Being snarkily dismissive of mental disorders isn't a great look, especially when OP stated that they also went to therapy for anxiety/depression and also stated they work less now than they did before because they're able to properly focus.

It might have been unhelpful way of formulating the response, especially in the light of OP's comments about getting treatment for anxiety and depression.

But the comment was probably meant to highlight that there's a sense of ambiguity in medicating what's likely a natural individual difference in brain chemistry. Many diagnosed with ADHD would be considered perfectly well-functioning in a society where hunting, defense or other stressful, spontaneous physically and psychologically demanding activities were common. Many of them would excel at it far beyond the ideal office worker.

So in that sense it can be considered a critique of contemporary society's requirements and standards.

This may be true for tribal societies but we don't live in one anymore and unless I go try and join the sentinels at Sentinel Island, which I have a 99% chance of being killed before reaching, I have to find a way to live and prosper in the society we do have and that's by medicating.

I tried for a decade to make myself work "naturally". Almost left to be a monastic forever. At some point you have to pick up the same shovel everyone else is holding.

Unless you want to pay me 100k to keep trying to do my own thing.

The original topic of this post is someone who is well liked by their coworkers and by the sounds of it plenty productive in the eyes of the company. So your idea that you have to conform at all costs is pretty shaky at best.

I'm not responding to the original post.

I feel like I hear this statement a lot, but is there any real evidence of this?

First, I doubt there is any historical evidence of such a phenomenon.

Second, ADHD isn't nearly as prevalent enough in the general population to suggest that it's society.

The dose makes the poison. With methamphetamines, the toxic dose just happens to be quite small. Ever tried a mega dose of Aspirin? It can kill you.

ADHD is not meth in the same way grain alcohol is not wood alcohol.

For the reader, that's not only an apt analogy - it's a chemically accurate one. Structurally the difference between methamphetamine and amphetamine as well as between ethanol and methanol is a methyl group.

Pharmacologically it's a different story - methanol is not a safe substance with any dose.

Addendum: This isn't to imply that methamphetamine has dosage that eliminates its side effects and neurotoxicity, but rather that drinking methanol will quite easily make one go blind.

It's only now, several hours later, that I realize I meant to have written 'adderall'. Good grief.