Danielle Elliott

But for many of them, if the environment can be shifted and changed, their brain will go back to functioning in a typical way. Whereas the neurotypical brain is functioning how it functions.

Right. But it's sort of become, right. It's not a response, but it's like the question that kept coming up for me in the reporting was sort of like, it's pretty tough to escape the environment that produces the symptoms of ADHD now.

Right. But it's sort of become, right. It's not a response, but it's like the question that kept coming up for me in the reporting was sort of like, it's pretty tough to escape the environment that produces the symptoms of ADHD now.

Yeah, I think it really can. And I think it's sort of like a... I've wondered if the relatability of ADHD descriptions now has made some people start to think, well, if everyone has it, I don't really need to be treated for it. You know, so it makes me question over-diagnosis and under-diagnosis.

Yeah, I think it really can. And I think it's sort of like a... I've wondered if the relatability of ADHD descriptions now has made some people start to think, well, if everyone has it, I don't really need to be treated for it. You know, so it makes me question over-diagnosis and under-diagnosis.

And I'm guilty of that myself.

And I'm guilty of that myself.

I think the most surprising conversation I had was with someone who studies the evolutionary benefits. And he said that, um, where we're getting things wrong. This is his opinion, right? So this is one researcher's opinion. But he said... When we talk about these evolutionary benefits, we tend to look for the ways they're beneficial to individuals.

I think the most surprising conversation I had was with someone who studies the evolutionary benefits. And he said that, um, where we're getting things wrong. This is his opinion, right? So this is one researcher's opinion. But he said... When we talk about these evolutionary benefits, we tend to look for the ways they're beneficial to individuals.

And the thing that people are missing about ADHD is that it's beneficial on a communal level. And that might not be great for the individual. Like it's so, and when he first said it to me, I was like, are you telling me my brain took one for the team? And he's like, yeah, kind of. Cause the entire group that like, he's like humans evolved in groups, groups need risk takers.

And the thing that people are missing about ADHD is that it's beneficial on a communal level. And that might not be great for the individual. Like it's so, and when he first said it to me, I was like, are you telling me my brain took one for the team? And he's like, yeah, kind of. Cause the entire group that like, he's like humans evolved in groups, groups need risk takers.

They need people who are willing to do things differently. just like regardless of the consequences who are just motivated to do that for whatever reason. And that's the only way cultures advance. So it was just really interesting to me to hear him say, like the whole group learns when someone does something risky and they either learn you shouldn't do that or you should do that.

They need people who are willing to do things differently. just like regardless of the consequences who are just motivated to do that for whatever reason. And that's the only way cultures advance. So it was just really interesting to me to hear him say, like the whole group learns when someone does something risky and they either learn you shouldn't do that or you should do that.

And it's like, whether you're talking about like, I mean, when we're talking about hunter-gatherer times thousands of, tens of thousands of years ago, you're talking about, like, somebody ate that berry, and that's how we know we can eat strawberries. Like, somebody did this, but it's probably a person with ADHD who did that.

And it's like, whether you're talking about like, I mean, when we're talking about hunter-gatherer times thousands of, tens of thousands of years ago, you're talking about, like, somebody ate that berry, and that's how we know we can eat strawberries. Like, somebody did this, but it's probably a person with ADHD who did that.

And then in plenty of those cases, they probably ate a poisonous berry that didn't, like, their risk-taking didn't personally benefit them, but it benefited the rest of the group because then the group knew, don't eat that berry, you could die. And it's, like, such a simplistic, it's, like, my favorite conversation that I had in the whole thing.

And then in plenty of those cases, they probably ate a poisonous berry that didn't, like, their risk-taking didn't personally benefit them, but it benefited the rest of the group because then the group knew, don't eat that berry, you could die. And it's, like, such a simplistic, it's, like, my favorite conversation that I had in the whole thing.

the community canaries yeah kind of like we're just like like I'll go down this hole to see if there's gas down here just because I want to see I'm just it looks interesting because I want to see I'm curious there's a hole let me see what's down it like somebody's brain had to work that way to learn things I kind of love that oh I love it it's true it doesn't really benefit you as an individual at all yeah so he's like now that it's been like like rebranded as a superpower he's like

the community canaries yeah kind of like we're just like like I'll go down this hole to see if there's gas down here just because I want to see I'm just it looks interesting because I want to see I'm curious there's a hole let me see what's down it like somebody's brain had to work that way to learn things I kind of love that oh I love it it's true it doesn't really benefit you as an individual at all yeah so he's like now that it's been like like rebranded as a superpower he's like

it's missing the point. He's like, communities need people with ADHD. At least they used to. He's like, I don't, he was like, I'm not saying there's benefits now. I don't know that it confers benefits now.