Sort of the cycle these things fall into. You put kids under intense socio-economic pressure to generate valuable commodities as quickly as possible. Then liberal capitalists treat every stumble and setback as a medical disability that needs to be corrected. And conservative capitalists treat them as some kind of inherent lack of fitness that justifies a eugenics purge. This increases the socio-economic pressure for more kids in the system.

Somehow, proper amounts of sleep and adequate living amenities and free time for independent exploration and socialization never work themselves into the equation. You’re a cog in a machine that needs to spin as quickly as possible. And if you start buckling under the stress, that’s some indication of a personal defect, not a flaw in the machine you’ve been forced to fit within.

Both is good

Now I feel like Nick Lowe has ADHD

Trauma can be a gradual thing that ends up forming unhealthy coping mechanisms over prolonged periods of time.

Say you are forgetful (as most of us with ADHD are) and you get in trouble from your parent or guardian for it. One instance of that may not be traumatic, but say this happens hundreds or even thousands of times as you age.

It may not feel traumatic in the moment, but you may develop a shameful disposition to your forgetfulness. That is trauma even if it doesn’t cause a dramatic or explosive reaction.

Trauma can begin in the womb, and being born is traumatic. First separation from primary caregiver. Strep throat. So it can be normal life, but we focus on that which we vividly recall. And focusing on that can become inflicting self-trauma. A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, as the saying goes.

Or to put it another way: https://youtu.be/7HcxjOSuqJQ

I was going to say… what kind of prize do I get if I have a bit of all three?