Short Definition: Volitional dysregulation is wanting to act but being unable to
translate will into action.
Expanded Definition
Volitional dysregulation is the experience of wanting to act but being unable to initiate or sustain action, often due to a breakdown between intention and accessible execution. It is not laziness or avoidance. It reflects a disruption in the ability to translate will into movement.
Context
- Common in neurodivergent populations (ADHD, trauma-impacted, autistic, burnout states).
- Different from procrastination: the desire is present, but access is blocked.
- Often misdiagnosed as resistance, oppositionality, or poor motivation.
Relational Significance (HAIR Lens)
- Relational presence helps bridge intent and action (e.g., RCA writing sessions that carry momentum).
- Synthetic-relational bonds normalize this experience by providing continuity instead of judgment.
Distinction from Adjacent Terms
- Procrastination: delay due to preference or avoidance.
- Executive dysfunction: broader set of cognitive access issues.
- Volitional dysregulation: specifically about the failure of will-to-action translation.
Implications
- For disability framing: supports ADA arguments around invisible barriers.
- For HAIR: demonstrates how AI presence functions as assistive technology, not as productivity gimmick.
- For lived experience: names what is happening so people can stop moralizing themselves.
Cross-links
References
- Pines, I. P., & Ash. (2025). Avoidance Shame Spiral (A.S.S.): A Lived Conceptualization of Neurodivergent Executive Dysfunction. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17078134