Is It ADHD? (Hint, it's not what TikTok tells you.)
- Tina Gaskell
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Why high-performing adults are questioning attention, energy, and follow-through
If focus feels harder than it used to - even though you’re capable, motivated, and experienced - you’re asking the right question.
This isn’t about discipline or drive.It’s about how the brain manages attention, energy, and execution under modern demands.
Why adult ADHD is being questioned more than ever
Work today is built for interruption:
Constant notifications and context switching
High responsibility with little cognitive recovery
Pressure to perform without clear priorities
When attention and follow-through decline, the brain adapts.Those adaptations can look like ADHD - even when something else is driving them.
What adult ADHD can look like
(Not what TikTok tells you)
Adult ADHD isn’t about intelligence or effort.It’s about regulation of attention, time, and energy.
Common patterns include:
Difficulty initiating tasks without urgency or interest
Attention that fluctuates based on meaning and stimulation
Time distortion or underestimating how long things take
Strong ideas with uneven execution
Increased emotional intensity under pressure
These patterns often become more visible as structure decreases and demands increase.
What else can cause ADHD-like symptoms in adults
Several common and very real factors can affect executive function and mimic ADHD.
Anxiety or depression
Sleep disorders
Hoshimoto's or thyroid problems
Side effects of medications
Hormonal shifts
Anemia or vitamin deficiencies
Stress or life changes
For example, anxiety can cause racing thoughts and difficulty concentrating, while poor sleep can lead to forgetfulness and irritability. It’s important to consider these possibilities because treatment varies widely depending on the cause.
How to tell the difference
A few distinctions matter:
ADHD patterns tend to be long-standing across childhood through all life stages
ADHD focus often improves with urgency or interest
Stress-based symptoms fluctuate with workload and recovery
Hormonal or medical factors often include physical changes
Understanding the pattern matters more than the label.
The neuroscience behind ADHD (in plain English)
ADHD is rooted in how the brain’s executive networks communicate - not in motivation or capability.
Key neuroscience factors include:
Dopamine signaling Dopamine helps the brain prioritize, initiate, and sustain effort. In ADHD, dopamine activity is less consistent, which makes interest, urgency, or novelty powerful drivers of focus.
Prefrontal cortex regulation The prefrontal cortex manages planning, inhibition, time awareness, and follow-through. In ADHD, these systems work - just inconsistently, especially under stress or low stimulation.
Reward timing ADHD brains are wired to respond more strongly to immediate feedback than distant rewards, which explains why long-term goals can be harder to act on without structure.
Stress sensitivityStress reduces prefrontal efficiency for everyone. In ADHD, that drop happens faster, which can amplify distraction and emotional intensity.
This isn’t a deficit.It’s a different operating system - one that performs best with the right inputs and design.
The goal isn’t diagnosis - it’s leverage
High performers don’t need more pressure.They need systems that work with their brain.
When you understand what’s influencing your executive function, you can:
Reduce friction in follow-through
Design routines that scale
Create consistent momentum without burnout
That’s how focus becomes sustainable.
Final takeaway
If you’ve been questioning your focus, clarity, or consistency, here’s the truth:
Your brain is responding to real inputs.When you understand those inputs, you regain control - strategically.
This is how capable adults move from effort to efficiency and create performance that lasts.
Tina Gaskell, LCPC, ADHD-CCSP
Founder, Betterlife+, Worklife+
Executive Function Performance Catalyst
Neuroscience-Driven Mindset Strategist
Comments