I agree that some people could choose to see the positive aspects of adhd because it's less painful, but it doesn't mean they are deluding themselves. As a startup founder I think adhd worked both for and against me. Hyperfocus, the ability to perceive constant emergencies as fun, mania, etc. Downsides were very real too; dropping out of college because it was too boring, not opening my mail on time, being late with things, being disorganized, etc. Now that I have access to medication, I see it as a net positive.
for me, it's the lateral thinking that really comes in handy. I can catch weird bugs a lot quicker, and my tenancy to yak shave has led to a pretty awesome kit of tools for every occasion.
I've managed to fix a lot of the organizational problems with a multi pronged sleep / exercise / med regimen, too. All in all, I'd call it net positive.
I can see it from that perspective as well. I’m not trying to be cynical either; I don’t doubt that in many cases, with the right support and personal growth it can absolutely be a net positive. Perhaps over time it’ll be a net positive for me as well.
