What’s the Real Deficit in Attention Deficit Disorder?

A recent article at The Dana Foundation looks at the seeming paradox of ADHD:

Despite its moniker, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) might be better considered as a problem in the willful control of attention as opposed to a pure deficit in the ability to pay attention. That distinction, supported by a growing body of neuroscientific evidence aimed at rooting out the core physical basis of ADHD, is often lost on the lay public, including the parents and teachers who deal with the effects of the disorder in the home and classroom.

I’ve found this very true in my own experience. At times, I struggle to do even the simplest of things I know need to be done, or paying attention to a conversation. At other times, though, I have practically superhuman attention and productivity, cranking out an in-depth 1,500 word article in a couple of hours.

Do you experience this? How do you deal with it?

Image: chris.corwin