ADHD exists on a continuum, much like many other behavioral/mental disorders. The near side is probably what you describe--something that would be normal in the

ADHD exists on a continuum, much like many other behavioral/mental disorders. The near side is probably what you describe--something that would be normal in the right circumstances, but is maladaptive in the real ones. That phenomenon probably partially explains people whose ADHD "disappears" in adulthood. As an adult you can choose your environment better. However, that's by no means the whole of it, and the farther sides are potentially quite disabling. Executive function covers an awful lot of your everyday behavior, and it's all potentially affected. The diagnosis for ADHD specifies multiple areas impaired. Just flunking class or getting fired won't do it. Unless we think maintaining basic friendships or relationships, suppressing destructive impulses, defeating procrastination, avoiding chronic disorganization (extreme clutter), staying away from addictive substances, etc., has also become significantly more sophisticated, I'd think the aspects that affect those types of activities would stand alone as an indicator. There have been epithets/cliches for many, many years that come down to pathologically spaced out, lazy, foolish to the point of not being "normal"; and we've had "minimal brain damage" and other pre-ADHD executive function impairment diagnoses for a long time as well. It's not just a modern thing.