We don’t talk enough about the actual advantages of ADHD in adults. Like, sure, we talk about how to work with it, but we really don’t focus enough on the things that make our brains amazing. So let’s change that right now, with just these five advantages that you can be proud of.
Of course, as always, you can watch me talk about this, or you can listen below, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Creativity
This is probably one of the first things someone will cite when they’re talking about ADHD benefits. It’s no wonder, to be honest. There is a very high number of current artists who have it, and there are even more who we suspect had it. You won’t find any real studies explaining the connection between creativity, but anecdotally, there does seem to be a high correlation between those who make things and those who have ADHD brains.
Theories are all over the place as to why this is. Some believe it has a lot to do with the propensity toward impulsivity and risk-taking. Others seem to think that it has more to do with adaptability. I’m in the second camp, to be clear.
After all, I’ve met some ADHDers who’ll tell me that they can’t draw, they’re not musical, and they couldn’t act if their lives depended on it. But art is only one kind of creativity. ADHD – especially adult ADHD – often calls for the ability to think of solutions that work in a world that isn’t set up for you. Meaning, you’re going to have to come up with answers that others haven’t yet. Out of necessity, many of us have already done that.
So the next time you do something a little differently, remember that your brain is blazing trails all the time. Not many can say that.
Hyperfocus
OK, so before you say anything: yes, hyperfocus can be a gift and a curse. But it helps in such a way that I think it’s worth mentioning as an advantage.
We all know how hyperfocus is a disadvantage of ADHD, but it can also give us a leg-up in a couple ways. Namely, it can lead us to learn about things very quickly, and it can also result in you picking up on small details or mistakes that others may miss. So all those new interests that you learned about and obsessed over for months before moving on? They lent you knowledge others may not have, and that can come in handy when you least expect it.
Pattern Recognition
It’s been found in a very popular study that our brains are VERY good at recognizing patterns. Like VERY good. And this doesn’t just apply to puzzles or pre-chosen scientific stimuli; it also applies to behavioral patterns. It’s part of what makes it possible for us to mask, and it’s also what gives us the ability to notice things others don’t. If you’ve always had a very good “intuition” about people, this is why.
But we’re not magic. We just take in more stimuli than most, and we process it in a way that others don’t. So, sorry if you were hoping you have ESP – you’re just ADHD.
Theta Brain Waves
Ever wonder why it is that you seem to just spring into action when shit goes sideways? Everyone else is rolling around and screaming, and you’re calmly knitting a blanket and telling stories to distract people. What’s up with that?
Welp. Turns out that, in a study, they found out that kids with ADHD had a higher instance of theta brain waves, which we see in the instance of deep relaxation. Theta waves are responsible for the release of GABA, which is what the body does to calm relaxation. Think of it as the body’s personal Xanax. AND theta waves are stimulated when we’re scared.
Soooo, when everyone else is freaking out with their smaller instance of theta waves, we’re over here offering to make juice from concentrate and offering to put Netflix on.
