Prof. Maggie Sibley

Well, a few years ago, researchers gave this checklist to a sample from the U.S. population, and they found that the average person got about a two. Oh! And five or more is like, maybe you should get evaluated for ADHD.

Well, a few years ago, researchers gave this checklist to a sample from the U.S. population, and they found that the average person got about a two. Oh! And five or more is like, maybe you should get evaluated for ADHD.

Yeah, yeah. Whoa! That's so funny. Yeah. I mean, so if you get this higher score, that's when you would probably want to go to the doctor and get checked out. But what we can see from this questionnaire is that the symptoms that we're looking for with ADHD, it's still basically this classic picture that we probably have in our heads.

Yeah, yeah. Whoa! That's so funny. Yeah. I mean, so if you get this higher score, that's when you would probably want to go to the doctor and get checked out. But what we can see from this questionnaire is that the symptoms that we're looking for with ADHD, it's still basically this classic picture that we probably have in our heads.

So for some people, it's largely about having a hard time staying focused. For other people, and especially when they're younger, it's more about being hyperactive. And there are people who have both. And these core symptoms, they really haven't changed recently.

So for some people, it's largely about having a hard time staying focused. For other people, and especially when they're younger, it's more about being hyperactive. And there are people who have both. And these core symptoms, they really haven't changed recently.

And, you know, it is stuff that a lot of us might experience from time to time. Yeah. But when doctors are trying to figure out if someone has ADHD or not, what matters is how severe it is. How much does it impair your life? Does it get in your way? Yeah.

And, you know, it is stuff that a lot of us might experience from time to time. Yeah. But when doctors are trying to figure out if someone has ADHD or not, what matters is how severe it is. How much does it impair your life? Does it get in your way? Yeah.

Right, and if you had so much trouble that you were, like, cutting in line at the pharmacy that the pharmacy banned you from the store, like, that's the kind of problem.

Right, and if you had so much trouble that you were, like, cutting in line at the pharmacy that the pharmacy banned you from the store, like, that's the kind of problem.

But you can, and you do. Yes. Or thinking about that question about missing appointments, we all forget appointments now and then. But Nagi told me this example of a patient of hers that kept forgetting to pick her kid up from school over and over. That's a bigger problem, right?

But you can, and you do. Yes. Or thinking about that question about missing appointments, we all forget appointments now and then. But Nagi told me this example of a patient of hers that kept forgetting to pick her kid up from school over and over. That's a bigger problem, right?

And we actually asked listeners with ADHD to call in and tell us about their experiences. And a lot of what they talked about was pretty hard stuff. Like this listener.

And we actually asked listeners with ADHD to call in and tell us about their experiences. And a lot of what they talked about was pretty hard stuff. Like this listener.

OK, so let's start with hyper focus. So this is the idea that for some people with ADHD, when they are able to focus, they can do it really intensely and they can work on something for hours and hours. People tell stories about forgetting to eat or go to the bathroom.

OK, so let's start with hyper focus. So this is the idea that for some people with ADHD, when they are able to focus, they can do it really intensely and they can work on something for hours and hours. People tell stories about forgetting to eat or go to the bathroom.

You know, I thought of you because I remember back when we worked in the office together, you would just like power through like for hours. It was crazy. I would have never thought of this as a symptom, though.

You know, I thought of you because I remember back when we worked in the office together, you would just like power through like for hours. It was crazy. I would have never thought of this as a symptom, though.

Yeah. A lot of people who experience hyper focus say they really like it. Some people who called in said that this is their superpower. Like one listener told us that when they're in this hyper focus state, they can do something in a few hours that it would take other people days to do.

Yeah. A lot of people who experience hyper focus say they really like it. Some people who called in said that this is their superpower. Like one listener told us that when they're in this hyper focus state, they can do something in a few hours that it would take other people days to do.