ADHD and the Lived Experience: A Phenomenological Inquiry of the Mental Disorder
a presentation by MHC Undergraduate Fellow Thomas Gao
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
5:00 PM
IMRC Center 104
5:00 PM
IMRC Center 104
Fernald Adaptive Presentation and Performance Environment
University of Maine, Orono, ME
University of Maine, Orono, ME
Thomas Gao is a Psychology major whose project ADHD and the Lived Experience: A Phenomenological Inquiry of the Mental Disorder explores Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) through the perspective of phenomenology to provide a new framework to understanding ADHD beyond its classification in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. For this research, Gao worked with faculty mentor Susan Bredlau, Assistant Professor of Philosophy. Gao’s Fellowship is supported by the Sandra Merrill Peters and John G. Peters Humanities Fellowship Fund.
Info:
Phenomenology is a philosophical study that focuses on the human experiences and consciousness. It seeks to understand the world as how it appears to the individual, emphasizing subjective perception over the idea of an “objective reality.” By investigating Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) through a phenomenological perspective, integrating personal, historical accounts and academic sources, this presentation will explore how we can better understand its classification as a neurodevelopmental disorder, as well as bridge the disconnect between the symptom-first diagnostic approach that we currently employ and the patients’ subjective experiences.
For more details, email mhc@maine.edu