Interesting stuff. I was diagnosed with ADHD 12 years ago (after undergoing testing because I suspected I might). I tried various medications and after several years found that Adderall XR worked best. Tolerance is real, though, and I’ve had to increase my dose over the years, but I take half doses some days and skip when I can, which subjectively seems to help.
The symptoms are definitely the sort of thing everyone can identify with to some extent. But I think the key detail in the definition of ADHD is that it’s a “disorder”. In other words, these symptoms are normally distributed but if the combination of them occurs often and causes distress to the patient and/or other people, then it’s real. Two people with exactly the same symptoms but different life situations or jobs such that one experiences distress and the other none should be diagnosed differently. Not everything can or should be reduced to objective ratings.
I’d also like to echo the observation that the restrictions and hurdles involved in getting an ADHD diagnosis and in acquiring stimulant medication for ADHD are seemingly designed to vex the ADHD sufferer far more than a neurotypical individual. I used to have to, once a month, call my doctors office to ask for a new prescription, then physically go there to pick it up, physically deliver it to the pharmacy, and then physically pick up the medication when it was available. Which isn’t always right away since Adderall is so commonly prescribed (and because my health insurance has an insane restriction that only covers the brand name—but that’s a different story). That’s three or four steps not required for the vast majority of medication that are each easy for an ADHD sufferer to forget, put off, or otherwise screw up. Laws have changed where I live recently so that I only have to deal with the doctors office once every three months but the physical delivery is still a requirement. Thankfully I live near the doctors office and have a flexible job. Most people aren’t so lucky.
So ironically it’s far easier for folks without ADHD to deal with getting Adderall than it is for those of us with the disorder. C’est la vie!
Edit: I also wanted to mention that I’ve found that I’m actually much more agreeable and less irritable when I’m on Adderall than not. My family has witnessed the difference and told me as much, and I feel it too. Whether that’s a direct effect of the stimulant or a secondary effect of the behavioral changes it engenders I don’t know but it’s worth noting that the potential personality changes aren’t all negative.