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As someone with ADHD, I don't think articles like this one do any of us justice. The tone of this whole article is piteous and negative. I truly wish more peop

As someone with ADHD, I don't think articles like this one do any of us justice. The tone of this whole article is piteous and negative. I truly wish more people would see ADHD as a neutral brain difference than a ~disease~. There are just as many positives to having ADHD as there are negatives. It's not like a broken bone which is a damage that will heal, it's a different type of brain from the get-go from which we see and live in the world differently. The key is not trying to "cure" this difference, the key is using its strengths to your advantage while working on (or working around) the weaknesses. The long term solution is, then, not eradicating ADHD's existence, but building a society in which individuals with ADHD can prosper in their unique ways.

rtchau 7y ago
"The long term solution is, then, not eradicating ADHD's existence, but building a society in which individuals with ADHD can prosper in their unique ways." - Spot on the mark. Not that ADHD can be "eradicated" but having a society that makes it easier for people with ADHD to thrive is important. A lot of our institutions (education, employment etc) are a good fit for the "neurotypical" among us, which makes coping with ADHD difficult, even though it does go hand-in-hand with a lot of positive traits (empathy, creativity, "hyperfocus" etc). We can use the associated strengths to our advantage as much as we like, but for me, that means working staggered hours (my focus/drive follows a cycle that means I could be a 5am-er for a few days, then back to being a night owl when it comes to work output), and that just isn't possible with a day job, unless I put up with being half as productive. When I was consulting and working mainly from home, it was great as I could "surf the wave" of this cycle, so to speak, but with a day job, and the expectation that I can work regular hours alongside other people, it's no longer an option. That example is specific to me, but I'm sure there are loads of other ADHD traits that make life difficult simply because they don't fit the mold of "regular people" - my kids are a good example, especially my 11-year-old... he'll annihilate a book in a single sitting and he's an incredibly bright kid, but he's a straight-C student.

rtchau 7y ago

"The long term solution is, then, not eradicating ADHD's existence, but building a society in which individuals with ADHD can prosper in their unique ways." - Spot on the mark. Not that ADHD can be "eradicated" but having a society that makes it easier for people with ADHD to thrive is important. A lot of our institutions (education, employment etc) are a good fit for the "neurotypical" among us, which makes coping with ADHD difficult, even though it does go hand-in-hand with a lot of positive traits (empathy, creativity, "hyperfocus" etc). We can use the associated strengths to our advantage as much as we like, but for me, that means working staggered hours (my focus/drive follows a cycle that means I could be a 5am-er for a few days, then back to being a night owl when it comes to work output), and that just isn't possible with a day job, unless I put up with being half as productive. When I was consulting and working mainly from home, it was great as I could "surf the wave" of this cycle, so to speak, but with a day job, and the expectation that I can work regular hours alongside other people, it's no longer an option. That example is specific to me, but I'm sure there are loads of other ADHD traits that make life difficult simply because they don't fit the mold of "regular people" - my kids are a good example, especially my 11-year-old... he'll annihilate a book in a single sitting and he's an incredibly bright kid, but he's a straight-C student.