Danielle Elliott

In his conversations with these patients, he became increasingly suspicious of the way the official diagnostic manual, the DSM, described ADD.

In his conversations with these patients, he became increasingly suspicious of the way the official diagnostic manual, the DSM, described ADD.

He shared his suspicions with a colleague, Dr. John Rady, and they realized they were reaching the same conclusions.

He shared his suspicions with a colleague, Dr. John Rady, and they realized they were reaching the same conclusions.

Ned and John were the first to put all of this into a book. Published in 1994, it's called Driven to Distraction.

Ned and John were the first to put all of this into a book. Published in 1994, it's called Driven to Distraction.

Driven to Distraction helped Sari Solden recognize her ADHD. It helped Emily Mitchell understand herself. It sold more than 2 million copies. And it's still selling strong. It changes everything for people who read it, which for a long time meant it changed everything within ADHD circles or for people who were already diagnosed with ADHD and looking for more information.

Driven to Distraction helped Sari Solden recognize her ADHD. It helped Emily Mitchell understand herself. It sold more than 2 million copies. And it's still selling strong. It changes everything for people who read it, which for a long time meant it changed everything within ADHD circles or for people who were already diagnosed with ADHD and looking for more information.

I'm not convinced it changed the public perception of ADHD, at least not at first. And it definitely did not change the minds of the ADHD gatekeepers. One prominent expert, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center named Dr. Russ Barkley, did not hide his dismay.

I'm not convinced it changed the public perception of ADHD, at least not at first. And it definitely did not change the minds of the ADHD gatekeepers. One prominent expert, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center named Dr. Russ Barkley, did not hide his dismay.

I reached out to Dr. Barkley. He told me he remembers this slightly differently. He said that, quote, championing ADHD as a gift risks losing the hard-won protections and entitlements that exist with the diagnosis because it is a disorder. Over the next two decades, research started to support the idea that there are benefits to having ADHD.

I reached out to Dr. Barkley. He told me he remembers this slightly differently. He said that, quote, championing ADHD as a gift risks losing the hard-won protections and entitlements that exist with the diagnosis because it is a disorder. Over the next two decades, research started to support the idea that there are benefits to having ADHD.

Granted, most of this research was conducted in other fields. Geneticists identified genetic mutations that were strongly correlated with ADHD. Evolutionary scientists hypothesized that in the past, there could have been evolutionary advantages to having this type of brain. One psychiatrist told me that the benefits may not have always been experienced individually.

Granted, most of this research was conducted in other fields. Geneticists identified genetic mutations that were strongly correlated with ADHD. Evolutionary scientists hypothesized that in the past, there could have been evolutionary advantages to having this type of brain. One psychiatrist told me that the benefits may not have always been experienced individually.

He said ADHD exists because humans evolved in groups, and groups need risk-takers in order to learn anything new. Someone had to light the first fire. Someone had to be the first to swim. Someone had to try eating different foods. And when they did, it didn't always go well. People lit themselves on fire. People drowned or got eaten by sharks. People ate poisonous berries.

He said ADHD exists because humans evolved in groups, and groups need risk-takers in order to learn anything new. Someone had to light the first fire. Someone had to be the first to swim. Someone had to try eating different foods. And when they did, it didn't always go well. People lit themselves on fire. People drowned or got eaten by sharks. People ate poisonous berries.

But someone else cooked food, someone else caught a fish, and someone else discovered that we can eat strawberries. Whether they lived or died, the risk-takers taught everyone something. Not all scientists agreed with the research on potential evolutionary benefits. At a 1999 CHAD conference, Dr. Barclay gave the keynote address.

But someone else cooked food, someone else caught a fish, and someone else discovered that we can eat strawberries. Whether they lived or died, the risk-takers taught everyone something. Not all scientists agreed with the research on potential evolutionary benefits. At a 1999 CHAD conference, Dr. Barclay gave the keynote address.

He told attendees he strongly believed that there is no evidence to support the idea of evolutionary advantages and that talking about them trivializes the disorder. He said that you cannot claim to benefit from ADHD and then want to call it a disorder. Ned agrees. Sort of.

He told attendees he strongly believed that there is no evidence to support the idea of evolutionary advantages and that talking about them trivializes the disorder. He said that you cannot claim to benefit from ADHD and then want to call it a disorder. Ned agrees. Sort of.