I find the "Attention deficit" part of it to be pretty apt for myself. Although it's more of an attention regulation deficit to be more specific. There's probably worse names out there.

Wait, the need for external validation is a symptom of Always Discovering Hobbies Disorder? I thought it was just my upbringing and personality 🤔

Is that need part of the neurodivergence or a result of it?

I don't have ADHD, but I feel like this is perhaps too simple of an answer.

I imagine, when the first diagnoses came in, people were not aware that they experienced life differently than others. They probably assumed that everyone else struggled just as much, but somehow was better at it. At least, that still seems to be a common theme when kids get diagnosed today.

And so, of course, past kids didn't go to the doctor for what they assumed to be normal, but rather got sent there by teachers who described what they saw from the outside.

I guess, I mainly take issue with this post implying that Big They™ intentionally chose a bad name, when there's a fairly simple explanation why this would happen without a conspiracy.

I know this is a joke, but for anyone wondering, it was named by scientists and doctors... They don't just make shit up for naming things like this.

Factually there is a measure of deficit to the ability for people with this issue, to maintain the focus of their attention on any particular thing, in a normal fashion. Normal being that neurotypical people can choose what they focus their attention on, and don't really have any trouble doing that.

The hyperactivity part, I believe is more about the physiological effects in the brain for people with the disorder. I'm not a doctor, but I believe one of the main characteristics of ADHD, is that dopamine receptors are hyperactive, leading to a deficiency of dopamine (and/or other signaling chemicals) in the brain. This can cause depression, anxiety... The list goes on.

So yeah. ADHD.

I dunno for sure. I'm just some guy with ADHD.

I noticed that at school in my kid's class: Several students with ADHD, and all the teachers care about is that they are sedated and sit still. They don't care for them reaching their potential, avoiding all this frustration.

from the country that brought you Drapetomania and Annoying Bitch Syndrome.

Turns out a lot of the DSM is written to Pathologize people who are incompatible with American culture

There's a growing acceptance in the ADHD community that the name is no longer particularly relevant.

However a lot of very good anti-discrimination rules and laws mention it by name.

And so changing the name would have an immediate negative effect on the rights of those with the condition. So probably until we have some massive breakthrough about the thing we know as "ADHD", it's likely to keep the name.

Say it together all.

AD(H)D/Autism is how neurotypicals perceive us.

Neurodivergent is how we perceive ourselves.