[hector126]

I believe a big part of this phenomenon is the rise in public awareness of the efficacy of ADHD stimulants, specifically Adderall, Vyvanse, Ritalin, etc.

Eventually the genie left the bottle and people realized these medications make most (not all) people feel very good. Scott's written about this before, but they basically bump up your personal "productivity" metric. This effect is observed for those who suffer ADHD symptoms and those who don't.

Basically, these meds can allow a clinically unmotivated and lethargic person to clean their room and buy groceries and call the bank.

They can also allow a 'normal' person to work for 12h without a break then come home and continue writing their novel.

There are now online ADHD "clinics" which let you take an online assessment (!) before a 30min meeting with a doctor who'll then prescribe you amphetamines. If you're someone who knows to say, the process has been incredibly streamlined.

[AutistiCoder]

It's hard to say how many ADHD diagnoses are illegitimate without knowing how each diagnosis was brought about.

A good diagnosis looks for evidence from childhood, in the form of school reports, a survey from someone who knew the patient as a child, etc.

[johnea]

Paul Erdös being maybe the most famous, but there are many other famous cases:

https://slate.com/culture/2013/04/auden-sartre-graham-greene...

[on_the_train]

"I deserve the wonder drug but you don't"