So… I’ve seen Leon’s BPD post and Deniz’ identity crisis and autism post. So now it’s my turn to make Raban’s ADHD post.
Note: I’m not a therapist or an expert on ADHD, this analysis is simply based on my own research and you are more than welcome to correct me.
One of the most obvious signs of Raban having ADHD is that he talks excessively much, even when others find it annoying or find it inappropriate. When he talks he also has a very expressive body language and has a hard time sitting still.
As we know, Raban is pretty bad at soccer compared to the others and often come of as clumsy. But what if this is not just him having “weak feet”, but in fact developmental coordination disorder (DCD). DCD is common for children with ADHD and ASD. Some symptoms of DCD can be gross motor clumsiness, balance problems and overall coordination difficulties, all of which Raban seems to have. His “clumsiness” could also be a cause of difficulty with focusing.
Speaking of difficulty with focusing, there’s at least three moments in the show where Raban shows signs of that: In s1e1, when the others jumps between the rocks and he starts dancing to the music, in s1e7 when the other look for Jojo and he goes and picks berries (and seems more interested in talking about the dog) and in s1e12 when he stops in the middle of the race to look down that hole.
In s1e6 he also shows signs of having difficulty remembering details, as he originally forgot that the emergency door should be opened with a button.
On the other hand, once he’s gotten into a task, he refuses to let go of it. This is a trait I find similar to hyperfocus, which is the ability to intensely focus on a project or activity for long period of time. This is most clear in s2e1, when Raban is determined to produce current to the spotlights with the help of the mill, even when the others give up.
Now, what speaks for Raban not having ADHD? Well, ADHD:ers usually have difficulties with starting and finishing tasks, which he hasn’t showed signs of (but it could of course be different in for example school or at home) and that he doesn’t have difficulty controlling his temper either. Then again, the ADHD symptoms vary from person to person.
Again, this is just my own thoughts. Feel free to share your own opinion. 😊
