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Here’s an interesting perspective on gift v. curse from the Wikipedia ADHD entry. (I think I may have posted it a few days ago on another string, but I can’t remember exactly where. Sorry.) Under the subhead “evolution,” the author(s) posits this theory:
“Further evidence that hyperactivity might be evolutionarily beneficial was put forth in a 2006 study finding that it may carry specific benefits for certain forms of society. In these societies, those with ADHD are hypothesized to have been more proficient in tasks involving risk, competition, and/or unpredictable behavior (i.e. exploring new areas, finding new food sources, etc.), where these societies may have benefited from confining impulsive or unpredictable behavior to a small subgroup. In these situations, ADHD would have been beneficial to society as a whole even while severely detrimental to the individual.”
So here we have somebody suggesting that while ADHD is (or can be) hell for an individual, it is sometimes “a gift” to the community. We’ll call it the Vincent van Gogh theory——the man was deeply troubled; the world got some great art. All I can vouch for is the individual hell part.