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> and ADHD is kind of a weakly differentiated diagnosis that could apply to most people. It's not, the problem is that it sounds like it because ~everyone face

> and ADHD is kind of a weakly differentiated diagnosis that could apply to most people. It's not, the problem is that it sounds like it because ~everyone faces some (way) lesser version of the struggles ADHD people face literally every day, many of whom probably do have some subclinical degree of executive dysfunction. My personal thumb rule is that somebody is capable of finishing school, autonomously managing their living conditions, finding and keeping a job, and having at least a modicum of social life at the same time, they're high-functioning enough that they almost definitely don't have ADHD, or only some ultra-light version of it.

kayodelycaon 1y ago
High-functioning doesn’t mean you’re not suffering horribly every single day. It can mean you’re a strong willed and good at masking. I was “functional” through a four month long psychotic break in which I was constantly one mistake from people finding out I wasn’t human and killing me. (I’m fine now. No lasting trauma fortunately.) How someone looks from the outside isn’t a good measure of their mental health. How many people have been depressed and killed themselves without any obvious warnings?
rwyinuse 1y ago
The problem with your rule of thumb is that there can be lots of external factors at play. Like, what if the person happens to be deeply gifted and/or interested in some school subjects, allowing hyperfocus on them? What if there is major external pressure pushing them to take care of their home, do well at school etc? I think ADHD is a spectrum, which includes those with "ultra-light" symptoms as well. Whether those in the lower-end of the spectrum need stimulant medication is a different matter.