A.B.O.U.T. Behavior #20 : Boredom
In the past week Mr. Trump described both the Democratic primary debate and the impeachment hearings as boring. An analysis of his tweets reveals that “boring” is one of his top ten insults. Although he may well derive political or personal benefit from denigrating and discrediting his opponents, Mr. Trump frequently proclaims his state of boredom, and acts genuinely bored.
The topics that elicit the president’s boredom surprise and confuse many observers. Isn’t it vitally important to Mr. Trump to remain in office, and wouldn’t most others in his place take time to assess potential adversaries, or prepare a defense against impeachment arguments? The president’s boredom only makes sense when we realize that while most humans are importance-driven, those with ADHD tend to be interest-driven.
Many researchers and clinicians who work with individuals with ADHD describe boredom as one of the hallmarks of the condition, although the official criteria for diagnosing ADHD does not include frequently feeling bored. Psychologists define boredom as an unpleasant, frustrating, and stressful emotional state in which an individual feels a pervasive lack of interest in, and difficulty concentrating on, the current undertaking.
Most people can accomplish tasks and stay engaged with activities that are only…
