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The Inherent ADHD of "Uneven Evan"

You (around five followers) know how I mentioned that I would work on an "Uneven Evan" essay throughout this weekend? Well, this Thursday, I had some free time. Therefore... I have officially written!

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional; this is an amateur post about a subject that greatly interests me. Likewise, I suspect that I am neurodivergent; however, I have neither received a concrete diagnosis -- beyond a shoddy one in 2008 -- nor settled on any specific conditions. While ADHD is a possibility, it is not my definite diagnostic label. Finally, I am lifting heavily from my own experiences, so they probably do not represent your own. If you discover that you have ADHD from a Tumblr post, I apologize in advance.

Without any further ado, I shall begin my analysis underneath the cut! Rather than pasting criteria straight from the DSM-5-TR or the ICD-11 (which seems very disconnected from a psychological standpoint), I will utilize bold headings to highlight several symptoms that stood out to me throughout the short film.

What Even *Is* "Uneven Evan?"

"Uneven Evan" is a YouTube video released by AnimationEpic (yes, the same collective that created Inanimate Insanity) on June 15, 2019. (It is really Adam Katz's student film, although multiple II contributors worked with him.) The narrative follows Evan's fraught journey from workaholism to slothfulness as he learns to seek balance in his life... all while natural disasters devastate the world around him. (Whether these incidents are metaphorical or literal is never explained; based on other characters' interactions with him, the former scenario is more likely). He finds true fulfillment through mixing diligence with relaxation, and even helps a friend with a similar matter when the story concludes (more on that circumstance towards the end). At a first glance, this film is a solid college project that, unfortunately, never reached Inanimate Insanity's level of popularity. Had it not been referenced in II4E3, the whole affair would have faded away into dust.

Goodness, am I glad that it didn't! More lies beneath its casual veneer than one could ever imagine. Including... say, an ADHD allegory? "Where?" you may ask. Well.

Executive Dysfunction

I have elected to present this heading in bold and italics because "Uneven Evan" is better titled as "Executive Dysfunction: The Short Film." Most of Evan's struggles involve his inability to manage living effectively; instead, he becomes stuck in stagnant loops, while neglecting what truly matters. Take the very first scene, for example:

This is not the domicile of a man who understands how to prioritize tasks! The audience is already exposed to his first main flaw: his sheer obsession with freelance work (and goodness knows what else). He "types" and "types" away without stopping, although animation limitations fail to showcase any true progress on his monitor. I like to think that he's just going through the motions without actively doing anything. The Great ADHD Screen Stare, if you will.

When Drew (Evan's best friend, on the right) asks if he would like to visit the arcade with some of his old buddies, he quickly rejects the offer. To him, he simply must... keep... working. To him, this pattern represents aplomb and certainty. But to everyone else, he's just mindlessly shriveling away without gaining anything from the repetition. "Working" on several projects without actually working is a major issue that can arise from executive dysfunction. It's a temporary treatment without the promise of a cure.

After his world (metaphorically/literally) is set ablaze, Evan finally decompresses for once. At first, this seems like a perfect approach, but executive dysfunction ruins it for him. He enters yet another rhythm, albeit of a "chill" variety, and fails to follow through on important obligations (e.g., a client's work, paying the bills, etc.). Both the "hot" and "cold" temperatures flounder as a result of Evan's seemingly inescapable aimlessness that appears to stem from deriving too little pleasure from normally stimulating activities. Sound familiar?

Me too, Evan. Me too.

Thankfully, our protagonist's arc concludes with the realization that life is only worth living if you actively take charge of it; he, in his own words, "got it together." No more executive dysfunction for him! I wish I could follow through on that grandiose plan without potentially needing stimulants. :']

Hyperfixations

On the Internet, the term "hyperfixation" is usually associated with all-consuming interests. Yes, fun-filled -- overwhelming -- activities can easily fall under this category. Still, other manifestations of these phenomena are often overlooked. Did you know that obsessing over your work while having ADHD is one type of hyperfixation? Oh, it very much is! And Evan represents that challenge at its maximum zenith.

Are these the words of someone who enjoys drudgery? Nope. He can't stop. His brain has selected a Thing™ and will continue to fixate on this Thing™ for an indeterminate period of time, no matter how much it damages his overall health. His next Thing™ is "chilling." You can also hyperfixate on your breaks, too! Again, similar to executive dysfunction, the only way he can find peace is through focusing appropriately on these two portions of a day; he now knows when to start and stop.

In that sense, executive dysfunction and hyperfixations are two gremlin siblings. Executive dysfunction yells "Do something!" while preventing you from doing anything. Hyperfixations yell "Do something!" while rerouting your neurons towards Things™, no exceptions. How very exhausting. Again, I would dream of solving my issues as easily as Evan.

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria

I'm becoming a bit more speculative now! You are free to disagree with me on these points in the comments or reblogs.

For those unaware of this term: rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) involves intense reactions to feeling interpersonally slighted or shunned by people in your life. A combination of genetic and environmental factors (e.g., consistent pattern of previous rejections for minor mistakes or variations in personality) make it particularly common in people with ADHD. Manifestations of RSD can vary wildly from person to person; some variants are easier to recognize than others. Evan's case is especially subtle if you aren't looking for covert signs.

At first, his RSD involves a harsh snippiness towards Drew. If Drew leads him away to the arcade, he'll fail into the waters of unemployment, and he'll be unable to support Drew anymore, which could make Drew hate him and lose him as his friend, which would cut him off from everyone else, which... it's a whole spiral.

Evan assisting Drew with financial matters is a fundamental facet of their relationship. What would happen if the former party lost that security net? So, he lashes out, as seen in the second photo (the "she's UNEMPLOYED!" one) of this post.

Ultimately (with a word of advice), Drew leaves him anyway. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy; RSD promises friendship while leaving you lonely.

Another sign of RSD is a more passive detachment from potential sources of rejection. When Brian (A.K.A. Irritating Client #17) chews Evan out for delaying his work on a wedding project, he grows anxious. He exchanges the "snap at him" playbook from his interaction with Drew for avoidance through...

...skydiving? To each their own, I guess. His self-imposed isolation and failure to connect with other clients leaves him alone (reflected by the isolating chill of his Chill Blizzard); RSD, once again, is calling the shots.

Finally, when the Bartender notices his insufficient funds, she offers him a job. His reaction represents a third form of RSD: denial! No one can pity and hate you if you claim that everything is okay:

We need to book this guy a therapist.

Substance Abuse

This heading sounds more severe than it really is. All I'll state is that switching from a Dr. Pepper analogue of Dr. Fizz's caffeine (may either help with ADHD symptoms through improving focus or have no effect, depending on the person) to alcohol (a drink that numbs the pain of one's mind racing and excessive task-switching) is inch resting.

Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder?

I know, I know, we have entered extreme theorizing territory! Bear with me. ADHD is often comorbid with delayed sleep phase disorder, which presents with a maladjusted circadian rhythm (sleeping more in the day, and sleeping less at night, is common).

Those aforementioned hyperfixations have definitely jostled his sleep schedule around in a rotten way. Look at those bloodshot eyes. Notice how his most beneficial scenes take place during the day, while the "hot" scenes are mostly oriented around sunset/sunrise (I cannot tell which time fits), and the "cold" scenes occur around night. It is almost as though those temperature-based habits are not conducive to resting at early and late hours...

Drew

How could I forget "Uneven Evan's" secondary character of the six minutes and thirty-eight seconds? Drew also has ADHD -- in my opinion -- unlike Evan, though, he is essentially stuck in the "cold" phase. He spends all of his time having fun without thinking about practical concerns; deep down, I assume that he worries about how his life will continue beyond endless goofing-off, and never takes many steps to rectify that distress (thanks, executive dysfunction). When Evan sees him shivering, his help is invaluable:

To end this essay on a high note: when you're neurodivergent, ADHD or otherwise, it's important to seek out the company of other friends who recognize your struggles. At first, Evan and Drew are ADHD birds of a feather that don't flock together; Evan is a flitting hummingbird, and Drew is a wading mallard. Once they put aside their differences through learning from one another, problems resolve themselves for the better: