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Comment by xattt | Hacker News Reader

Unfortunately, it seems that “affected” is being taken at face value in the parent comment, and the nuances of the presence of the disorder are being ignored.

Yes, many individuals with ADHD can cope without medication and may go on to live good-enough lives that might be the envy of others. However, there may be a lot of potential being left on the table staying untreated.

So to say that someone clearly doesn’t have ADHD because they don’t have a rep of reckless driving tickets because of impulsivity lapses is a bit of a slap in the face for many who still do, but developed compensation strategies to some extent.

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I did not say he never had ADHD. I’m saying he does not have it now. Do you understand the significance of that difference?

I do see what you mean. I apologize!

"The clinical diagnosis for a mental illness is that it impacts your life in a negative way."

While ADHD has a large part to play in causing mental illness, and is often misdiagnosed as bipolar, BPD, anxiety, etc, ADHD in itself it is not a mental illness, but a disability. I know this is somewhat a semantic debate, but it is important.

"If someone is managing their ADHD it doesn’t mean they don’t have it."

So someone who is managing their ADHD via medication doesn't have it? What about changing their occupation to one where intricate planning is no longer required of them, so they cease to be constantly failing?

Someone can have ADHD and have it impact their life to a much greater or lesser extent based purely on the life situation they are in.

ADHD is the result of physical differences in the brain. You could be managing as well as a neurotypical individual, but that doesn’t mean you’re no longer someone with ADHD.

You are born this way. Such as someone on the ASD spectrum.

The thing is that last D. A mental difference is not necessarily a disorder. That depends on severity and extrinsic factors.

E.g. there are cultures where punctuality is not really a thing. I'm not saying we don't gain many benefits from a culture of punctuality and reliability, or that one would necessarily want to live in one of these cultures. I'm just expanding on the author's point about extrinsic factors. Difference can often be a disorder, but difference is not equal to disorder.

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