

c) Do I feel that most of my life is made up of positive or negative experiences?

d) Does my everyday life and my efforts line up with my values and priorities?

If these questions raise any red flags in your mind, you may need to explore your life balance further with the ideas and tips below.









APPLY TO ADULTS WITH INVISIBLE DISABILITIES


While balance is an often unknown, but critical factor for happiness and quality of life for ALL adults, it is especially important for individuals with disabilities. The limited research shows that adults with disabilities may be particularity at risk to achieve a successful balance of the various components of their lives (British Dyslexia Association, 2026; Cherry, 2025; Delta Center, 2024; International Dyslexia Association, 2020). As the staff from ALSO (2024) explain: "Our lives are filled with daily tasks, activities, and responsibilities. For those of us with a disability, these tasks might be more difficult to complete. The specific limit-ations depend on what type of disability a person is living with. In addition, it depends on the kind of support we have; and how we balance our strengths, needs, and challenges." They then go one step further to categorize these obstacles in 7 inter-connected areas:

  • daily living activities (e.g., personal hygiene, good nutrition, transportation, managing finances, taking medication, keeping up one's home or residence, daily household chores);

  • social and community connections (e.g., social stigma, isolation, loneliness, accessibility issues, communication problems, self esteem and/or confidence issues)

  • hobbies, recreational, and physical activities

  • ignorance and lack of understanding one's disability

  • independent living at home, work, and school

  • community involvement (i.e., being a good neighbor, citizenship responsibities, volunteer work, church or synagoge membership, paying taxes, voting, etc.)

  • appropriate employment (e.g., getting and keeping a job) (ALSO, 2024)


It's interesting to note that of the 7 areas listed above, the preponderance of information and research is clearly in the area of work. Cook (2025) says: "Finding a balance between work and the rest of your life isn’t easy, and having a disability can make it even more challenging . . . while working contributes to enhanced mental and physical health, as well as to a better quality of life, employed people with disabilities may have even more to juggle than their colleagues without disabilities."

In addition, research from Work-Life Balance (2026) has shown that: "Although workers with disabilities have the same types of work and life concerns as their colleagues without disabilities, they face some additional challenges. For instance, . . . people with disabilities are more likely to experience harassment and discrimination. And, although leisure activities can help any worker to manage stress from their work and personal life, inaccess-ibility of leisure sites or unwelcoming attitudes can make for more stressful leisure experiences." Other areas of concern at work include: bullying, harrassment, discrimination, fewer social supports, lack of accommodations, and/or concerns about disclosure. Stories from people with a variety of disabilities can be especially heart-rending. One adult confessed, "I have been publically treated as if my presence at work was a detriment to the organ-ization; as if I couldn't do the job even though I had proven my ability with reasonable accommodations." Another person from the Work-Life Balance study (2026) said: "My supervisor did not acknowledge my strong desire to have an interpreter so I could fully participate in the organization. There was a lot of misunderstanding and inter-personal stress, and as a result,I would go home and need to vent.This is not healthy for me."

As the previous quote underscores, stress and frustration at work can easily bleed over into other critical areas of adult life. Cherry (2024) posits that:"For working parents, it often means finding a way to juggle the responsibilities of a career while still finding time for a fulfilling family life. With rising numbers of older workers, work-life balance may focus more on staying active in the workforce while finding ways to manage health issues or disabilities." 

Another critical example is mental health. Wood (2024) has said: "For many, the daily realities of living with a disability can be exhausting. Managing chronic pain, mobility limitations, or sensory impairments often requires significant emotional energy. Tasks that might seem simple—like grocery shopping or attending a meeting—can involve intricate planning and adaptations. And when you look at it from that perspective, it’s no wonder that people with disabilities are five times more likely to struggle with their mental health."

She adds, "The impact of ableism, loneliness, limited energy, and financial strains from accessing healthcare all contribute to the hidden impact of disability on mental health.  This impact can range from navigating inaccessible environ-ments to coping with social stigma and feelings of isolation. . . People with disabilities may encounter stereotypes, pity, or outright discrimination. These experiences can make them feel invisible or excluded, contributing to feelings of loneliness and worthlessness." All of these conditions can negatively skew the balance of your daily life and keep you from the happiness you seek. Endbadguy (2023) confesses: "My self-doubt is limitless. I always feel very stupid. That alone distracts me. I am afraid to learn anything In front of anyone because of how self concuncious I am. I come off confident in my personality. What's inside is torture. I have been treated now at 46, and though it helps, I have miles of regret and still wired self-doubt."

As this comment clearly illustrates, the research demonstrates that many people with disabilities have multiple challenges everyday to achieve life balance as adults. This is because they need support in multiple arenas, such as: taking extra care of their physical and emotional health; being financially independent, and find loving and supportive relationships. In fact, whether they have a visible or invisible disability, many individuals report that their everyday life can be frequently extremely stressful and draining, due to: figuring out how to prioritize daily tasks; focusing on energy conservation/management; using assistive devices or personal accommodations whenever needed; learning self-care routines; and keeping up connections with family and/or friends (British Dyslexia Association, 2026; Invisible Disability Association; 2026; Wood, 2024).

To address these issues, Cook (2015) offers this valuable advice: "It’s hard to feel balanced if you treat everything as equally important. Determine what responsibilities are most critical both at work and at home. Whenever possible, do these tasks during the times that you have the most energy. If you are uncertain as to which tasks are critical, ask your employer and family to help clarify priorities. Don’t be afraid to delegate tasks; you need not do it all yourself. Finally, remember that not everything has to be done perfectly; good enough is often good enough."

*Please Note: Here's an important caveat to the material above. The vast majority of the literature I uncovered as background for this podcast usually focuses on people with moderate to severe cognitive, sensory, and/or physical disabilities. I found much less that applied specifically to learning disabilities, dyslexia, or ADHD. However, I believe that most of these ideas and suggestions are applicable to people with invisible disabilities as well. I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Just email me at: pricela33@gmail.com.











SCENARIOS


Scenario A
Scenario A

If there's one thing that Frank is good at, it's being a cop. He's been with the local police force for over 25 years, where he's gone from promotion to promotion and never looked back. For instance, after he got his high school diploma, he went immediately into community college where he earned an AA degree in Criminal Justice. He was then accepted into the Police Academy. Although he continued to be frustrated academically by his problems with*** due to his dyslexia, Frank was a private, well-respected guy who didn't give up his secrets easily. So, nobody asked any questions or offered to help him.

Frank was able to graduate from the Academy with honors and became an outstanding beat protrolman in one of the roughest urban districts in Houston. He took his job so seriously that he struggled to learn Spanish to communicate better in the neighborhood and was the first guy to set up a weekend basketball camp to build community trust. He even volunteered to help evacuate families when the last hurricane hit and was on the job for over 72 hours.

Given his glowing job reviews, Frank was soon promoted to Detective in Homicide and is now seriously thinking about taking the training to become a Sergeant. But, he's very nervous about the oral and written exams that he will need to pass. All of this work doesn't leave him with much free time for anything. He still lives with his brother and helps out at a friend's garage fixing cars because he desperately wants to save for his own place. Since his hours are so long and his schedule is so erratic, he rarely has time to socialize, have fun, or find a girlfriend. He figures that all of those things will come later.

Then, Frank had his first heart attack and collapsed in front of his partner. He had noticed for a while that he couldn't catch his breath when chasing a suspect and sometimes was dizzy or had leg pain while on duty. And he did put on a few extra pounds eating mostly junk food and drinking after shifts. But he was still totally unprepared for this situation. When the medic took him to the hospital, he told Frank that over 50% of the policemen they saw were at risk for cardiovascular issues due to all of the baggage that goes with the job: sleep deprivation, constant high stress, poor diet, heavy smoking, and sedentary downtime. (Griffith, 2023; Iamsigma, 2024; Police Health, 2026).

Frank was scared by his heart attack. However, the doctor's advice scared him even more, as he didn't have the foggiest idea how to do any of it. His family doctor suggested that he get more sleep and eat healthier meals right away. He should drastically cut down on his drinking and start exercising 30 minutes a day at least 4 times a week. He should avoid the staff coffee pot whenever possible and try to spend more time with hobbies, family, friends, and maybe a significant other. The doctor also emphasized that a big culprit for all first responders seemed to be the chronic stress that went with the job. He recommended that Frank: a) use peer support teams, friends, or a therapist to de-stress as often as possible; b) utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or mental health apps to deal with critical incidents or trauma; and c) meditate or use yoga to calm his nervous system as often as possible. In addition, Frank's doctor referred him to a cardiologist who informed him that he was a walking advertisement for a second heart attack. He stressed that Frank had to find "some balance" in his life and make significant changes before it was too late. But, now Frank is even more worried and confused than ever. He can't change the job that's such a big part of his life. What happens next?







Scenario B
Scenario B

Judy and her mom have always had a rocky relationship. Unlike her four sisters and two brothers, she always seemed to be the first one to fight with her mother. Judy's parents owned a popular bar and restaurant in Louisiana where they raised their children in a strict, Catholic home. Nevertheless, Judy was the smart, mischievous child who was always causing trouble. She was constantly fighting with her sisters over dolls, chores, or losing things. Full of love, fun and creativity, she easily charmed the sisters at the Catholic school. But she also disappointed her mom at every teacher's conference because she "wasn't living up to her full potential". Easily distracted and full of energy, Judy had a hard time attending to any academic tasks due to her ADHD and learning disabilities. Since her parents worked 80 hours a week or more at their business, Judy's siblings were often the ones who tried to tutor her and generally keep her in line.

Scroll forward 20 years and Judy is now an adult. Since she was little, she always wanted to be a teacher, as she loved children. Her intelligence, high energy and creativity were a great match for working with preschoolers with disabilities. Now, she is a divorced mother herself with two grown children and four grandchildren, who all still live near each other in town. Since she finally retired from teaching, one of Judy's greatest joys is taking her grandchildren to the same Catholic school that she attended as a child. However, most of her brothers and sisters have moved away, or due to family fights, rarely see or talk to each other. Unlike them, Judy often wants to pinch herself because her life is finally balanced and just what she always wanted.

Then, Judy got the family conference call. Her mother had a serious fall and broken a hip. She was now in great pain and confusion at the hospital, where the staff wanted to know right away who was in charge. Judy's mother lived alone, as her father had died many years ago from diabetes. After they were contacted, the family immediately decided to meet in person to figure things out. But until they could all get together, they agreed that Judy was the logical person to go in and take care of things. After all, she clearly was the closest person and had nothing important going on since she retired.

Judy was shocked and resentful, but stepped up to take the responsiblity. When she went to the hospital, she found a real mess. First, there were no current financial or health powers of attorney and no written instructions for the hospital staff to follow. Second, Judy's mom had been seriously ill for years with chronic kidney disease and high blood pressure, but had never told her family. She absolutely refused to let the doctor talk to her children and rarely took her medication or followed medical instructions. As she said, her mother had lived to be 95 years old, so this stubborn, Cajun lady would do exactly the same thing. Third, Judy's mom showed signs of early dementia and was no longer able to care for herself. Bills had not been paid for months and there was little food in the house. Judy was at a total loss as to what to do next.

After visiting her mom and being yelled at for butting into her business, Judy met right away with a social worker and the various medical personnel. With their help, Judy was able to move her mother to a temporary nursing facility and started to tackle the absolute chaos in her family home. But all of this quickly became very complicated and confusing due to Judy's ADHD and LD. There were just too many appointments with too many, different people Also, she felt inundated with important decisions, un-readable paperwork, multiple emails and phone calls, and financial worries that just wouldn't stop.

Meanwhile, the internet was buzzing with various family conversations, complaints, and suggestions. Everyday, Judy was inundated with multiple texts and orders from brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and so forth. Meanwhile, there were papers to read and sign, lawyers to meet with, and medical staff to report to. Her sister Lillian even flew back from Chicago and stayed with her daughter while she constantly second-guessed every decision Judy made. The big family meeting is now two weeks away and Judy feels overwhelmed. She clearly is over-worked, under-appreciated, and full of resentment. She's out of patience and just wants to run away from home, so someone else can tackle this mess. But, the clock is ticking and somebody needs to take charge asap.






Scenario C
Scenario C

When Alex married Melody, he thought it would be happiness ever after. They had one wonderful, blissful year of marriage after the honeymoon and then Melody became pregnant. Alex couldn't have been more thrilled. His father had deserted his brothers and sisters when he was a young child, so he now saw himself as the perfect father who made his children his first priority. He couldn't wait to change diapers and rock his new son or daughter to sleep. As a result, Alex was an active participant in Melody's pregnancy.

But things rapidly deteriorated right after Susie was born. First, Alex's company was significantly down-sized and he had to commute three days a week to keep his job. Then, he was forced to move his new family to a rural area of Nevada where they had no family and few friends. Right after that, Susie was born prematurely and developed infant COVID. She was subse-quently kept in the hospital and then isolated for an extended period of time. They soon found that their new locality had limited health-care or understanding of COVID. As a result, taking care of Susie soon became incredibly complicated, with growing medical expenses, frequent travel and few resources. The burden of all of this fell on Melody as Alex continued to put in extra hours to save his job. Also, as a dyslexic adult who would never self-disclose in the workplace, Alex was running faster and faster just to keep up with his colleagues.

Serious illness can often bind a family tighter together as they struggle to address numerous issues and hardships. Or, it can tear a family apart. Sadly, that's what happened to Alex and Melody. Melody started having anxiety attacks and became severely depressed. It was hard to find a therapist where they lived, so they continued to struggle on alone. They started fighting more and more about Susie. Then, it was money. Then, it was moving again and Alex trying to find another job. The stress, anger, and frustration continued to build and build until finally one day, Melody attempted suicide. Immediately, Alex called Melody's sister, who flew out and took Melody and Susie back with her to Chicago. She made it clear that they were never coming back to Nevada.

After a contentious divorce, Alex found himself more and more involved in work. His company was finally sold and he became a supervisor, then a regional manager with his new employer. He re-located to San Francisco and tried to start a new life. However, it was never enough; he missed being a family man and living with his daughter. Alex had tried over and over to stay in contact with Susie, through phone calls, child support, emails, and gifts. But, Melody had re-married and now had a second child. She just didn't have the time or energy to try to resolve their previous issues. She felt that Susie was just fine with her new step-father and baby brother. Why rock the boat now? But, Alex's life felt out of sync and out of balance. Something big was missing--and he didn't know how to get it back.






TIPS AND TRICKS



Tip #1: Are You Having Fun?
Tip #1: Are You Having Fun?
Life Priorities

Alex and his daughter

lower paying job with more flexibility so more time together


start by leaving messages on line or by phone, progress to playing an online game a few times a month, watch live-streamed concerts together, gardening or cooking together, keep a journal and share entries,


always make sure that Melody is involved and has veto power








Tip #2: Who's Driving Your Bus?
Tip #2: Who's Driving Your Bus?

Self-Care

I think there's a great mystery as adults that most of us never learn--how to take care of ourselves. It should be easy. Of all the people in the world who know how to take care of ourselves, we should be the experts. But the truth is that most of us don't have the foggiest idea how to do it. Plus, it is usually the very last thing on our minds. So, why is this so? Psychologists have found 6 reasons why most of us never attempt or learn how to practice self-care: negativity bias, effort, shame, indulgence vs. self-care, exhaustion, and unreal expectations (Clark, 2020).

So, to understand self-care, we first need to know what it means. Bottaro (2026) says: "Self-care involves nurturing your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health to enhance overall well-being." She then goes on to elaborate that effective self-care involves six interwoven areas of adult life: hygiene, life-style, nutrition, environment, and socioeconomics. If all of this seems pretty complicated, it is. Few people have the time, energy, or money to be successful in all of these areas--at the same time. As Mahrer (2019) explains: "You may see self-care as a luxurious act of pampering yourself. You may have thought to yourself, I should enact this ritual of personal dedication, resolving to begin a self-care practice immediately. That is, right after those things on your to-do list. And after you help your friend move. And when you get your next pay-check, so you can afford candles. Maybe self-care starts next week? But

that deadline next Friday…maybe you’ll just add self-care to your to-do list. You’ll

get to it eventually. Consistently practicing self-care can feel impossible."

I bet we all have said these things to ourselves one time or another. It's easy to find real excuses. However, the research shows that finding ways to take care of ourselves is really worth the trouble. BENEFITS>>>






There are many examples of how having a disability can throw your life out of balance. Perhaps, one of the most common is the area of perfectionalism. For example, de Haas (2026) explains that "Perfectionism and dyslexia are connected. Perfectionism seems to develop during childhood when acceptance, approval, and affection are lacking. Many dyslexics have experienced the feeling of not receiving any recognition or understanding while attending school. A recent study explored the link between perfectionism and dyslexia, warning against adopting a perfectionistic self-image. Doing so can hinder our ability to manage our dyslexia in a helpful and effective way. To overcome perfectionism, it’s essential to first recognize it." For instance, r/perfectionism (2024) talks about how it shaped his life: "It turns out school was more traumatic than I originally thought, and as a coping strategy, I developed perfectionism. Over the last few years, it's spiralled and ruined my life, its left me paralysed with fear. Fear of not achieving. Fear of failing (yes they are different). Fear that all those teachers would be right. Fear that I would waste perfectly good opportunities, I frankly don't deserve. Those lead to some dark low places!"

     So, what are those dark, low places? They will frequently develop at a very young age for students with dyslexia and continue to become more entwined to every aspect of their everyday lives. As PapaP7263 (2024) adds, "[Perfection-ism as a dyslexic is] 100% a thing. If you need to work super hard to produce medium quality work as a kid, lots of high achieving dyslexics just set ‘work super hard’ as there default. Leading to perfectionism and fear of falling short. You are not alone at all


Frank and self-care








Tip #3: Setting Boundaries
Tip #3: Setting Boundaries


When to say YES & When to say NO

Nothing--but nothing--can make you crazier than the expectations of others. Maybe it's a sister who you have never, never got along with, but you still feel responsible for. Or, it might be a colleague at work who just pisses you off. It could be a friend who always finds fault with eveything you say or even a stranger who yells at you for bringing more than 15 items to the express check-out line. No matter who, what, where, or when this happens, the result is usually the same.

If we give in, we may feel better for a second, but later we feel resentful and angry. Of equal importance, we have denied ourselves again and feel even worse about ourselves. We believe that our opinion--and even ourselves as humans--are just not as good or worthy as others. And so, the self-esteem gets even lower and the frustration, stress, and anger gets turned back into ourselves (CITATIONS). Moreover, the research shows another interesting fact to this conundrum. Children with disabilities often grow up to be adults who are chronic people-pleasers (CITATIONS).


How important is it?


Judy and her family


people pleasing and disability--especially ADHD


r/autismwoman (2024) "I've been a people-pleaser for my whole adult life . . . it's some kind of masking behavior I fell into doing to fit in better. I don't want to be like this anymore, but I don't know how to stop. I don't want to have to choose between doing things I'm not comfortable with or feeling sick from saying "no." I don't want to keep apologizing when I've done nothing wrong. I don't want to force myself to express agreement with things other people say even when I disagree, and I don't want to agonize over it every time I do openly disagree . . I don't want to keep exhausting myself to make other people happy." (extreme case?)


Lara (2025). "I would call myself the typical people pleaser. I'm someone who goes out of their way to make people feel comfortable and cared for. And I'm always anticipating the needs of others, their wants, their perceptions, so I can mold myself to fit them. I often use humor and self-deprecating humor to connect with others and put them at ease. I tend to put my comfort before others.

So, I learned at an early age that if you're nice to people, they'll overlook your mistakes, often they will, and as an undiagnosed ADHD girl, I made a lot of mistakes. And so, I needed a lot people to be on my side, to help me and support me. To put myself first, or even consider what I want when someone else is involved, it often seems impossible. I have to remind myself that what I want is important, and what I have to say is valuable."


Jaye (2025) "many of us will admit that we're people pleasers as a form of protection, as Laura mentions. She molds herself to other people's wants and needs, but she does this so others will overlook her shortcomings. Because of her ADHD, she makes a lot of mistakes, and people-pleasing may have started out as a way for others to still like and support her, even with those mistakes."


"Many dyslexics learn growing up people-pleasing as a survival strategy. In childhood, it can feel like the safest way to cope with challenges at school or at home--staying agreeable, keeping others happy, and avoiding challenges. But as adults, this habit often backfires. Constantly focusing on others needs can leave you disconnected from your own thoughts, opinions, and desires."(deHaas, 2026).


zivanaichigovera4357: "I am 42 and was forced to do a law degree by one of my parents, which I just managed to get. I feel damaged and angry, and like a failure, I don't fit into the legal profession because of the professional industry standards. There is almost no assistance and acceptance in Zimbabwe especially in my adulthood which has turned into horrible depression, this time is the channel I can relate to but I have a long way to go." (deHaas, 2026)















Resources




REFERENCES

 
 
 

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