Kleshas: The Five Mental Afflictions and ADHD Patterns

Patanjali identifies five kleshas—fundamental mental afflictions: avidya (ignorance), asmita (ego/I-ness), raga (attachment), dvesha (aversion), and abhinivesha (fear of death/change). These aren't moral failures; they're patterns of consciousness that create suffering. ADHD individuals often experience these with particular intensity. Avidya manifests as misunderstanding your own neurology; asmita as shame about your differences; raga as hyperfocus attachments; dvesha as avoidance of difficult tasks; abhinivesha as anxiety about failure. By recognizing these patterns through the Patanjali framework, you gain distance from them. You're not your shame or avoidance—you're the awareness observing these patterns. This distinction is psychologically powerful. Rather than identifying with ADHD symptoms as your identity, the kleshas framework helps you see them as temporary mental patterns that can be worked with and gradually transformed through awareness and practice. Understanding the kleshas provides both compassion and a roadmap for psychological healing.