The Golden Meaning & Purpose of Distraction (& the Fabrication of “ADHD”)

We usually think of distractions as something bad. We value our ability to focus on tasks without interruption. When we can’t concentrate we assume something is “wrong.” Enter the “ADHD” epidemic. ADHD (originally called ADD) was first conceived in the early 1900s but was a rare diagnosis until the 1980s when suddenly everyone seemed to have it. It’s no accident that this happened at exactly the same time that new medications to treat it came to market. More often than you might imagine, medications for so called “mental illnesses” often precede wide spread diagnoses.

ADHD is a fabricated “illness.” The problem is very real and painful, however, the disease entity is a made-up label that simply describes misunderstood behavior. It’s referred to as a “neuro-developmental disorder” despite the fact that there are no neurological studies demonstrating this in a cogent way. It’s a hypothesis, not an established scientific theory. The insurance companies won’t even pay for brain scans for this supposed disorder because they consider it to be a behavioral problem, not a neurological problem. The fact is, an inability to concentrate is a meaningful psychological process that can be worked with and transformed.

Instead of viewing your lack of focus as a pathology, approach it as a growth process. Not being able to concentrate happens due to unidentified, unprocessed problems needing immediate attention. In addition, embedded within your propensity for distraction is unused creative energy that must be consciously integrated. Your mind doesn’t function in a random way; it’s structured by your psychology. Your attention automatically gravitates toward whatever reflects your psychology back to you. The symptoms of “ADHD” don’t constitute a “disease”; they’re trying to bring your attention to your deeper story. They need to be processed and transformed, not suppressed. Doing so leads to healing, personal growth, happiness, and well-being.