ADHD may have been an evolutionary advantage, research suggests

[entremet]

Traits common to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), such as distractibility or impulsivity, might have been an evolutionary advantage for our ancestors by improving their tactics when foraging for food, researchers have said.

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder with symptoms including impulsiveness, disorganisation and difficulty focusing. While estimates of prevalence have varied, diagnoses have been rising in many countries, including the UK.


Now, researchers say while some of these traits tend to be viewed negatively, they might have helped people seek out new patches for foraging.

Dr David Barack of the University of Pennsylvania, who was the first author of the research, said the study offered a potential explanation for why ADHD was more prevalent than expected from random genetic mutations alone and – more broadly – why traits such as distractibility or impulsivity were common.

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This makes sense. I think what breaks folks with ADHD today is that we're not in mutually dependent tribal structure anymore. So neurodivergent folks lack what the support they used to have.

Moreover, we've moved to a way a living and work that requires more ass-in-seat work and executive function for day to day.

ADHD may have been an evolutionary advantage, research suggests

Traits associated with the neurodevelopmental disorder could have helped early humans when foraging for food

www.theguardian.com

 

[HotStunt]

Yeah I'm sure I would have made a fantastic caveman, but my brain and modern society aren't a great match.

 

[entremet]

Yeah I'm sure I would have made a fantastic caveman, but my brain and modern society aren't a great match.

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It's unfortunate that we've pushed this hyperindividualism approach, especially in America.

 

[Jonathan Lanza]

When this world explodes, you'll all come crawling back to us.

 

[PS_Snake]

When this world explodes, you'll all come crawling back to us.

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[Motorcycle Dork]

That makes a ton of sense, as most of us prefer practical way of doing tasks/exams than standardised.

 

[Keio]

It's as if constructing a society that funnels resources to a very specific type of human in the name of productivity (measured by an arbitrary financial system that also employs more and more individuals solely to make the system function, with high return of resources to said individuals) isn't really allowing the majority to live fulfilling lives, be it ADHD or other non-neurotypical humans.

 

[entremet]

It's as if constructing a society that funnels resources to a very specific type of human in the name of productivity (measured by an arbitrary financial system that also employs more and more individuals solely to make the system function, with high return of resources to said individuals) isn't really allowing the majority to live fulfilling lives, be it ADHD or other non-neurotypical humans.

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I also blame Taylorism. The guy that created was a cruel bitch lol

 

[Grifter]

I'm still trying to harness ADHD for remote work without feeling like a lazy jackass who wasted my day without any gaming time to show for it.

 

[TheDarkKnight]

Yea when First learning about ADHD and it was gaining mainstream appeal it's less a disorder and just another way the brain works.

The analogy that made the most sense was back in the day]

ADHD = hunters. Generally could appear lazy as they lay about resting during parts of the day but then can go into hyper focus for the hunt and to get the food
Non ADHD = Farmers. Can do the full day grind and upkeep needed to grow and cultivate crops. Needs less intense focus but needs more focus over the day. And need it to sustain that day over day

And then modern society moved to everyone needing to be farmers and people with ADHD struggled

 

[entremet]

I'm still trying to harness ADHD for remote work without feeling like a lazy jackass who wasted my day without any gaming time to show for it.

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I remember reading about a guy that plays his Switch in-between meetings. Works for him!

 

[shaneo632]

Don't tell Shane Black.

 

[Spinluck]

I thought this was known.

We were probably the ones spotting threats from miles away and shit because we would hear a twig snap during Don's camp fire story.

 

[LV-0504]

That's nice but it doesn't help me get started on the spreadsheet I have needed to get done for weeks now.

 

[TerryVincent]

So the modern world is just a big fuck you to me. I had my suspicions...lmao

 

[entremet]

So the modern world is just a big fuck you to me. I had my suspicions...lmao

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It's very linear and time bound.

Remember, clocks are a relatively new thing in terms of human beings. And using clocks to measure productivity even newer--look up Taylorism.

 

[Capra]

Maybe the same can apply to how I can spend a whole day feeling tired and then not be able to sleep at night

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Tell that to my auditory short term memory and forgetting to do simple tasks as I'm about to go do them, I get distracted then completely forget to do said important task.

 

[Shemhazai]

I like how this thread came out two days after Münecat's "I Debunked Evolutionary Psychology" video.

 

[entremet]

Tell that to my auditory short term memory and forgetting to do simple tasks as I'm about to go do them, I get distracted then completely forget to do said important task.

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I posted him before but I'm a huge fan of Dr. Barkley work. He's one of the world's pre-eiminent expert on ADHD, now retired, but still analyzing and intrepreting the research on YT.


View: https://youtu.be/_FGjdEVasFE?si=wunahHvIZZmj8dgR

I like how this thread came out two days after Münecat's "I Debunked Evolutionary Psychology" video.

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There was a person with research training in that thread that already debunked her methods.

I do like that creator, but I don't know if she's a rigorous academic. She's entertaining, though.

 

[Isilia]

I'm 99% ADHD according to a psychiatrist

I will be the world's savior

 

[JonnyDBrit]

I thought this was known.

We were probably the ones spotting threats from miles away and shit because we would hear a twig snap during Don's camp fire story.

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Like many such things, it's not so much 'known' as a particular theory that is recurring popular in online circles because given people find it affirmative, and it feels intuitive to many, even without doing further reading

In particular, this study is aimed at foraging behaviours as a specific mode of examining the question. It's an interesting angle to consider, and would have to be weighed against things like how there were seemingly selective pressures against factors associated with ADHD even when everyone was hunter-gatherers. This is after all just a quick simulation based on playing a game for 8 minutes. Something where the participants have been given a specific objective to achieve as an exception to everyday life, rather than an everyday livelihood. Of course, trying to simulate paleolithic life in depth like that is inherently difficult, so these measures are still worthwhile to use, but proper caution has to be kept in mind

 

[DarthMasta]

Any trait that is still around either was beneficial or not detrimental enough to impact survival long enough for it not to propagate.
It's just a matter of figuring out how.

 

[waterpuppy]

I have heard this before and while I do think this is valuable research that certainly explains a lot I've come to dislike any framing of disability (especially cognitive disability) as something that in the right circumstances is a "superpower". It all feels very reductive and more like a way to convince neurotypical and able society that we can actually be useful or productive cogs in the wheel if given the right task.

These things are fun and cool little factoids that do very little to address the non-stereotypical and less known ADHD behaviors that are usually more disabling and harder to fit into a "You're not actually disabled, society is just limiting you" spin. I also feel like this stuff runs a risk of turning into supremacist ideas of like "peak/ideal humans" which icks me out.

Or maybe I'm just reading into this too much and being overly negative, lol. I've just been doing a lot of reading about ADHD/disability in the past year and it's frustrating to see us portrayed in a disrespectful or infantilizing way over and over.

 

[ergoakari]

I'm still trying to harness ADHD for remote work without feeling like a lazy jackass who wasted my day without any gaming time to show for it.

Click to shrink...

My ADHD has me travel to some other time dimension when working, and then in the blink of an eye I've done a weeks worth of work in one day with no breaks and then feel empty/lost afterwards with no motivation to do anything. I wish I could play games in between anything anymore, I'm basically a hyperfocus machine at this point and time.

 

[ngower]

I believe it. I thrive in high stress environments but when things are calm and chill I forget to brush my teeth.

 

[Vincent Grayson]

I dunno, after the 3+ hour evo psych debunking I watched the last few days, I am incredibly suspicious of these kinds of conclusions being truly legit, rather than just the kind of thing we don't need much evidence to believe.

But I'm also just really fucking tired of people trying to make it seem like this shit isn't debilitating at times. Every time I hear those goddamn "ADHD/autism is a super power!" things I cringe.

 

[Grue]

Any trait that is still around either was beneficial or not detrimental enough to impact survival long enough for it not to propagate.
It's just a matter of figuring out how.

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The interesting part to me was the article said diagnoses appear to be on the rise again.

 

[peepingtomahawk]

Don't tell Shane Black.

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I understood that reference.gif

 

[MyDudeMango]

I have heard this before and while I do think this is valuable research thst certainly explains a lot I've come to dislike any framing of disability (especially cognitive disability) as something that in the tight circumstances is a "superpower". It all feels very reductive.l and more like a way to convince neurological and able society that we can actually be useful or productive cogs in the wheel if given the right task.

These things are fun and cool little factoids that do very little to address the non-stereotypical and less known ADHD behaviors that are usually more disabling and harder to fit into a "You're not actually disabled, society is just limiting you" spin. I also feel like this stuff runs a risk of turning into supremacist ideas of like "peak/ideal humans" which icks me out.

Or maybe I'm just reading into this too much and being overly negative, lol. I've just been doing a lot of reading about ADHD/disability in the past year and it's frustrating to see us portrayed in a disrespectful or infantilizing way over and over.

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Definitely agree on the superpower shit and framing disabled people as 'you too can be a cog!'. I think the right way to view it is, yeah, modern society probably makes some shit a lot worse and suits non neurotypical folks especially poorly, but that's a problem with the system and a sign of why it's shit - the solution isn't to squeeze ourselves to prove we can fit in the differently-shaped hole, the hole as it currently stands is a shit place to be to begin with.

 

[exodus]

I work in software development (web, specifically) in a startup and about half of my team is diagnosed ADHD and most of the rest of us are undiagnosed. Could be a bias for our specific team or company, but I do feel like this is a profession that is well suited to ADHD since the opportunity for critical thinking and novelty is endless.

I am undiagnosed, but nearly certainly have ADHD. It is both debilitating and a superpower. I am 10x slower than an average person at completing monotonous tasks, and my life is very disorganized as a result. But when pressure hits, or an opportunity to problem solve arises, I can certainly excel.

 

[Spinky]

It me

 

[Costa]

Not that I've read the full study but from the OP I don't see how its framing ADHD as a superpower. If ADHD didn't have some sort of evolutionary benefit then it's not as likely to have survived in people to modern society. "Evolutionary benefit" means it gave an edge to survivability. If it were a superpower of sorts then ADHD would be "the norm."

It's something I've thought about deeply, as someone who has ADHD myself. It must have provided some sort of advantage in people in prehistoric times. And I often feel like the way modern society is designed is not compatible with the way my brain works. So it's a constant struggle to try to survive in such a system.

I definitely agree that trying to fit neurodivergent people into the standards that modern society forces upon us fucking sucks and trying to frame this as "you can be a cog too!" should be shamed on.

 

[808s & Villainy]

Wouldn't it be more prevalent if it was an evolutionary advantage?

 

[Richietto]

Glad I got that dogshit trait thanks evolution.

 

[makonero]

Wouldn't it be more prevalent if it was an evolutionary advantage?

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I think it is more prevalent than people think

 

[captive]

Moreover, we've moved to a way a living and work that requires more ass-in-seat work and executive function for day to day.

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the venn diagram of "things im good at" "things i enjoy doing" and "things that make me money" is only over lapping in the first and last of those three.

 

[JonnyDBrit]

Wouldn't it be more prevalent if it was an evolutionary advantage?

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That is an underlying issue of the debate, though as makonero put it, it sorta is 'more prevalent' than people realise

But ultimately, such gets into some very abstract speculation when it comes to how 'prevalent' a trait has to function as an advantage, especially when talking for the collective species rather than the individual. Especially when the question involves potentially changed circumstances, and the hypothesis to which many turn is one of 'mismatch', where the traits prevalence has potentially declined under shifting pressures

Which is, of course, part of why such studies are conducted - to see not only 'if' such a trait is potentially beneficial in a foraging context, but how often and consistently. It can be one of those where it wasn't even necessary for baseline survival, but improved odds thereof.

And again, study in question is, from the summary provided, a few minutes of playing a game focused purely on the gathering aspect of things - I'd be curious on the nature and construction of the game, given that could affect how, and how well, people respond to the stimuli involved. Like, 'click the screen when a berry appears' is different to doing roaming and gathering in an open world, though the talk of finding new patches might suggest more of the latter

 

[plz_give_me_a_job]

Damn, born in the wrong decade.

 

[Makeno]

I really need to get checked out for ADHD/ADD. I've started to get physically frustrated when I'm not doing what I feel like I want to be doing (currently looking for a new job yet here I am) and I don't know if I'm just lazy or stupid at this point.

 

[InfiniteKing]

I don't know. I hate my ADHD , I overthink things. Right now I'm stressing out over things.

 

[Necromanti]

Something doesn't necessarily need to improve "evolutionary fitness" to continue to exist; it just really needs to not be too "deleterious" or harmful enough to be selected against. I'd say there are quite a few reasons why allowing some biological "wiggle room"/flexibility allowing for diversity could be beneficial.

 

[KoopaTheCasual]

I'm the future.

It's as if constructing a society that funnels resources to a very specific type of human in the name of productivity (measured by an arbitrary financial system that also employs more and more individuals solely to make the system function, with high return of resources to said individuals) isn't really allowing the majority to live fulfilling lives, be it ADHD or other non-neurotypical humans.

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This too tho.

 

[El Bombastico]

Yeah, I've long said the same also with regards to my anxiety disorder. It must've been great at keeping your ass alive back when you really did have to panic that every little noise might be something that could kill you.

 

[Brawly Likes to Brawl]

Just my luck that I inherit an "advantage" in a time period that is significantly incompatible with it.

 

[Brawly Likes to Brawl]

I don't know. I hate my ADHD , I overthink things. Right now I'm stressing out over things.

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You'd be hard pressed to find one of us that doesn't fucking hate it.

 

[Grifter]

I remember reading about a guy that plays his Switch in-between meetings. Works for him!

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I did that for Balatro and SF6 training recently. Balatro was a mistake! Got glued to that until 7am a couple times without getting up... at all 😒

 

[Ouroboros]

I'm going to be the lamest X-men….

 

[Grifter]

My ADHD has me travel to some other time dimension when working, and then in the blink of an eye I've done a weeks worth of work in one day with no breaks and then feel empty/lost afterwards with no motivation to do anything. I wish I could play games in between anything anymore, I'm basically a hyperfocus machine at this point and time.

Click to shrink...

I wish I could turn that on w/o crashing afterwards. It can depends on my level of overwhelming. Sometimes I hunker down, pop a pill, supplement with caffeine, get started, then notice that my desk wiring could use some tidying and hyperfocus on reworking that.

 

[Turin]

Doesn't feel like it when I need medication for my mind to work correctly :\