was a terrible choice of words on my part, but I can't edit now. What I mean here by "well-adjusted" has nothing to do with "appears functional from the outside". I mean "they appear functional and actually are and didn't have to contort themselves to do so".
Does the patient self-medicate with nonmedical stimulants/stimulation? (caffeine, nicotine, other drugs, adrenaline junkie)? Did they have to struggle and claw to overcome executive issues and get some semblance of normalcy? Did they find a particular niche/trade where they can be successful? Do they succeed on the outside but feel burned out constantly inside? Those are not the folks I'm talking about. I'm saying folks who didn't need to go way out of their way to adapt in order to achieve an outward sense of normalcy.
My father is one of the least-ADHD people I know. His life wasn't easy by any means (grew up very poor, had to work his way through high school and college), but also he didn't have any of the kind of turmoil growing up that I see in myself and each and every neurodivergent person I know.
was a terrible choice of words on my part, but I can't edit now. What I mean here by "well-adjusted" has nothing to do with "appears functional from the outside". I mean "they appear functional and actually are and didn't have to contort themselves to do so".
Does the patient self-medicate with nonmedical stimulants/stimulation? (caffeine, nicotine, other drugs, adrenaline junkie)? Did they have to struggle and claw to overcome executive issues and get some semblance of normalcy? Did they find a particular niche/trade where they can be successful? Do they succeed on the outside but feel burned out constantly inside? Those are not the folks I'm talking about. I'm saying folks who didn't need to go way out of their way to adapt in order to achieve an outward sense of normalcy.
My father is one of the least-ADHD people I know. His life wasn't easy by any means (grew up very poor, had to work his way through high school and college), but also he didn't have any of the kind of turmoil growing up that I see in myself and each and every neurodivergent person I know.