“Sorry. ADHD,” we joke, as a half-apology for losing a thought mid-sentence, starting multiple projects and not finishing them, or for a mind that won’t sit still. It’s become our go-to explanation for distraction.
For years, ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) has been framed as a deficit: lack of focus, stillness, follow-through. It’s also often treated as a fixed trait to manage or suppress, rather than a different kind of mind with its own advantages.
Research has shown that people with these ADHD traits have heightened awareness, and an optimized ability for scanning, reacting quickly and moving through unpredictable or unfamiliar situations.
They are better able to generate more original, less conventional ideas than their peers. They are also often capable of hyperfocus, long stretches of deep, sustained attention on something that genuinely holds interest. This kind of focus is said to be behind many entrepreneurs and artists who credit their ADHD for their success.
So, what separates someone who struggles with ADHD from someone who thrives with it? People with ADHD do better when their environment matches how their brain works; fast-paced or varied settings, rather than rigid routines and low-stimulation tasks. Encouragement and strong relationships also support better functioning, even when symptoms are severe.
While 70-80% of ADHD is due to genetics, lifestyle choices can affect how manageable it is. Getting regular exercise is one of the most effective habits for easing ADHD, improving focus and mood. Adequate sleep also matters, as poor sleep and inattention go hand in hand. Healthy diets can make symptoms milder, while unhealthy diets can make them more pronounced.
Many adults go undiagnosed for years, in part because they learn to mask their symptoms early, such as hiding restlessness or forcing themselves to appear organized, without realizing that’s what they’re doing. This underdiagnosis problem doesn’t affect every community equally. Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) have lower rates of diagnosed ADHD compared to whites. Researchers think this is due to less awareness of ADHD symptoms and that NHPI adults are less likely to seek mental health services in general.
One study found a gene linked to ADHD helped nomadic herders thrive but worked against their genetically similar relatives who had settled. This makes me wonder: what if that same restless, quick-shifting mind was what kept our early Polynesian voyaging ancestors alive?
While these studies did not look specifically among Polynesian voyaging populations, it’s not hard to imagine how these traits might have shown up in those navigating in search of land or in the early Hawaiians who settled here.
What did it take to read a swell, notice a shift in cloud or star, change course in an instant, out on the open ocean with no compass and no guarantee that land was ahead? Once they arrived, could it have helped them learn the seasons of farming and fishing here, and understand the resources across the islands?
Maybe that’s worth remembering the next time distraction feels like a flaw instead of an asset possibly rooted in ancestral instinct.
Follow Dr. Matsuo on:
Facebook (@DrJodiLeslieMatsuo),
Instagram (@foodrxblueprint),
and on Twitter/X (@foodrxblueprint).
