Why are people with ADHD so mean?

Answer 1

ADHD is not associated with being more "mean" than the average person. It could be your personal experience, but there are many different types of individuals with ADHD.

Some people with ADHD have trouble "catching" the subtle social communication forms such as nonverbal facial expressions, etc. Therefore they appear to disregard other's feelings when actually they just "missed" it. They can also "miss" verbal cues or entire sentences while their mind is spinning with other thoughts. Their gears are always spinning. In any case they are embarrassed and ashamed at their lack of social skills and they are masters at hiding this- so it looks like they don't care. Further they may play this whole ruse about not caring as a defense mechanism so that they seem more in control.

ADHD can be a real pain in the butt for these people- the constant social problems and turmoil in their lives can make them miserable. The constant disappointments (how could I forget my wife's birthday again?!) can grind on them. They can get stressed out and grumpy and lose their temper.

All people with ADHD want is to have fun, be loved, and channel their energy into being productive members of society. These people would have been warriors, heroes, leaders, and visionaries in the past, but unfortunately for many they don't always fit in with the modern world of desks, cubicles, hypersensitive culture, and the whole sedentary lifestyle. If they are to survive in this world, they need some outlets like running, karate, and/or intellectual challenges as outlets for all of their energy.