I Have ADHD Podcast 372 10 Signs You’re In A Dysfunctional Family
Jan 27, 2026
A raw look at how family systems shape safety, boundaries, and emotional regulation for people with ADHD. The host names ten common signs of dysfunction like triangulation, emotional neglect, parentification, and conditional love. There is focus on how secrecy, control, and enabling keep harm hidden and how awareness is the first step toward change.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Dysfunction Can Hide Behind Love
- Dysfunction often coexists with love, so harm can be invisible when basic needs were met.
- Naming dysfunction is the first step to interrupt multi-generation cycles of harm.
Emotional Coaching Was Rare
- Most adults with ADHD in Kristen's survey lacked emotional coaching from parents.
- 98% said parents didn't teach emotion regulation, revealing a systemic caregiving gap.
Start By Naming The Pattern
- Awareness of family patterns is the necessary first step to change.
- Interrupt cycles by naming harm and choosing different responses under stress.