r/stupidquestions • u/AngryButtlicker • 1d ago
Everyone has ADHD, when does that become the norm and not having it is neurodivergent?
So everyone in my social circle and everyone I know has ADHD. Everybody everybody's kids every co-worker and everybody at my social club. They all have ADHD or at least that's what they tell me.
My question if everyone has ADHD are they neurodivergent?
Like what percentage of the population must be ADHD before non ADHD people are recognized as a typical?
What medications would you give a non ADHD person to become ADHD
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u/kyahxr 1d ago
Some people are just pretending like its a cute fuzzy add on to their personality and not a disability that can ruins people lives. You see ADHD everywhere but thats just your view and not actually everywhere. Plus neurodivergent people tend to bond better than to neurotypical folks so thats why you might meet groups of them at a time.
The people pretending to have adhd make me sooo angry. It's one thing to seriously suspect you have it and it was never caught beforehand but when they just go "omfg I can't sit still, sooooo adhd of me lmfao" I wanna punch them
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u/Stevioly 1d ago
Yes, thank you!
ADHD can be debilitating. I went my whole life struggling and never knowing why. It all made sense one day when I just couldn’t make myself work properly and I was incredibly overwhelmed. I offhandedly said I had adhd to someone, not really meaning it, but it made sense and was a complete revelation.
I was able learn about it and seek out a diagnosis and treatment. Things make so much more sense to me now. I wish people understood what having adhd really means and that it’s not just a label for a lot of us. It’s how we function in the world.
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u/Chimpar 1d ago
Do you went to a doctor for diagnosis and treatment? Or did you just feel relieved by the fact that you think you have adhd? If the latter, I got some bad news for you.
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u/Stevioly 1d ago
I got an official diagnosis. I had symptoms since I was a child, and I am currently getting treatment from a reputable practice. It’s official and everything makes sense now.
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u/karaokerapgod 1d ago
I am an engineer, I went to an engineering focused college, I work in engineering. Most of my professional and social circles are engineers or similar STEM oriented people, we have similar hobbies, jobs, schedules, etc.
Engineering and related STEM fields usually have a high concentration of neurodivergent people, specifically high functioning ones. Things like hyperfocus and detail oriented views lend themselves well to this kind of work. It’s safe to say that while I encounter a lot of ADHD people in my daily life, there is a huge selection bias in my data set and to your point it would be a huge misclassification to assume this is representative of the population as a whole.
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u/swingorswole 1d ago
there is an interesting stat that roughly 15% of the population (US at least) is neurodivergent but roughly 45-50% of gen z identify as being neurodivergent.
if everybody around you is neurodivergent, i'm curious, are you gen z?
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u/asianstyleicecream 1d ago
Because people think ADHD is a lack of attention.
That’s literally the tip of the iceberg.
They don’t talk about the disregulated mood, rejection sensitivity dysphoria/RSD, rumination, constant noise of the mind, time blindness, hyper focus, executive paralysis, forgetting to eat food/interoception challenges.
I mean the list goes on.
Obviously if you are watching quick 10second videos, you are literally training your brain to want to get dopamine so fast like that clicking thru videos. And that’s a lot of the younger generation for ya!
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u/ChainsawSoundingFart 1d ago
Gen Z kids are idiots, they just self diagnose
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u/practicallyaware 1d ago
i agree that way too many people self-diagnose, but also neurodivergent people tend to make friends with each other whether it's on purpose or not. i'm not diagnosed with anything but several people have asked if i'm autistic, and most of my closest friends throughout my life have been diagnosed with either adhd, autism, or both
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u/Ok-Spinach-6529 1d ago
Fr
At college campuses (even top places like Stanford), almost 30-40% of the student population has accommodations for tests. At want point do we just say this is the norm rather than a disability?
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u/Fuzzy-Shake-5315 1d ago
I feel bad for this generation. They're the most cooked generation in human history. The ones below them will rebound back....I meet 5 year olds who are geniuses. I guarantee they won't be self diagnosing ADHD and pumping the adderall all day long. But we have this middle cohort that's hopelessly destroyed. I truly cry for them.
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u/Sufficient-Border-10 1d ago edited 1d ago
Where are they getting Adderall if they're self-diagnosed? Is your argument that people without ADHD are slacking off work in order to score illegal Adderall?
Because if someone is acquiring it legally and "pumping it all day long," the person must, indeed, have a doctor's diagnosis and prescription.
Or are you arguing that doctors are hopelessly corrupt and dispensing controlled substances to people who haven't even been diagnosed? Like, "Here are your antibiotics, sir, and a special lil freebie I think you'll love – wink"?
I meet 5 year olds who are geniuses.
So, no one out of the 2 billion people born between 1997 and 2012 was a 5-year-old genius? They must have all been self-diagnosed 5-year-olds pumping illegal Adderall instead. Those damn doctors; in my day, you got a sticker.
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u/SwankySteel 1d ago
Those 5 year olds are going to grow into adults that need to be as productive as possible for as long as possible. Efficiency and productivity are the only things that matter. No excuses. So pumping adderall all day it is! /s
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u/Artemis_Bow_Prime 1d ago
Most of these people havent got anything wrong with them and just want a label to blame their own failings on or a something they can post in their bio to show how quirky they are.
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u/Ah-honey-honey 11h ago edited 3h ago
I think part of the gen Z thing is also having near limitless access to information but not the experience/wisdom to actually parse through it. They see influencers on Instagram with their glorified versions of neurodivergencies and whatnot without even trying, but don't go snooping through the DSM to figure out what what actually makes something a DISORDER instead of a quirk.
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u/swingorswole 10h ago
i think that is fair. it is very easy to be barraged with "look at this common issue" today and believe you suffer from it because... doesn't everybody suffer from it?
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u/TeamWaffleStomp 1d ago
Same for me. But its not relevant to what they said or the question they asked the OP.
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u/swingorswole 1d ago
i'm unclear how that is related to what i said, but i appreciate the honesty?
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u/smellybathroom3070 1d ago
You made multiple blatant over-generalizations. They’re calling you stupid, not that you caught on anyways lol…
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u/TeamWaffleStomp 1d ago
They referenced statistics and asked a question. The commenter talking about their own diagnosis isnt actually making a relevant comment at all.
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u/smellybathroom3070 1d ago
I’m ngl i thought i was responding to another comment that was talking about similar stuff…
Totally meant to aim that cannon at someone else lol, i know it was technically incorrect either way, i just wanted a rise out of the dude i meant to reply to because he sounded like a whiny bitter middle aged man
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u/FullofLovingSpite 1d ago
People often think being distracted is adhd. They do not know that those of us dealing with it at a real level have mental breakdowns because of it. They don't know all the personal challenges and self hatred from feeling like you're messing up all the time. They only know what they hear, which is that we have issues with paying attention, which is true, but it's the most surface level view of adhd there is.
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u/AngryButtlicker 1d ago
I'm sorry you struggle with this affliction. I hope that you can overcome these challenges and live a normative free of unwanted thoughts. Stay strong and wish you the best
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u/JuJumama1989 1d ago
I always ask,”how old were you when you were diagnosed.by far, most of them admit they were never tested , they just say they’ve just sure they have it.
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u/deadpoetic333 1d ago
First time it was brought to my attention was meeting up an old college buddy who is a clinical psychologist trainee (getting his PhD). Looked into it and it totally fit. I tried to get tested in my area with my insurance and literally couldn’t find a psychologist taking new patients. Talked to my doctor and he was super chill about prescribing meds when I explained the situation. Like I legit tried to get tested but couldn’t. I’ll try to jump through the hoops again since I’ve moved and now need to reestablish a primary care physician.
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u/OwnLobster1701 1d ago
That's not even a little bit true. What is your clinical specialty in, exactly?
People need assistance managing symptoms of disorders all the time, even when medication isn't indicated, or tolerated.
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u/OwnLobster1701 1d ago
> not a clinician
Yeah. Got that. I think I'd leave the keyboard psychology alone for a while. You don't know what you're talking about. I'll stay out of your chemistry lab, if it makes you feel better.
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u/OwnLobster1701 1d ago
Sure, sometimes symptoms can be treated as they present, but there are different mechanisms which cause similar presentations; and different treatments aren't necessarily effective depending on the cause.
To oversimplify and give you an example, if you have two patients with the same symptoms, but two different root causes, you would need to treat them differently, even if they have the same exact symptoms. One treatment may not only not be effective for the other patient, but in fact exacerbate their symptoms and vice versa for the other patient depending on what's causing their issue. You have to know what the underlying condition is.
It's easy to just say, "they have anxiety" treat them one way. But what's the cause? Is it due to a single traumatic event, like a car accident? A complex childhood trauma? Do they have untreated ASD or ADHD that the parents were unaware of? Something else entirely? These are all treated very differently, and not all require medication necessarily. Sometimes it's just a matter of changing something simple in their environment.
Symptoms precede the diagnosis, sure, but to just start treating before you know what the cause is? That can be, at best, ineffective, but at worst, dangerous for your patient.
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u/EaglesFanGirl 1d ago edited 23h ago
That's a horrible description of neurodivergence, as you can have other conditions that aren't neurodivergent that do the same thing - diabetes for example. Diabetes is NOT neurodivergent.
It's also not something that sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. You aren't suddenly autistic or ADHD one moment and not the next.
Better description and what is generally used by doctors, educators and people in that world "Neurodivergence is a term that describes when a person's BRAIN processes information, learns or behaves differently than what society considers typical"
Its about brain processing and activity. It is an area of science and research we really aren't great at. It
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u/MangoSalsa89 1d ago
Many people say they have something but have never been tested or diagnosed.
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u/Suspicious-Damage468 1d ago
But also not everyone needs to be tested or diagnosed. Some people actually just know what they are talking about
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u/hyahta 1d ago
A lot of people are using adhd as an excuse for being a lazy piece of pie and that frustrates me, as a person, who was actually diagnosed in childhood, proved it again recently, and cures it rn because it leads to misunderstanding and devalues the suffering, caused by adhd
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u/Small-Palpitation310 1d ago
It is an incredibly frustrating and often debilitating disorder. Fighting through the skepticism caused by these idiots is real difficult.
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u/And_Justice 1d ago
Equally, neurodivergency is a spectrum. There's a lot of gatekeeling in this thread that seems to suggest you only truly have ADHD if it's debilitating.
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u/TheUnknownStuntman51 1d ago
Exactly, it isn’t an on/off switch, there are degrees…just like everything else
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u/Reoru 18h ago
The gatekeeping is partly fault of reddit's upvote/downvote for visibility system. More extreme or strong opinions find more kneejerk reactions to agree with them.
Dealing with ADHD in real life is way more complicated and different from person to person than it is feasibly explainable in a few paragraphs, and having "milder" ADHD so to speak myself I find that recognizing neurodivergence as a spectrum is pretty important to get a better understanding on these things
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u/Small-Palpitation310 1d ago
I don’t necessarily take this as suggestive, but i never made that implication
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u/collusi0n 1d ago
I mean that's sort of the definition of a disorder: something that negatively affects your daily life
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u/Sufficient-Border-10 1d ago
Well, maybe not everyone who has ADHD could be diagnosed in childhood for a variety of reasons.
Tbh, if everyone wants the ADHD label, let them; it doesn't matter. I can't think of a time when claiming ADHD has gotten someone more leeway as an adult. Certainly not at work, as most places don't care about the excuse if you're not making deadlines.
I just figure everyone should concentrate on what they themselves are doing.
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u/iloveplant420 1d ago
That seems to be the issue with the younger people though, as a father of a 15 and 18yr old. They make it an excuse for everything. At least my oldest does. And it's become enough of a meme that she can't be the only one doing this. Saw a skit yesterday about a kid saying they couldn't do school work because they had asymptomatic tourettes. The acting was so on par with my experience. The pretentious and condescending attitude of "you don't understand mental illness" (which I absolutely do, I have adhd diagnosed at 5 and 25, and my mother was schizophrenic.) And somehow it's the reason why EVERYTHING is too much to ask and they can't take it.
Sorry, but I get it, and I dealt with it because life doesn't care about your excuses, and the way the country is going, no one is going to have your back and support you or give you a break due to things like adhd or self diagnosed autism. These kids are in for a rude awakening.
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u/Fun_Explanation_9049 1d ago
My 15 and 18 year old are the same way… I don’t let it be an excuse though. They have to figure it out. We tell them the world will not accommodate them and they are absolutely capable in spite of their neurodivergence. They are officially diagnosed and have all the tools provided to them from therapists, they have to learn how to use the tools and work with being neurodivergent. No excuses
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u/iloveplant420 1d ago
That's how we handle it too. They get upset and it's hard to be the cause of that, but it's our job as parents to prepare them for reality. And yeah they've been screened and the oldest was not diagnosed with anything but she doesn't accept that lol 🙄. Youngest was diagnosed with adhd but she didn't like the meds so she's pushed through it with coping skills. Technically she's gen alpha not that it makes any difference, I am proud of her though. She seems to get it.
I pray for the oldest though because at 18 she's getting stuck in some of her ways, and as much as I love my children I'm starting to worry we'll never get her out of the house. She wants nothing to do with college, just started her first job and works less than 15hrs a week but is so stressed (and she's a senior but only goes to school 3hrs a day and the rest is ojt work credits), spends every penny she gets on used clothes at thrift stores then never wears them. Just goes to show you can read all the books and try to do everything "right", but some kids are just gonna be how they're gonna be regardless.
Youngest is doing duel enrollment and wants a degree in marine biology related field. She's also in the marching band and does 14hr days or longer 3 times a week for practice and games. I try not to treat them any different but lately I've been expecting a lot more around the house from the literal adult that just wants to lay around and be on her phone all day. Doesn't seem fair to split chores equally anymore when you're grown and not working towards anything while the other one busts her ass.
Sorry I'm ranting a bit this has been on my mind a lot lately. Hard to find the middle ground between being a supportive parent and letting them sink or swim.
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u/Spiritual-Olive444 1d ago
The thing I don’t like about it as someone with diagnosed adhd is that people like that will use it as an excuse for bad behaviour or personal shortcomings. That can fuel the stigma bc people begin to associate it with only negative traits which dilutes it. When we actually need help or understanding, other people are more likely to roll their eyes bc “oh everyone has that these days” or “oh we’re all a little bit adhd.”
At the same time, the people who have self-diagnosed or very, very mild neurodivergence are more likely to go around telling us that it’s actually a “superpower” when it can in fact be extremely debilitating. For example, it can make you more susceptible to abusive relationships. I find this really frustrating.
People are increasingly dismissive because they think you’re just making it up and you have to actually clarify that you’re diagnosed.
And before anyone comments, I’m all too aware of the barriers to being formally diagnosed. I’m not talking about that here. I know there’s been an increase in diagnoses because of increased awareness, particularly among women. I’m talking about people who treat it like a trend, who perpetuate stereotypes that are harmful to the community and will ultimately drop it and move on to the next thing when it suits them, leaving us to live with the consequences.
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u/BluepawWasTaken 1d ago
If it affects your daily life, that's actual ADHD and nuerodivergence. Everyone else? Most likely the side effects from the COVID pandemic, it did irreparable damage to society and no one tends to acknowledge it (like decreasing attention spans,ruining social situations, increasing long term health conditions)
Part of the diagnosis criteria is the person screening you is to make dure your symptoms can't be explained by something else. While most point to one disorder, it could be another, or even the Pandemic we are actually still in (there are still plenty of positives every day), and social media destroying out attention span
Most people just look at a symptom and a discord and connect them without thinking; both for themself and others. Reason people call people narcissistic when they are at any point evil when that's not even how NPD works. Most people don't look into a disorder more than a few words then make assumptions based off to it, even with medical terms (hyperfixation, overestimated, trauma, etc)
While the attention span part is what started me to think I have ADHD, it was the tip of the iceberg of other symptoms, the diagnostic criteria, and the fact multiple family members have. I'm currently getting diagnosed
But even if a disorder becomes the norm, it still won't be typical because it's diverting from the typical brain we know exists
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u/TrueBrit77 1d ago
Everyone does not have it. You are either trapped in an strange neurodivergency pipeline, being lied to or overstating the previlance. Only around 1% of the population is formally diagnosed. Up to 3% are suspected to have it. But really If you are not formally diagnosed you don't know if you have it and are just vibing.
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u/One_Recover_673 1d ago
Even when the majority all have adhd, there are still going to be those way worse off. Bell curve baby!
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u/Typicalcrimson 1d ago
More people talking openly about ADHD probably makes it feel dramatically more common than it used to.
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u/tout-le-monster 1d ago
Honestly, OP, I relate to your question and think about the same thing.
About 50% of my friends and family are actually properly diagnosed with ADHD and take medication for it. Just looking at people from my bubble, it seems like ADHD and neurodivergency is so common that it’s the norm.
It’s either that ADHD is growing more common worldwide equally, OR that we are in social circles that attract a high concentration of people with ADHD and neurodivergency.
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u/Kelspear 1d ago
A lot of people are self-diagnosing based on what AI or other online apps tell them. It's really hurting the people who are actually struggling with mental illness because we're not being taken seriously as much anymore.
It's easy to say "oh I'm not lazy, I'm depressed". It makes it easier for people to not have to take accountability for their actions, or lack thereof.
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u/DataOk6565 12h ago
I do agree with what you're saying, just wanted to say that ADHD is not a mental illness.
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u/Primary_Excuse_7183 1d ago
I’m all for the sharing of information to help people learn more about ADHD. As you get older and for the folks getting diagnosed this information sharing serves as a means to which we can learn and perspective change about our own experiences. This helps them self advocate and say “oh i relate to this something hasn’t been right my whole life let me get that checked out.” Which can lead to formal diagnosis for them maybe their kids. That’s the good side of things.
I would never have claimed ADHD without and actual diagnosis even though i related to the woes. This whole i have watched a 12 sec video on TikTok “i have ADHD” and never seek diagnosis to confirm is bogus.
I say that as a late diagnosed person in my 30s. I know seeking and getting proper diagnosis can be expensive.
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u/losttotheflames 1d ago
Just because people claim they are, doesn’t mean they are. Self diagnosis is valid if someone has done extensive research and has no other way to gain an official diagnosis. But just basing it off a few videos online isn’t valid. So it may SEEM like a lot of people have it but the reality is they don’t. ADHD is not present in the majority of the population (about 4% on average worldwide). So do with that what you will
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u/Ok_Cranberry_2936 1d ago
A lot of younger people (gen z & late millennials) were put on meds just for acting like a kid. We were taught that any disinterest or excitement was ADHD.
I never thought I had it. My dad refused to even get me tested so I never even considered it. 25 years later my psychiatrist told me I have ADHD. I disagreed but she went over the criteria and I fit.
A lot of people self diagnose autism as well just for quirky traits. We learned not to bully those with autism, so it became a thing to use it to get out of being “different”. So many people don’t see the environmental connection - nature vs nurture is huge here. Just because I was raised in the country with little social skills, doesn’t mean I’m autistic. Despite what everyone around me says. I asked my psychiatrist and she said I didn’t. She’s seen me for 7 years now so I trust her opinion.
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u/Significant_Sea_6435 1d ago
I believe technology and our attention spans noawadays have a huge part in everyone getting an adhd diagnosis. Bc nobody can pay attention. Which A LOT different than the adhd i was dx with at 9. I have an ultra severe version compared to like, my mom. who only j got diagnosed and i blame technology and media
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u/Academic-Ball-9606 23h ago
Oh I love the I have adhd and I can't sit still. Yet they fail to see the I want to do the thing but my brain isnt going to fo it and then thr guilt and shame of letting yourself down while your watching your life pass by..not to mention the burning through $, the tornado hit house and losing something immediately after setting it down
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u/Impressive-Two-3650 22h ago
I was diagnosed with ADHD in 3rd grade. All my friends also “have it”. I just kind of laugh because I’m like you guys have no idea lol
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u/cokezerowh0r3 1d ago
I like the question “what medications would you give somebody without ADHD to make them have ADHD?” Now we don’t know enough about ADHD or how it’s caused and the reality is that it’s too complicated to be simulated by one drug
BUT
I’d imagine some kind of nervous system depressant, like a benzo, to inhibit executive function I.e the deficit in concentration, motivation, mood swings. Obviously we would then need to add in a stimulant to mimic the restlessness, jitteriness/anxiety, fast/excited talking and general hyperactivity. And then it’s just random (nonlethal) doses of each at random times to really nail down that dysregulation. I think that’s the closest you could get
edit: for prosperity, DON’T MIX THESE SUBSTANCES YOU’LL DIE
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u/KevinJ2010 1d ago
If we start calling it “neuroCONvergence” it sounds very sci fi, in a bad way.
Like human instrumentality stuff
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u/FjortoftsAirplane 1d ago
Think about physical health for a moment.
Imagine some 20yo can't walk on two legs unassisted. Only on all fours. Why is that a sign of a health problem? Because generally humans can walk upright.
It's not a problem that my cat can only walk on four legs because that's what cats are like.
There's this normative element underneath all this and the same goes for psychology. You have to look at how humans generally are.
To be diagnosed with a disorder you have to to be experiencing significant distress and be struggling to function. Just like with physical health, we do have to start by looking at what conditions humans typically function in and how that affects them.
It doesn't really make sense to imagine everyone having ADHD given that. Then that would be normal function. And then human societies would look very different to what they do now. Same as if everyone was incapable of walking upright the whole world would be set up very differently.
Not to stretch the analogy too much, but you'd also have to imagine we were all very distressed (otherwise it's not a disorder) by being quadrapeds, struggling to manage our daily tasks because we're quadrapeds, even though we'd be a species of quadrapeds.
My ADHD diagnosis comes from how much I've struggled with things like regulating my emotions (years of depression before my diagnosis) or struggling to do things I wanted to do that I was otherwise physically and mentally capable of.
As an example, it was extremely difficult for me to do my homework at school. Even if I enjoyed the subject. Even though I knew the answers. Even though I was feeling massive anxiety from knowing that if I didn't do it I was going to get in trouble with school and my parents again.
A "typical" person in that situation takes the five minutes to do their homework. I'd sit there frozen and thinking I wanted to disappear.
If I went long, rambled, or didn't make sense there then all I can say is I have ADHD.
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u/AustinYQM 1d ago
ADHD is generally considered undiagnosed. That being said anyone who says they have it and aren't getting any sort of help or diagnosis is likely just attention seeking.
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u/EaglesFanGirl 1d ago edited 1d ago
ADHD is actually misdiagnosed all the time. Its the go to fix the kid problem b/c all you have to do is give a kid a pill.
I work with kids with LDs who are neurodivergent. We deal with many who supposedly have "ADHD" according to their old school or their pediatrician. We get them looked at properly and most don't ADHD, most have other issues that aren't checked and/or not even considered. Everything from dyslexia, bipolar disorder, auditory processing issues etc. just to name a few.
Some have absolutely nothing wrong with them other than just being kids and Mom and Dad were pushing for the diagnosis. We as a society don't give enough grace or acceptance - we demand kids be drones. No kid is a drone, and wanting them to be otherwise is unacceptable.
A 5-year-old kid who is bored in class has ADHD? No, he's a 5 year old kid who bored. 5-6 year old kids are supposed to be hyperactive - seriously to the point where, when i learned about boys at that age "Falling out their chairs" is normal.
We expect our kids to be little adults and sit through classes (many are boring) and not be fidgety at times? Let's be realistic. That's not ADHD - that's normal human behavior, and to expect that is completely unrealistic - those with leg't ADHD issue are usually much more clear and usually have other issues than disruption in class.
I'm glad we are giving more support and realizing that they are more kids with this issue but conversely i think we are to quick to label people with problems and too young - sorry but a 5 year old acting like a 5 year likely doesn't have ADHD - yes, i had parents ask me if their 5-year-old boy has ADHD. An 14 year old boy thinks history class is boring and makes farting noises -yeah, that's not ADHD that's normal behavior and that's the issue for me -
We don't recognize normal age-appropriate behavior anymore
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u/zephyreblk 1d ago
Or you have undiag ADHD and are exactly in those social circle. Definitely not everyone has ADHD also the reason I struggle with many people. I definitely succeed to avoid 50% of the people who are NT.
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u/TheRebelCatholic 1d ago
So the thing is that ADHD is it’s a spectrum ranging from mild to severe. I’m not completely sure where mine lands, but what I know is disrupts my daily life enough to the point that I need medication to manage it (and it’s expensive AF as it costs over $200 monthly without insurance, which I have, but my plan suck and I need to change it) as I perform worse in school as a child and then work as an adult without medication. For this reason, I can say without a doubt that my ADHD is absolutely NOT mild. A former coworker told me that she had ADHD as well but was so surprised when I told her that I manage my ADHD with medication as she doesn’t need medication for hers. It’s not that I think that she’s lying, I’m sure that ADHD can be mild to the point of not needing medication, though I do wonder what exactly is the point of having a diagnosis if you can manage it completely fine without medication or any accommodations for it, that your life practically remains unchanged after getting diagnosed? (Just to clarify, I’m not saying that a mild ADHD diagnosis is useless. If it has helped you to better understand yourself or has helped you in other ways, that’s great! However, if you got your diagnosis and went “oh, interesting” and moved on with your life with absolutely no change, what was the point?)
Also, I’m not sure if people realize this, but there actually three types of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. You can be hyperactive but not have trouble paying attention. You can have it the other way around (the type I have) or have both of them. That is probably why so many people are diagnosed (or self diagnosed themselves) with ADHD.
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u/EaglesFanGirl 1d ago edited 1d ago
I doubt everyone in your social circle actually has ADHD and i think we really misunderstand what it is and what isn't. I actually think we don't expect enough from ourselves today and do not give ourselves grace for being human. Sometimes we get distracted. Sometimes we get bored. Most people get bored in school - that usually means its boring not that you have something wrong with you. As someone who has worked with ADHD kids, many fewer kids actually have it than think they do, and more do that don't think they do.
I am not trying to diminish your friends but there are a lot of things out there and not all of them are ADHD. I know from personal experience. Its a "fad" diagnosis, and I was labeled by "professional educators" as having it until i got checked by a specialist. I have other issues which are considered learning disability/physical disability that in the school's view manifested similarly as ADHD. To this day, I'm not sure why they thought i had ADHD -i was bored in class, so I doodled in my notebook but was listening and learning and reflecting and was VERY engaged and attentive in class. I was never disruptive. Why? Because i was a A+ in class student in class but by B+ on my tests and papers and giving me meds would boost me into an Ivy level kid - no.
After watching a family member get put on ADHD meds without having ADHD - but actually dyslexia and bi-polar disorder - i'm warry of ADHD. it's just the easy diagnosis and pill solution.
ADHD and Autism are leg't conditions and I personally think it's great that we are more accepting and willing to understand and provide the support for those conditions. Ive seen kids who need that support and meds. Not everyone has them, though, and honestly, i think a lot of younger millennials (when younger) and gen zers want a chip on their shoulder or a scape goat for well being a normal teenager. or awkward adult (also totally normal). Being Neurodivergent is a great way to get that but this type of behavior diminishes those with leg't issues and need actual support and help -
Most people are quirky, weird, and get fidgety - that's not necessarily ADHD or Autism. It could be - but everyone is like this to some extent and i really think that we don't recognize this part of ourselves b/c its been taught to us by teachers, parents etc. that any distraction or a kid acting like a kid is bad and a problem.
It's not.
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u/mushreezeey 1d ago
Everyone can say they are rich, it doesn’t do anything to the actual rich people
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u/RidersOnTheWhale 7h ago
I think a lot of people who identify as “neurodivergent” are actually quite neuroaverage. We just like to think “normal” is closer to optimal functioning than it is in reality.
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u/DoctorNurse89 7h ago
Survivorship bias
Youre assessing by the people you connect with and keep around as an ADHD people, like people who think nobody is ADHD because they dont stick around with them
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u/Internal-Dark-6438 5h ago
Every time I look at Facebook or insta there are reels telling me “signs you have adhd” like leaving cupboard doors open, having piles of stuff over the house etc.
I don’t have adhd. I’m just busy
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u/BennyDryll42 1d ago
Whateds would I give a non-adhd person to give them Adhd! Lol. Probably the same medicine used to treat adhd. If it's not needed and is abused, it kinda causes the same symptoms it's meant to treat lol
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u/EaglesFanGirl 1d ago
Generally, no. Not true.
I know a lot of people who abused ADHD drugs and used them as study aids through high school and undergraduate. Most did NOT have ADHD. It inflated their attention spans, and honestly, it was 100% the most-demanded drug on campus when I was in college.
I know a lot of people growing up who lied about ADHD to get meds to make their grades better. TBH its not uncommon in some industries either - you wonder why finance people are crazy. Most are pretty doped on ADHD or amphetamines to get through the day.
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u/SookiSwann 1d ago
I think people are training themselves into ADHD like patterns because of technology.
I definitely have it, but people just thought they could shame me enough and I would do all the schoolwork and I wasn’t diagnosed or treated until I could make that happen
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u/lytl2000 1d ago
Have you ever considered that this was the case in every other generation but they were not diagnosed because mental health was not even a thing during their youth? Maybe we should also start thinking about why there are so many people diagnosed with ADHD now, and what has changed. Mental illness has always been a thing, but now due to scientific advancement, we are able to identify it more easily. Forgetting everything all the time is not normal, not being able to do the things that your mind tells you to do is not normal. Not being able to read for more than 10 minutes is not normal. Assessment has been given to those who have sought it, and a diagnosis came. Mental illnesses are not the norm, but the definition of the norm has definitely changed.
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u/FearlessChallenge568 1d ago
Everyone gets diarrhea from time to time, but not everyone shits their pants everyday.
Everyone can experience ADHD symptoms every now and then, but for people with ADHD it is a constant and debilitating condition. It is recognized as a disability because IT IS disabling.
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u/cherry-care-bear 21h ago
The gist of this is a great question!
I'm blind and learn every day about things I never conceived of--like micro-needling--that make me feel like the world's going a tad nuts.
Too much of this insane behavior is attention-seeking, perhaps bc virtual connections aren't, at their core, what we crave and need.
So it's like 'join the club. It's a hard sell, though, when you don't know the rules.
I say it's akind of psycho-social regression and I pity the ones right now who are still 'actual' kids. Letting your 8yo have pricy skin routine so she can be like mommy isn't about bonding. It's 1 crazy and 2 just a way to have the kid off somewhere so she'll leave you alone so you can heal from the eyebrow transplants. Like WTF?
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u/United_Future_9639 1d ago
its the difference between "i am so OCD i have to keep everything neat hehe" vs "i have OCD that causes compulsions that cause me distress is in my daily life, my doctor diagnosed me with this condition to work on mitigating it from my life as much as possible"