Maybe It's Not a Disorder: What If You're Just Wired Differently?
I spent years wondering if I needed fixing.
Not because anything was obviously wrong with me, but because everyone around me seemed to have a diagnosis. Friends were getting tested. Influencers were sharing their ADHD journeys. The algorithms kept serving me content about neurodivergence, anxiety disorders, and the relief of finally having a name for what was "wrong."
So naturally, I started to wonder: Do I need fixing too?
The Checklist That Changed Everything
I took an ADHD assessment. Not a casual online quiz—a thorough, clinical evaluation.
The results? I ranked extremely severe.
The symptoms were all there: difficulty focusing on tasks that didn't interest me, constant need for stimulation, mind racing in multiple directions, hyperfocus on passion projects, restlessness, impulsivity. It all lined up perfectly.
So I went further. I had my brain mapped. I went through comprehensive testing, ready to finally understand what was "wrong" with me and get the help I clearly needed.
And then came the twist.
Zero Signs of ADHD
My brain showed no signs of ADHD whatsoever.
Instead, the recommendation was simple: exercise daily and eat plenty of oily fish.
Then the specialist confirmed something that completely reframed my understanding of myself: these weren't symptoms of a disorder. They were characteristics of my design.
Sure, I was a little annoyed to find out that I wouldn’t respond to medication - because part of me wanted a pill to make my problems go away so I could fit into society. But I knew deep down that my way of being wasn’t really the problem, it was that I was trying to be someone I wasn’t.
I'm what's known as a highly mesomorphic individual—an Activator in the HealthType system. And when I finally accepted that, suddenly, everything made sense.
What If Your "Symptoms" Are Actually Your Strengths?
Here's what I know about being an Activator:
I'm wired to respond to new stimuli in my environment
I'm built to multitask and switch between activities
I hyperfocus intensely on things that interest me
I thrive on variety and challenge
I need movement and physical expression
I'm designed for short bursts of intense energy followed by rest
Every single thing I thought was a symptom? It was actually my body and brain functioning exactly as designed.
The recommendations—daily exercise and oily fish—weren't random. They're the exact things a mesomorphic body needs to thrive. Not to "fix" anything, but to support my natural wiring, and they were already things I incorporated into my day, because I knew the difference they made.
Getting the evidence that I didn’t have ADHD didn’t just shift my opinion of myself. It shifted my entire perspective on the world and the work I do.
The Epidemic of Over-Diagnosis
Let me be absolutely clear before I go further: disorders are real. Medication can be life-changing and necessary.
I'm not dismissing anyone's diagnosis or suggesting people abandon treatment that's working for them. Some people genuinely have ADHD, anxiety disorders, depression, and other conditions that require medical intervention.
But we have a problem.
We're living in a culture of over-diagnosis—a world that's too quick to pathologise normal human diversity. We're painting the rich spectrum of human personality and design with too wide a brushstroke, and in the process, we're telling people they're broken when they're actually just different.
Consider these reframes:
Maybe it's anxiety...
Or maybe you're wired to be empathetic and hyper-aware of your environment. Maybe your sensitivity isn't a flaw—it's a superpower that allows you to read rooms, anticipate needs, and connect deeply with others.
Maybe it's ADHD...
Or maybe you're wired to respond to new stimuli and thrive on variety. Maybe you're not disordered—you're designed for dynamic environments where change is constant and adaptability is essential.
Maybe it's depression...
Or maybe you're wired for risk assessment and noticing what needs attention. Maybe your analytical mind isn't dragging you down—it's protecting you and those you care about by identifying real problems that need solving.
Maybe it's narcissism...
Or maybe you're wired to focus deeply on your mission without distraction. Maybe your single-minded determination isn't selfishness—it's the trait that allows you to create, build, and achieve things others only dream about.
Maybe it's rejection sensitivity...
Or maybe you're wired to be socially attuned and aware of connection. Maybe your awareness of others' opinions isn't weakness—it's emotional intelligence that helps you navigate complex relationships.
Maybe it's OCD...
Or maybe you're wired to care deeply about the details that matter to your loved ones. Maybe your attention to detail isn't compulsion—it's love expressed through conscientiousness.
The Identity Crisis We're Not Talking About
Here's what happens when we pathologise personality:
People lose touch with who they actually are. They begin to see themselves through the lens of disorder rather than design. Their strengths become symptoms. Their natural inclinations become things to manage, medicate, or overcome.
And worse—they start believing they need fixing.
I see this constantly in my coaching work. Brilliant, capable people who've internalised the message that something is fundamentally wrong with them. People who've spent years trying to fit into systems that weren't built for their wiring, then blamed themselves when it didn't work.
The truth? You don't need fixing. You need understanding.
You need to know how you're actually wired so you can build a life that works with your design instead of against it.
What Changed When I Embraced My Design
Once I fully embraced that I was an Activator, everything shifted:
Instead of feeling guilty about needing variety, I built it into my work structure. I embrace multiple projects, I change tasks regularly, I honor my need for stimulation.
Instead of forcing myself to focus on boring tasks, I acknowledged that my brain is designed for challenge and interest. I outsource or automate the repetitive stuff and lean into what lights me up.
Instead of seeing my intensity as "too much," I recognised it as my natural energy pattern. I plan for bursts of high output followed by necessary rest.
Instead of comparing myself to people with different wiring, I stopped trying to work 8-hour days at a steady pace and embraced my sprint-and-recover rhythm.
Instead of eating the "healthy" foods everyone recommends, I eat what actually fuels my specific body type.
The relief was profound. Not because I got a diagnosis, but because I got clarity on my design.
Your Identity Isn't a Diagnosis
We've become so accustomed to defining ourselves by what's wrong that we've forgotten to ask what's right.
What if the things you've been trying to fix are actually the things that make you exceptional?
What if the struggles you've been having aren't because you're broken, but because you're trying to operate in ways that don't honor your wiring?
What if you don't need medication or treatment—you just need permission to be more of who you actually are?
Before you accept a label that says you're disordered, ask yourself:
What if this is just how I'm designed?
What if these "symptoms" are strengths in the right context?
What if I don't need fixing—I just need support to be MORE of myself?
The Path Forward
Understanding your true design—not the labels others have given you, but who you actually are beneath the conditioning and pathologising—is the foundation of building a sovereign life.
When you know your wiring, you can:
Create environments that support you instead of drain you
Choose work that energises you instead of depletes you
Build relationships that honor your needs instead of diminish them
Make decisions aligned with your design instead of fighting against it
Stop apologising for being yourself and start celebrating it
This is the work I do in my Sovereign Self 1:1 coaching. We go beyond the labels, beyond the diagnoses, beyond what you've been told about yourself—and discover who you actually are.
Not so you can fix yourself.
But so you can finally, fully, be yourself.
Because your identity isn't a disorder.
It's your design.
Ready to discover who you actually are beneath the labels? My Sovereign Self 1:1 coaching helps you understand your unique wiring and build a life that honors it. [Book a Complimentary Clarity Call to find out more].