ADHD As A Difference In Cognition, Not A Disorder: Stephen Tonti at TEDxCMU

TEDx Talks

10 Apr 201313:36

Summary

TLDRStephen Tonti, diagnosed with ADHD at a young age, shares his diverse experiences and talents, emphasizing the misconceptions about ADHD as merely an inability to focus. He discusses the benefits of hyperfocus when interest is piqued and the challenges of mundane tasks. Tonti advocates for a healthier understanding of ADHD, highlighting the importance of support from family and schools, as well as the exploration of alternative treatments. He concludes with a call for societal acceptance of cognitive diversity, drawing inspiration from Shakespeare and Robin Williams.

Takeaways

😀 Stephen Tonti introduces himself as a multi-talented individual with ADHD, sharing his diverse passions and skills.
🧠 ADHD is often misunderstood as an inability to focus, but it's more about difficulty selecting what to focus on rather than a lack of focus.
🎯 Tonti explains the concept of hyperfocus, where ADHD individuals can become deeply engrossed in tasks that excite them, despite struggling with mundane ones.
🎭 His exploration of numerous activities, from music to acting and directing, helped him discover his passion for storytelling and film.
📚 Tonti highlights how ADHD led him to explore a wide range of hobbies, giving him diverse perspectives and a broader worldview.
🏫 He contrasts his own supportive school environment with that of his roommate, illustrating how different approaches to ADHD can affect a student's experience.
💊 Tonti discusses the issues surrounding ADHD medication, advocating for a more thoughtful approach and highlighting the negative effects some medications can have.
👩‍🏫 Schools and teachers play a crucial role in supporting students with ADHD by understanding their needs and adjusting teaching methods accordingly.
🌍 He advocates for embracing cognitive diversity, citing examples like the Danish organization Specialisterne, which employs people with ADHD and autism in specialized roles.
🔥 Tonti concludes with a call for society to embrace people with ADHD for who they are, quoting Shakespeare and Robin Williams to inspire individuality and creativity.

Q & A

Who is Stephen Tonti and what is his connection to ADHD?
-Stephen Tonti is a director, writer, actor, drummer, scuba diver, soccer player, and many other things. He was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age by a second-grade teacher during an interview for a new school.
How did Stephen Tonti's second-grade teacher diagnose him with ADHD?
-The teacher diagnosed Stephen with ADHD during an interview when he fell out of his chair while being asked a series of questions designed to evaluate signs of ADHD, as he was distracted by a view of children playing outside.
What was Stephen Tonti's experience with extracurricular activities in school?
-Stephen tried a wide range of extracurricular activities including computing, robotics, carpentry, canoeing, rock climbing, poetry club, logic club, poker club, comedy club, camping, various sports, and playing multiple musical instruments.
How did Stephen Tonti's ADHD affect his academic and extracurricular pursuits?
-Stephen's ADHD made it difficult for him to focus on activities that did not peak his curiosity, but when something did interest him, he could hyperfocus and become deeply involved in it.
What is the difference between Stephen Tonti's view of ADHD and the common misconception?
-Stephen views ADHD not as an inability to focus, but as a difficulty in selecting what to focus on. He explains that he can hyperfocus on things that peak his curiosity, which is both a strength and a challenge.
How does Stephen Tonti's experience with ADHD influence his work as a director?
-Stephen's ADHD allows him to see the big picture and manage multiple tasks and perspectives, which is beneficial in directing where he needs to oversee various roles from designers to actors.
What is Stephen Tonti's opinion on the treatment of ADHD?
-Stephen believes that ADHD should be seen as a difference in cognition rather than a disorder that needs fixing. He advocates for a healthier understanding and treatment approach, including support from educators and family.
How did Stephen Tonti's family support his ADHD?
-Stephen's family was supportive of his various obsessions and interests, providing him with the resources and freedom to explore them, which contributed to his ability to maintain his sanity and explore his passions.
What is Stephen Tonti's stance on medication for ADHD?
-Stephen believes that ADHD medication should only be prescribed to those who can physically handle its effects and withdrawal. He suggests that there are many alternatives to medication that should be considered.
What does Stephen Tonti suggest as an alternative to medication for managing ADHD?
-Stephen suggests that alternatives to medication include weighted pads for comfort, allowing for tics like chewing pencils, and teaching kids to self-regulate and manage their own learning.
How does Stephen Tonti view the role of society in understanding and embracing ADHD?
-Stephen believes society should embrace cognitive diversity and not treat ADHD as something that needs to be fixed. He cites organizations like Specialisterne that value the unique skills of individuals with ADHD.

Outlines

00:00

🎭 Stephen Tonti: Multi-Talented and Diagnosed with ADHD

Stephen Tonti introduces himself as a director, writer, actor, and a person with numerous hobbies, including drumming, scuba diving, and physics. He humorously recounts how he was first diagnosed with ADHD by a second-grade teacher during an interview at a school in Texas. His inability to sit still, especially when distracted by kids playing outside, led to him being rejected from the school. Tonti describes his experience of trying various extracurricular activities, including rock climbing, sports, and playing seven different musical instruments, before finding his passion in theater. He highlights how ADHD, often seen as an inability to focus, is actually an issue of selecting focus. Once something grabs his attention, he can hyperfocus for long periods. He contrasts this by explaining how tasks that don’t interest him, like reading textbooks, are more challenging. ADHD is portrayed as both a blessing and a curse in his life.

05:03

💡 ADHD: Hyperfocus and Exploration of Interests

Tonti reflects on how ADHD compelled him to try a wide variety of hobbies and activities, allowing him to explore different career paths. He criticizes societal expectations that force young adults to focus on only one or two fields, limiting their potential. His wide-ranging interests, from drumming to graphic design, help him relate to others and enrich his storytelling as a director. Tonti emphasizes that ADHD should not be viewed purely as a disorder but as a difference in cognition. While the world tries to 'fix' it, he argues that ADHD is part of who he is, and treatment should focus on managing it rather than eliminating it. He shares a personal story about his roommate Adam, also with ADHD, who faced more rigid treatment from his high school, including being praised for being quiet rather than active in class. This highlights the need for a more compassionate and individualized approach to ADHD.

10:05

🏫 ADHD in Schools: A Call for Understanding and Support

Tonti calls for schools to adopt a more progressive and supportive approach to students with ADHD. He praises his own experience, where teachers allowed him extra time and freedom to express himself. In contrast, many other kids, like his roommate Adam, do not receive the same support and are medicated in ways that suppress their personality rather than nurture their talents. Tonti discusses how ADHD medications like Ritalin and Adderall can have severe side effects and advocates for these drugs to be prescribed only to those who are old enough to handle them. He also suggests alternative solutions such as weighted pads or rubber-coated pencils, which help some people focus. Ultimately, Tonti argues that teachers need to mentor students rather than discipline them, fostering a healthy relationship with learning.

🌍 Embracing Cognitive Diversity and the Future of ADHD

In the final part of his speech, Tonti encourages society to embrace cognitive diversity, citing examples like the Danish organization Specialisterne, which trains people with ADHD and autism to work in technical fields. He challenges the notion that his disorder separates him from 'normal' people, humorously noting that no one at Carnegie Mellon qualifies as 'normal.' Tonti concludes by quoting Shakespeare's Sonnet 121, which condemns hypocrisy and calls for people to live authentically, not according to others' judgments. He echoes this sentiment by urging society to conform to him, rather than forcing him to conform to it. Tonti leaves the audience with a quote from Robin Williams, who famously said, 'We are all only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.'

Mindmap

Keywords

💡ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulty in maintaining attention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. In the video, Stephen Tonti explains ADHD not as a deficit in attention but as a difference in cognition, emphasizing that he has trouble selecting what to focus on unless something excites him, leading to hyperfocus.

💡Hyperfocus

Hyperfocus refers to intense concentration on a task that captures one's interest, often associated with ADHD. Tonti explains that when something piques his curiosity, he can focus for long periods, such as working on film editing for 12 hours straight. This concept challenges the idea that ADHD is simply an inability to focus.

💡Cognitive diversity

Cognitive diversity refers to the idea that people have different ways of thinking and learning, which should be embraced rather than treated as a disorder. Tonti advocates for society to accept these differences, particularly in how people with ADHD or other neurodivergent conditions function, as he calls for an embrace of cognitive diversity.

💡Medication

Medication, such as Ritalin or Adderall, is often prescribed to manage ADHD symptoms. Tonti discusses the potential issues with medicating young people, suggesting that ADHD medications can sedate individuals rather than help them thrive. He emphasizes that there are alternatives to medication, such as creating environments that support ADHD traits.

💡Exploration

Exploration is a theme that Tonti associates with ADHD, as it drives people like him to try a wide variety of activities and fields. His own journey involved experimenting with many hobbies and potential career paths, from playing musical instruments to trying out sports and creative arts, which helped him discover his true passion for directing.

💡Misunderstanding

Misunderstanding is a key issue Tonti highlights about how ADHD is often perceived. Many believe it’s simply an inability to focus, but Tonti stresses that it’s more complex. He criticizes how schools and society often try to 'fix' ADHD rather than accommodate different cognitive needs. His experience contrasts with that of his friend Adam, whose teachers accepted quietness as an improvement, despite losing engagement.

💡Educational system

The educational system is critiqued by Tonti for failing to accommodate students with ADHD. He praises schools like Eagle Hill, which take different approaches to learning, and contrasts them with traditional schools that penalize students for ADHD-related behavior, like falling out of chairs. Tonti argues that schools need to support cognitive diversity and create healthier relationships with students who think differently.

💡Creativity

Creativity is a recurring theme in the talk, as Tonti describes how ADHD fosters his ability to think outside the box and explore multiple disciplines. From airbrushing t-shirts to directing plays, his ADHD leads to bursts of creative energy, and this exploration across different fields helps him as a director, allowing him to understand various perspectives.

💡Support system

Support system refers to the family, teachers, and mentors who helped Tonti explore his ADHD rather than suppress it. He credits his parents for encouraging his many obsessions and his high school teachers for giving him the freedom to pursue his interests. In contrast, he discusses how a lack of support harmed his friend Adam, whose ADHD was misunderstood by his teachers.

💡Conformity

Conformity is something Tonti opposes, especially in how society expects people with ADHD to adapt to traditional norms. He uses Shakespeare’s Sonnet 121 to emphasize the idea of resisting societal pressure to conform. Instead, he encourages people with ADHD to embrace their differences and urges society to adapt to them, advocating for a world that values cognitive diversity.

Highlights

Stephen Tonti introduces himself with a long list of roles and skills, emphasizing his multifaceted identity.

Tonti discloses his ADHD diagnosis, highlighting the early and unconventional way it was identified.

He humorously recounts the incident with the inflatable beach ball that led to his ADHD discovery.

Tonti's narrative includes the challenges faced in finding an academic environment due to his ADHD.

He shares his extensive engagement in extracurricular activities as a means to explore his interests.

Tonti's passion for the arts, particularly theater, emerges as a pivotal point in his journey.

The speaker discusses the misconception of ADHD as a lack of focus, clarifying it as difficulty in selecting what to focus on.

He explains the concept of hyperfocus and its impact on his ability to engage with tasks that interest him.

Tonti contrasts his experiences with those of his roommate, Adam, to illustrate the varying impacts of ADHD and treatment.

The importance of support from family and educators in navigating ADHD is emphasized.

Tonti advocates for a healthier understanding of ADHD, moving away from the notion of it as something to be 'fixed'.

He discusses the role of schools in fostering an environment that supports students with ADHD.

Tonti suggests alternatives to medication for managing ADHD, such as weighted pads and behavioral strategies.

The concept of cognitive diversity is introduced, with examples like Specialisterne, promoting the value of different cognitive styles.

Tonti concludes with a call to embrace individuality and not conform to societal pressures, quoting Shakespeare and Robin Williams.