[outworlder]

> ADHD makes you incapable of settling into easy

> You have work to do but it's easy. You have a side project but you've figured out the hard parts and so it's just the implementation grind, which is easy.

Oh no. That describes me to a T.

Is there a differential diagnosis for this kind of behavior?

[LocalPCGuy]

Keep in mind that ADHD is most likely a combination of a number of different factors that'll lead to a diagnosis. Many people exhibit one to even a couple of the factors, but that doesn't necessarily mean they have ADHD.

But if you look up some of the checklists or videos for "do I have ADHD" and seem to fit the bill of quite a few of the factors, it's worth talking to a therapist or psychiatrist who specializes in diagnosing it. There are many people who slip through the cracks in childhood, a lot of times because schools and docs are looking for the Hyperactive side, but many times the Inattentive side gets dismissed by a number of different excuses.

And as others mentioned, if you are diagnosed with it, that doesn't necessarily mean drugs or even therapy, but it can mean a better understanding of things you might struggle with and the reasons for that, which can better prepare you for coming up with healthy strategies rather than negative/unhealthy ones.

[jnovek]

A PsyD can assess your focus level using a few diagnostics and if you don’t have other problems that better explain your focus deficit (e.g. PTSD or depression) you will be diagnosed with ADHD.

Talk to your doctor about it. If you can get in with the PsyD the process is pretty easy and non-painful.

The hard part is adapting how you approach the world once you know that you have ADHD, but it’s absolutely worth it.

[notfish]

Also, realistically, having ADHD doesn’t mean you need to start taking meds or changing your life or something. Think of the word “ADHD” as recognizing that theres a class of people who fit these labels, are often predisposed to these issues, and can sometimes be helped by these solutions - it’s only a disorder if it causes problems in your life :)

[LocalPCGuy]

I'd probably argue that the word disorder applies regardless of whether it causes problems, because ADHD is (as far as we know with current knowledge) pointing toward an actual issue in brain chemistry (compared to non-ADHD), and it's ok to acknowledge that.

That isn't to say people have to use meds/etc. to cope though, I totally agree with the rest of your statement. I just don't think we should imply that the word disorder must be a negative thing. I look at it as purely descriptive.