Joy Deficit Disorder is a conceptual reframing of modern malaise, borrowing the linguistic cadence of ADHD to spotlight a different kind of scarcity: joy. It names the condition in which one becomes chronically disconnected from spontaneous delight, often due to overstimulation, burnout, or hyper-responsibility. While ADHD is marked by distractibility, impulsivity, and executive dysfunction, Joy Deficit Disorder suggests a parallel dysfunction—where joy becomes inaccessible, delayed, or intellectualized out of existence. It may manifest as relentless productivity, emotional numbness, or a compulsive need to optimize everything. The term is part satire, part somatic truth, and emerges in critique of systems that prioritize output over aliveness.
📝Raj Singh originated the concept and introduced me to it on an advisor dinner.