Published on: 26 Jul 21:23

The other day I bumped into this Quora post on ADHD: https://joannesbrainfartz.quora.com/ti-118289141

Oooh, I’m in two minds about this.

I myself have ADHD. It’s a huge mixed bag of effects. Sometimes it’s friggin’ awesome. Sometimes it’s a nightmare. But it used to be a hell of a lot worse before the age of 35, when I was diagnosed and received my meds, because before that age I had no idea I’d had it, and kept lurching from one life disaster to another, feeling like there was something fundamentally broken with me and I had no idea what. Diagnosis and meds were and are a godsend. Most people are fantastically understanding about it all, though once in a while I encounter people who just simply refuse to believe ADHD is a thing, and they’re often a nightmare to deal with.

But, thing is … it’s so easy for authors and supporters of blurbs like this to refuse to distinguish between (1) people who make the deliberate choice to be obstinate stick-in-the-muds, and (2) people who’ve just simply remained unaware of ADHD-and-friends. Totally different crowds.

Sure, there’s a bit of overlap, agreed … but … the world is a colossal place, with billions of Important Things. Our lives just aren’t long enough to have an informed opinion on them all. It’s really not that implausible for loads and loads of good-hearted, well-meaning people to spend decades of their lives just simply remaining unaware of ADHD, of autism, of other neurodivergent-thingies.

If someone had made it to their 60s or even later, and they’d genuinely never heard of these things, and their first reaction is to feel bewildered and baffled and say things like “in my day” … I honestly don’t think their reaction is that unreasonable. Wouldn’t we all? I think I would. Especially if whoever’s bringing it to their attention then accuses that person of having provided zero past support or understanding and causing unnecessary suffering, as per the blurb. Who wouldn’t feel at least a bit defensive? I would.

Now, if this person then graduates from bewilderment to being an obstinate stick-in-the-mud, to broadcasting total denial and rejection of ADHD, autism, etc., … then we have a much bigger problem. But let’s first make sure we understand the difference.

Original: https://joannesbrainfartz.quora.com/ti-118289141?c...