
07/15/2025
Why Does ADHD Seem So Common Today?
Our Brains Were Built for the Wild—Not Wi-Fi.
For 90% of human history, we lived as hunter-gatherers in tight-knit tribes. Our brains got really good at scanning the horizon, reacting fast, and chasing what mattered in the moment.
Farming, Offices, and Zoom? Basically Brand-New.
Farming: 9,000 years old
Office work: 90 years old
Video calls all day: 5 years old
That’s a blink of an eye in evolution terms, so our brains haven’t had time to fully adapt.
3. ADHD Traits Were Once Superpowers.
Quick to notice change → Spotted predators (or dinner) first.
Always on the move → Helped track herds and explore new areas.
Drawn to novelty → Pushed the tribe to discover fresh food and safe spots.
4. Modern Life Flips the Script.
Now we ask those same brains to:
Sit still for hours
Stay focused on spreadsheets, homework, or endless emails
Ignore constant dings and notifications
No wonder more people are diagnosed—our environment clashes with how we’re wired.
ADHD hasn’t suddenly appeared. Our surroundings changed faster than our brains could keep up. Recognizing this “evolution mismatch” helps us shift the conversation from “What’s wrong with me?” to “How can I use the my strengths in this environment"
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