“Non-ADHD Disorder” (NAD) – Proposed Diagnostic Criteria, 5th Hyper-Focused Edition
Drafted for the International Society of Inattentive Psychiatry (ISIP) by Dr. Ina Whirl, Chair of Wandering Cognition Studies, Scatterford University, ADHD Land, May 2025

In abstract, the difference between ADHD and non-ADHD brains

1. Overview

In our ADHD Land society, dominated by the naturally kaleidoscopic attention span of the Inattentive Majority, a small subgroup exhibits an atypical constellation of traits: prolonged single-topic focus, rigid scheduling, and a puzzling resistance to ambient novelty. We provisionally term this syndrome Non-ADHD Disorder (NAD). The following criteria are offered so clinicians (and curious lay-flitters) can recognize the condition, extend compassion, and make appropriate environmental accommodations.

2. Core Symptom Clusters

A. Pathological Consistency & Sustained Attention (NAD-C)
The person demonstrates ≥ 3 of the following, persisting for ≥ 6 months in two or more settings (home, office, VR lounge):

1. Maintains unwavering focus on a single stimulus for ≥ 30 minutes without seeking new input.
2. Habitually finishes one task before initiating another, even when a shinier option appears.
3. Experiences distress or irritability when interrupted; pivoting between projects feels “jarring.”
4. Relies on external timetables; spontaneous plan shifts trigger cortisol spikes.
5. Reports “forgetting to daydream.”

B. Excessive Organisational Behaviour (NAD-O)
Presence of ≥ 2:

1. Compulsively generates colour-coded lists; frequently revises them for “efficiency.”
2. Workspaces remain in a static, tidy state for > 48 hours.
3. Pre-selects next-day clothing or breakfast to “save cognitive load,” then actually follows through.
4. Becomes uneasy when pens are borrowed and returned in a different orientation.

C. Predictability Dependence & Under-Stimulation Tolerance (NAD-P)
Presence of ≥ 2:

1. Prefers low-stimulus environments; describes ordinary café chatter as “too loud.”
2. Sits through meetings without doodling, fidgeting, or repeated bathroom “field trips.”
3. Generates ≤ 2 alternative uses for a paperclip during ideation drills.
4. Rarely experiences the existential thrill of starting five hobbies in one weekend.

3. Functional Impact

• Occupational: May excel in linear, detail-heavy niches (e.g., compliance auditing, cable untangling) yet struggle in dynamic brainstorms where 12 ideas are launched per minute.
• Social: Friends may misinterpret punctuality and reliability as judgmental perfectionism.
• Self-image: Frequently labelled “boring” or “too calm,” risking secondary anxiety disorders.

4. Differential Diagnosis

Things to rule-out and key differences

• Caffeine Deficiency: Symptoms remit after triple espresso.
• Introversion (Autodirectional): Social energy limits, not attentional style.
• Hyperfocus Variant ADHD: Narrow focus alternates with classic distractibility spikes.

5. Prevalence & Course

• Estimated at 20–25 % in adult population; slightly higher among meticulous puzzle-designers.
• Onset typically recognized in early schooling when the child unnervingly finishes tasks on time.
• Prognosis is excellent with supportive environments that value follow-through.

6. Treatment & Accommodation Strategies

Domains and Interventions

• Environmental: Introduce mild unpredictability (randomised notification therapy); allow safe task-switch “micro-breaks.”
• Behavioural: Impulsivity rehearsals (pick a restaurant without reading the menu first).
• Psychoeducation: Reframe strengths (memory for birthdays, proofreading superpowers) as community assets.
• Pharmacologic: Research ongoing; preliminary trials of Distraction-Analogues show promise but risk hobby proliferation.

7. Notes for the ADHD Reader

• NAD is not a moral failing! It’s simply a divergent attentional operating system.
• Your NAD friends might remember your pet’s name and where you parked, so treasure them.
• If they seem uneasy in our ping-rich reality, offer gentle scaffolds, such as clear agendas, noise-cancelling playlists, and the occasional spontaneous adventure (start small: “Let’s take a different route home!”).

End of draft. Feedback from the inattentive masses is welcome. Preferably in the form of half-finished sticky notes and late-night idea bursts.