Not Everything Is ADHD. Here’s how to Know If You Actually Have It

Summary

Ruri Ohama argues that occasional distraction or procrastination does not, by itself, mean someone has ADHD. She describes ADHD as a neurodevelopmental condition involving executive-function difficulties, such as planning, starting and switching tasks, managing impulses and emotions, and keeping track of time. She emphasizes that symptoms vary and can be less visible, particularly when someone masks them.

She outlines three presentations: predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, and combined. Examples she gives include time blindness, losing or forgetting items, difficulty initiating tasks, intense but inconsistent focus, impulsive actions, emotional intensity, and feeling overwhelmed by routine tasks. These examples are not presented as a diagnostic checklist.

The video also discusses how ADHD-like difficulties can be connected to other factors, such as stress, burnout, anxiety, depression, trauma, or an overwhelming environment. Ohama suggests reflecting on whether difficulties were present in childhood, occur frequently across different areas of life, and persist despite attempts to change routines or surroundings. She stresses that viewers cannot diagnose themselves based on the video and should seek professional assessment if they are concerned.

Strategies and Practical Tips

• Adapt systems and surroundings to fit your needs. Rather than treating ADHD as an excuse or blaming yourself, identify recurring challenges and build supports around them.
• Make important items easier to see and find. Ohama describes labeling clothing storage and using transparent boxes to reduce forgotten items.
• Add extra time for transitions. Because she often underestimates how long getting ready takes, she starts preparing well before an appointment.
• Use flexible task groupings instead of rigid time blocks. Ohama organizes work into “sprints,” such as urgent tasks, approaching deadlines, administrative work, and creative work, choosing partly based on her energy and focus.
• Start with a simpler planning system. She recommends beginning with basic features and adding complexity only when it feels manageable. She also describes her own paid Kaizen system, which uses task prioritization and sprint categories; this is her product, not an independent clinical recommendation.
• Seek support where appropriate. People may benefit from professional care, practical support, and understanding from family or colleagues. Medication decisions and treatment should be discussed with a qualified clinician.
• Prepare for an assessment. Ohama suggests looking back at childhood experiences, school reports, and family observations, since an evaluator may ask about early behavior. She recommends seeking a clinician experienced in ADHD or other neurodevelopmental conditions and checking how assessment works in one’s country.

Ohama says that understanding a diagnosis can reduce self-blame, help people choose strategies that suit them, and make it easier to explain recurring difficulties in relationships. She notes that a diagnosis does not solve everything; managing ADHD involves ongoing adjustments.

Presenters and Sources

• Presenter: Ruri Ohama
• Sources mentioned: Ohama’s personal experience and family experiences; she does not name specific external experts or publications.