Well, I've posted my first blog, and then another, and yet another, but as I wrote the first, discussing the subject of ADHD as an earlier attempted topic for a blog, I kept thinking back to this theory and I wanted to share my thoughts on it. It is very controversial, but makes a lot of sense in so many ways.
When this theory was first brought to my attention, I was quite skeptical of an article I read on the topic, but as I read further, as well as additional information, I could see the
possibilities of this theory as there are strong links between the required traits
of the ancestral hunter and traits that a person with ADHD are found to have. I
have always felt that society and its institutional structures with their rules
and standards everyone has to live up to, has created a rather uniform model that
is expected of everyone. It is impossible for every individual to live up to
such standards. To make it easier on all members of society and to gain this
ideal model, individuals with ADHD are placed on medication. The hunter vs
farmer theory focuses on evolution as a key factor in the existence of the
condition called ADHD. Instead of the mainstream idea that refers to ADHD as
being a disease of the brain, this theory celebrates individuals with ADHD as
having traits that would have placed
them as the more successful beings among the human race in the times of hunters
and gatherers.
A person with ADHD is often
treated as if they have a disease, but I have often referred to these
individuals as simply having a different personality. Everyone has different
personalities. If we didn’t we wouldn’t have those who run for president. I
can’t imagine the personality of my childhood librarian who was rather pleasant and
mild, to be running for the presidents position. Thus, I feel that I was
hitting the tip of the iceberg of this theory, with my thoughts regarding
personality and the underlying idea that there isn’t a chemical imbalance in
the brain, but rather it is innate in the individual; a person with ADHD isn’t
bad, but rather has a different personality that stems from his or her ancestors.
The idea that Individuals with
ADHD are often referred to as ‘bad’ people is wrong. Yes they do things ‘out of
place’, but this is simply just them acting in a way that isn’t the 'norm' of society. It is
simply that they have too much energy. Many people with ADHD need to be
constantly doing something. They constantly move, talk, think. This idea of an
‘imbalance in the brain’ that society feels needs to be restrained could very
well be the source of the famous jokes of your favourite comedian who
wouldn’t be as successful as he is at making your sides hurt with laughter if
it weren’t for his ADHD ‘condition’.
Individuals diagnosed with ADHD
are inclined to be free and to move about. Their unique ways indicate traits
that can be linked to the hunters of former hunter/gatherer societies of the
past. The constant thinking of a person with ADHD for one, is a trait that
would have been a critical need for the ancestral hunter. To further analyze
the successful hunter, one would see them as needing to carry the following
characteristics:
·
They’ll face danger that “normal” individuals
would avoid
·
They love the hunt, but are easily bored by
mundane tasks
·
They think visually
·
They can throw an incredible burst of energy
into the hunt
·
They’re flexible, capable of changing strategy
on a moment’s notice
·
They can totally throw themselves into the hunt
·
They constantly monitor their environment
These very characteristics, some if not all, can be strongly evident in a person with ADHD. For me, this gives a great amount of support for the
hunter vs farmer theory.
Rather than being seen as burdensome, such
traits can be viewed as gifts. The need for the ancestral hunter has passed,
but these individuals could both benefit from and benefit society with their
overzealous personalities and capabilities.
Engage these individuals in the
right way when they are young, and they would learn just as any other
individual does and they too, would have just as great a chance to find their
place in society, becoming a productive member, in their own way, never needing
medication to help them ‘refrain’ from ‘bad’ behavior, and helping them to embrace their uniqueness instead of feeling as if they are the odd one out - my child once asked me what was wrong with his brain, and requested another. It is society that makes these individuals feel this way.
It comes down to the fact that we punish these individuals when they are young, when we should be celebrating them instead. There are so many people out there with the energy and go-get attitude that are part of why we are able to live the lives we do, and so many of these individuals have ADD. There is nothing wrong with these individuals. Instead we should be embracing their unique abilities and honing in on how to teach them in a way that is more beneficial to them. Every child learns differently as it is. For children with ADHD, we should be helping them to channel their energy in positive ways, teaching them things that engage them on their own level. Imagine what could result! Greatness.
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