The SAD Cycle: A Neuro-Archetypal Model of Withdrawal, Digital Manipulation, and Moral Reorientation

Link to article
https://www.selffusion.com/education/the-kideling-effects-of-the-sad-cycle-for-highly-withdrawing-individuals-and-sivhs-as-a-way-to-induce-positive-guilt

Author
William Parvet
williamparvet.com

Date
March 29, 2025

Keywords
Neuroticism, Withdrawal, Digital Manipulation, SAD Cycle, Archetypes, Positive Guilt, SIVHs, Psychometrics, Media Psychology, Existential Psychology, Dark Triad, Jungian Analysis

Abstract
This article introduces the SAD Cycle (Shocking–Affectionate–Divine), a novel framework for understanding how digital ecosystems structurally manipulate individuals high in the withdrawal subtrait of neuroticism. Drawing from personality psychology, archetypal theory, neuroscience, and media analysis, the SAD Cycle maps a feedback loop of emotional destabilization and symbolic entrapment that mimics the behavioral dynamics of psychopathic interpersonal abuse. We argue that modern digital platforms simulate connection while reinforcing dissociation, targeting specific neuropsychological vulnerabilities and archetypal attractors. We then propose Structured Internal Value Hierarchies (SIVHs) as a framework to reintroduce moral orientation, induce restorative "positive guilt", and help individuals break the cycle through identity realignment and existential purpose. This paper integrates Jungian archetypes, Lacanian symbolic analysis, and psychometric models into a unified model of withdrawal remediation in the digital age.