Events, Reddit, and YouTube, oh boy!
"The best way to find yourself...is to lose yourself in the service of others." Mahatma Gandhi.
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From Reddit
I was exploring Reddit yesterday and came across a post by seeksfig entitled, “You're going to shoot yourself in the foot if you don't put up a barrier between yourself and society's discourse on ADHD.” With permission granted, I wanted to share it with you here for your two cents. Let’s chat about this Reddit post.
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition present from birth. It is a lifelong condition, and the best treatments are medication combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy.
One of the key issues with ADHD is the following: In the brains of individuals with ADHD, an anomaly in the dopaminergic system is observed. Specifically, when dopamine is released, it is either reabsorbed too quickly by neurons through a process called synaptic reuptake, or it is produced in insufficient quantities. This means that dopamine, a neurotransmitter essential for motivation, focus, and behavioral regulation, remains active in neural circuits for a shorter period of time.
This deficiency leads to difficulties in staying motivated to complete tasks, planning, maintaining focus, or executing complex steps. It is not a matter of willpower or discipline but a direct consequence of the brain's structure and functioning in ADHD.
The only way to directly and structurally address this dopamine issue is through medication.
Taking medication has saved the lives of many people with ADHD. Many people document how they see their lives as “before” and “after” medication, because the change is so drastic. Yes, there are some side effects, but they are almost never as harmful as living without treatment.
Despite the effectiveness of medication and the positive impact it has on people's lives, uninformed individuals continue to denigrate these treatments. Why?
Toxic Positivity: "ADHD is not a disorder! They just want to medicate people to control them!" ⇒ Of course, living on average 13 fewer years than others clearly shows that ADHD isn’t a serious, empirically documented issue. ADHD is not comparable to simple personality traits. My personality is not my disorder. I am someone; my ADHD is something else. Who I am is not the problem—my ADHD is. Adopting this perspective means you deny the truth and unintentionally reduce people to their condition.
False Belief: "Adult ADHD doesn’t exist." ⇒ Yes, of course, your brain structure magically rearranges itself once you turn 18, even though you’ve been this way since birth. Just like you stop being autistic as an adult because only children can be autistic.
Downplaying Severity: "ADHD can be managed with willpower and discipline." ⇒ Oh sure, I can totally control the behavior of my neurotransmitters with my willpower and discipline. Systems and habits work when combined with treatment because allowing dopamine to circulate properly enables individuals to adopt healthy behaviors. Without treatment, the individual simply won’t follow through. Why? Because their brain fundamentally prevents them from doing so.
Minimization: "Everyone has ADHD (sometimes they add “nowadays”)." ⇒ What distinguishes normality from pathology is intensity. Everyone has an imagination—not everyone has psychosis. Everyone feels sad sometimes—not everyone is depressed. Everyone experiences stress—not everyone has generalized anxiety disorder. Similarly, while everyone might have trouble concentrating, procrastinate, or forget things occasionally, not everyone has their life derailed because these issues persist regardless of their efforts.
Irrational Fear of Medication: "It’s just Big Pharma trying to make money off people." ⇒ Right, just like they make money selling aspirin, insulin, acetaminophen, acne treatments, and so on. Pharmaceutical companies sell medication, and those who need it buy it. Is there corruption? Yes, as in any industry. However, I’d be curious to know how you’ve concluded that ADHD treatments specifically are a scam, despite extensive research proving otherwise.
Blaming Modernity: "Everyone develops ADHD because of screens and TikTok." ⇒ According to this thesis, people are born with a "normal" brain, but technology rewires their brain to resemble that of someone with ADHD. This assumes ADHD is something you “develop” during life rather than being born with, which research has proven false. Of course, screens and social media negatively affect focus and productivity, but unlike ADHD, doing a “dopamine detox” can actually help combat these effects because the problem isn’t structural.
Alternative Solutions: "ADHD can be managed with a proper lifestyle, including a good diet and exercise." ⇒ A good lifestyle benefits everyone—it is not a cure for ADHD. Sure, it can reduce symptom severity, but all else being equal, an individual with ADHD and a perfect lifestyle will still struggle more with focus than a someone else with an average lifestyle. Once again, the issue is structural.
"ADHD is due to trauma." ⇒ ADHD doesn’t emerge after trauma, but having ADHD can certainly traumatize a child. Growing up being told you’re stupid and being asked to explain behaviors you can’t understand yourself is, indeed, traumatizing.
The people who spread such ideas generally fall into the following categories:
Uninformed individuals who’ve never read a single academic article on the subject.
People with ADHD who’ve internalized society’s guilt-laden narratives about productivity and “willpower,” or who simply don’t accept what they’re experiencing.
Businesspeople selling “magic” solutions.
Ultimately, the contempt for this condition (and not others) stems from a modern obsession with productivity.
Let me highlight the fundamental hypocrisy society shows toward people with ADHD:
Scenario 1:
Society says people with ADHD must be productive.
Therefore, the person with ADHD takes their medication to be productive.
However, society shames them for taking medication to be productive.
Scenario 2:
The person with ADHD does not take their medication.
Therefore, they are not productive.
Society shames and belittles them for being unproductive.
Thus, people with ADHD are always at a loss. If they don’t take their medication and their symptoms manifest, they are unproductive and have no value to the system. If they do take their medication to be productive, regardless of its effectiveness, they’re in the wrong because they’re a “drug addict” enslaved by Big Pharma with a “fake” condition.
To please society, the following narrative would have to materialize: "I was diagnosed with ADHD by my psychiatrist, but I said screw it because ADHD is a fake condition and Big Pharma is trying to control me, so I cured my ADHD with the power of my will and discipline!". This narrative would guarantee applause from everyone.
My point is the following: As someone with ADHD, it is impossible to satisfy society because the scenario described above is unrealistic for the overwhelming majority of people with ADHD. For most individuals with ADHD, the only way to meet society’s standards is simply not to exist, because whether we take our treatment or not, we are always at fault. Putting up a barrier is necessary.
I, too, used to think ADHD could be resolved with willpower and discipline. That’s why I tried going off my medication for several months. I was part of that second category of people.
I was quickly reminded of the truth: I have a neurodevelopmental disorder, and I was depriving myself of a normal life by refusing to take my medication—not because of the treatment itself, but because of others’ opinions about my treatment for my condition!
If a treatment exists and it helps you, take it. Do not feel guilty for wanting to live a normal life. You have the right to do so.
And never forget to be extremely selective about the fucks you give.
💙 Be Good to Yourself.
You matter, and your life is worth fighting for. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, please reach out to someone who cares. In the U.S., call or text 988. If you’re outside the U.S.:
Canada: Call 1-833-456-4566 or text 45645
UK: Call 116 123 (Samaritans)
Ireland: Call 116 123 (Samaritans)
Australia: Call 13 11 14 (Lifeline)
You are not alone, and there is help waiting for you.
Have a great Sunday and week ahead!
Dave.
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