Method
Dialectical thinking ('and' not 'either/or')
Hold two opposite truths at once: 'I had a rough morning AND I can be productive', 'I feel awful AND I'm not an awful person'.
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From DBT (dialectical behaviour therapy) comes the skill of holding two opposite truths at once — swapping ‘either/or’ for ‘and’. The ADHD brain leans to extremes (fun/not-fun, effective/lazy) that amplify suffering.
Exercise: when you catch the judgment ‘I’m useless’, add ’…AND I did three things today’. Both can be true at once.
Helps with
Resources & links
2 sources
What the research says
Scientific grade verified against the literature. No entries = no direct studies (graded from mechanism/experience).
- Dialectical behavioral therapy-based group treatment versus treatment as usual for adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a multicenter randomized controlled trialRCT · 2022
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy to Treat Emotion Dysregulation in Autistic Adults without Intellectual Disability: A Randomised Controlled TrialRCT · 2025
- Exploring the efficacy of dialectical behaviour therapy and methylphenidate on emotional comorbid symptoms in adults with ADHD: COMPAS multicentre randomised controlled trialRCT · 2023
- Emotion Regulation in Schema Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapyreview · 2016
What the grade means
A A — strongest evidence: meta-analyses or RCTs directly confirm it works (or, for diagnostic tools, strong validation of accuracy).
B B — good evidence: a single RCT, or a strong mechanism with supporting studies.
C C — weak / preliminary: a plausible mechanism, but few direct, controlled tests.
D D — no evidence: theory or isolated anecdotes, no studies.
Applies to: ADHD Autism AuDHD