Dr. Russell Barkley reframes ADHD in a powerful way: It's not just "attention deficit" — it's a failure of persistence toward goals. He explains: ADHD disrupts specific executive functions in the frontal lobe — not perception or filtering, but sustaining action toward delayed outcomes, resisting distractions (via inhibition failure),... and re-engaging after interruptions (due to working memory deficits). Key insights from the clip: - Inattentiveness in ADHD = poor goal-directed persistence (behavior, motivation, future-oriented). - Distractions aren't perceived more — people with ADHD respond to them more because they can't inhibit reactions. - Working memory loss means the goal "disappears" → easy to skip from unfinished task to unfinished task. - ADHD may be better called Executive Function Deficit Disorder (EFDD), with persistence as the core attention issue. This shifts the view from "can't pay attention" to "can't direct behavior forward in time" — a profound difference for understanding, diagnosis, and support. Ever felt this "future blindness" in daily life? How does it show up for you or someone you know? Share respectfully — open to hearing experiences!show more

As someone with ADD being interrupted in the middle of a task or being asked to change my day around with little to no advanced warning is so extremely disruptive & makes it almost impossible most times to get back into whatever task i stopped or left behind. Chaos in disguise.

As somebody who has ADHD and built a successful business, I refer you to The Usefulness of Useless Knowledge. In isolation, ADHD is a curse. But ADHD crew are the stepping stone finders. We help people who are goal oriented and need to reach new shores. Without us, they wouldnt get there. Without them, our dopamine induced discoveries would be meaningless. You need both. Even ants have a percentage that don't follow the path to the sugar.

This makes sense. I have a demanding job which forces me to focus. I do it unfortunately mostly through fear. But my favorite & most relaxing thing to do is hike on hilly trials by myself with no agenda. Completely forgetting about time, goals, etc.

Barkley is right, I mean ADHD is a "point of performance" failure. It’s not a lack of knowledge, but a bridge collapse between intent and action.

Including wandering internal distractibility. Because so many are diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety overlaps 80%…it’s good to be mindful of. We’d think the hyper focus would be fun, shiny stuff, games, introspective work, but much of it is negativity. We would think mental chatter would stop in certain states of mind, but it doesn’t because they struggle with uncertainty. Emotional dysregulation kicks in We would think ADHD means “always on” always moving. Many can sit very still… staring at nothing, even staring at walls. Not meditating, just paralyzed. It’s called “ADHD freeze” The brain’s overloaded, so instead of revving, it stalls. We’d never think ADHD because it’s an internal storm. Happens right before a meltdown too.

When I shop with my husband & I ask what meals or snacks he'd like, he almost always says we don't need any because we have enough for the next meal. That same evening or the next day at home, he wonders why we don't have any meals or snacks that he likes. No forward planning.

What's the holistic solution to ADHD?

I’ve been saying for years that it needs to be renamed something along the lines of Executive Functioning Deficit Disorder. The current nomenclature only contributes to the negative stigma and misunderstandings. Amazing to see someone with credibility suggest the same thing.

This is why many marriages fail between folks when one or both have ADHD

Never officially diagnosed, my therapist said let's work on those "feelings" first & see if we make progress. Full disclosure: self-diagnosed high-function ASD, social anxiety, introvert, depression, & throw in some chronic neurogenic atrophy in right calf the last 8 months (cause unknown). A few years ago I started with gummies to "unwind." While I enjoyed them, it wasn't what I was looking for. So I went online & educated myself, and continued to work on myself in the meantime. It took a while, but I found my relief with CBD. All those wires that always felt tangled, are unraveled & I feel like I'm on a level playing field again. Calm & focused, with zero intoxicating effects**. Between that & therapy, I've learned to keep the "noise" in check & feel PRESENT, and that's allowed me to finally be myself. The labels no longer hold me back, and the focus let's me move forward. Above all, it's given me a confidence in myself, that's noticeable to the loved ones around me. **There's a stigma associated with cannabis, and part of that is "that cannabis makes everything better". Anyone who's found functional relief will tell you...it doesn't work like that, but it does allow you to manage better & get through the day. As my therapist says, getting through the day is a success story in itself! It's important to note...everyone is unique, so always talk with a healthcare provide first, about whatever you have going on.

This makes so much sense—ADHD isn’t laziness or lack of focus, it’s struggling to keep goals in mind and act consistently toward them. That “future blindness” shows up in missed deadlines, scattered tasks, and jumping between incomplete projects.

He just explained my life to me. EFDD pretty much explains everything. Explains my spouse also. I can see it more in him and he can see it more in me. I think it is the mote and beam reference in the Bible.😜🤣

I find it almost impossible to do anything in advance. I'll pack on the morning I go on holiday, I can't meal prep, I shop daily etc etc - I can only do what needs doing on the day it needs doing on. I have all kinds of executive dysfunction issues.

Wow, this is good. Who can't identify with"why did i walk in this room?" As a parent with an ADHD son, this makes so much sense. Then add in computer gaming with it's built in algorithms and you get an addiction and a grown man who cannot hold down a job.

@grok can you find the full talk?

According to this definition, in combination with an insufficient sense of time and emotional stress during criticism, at least 80% of students would now be affected. You should think about what computers and co do to the brains.

He is a masterful communicator. He taught me everything I know about #ADHD.

I’ve been saying for 40+ years that time works differently for me than it does for other people.

Can you please link the full video?

Interesting adhd insights

I need help with short, intermediate, and long term goal setting, and sorting through how to prioritize those things.

I live by the seat of my pants as my mom used to say. Ask me to plan out multiple tasks/days gives me high anxiety.

Why must all our planning be the same? Why do you think all things deserve every person‘s attention? I have I know perceived the world different than some other people. But I’m not a problem if something can’t hold my attention it’s not a problem, It’s just fucking boring!

Doesn’t explain the hyper focus when you land on something you like

I call it the 80% rule. I do the hard 80% of a task, lose interest/memory and don’t complete the final 20%. Hence why a delegate to and can’t operate successfully without an assistant.

People with goals are hard to control.

i am 50, i recognize me in these words, and i dont really like it...

I work in lab chemistry, but my office and laboratory are in separate buildings. I get up from my desk to got to the lab for a specific task but have lost track of what it was by the time I get there, usually by giving myself 3 or 4 other, less important, tasks on the way there.

This would fit well with the theory that ADHD is "time dyslexia" - the ADHD person is either bored, in which case time moves incredibly slowly, of when we're in hyperfocus, it disapears altogether. Similarly, we don't miss people who aren't there in the same way as neurotypicals.

This describes me. I don’t know what to do.

He is explaining the results of paying attention to everything, fix the trauma that caused the kid to have to.

Bookmarking to finish later. lol.

I love AI generated posts. You can always tell with the long dashes. (-) Always the best tell. 🤔😆