The author mentioned Japanese as an aggregate being a farming culture, yet there were parts of Japan that we’re hunter/gathering like the Ainu who have for the most part assimilated into Japan as a whole. These questions and some possible answers are woven through this book, providing basic factual information about ADHD with a twist that helps readers recognize the value—sometimes quite special—of people who have it. With our structured public schools, office workplaces, and factories those who inherit a surplus of “hunter skills” are often left frustrated in a world that doesn’t understand or support them. If you extend this analogy to warfare, where the Hunters are often the front line infantry or the most aggressive officers, the same is true.

These conclusions, however, are still compatible with the theory: "Overall, our results are compatible with the mismatch theory for ADHD but suggest a much older time frame for the evolution of ADHD-associated alleles compared to previous hypotheses. Whereas, non-ADHD children are the "farmers" who are patient, methodical, and focused over long periods of time.

If we think of this distribution as lying along a 12 inch ruler, then those with extremely focused consciousness may appear in the 2 to 3 inch area, while those with an extremely open consciousness or inability to focus is in the 9 to 10 inch area. Revealing the many ADHD opportunities hidden within the challenges of work, relationships, and day-to-day life, Hartmann also includes tips on navigating family relationships and parenting--for most Hunter parents are also raising Hunter children. I was intrigued by the concept that ADHD behaviors are not only genetic but may have actually been a preferred survival mechanism. The second half of the book is a bit more generic, and you’ll probably find that your interest correlates negatively depending on how many other adhd type books you’ve read. I recognize that some of what we consider a mental illness may be elevated to special prominence as a valued personal trait in other cultures, e.

The dietary-cause advocates contended that children pattern their parent’s eating habits, and this accounts for the generational patterns of ADHD.In this groundbreaking book, Thom Hartmann makes a unique contribution to our understanding of ADHD. However, the Hunter skill set offers many opportunities for success in today’s Farmer society--if you learn how to embrace your ADHD traits instead of fighting against them. There are perhaps a few parts that could have been broadened or deepened in context, but it's a well-rounded, affirming book on the topic.

The Hunter needs to be sensitive to the distractive noises in the forest and respond to these noises with his short but intense attention span to give him what he needs to know to make quick or snap decisions. Other than a couple schools that literally put ADHD kids in closets, the schools most of my friends' kids go to are excellent at putting together plans to help the kids learn better. In considering ADHD in an evolutionary context, Thom was the first to point out the survival advantages of ADHD in hunter-gatherer societies and also the first to identify the link between ADHD and creativity.The need for constant stimulation, impulsivity and ability to act in high risk situations would have made the hunter quite successful. Providing a supportive survival guide to help fine tune your natural skill set, rather than suppress it, Hartmann shows that each mind--whether hunter, farmer, or somewhere in between--has value and great potential waiting to be tapped. Defining ADHD as a medical problem that may require a lifetime of taking medication can be felt with a sense of hopelessness.