ADHP and Theory of Evolution, a Hypothesis by Dr. Luisa Sanz, Psychiatrist

I. PREVALENCE OF ADHP

1. Increasing prevalence over the last century

It is evident that ADHD was hardly spoken about 50 years ago and not a recognised condition 100 years ago.

This is likely to be due to two main reasons: firstly, ADHD is a much more common condition nowadays and, secondly and as a consequence of the first, there’s much better understanding of it, hence it can be identified and diagnosed more easily.

Prevalence for diagnosed ADHD ranges between 5 and 10% in developed countries.

In the UK waiting times for an ADHD assessment in the NHS, depending on age of the individual and geographical area, varies between 6 months and “unavailable”.

Prevalence of diagnosed ADHD is precisely that, prevalence of diagnosed ADHD, but does NOT correlate to the actual prevalence of the condition and so, most probably measuring ability to recognise the condition and resources but not the actual ADHD prevalence, therefore leading to smaller prevalence figures.

Prevalence for undiagnosed ADHD is likely to be much higher.

Prevalence for ADHP is even higher, possibly3 or 4 times.

WHY IS ADHD DESCRIBED AS A DISORDER WHEN ADHP IS SO COMMON?

2. Diagnostic criteria for ADHD

As per most common Diagnostic classifications used in the UK (ICD 10 and DSM 5) as well as the diagnostic guidelines from NICE (evidence-based recommendations for health and care in England), ADHD is a Disorder which is diagnosed not only on the bases of the symptom presentation, their severity/duration and pervasiveness but also in relation to the level of interference with functioning or development.

Based on the above, anyone with the symptoms, regardless of severity, would not get any recognition if not “struggling”.

Therefore, one could have severe inattention with higher IQ than average and so never achieve academic potential, yet it would be very unlikely for such an individual to  ever get diagnosed with ADHD, particularly if following parents business or when having other outstanding skills to dedicate to such as music, sports, acting, etc.

WHY IS THERE SUCH RESISTANCE TO RECOGNISE ADHP?

COULD IT BE BECAUSE ADHP IS SO COMMON AND THEREFORE “NORMAL”?

3. ADHD Referrals to MH services

Individuals with ADHD get referred mainly for 2 reasons: either they can’t meet the demands from Education/society in terms of academic and behaviour expectations OR they present with comorbid and/or secondary disorders to the ADHD.

Individuals with undiagnosed/untreated ADHD, after years of struggles tend to develop mental health problems with low self-esteem/self-worth/confidence, self-harming, anxiety, depression… not knowing who they are and even some questioning their identity in an attempt to “find themselves and fit in”.

Often they are aware of their strengths and talents but those are irrelevant as they’re failing in “the most important subjects”, the academic ones.

HOW WOULD CHILDREN/ADOLESCENTS WITH ADH”D” DEVELOP IF THEY WERE ACCEPTED BY WHO THEY ARE AND SUPPORTED FROM DAY ONE?

WOULD THEY EVER GET “REFERRED” FOR AN ADHD ASSESSMENT?

4. Actual Prevalence: The 3 ADHP Profiles

The ADHP who struggles and gets referred for assessment of ADHD- most common profile:

-       Reduced attention span, “scanning living style”

-       Impulsive, willing to try/to give it a go, risk taking

-       Tendency to be on the go, energetic,

-       Unaware of their potential, frustrated in school/work

-       Fear stops them from trying

-       Normal intelligence (can also be below or above with comorbidities)

-       Dwelling on the past or worrying about the future

-       Feels unsupported, non-understood, judged, worthless.

-       Anxious, lacking confidence

-       Low self esteem, low mood (possibly self-harming)

-       Self medicating with alcohol/drugs (often cannabis)

-       Other MH comorbidities (often Anxiety dis., depressive dis., ASD)

The ADHP who has difficulties but gets through Education without an ADHD assessment – most common profile:

-       As type 1 but with more protective factors:

o  More confident

o  Better supported (in school, by family)

o  With more stability

o  Less secondary difficulties

The ADHP who doesn’t struggle and becomes professionally successful– most common profile:

-       Reduced attention span, “scanning living style”

-       Impulsive, willing to try/to give it a go, risk taking

-       Tendency to be on the go, energetic

-       Aware of their talent, potential, gift

-       Normal or above average intelligence

-       “here and now”, don’t plan too ahead, “go with the flow”

-       Adapt to change and improvise, think outside the box

-       Confident, secure

-       Have a sense of self worth, comfortable with who they are

-       None or manageable mental health comorbidities

-       Supportive context/environment

II. 21ST CENTURY: A WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

1.     Over-stimulation and Reinforcing of Short Attention Span

Developing society seems to be more suited for those with the ability to switch attention fast, have a “scanning” approach and thriving on over-stimulation.

And we are indeed witnessing an ever increasing of ADHP.

By their “inattentive” nature, ADHP-ers scan for anything that may grab their interest (their “attention”). Perhaps, ADH-Pers have an instinct to discard what they’re not good at and search for what they are very good at and would be worth investing their time in.

ADHP would seem more adapted to the “forever developing technology-based world we live in” and those genes aiding to the species success are being passed on and diverging the species over time.

WHY WOULD SUCH A WORLD OF FAST TECHNOLOGY HAVE SO MUCH RELEVANCE NOWADAYS AND WHY IS IT ADOPTED BY SUCH A HUGE POPULATION?

IS ALL THIS POPULATION ADHP-ERS?

ARE HUMAN BRAINS EVOLVING IN SUCH A DIRECTION?!

2.     Reduced need for Academic Memory, higher maths, writing

Information is readily available all the time, one just has to “google” the query and there is your answer! There is less and less of a need to memorise information, less and less of a need to learn higher maths or even to write (as we mainly type now and have “spelling corrector”).

Perhaps ADHP is at the head of this evolving technological world!

WOULD TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES SUPPORT OR GO AGAINST EVOLUTION?

WOULD THE WAY WE LEARN, HOW WE STORE/RETRIEVE INFORMATION, AND HOW WE FIND OUR TALENTS AND DEVELOP OUR POTENTIAL EVOLVE WITH PROGRESSING TECHNOLOGY?

DO WE CONTINUE TO IGNORE THIS REALITY?

The current educational system limits the learning curriculum to mainly “academic” subjects and therefore discards anyone without an academic ability, yet still making them submit to it which often leads onto “academic failure” and the consequent believe of “not being good enough”.

Teachers are asked to meet targets but not to really teach. Children "have to be managed" as numbers and statistics to meet targets and expectations but not as beings full of life and potential ready to be uncovered!

3.     Multiple Intelligences

Nearly 40 years ago, Dr. H. Gardner proposed the existence of 9 intelligences on the basis that using IQ as the only basis to understand intelligence was too restrictive since each individual is gifted with their own unique qualities and talents.

He therefore suggested the following different intelligences: visual-spatial, linguistic-verbal, interpersonal, intrapersonal, logical-mathematical, musical, naturalistic, bodily-kinaesthetic and existentialist.

If we’ve been talking about these multiple intelligences for decades now, how are we still “teaching” children based on such a reduced learning curriculum and limited personal development approach? Why are we putting all children into the same boxes expecting them all to learn in the same way, one which they’re not all predisposed to.

ADHP-ers seem to be particularly creative and bodily skilled; those may their strongest intelligences leading to talents and purposes to be uncovered.

John Lennon once said “every child is an artist until he’s told he’s not” and that is the power we all have over next generations and evolution itself.

IS THE WORLD MISSING OUT ON AMAZING CREATIVITY AND ITS MANIFESTATION, ON INCREDIBLE HIDDEN TALENTS, ON OUTSTANDING GIFTS TO BE SHARED BECAUSE WE TOLD THEM “NO” WHEN THEY WERE CHILDREN?

III. EVOLVING FOR SURVIVAL “EVOLVES” ONTO EVOLIVING FOR PURPOSE AND HAPPINESS

1.     ADHP’s usual nature

The following is based on observations made over 25 years of working and living around ADHP-ers.

There seems to be some common traits they tend to present with and which are preserved if enabled to expressed themselves as who they are gifting the world with their talents.

-       Young mind, enthusiastic, willing

-       Lay back nature, easy going, “happy go lucky”

-       Generous, giving, helpful, caring, loving

-       Letting go, care-free, going with the flow, detached

-       Can change easily, accepting, improvising and adapting

-       Energetic, open minded

-       Creative, imaginative

-       Naïve, trusting, believers

-       Charismatic, attractive personality, sociable, people’s person

-       Passionate, devoted, invested, talented

-       “scanning” and following their instinct, effortless. feels right and flows

In my experience, the vast majority of children with ADHP have this nature but when referred to MH services, they’ve often been substituting those beautiful traits with fear, worry, anxiety, distress, mistrust, low self-esteem, low confidence, low self-worth….oppositional behaviours, defiance, alcohol abuse, drug misuse.

COULD THERE BE A LINK BETWEEN “EASY FLOWING” NATURE, ALIGMENT AND EVOLUTION?

2.     Finding our Talent to find Purpose; finding Purpose to find Happiness

It would seem as if ADHP-ers have that ability to discard what they don’t like in search of what flows easily, what feels right, what seems to suit their character, their talent… and so, one could argue these individuals are more likely to find purpose and so happiness!

When ADHP-ers can follow their instinct and allow their nature to guide them, their talent then stands out and their purpose then follows ”effortlessly”.

There are many ADHP-ers amongst entrepreneurs, actors/actresses, presenters, singers, sportsmen/women. It would almost seem as if ADHP-ers are highly represented amongst these successful groups…

Albert Einstein, one of the greatest minds of all time yet as a child told by his teacher he would never amount to anything, was an ADHP-er himself… does this not tell us something!

His way of learning was unusual;  he said: “I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world”.

He turned out to be incredible talented and seemed to have found his purpose; he did, indeed, gif the world with it!

Whether he found happiness or not, he would have to say himself, but the way he spoke about LOVE in the letters he wrote to his daughter during the latest stage of his life, would perhaps suggest he was getting quite close if not there!

ARE ADHP TRAITS FAVOURABLE TO SUCCESS IN CERTAIN ARENAS?

3.     From Physical Survival to Spiritual Growth; Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra

ADHP-ers seem to have an instinct to follow some spiritual laws as described by Deepak Chopra which lead to Spiritual growth, purpose and happiness.

The one they are masters at is the “Law of Least Effort”, naturally choosing the path of least resistance and effort; they seem comfortable letting things be and just going with the flow.

Nature’s intelligence functions with effortless ease.

They also seem to be able to stay “children” for longer and live the present not worrying much about the future.

Indeed during their neuro-development they tend to be 3 years behind than those of their chronological age and then seem to stay with a “forever young mind”, naïve, excitable, enthusiastic, ready for new adventures, open minded.

COULD THERE BE A LINK BETWEEN ADHP, SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND EVOLUTION?

CONCLUSION:

Change is usually resisted.

Evolution is a process of constant change, very slow but forever ongoing.

It takes many years and several generations to “see” the changes that Evolution brings.

The "majority" tends to resist the minority. Perhaps because of the change this implies; perhaps due to a sense of losing control or feeling “threatened”.

Every Evolutionary change always started with the change in one single being.

One, that later became two, and then a few, and a few more amounting to a minority…

COULD ADHP BE AN EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS?

Perhaps we need to learn from what Albert Einstein once said: “we cannot solve problems with the same thinking that created them.”

Therefore, continuing to deal with ADHD as a Disorder can’t lead to solving the problem society’s thinking created precisely by describing it as a disorder.

Whilst we continue to think of it as a Disorder, we’ll continue to perpetuate it as a problem.

Instead, if we understand it as a Presentation, our perception of it will change and we can then adapt to new ways in society, education, employment to suit everyone and so, enhancing differences, diversity, evolution.

My daughter has a diagnosis of ADHD but do I see her as having a disorder of ADH? Goodness me, NO!

I see her as an ADHP-er, full of talent and potential, incredibly gifted.

Of course she still has much to “grow and evolve”; haven’t we all?

She has to learn about patience and delayed gratification, about the power of silence. She has to learn not to fear, not to worry, not to feel anxious; about her inner strength.  

She has lots to learn…

Yet, she is one of my greatest “maestros” and I’ve been learning from her for over 20 years. I’ve been learning from her nature, from her ways, from the amazing being she is with her ADHP and because of her ADHP!

I actually believe her “P” is for Potential and Power!

So, perhaps society as a whole needs to break down those barriers created from assumptions and judgement to adopt a much more humble approach to life becoming the open-minded, accepting, caring, loving beings we’re evolving to be!

If Evolution takes place through Change, perhaps it’s time to change our understanding of ADHP and allow natural Evolution.