Live Well Be Well with Sarah Ann Macklin | Health, Lifestyle, Nutrition The Link Between ADHD, Dopamine, and Our Hunter-Gatherer Past | TJ Power | Be Well Moments
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Oct 31, 2025 
TJ Power, an expert on ADHD and its evolutionary roots, discusses the interplay between dopamine and modern distractions. He challenges the notion of rising ADHD diagnoses, exploring whether they arise from genetics or the overstimulating environments of today. The conversation delves into how traits once beneficial for survival can now hinder focus. Sarah shares her own ADHD journey while they discuss practical strategies for navigating deep work amidst constant distractions, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness in managing attention effectively.
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Personal ADHD Diagnoses And Processing
- Sarah shares that her ADHD diagnosis surfaced recently and she's still processing what it means for her life and work.
- TJ says he recognized his ADHD from childhood but only gained full understanding a few years ago.
ADHD As An Evolutionary Hunter Brain
- ADHD traits may be an evolutionary hunter-gatherer adaptation that sought dopamine through active survival behaviors.
- Modern life gives instant dopamine spikes, creating mismatch and worsening attention for those with hunter brains.
Modern Stimuli Break Dopamine Balance
- Easy access to quick dopamine via phones, porn, alcohol and nicotine disrupts dopamine pathways and causes spikes and crashes.
- Those crashes lower baseline dopamine and intensify ADHD symptoms like inner tension and hyperactivity.