Have you or someone you love been diagnosed with ADHD? If so, chances are you’ve heard all about the symptoms and struggles that those with attention deficit hyperactive disorder face daily – lack of focus, poor organizational skills, restlessness, and forgetfulness to name a few.
What is less commonly spoken about is that having ADHD isn’t all bad. There are plenty of positive traits that are common in those who are neurodivergent, and ADHD has its very own list of pros. Learn to harness the positive side of ADHD and you may find that it transforms from a disorder into a superpower. Read on to find out what makes those with ADHD unique. In a good way…
3 ways having ADHD can be a good thing
1. Inventive thinking
People with ADHD often see things from unique angles. Many people who were diagnosed in later life can look back and remember how there was always something a bit different about them – and this wasn’t just a hunch, as teachers, parents, and friends would typically have told you, on many occasions, that you are atypical.
While this can be alienating and difficult, it can also be pretty awesome, and often this comes down to not much more than a change in perspective. Do you want to be exactly like everyone else? If not, embrace your neurodivergent brain and your ability to see things from unusual angles can become a huge benefit. Since your brain works differently, you can think inventively and come up with solutions that the neurotypical may not be able to see.
You know how some people need to make a conscious effort to think out of the box? If you’re ADHD, chances are you do that naturally.
2. Hyperfocus
Not all, but a significant amount of people with ADHD, have the ability to hyperfocus. This may seem counterintuitive – the most famous symptom of attention deficit hyperactive disorder is, after all, an inability to focus. But research has shown that ADHD people aren’t always unable to focus – often, they are simply unable to focus on things that they do not find important or interesting.
What this means is that those with the ability to hyperfocus will zero in on a topic they find fascinating, and the rest of the world will disappear completely. This isn’t always a good thing – many partners of those with ADHD will relate how frustrating it is when their significant other focuses on something for hours, to the point that they appear to forget that you exist.
The positive side of hyperfocus, however, is pretty incredible. It gives some of those with ADHD the ability to become engrossed in a subject to the point that they are an expert on it by the time they are finally done. Especially if you’re dealing with ADHD in university or school, this can be hugely helpful, allowing you to focus perfectly on your work, in a way that would not be possible for others.
To fully harness this superpower, make sure you choose to study subjects that are interesting to you – that way, you may find that focusing on them comes naturally.
3. Creativity
As the scientific community develops a better understanding of neurodivergence, more research has been done on the areas where ADHD can be a help rather than hindrance to those who have it. One example is that those with ADHD may be more creative than neurotypical people.
There are three main areas of creative cognition that research has shown those with ADHD to excel at. These are…
Divergent thinking
This means the ability to think of multiple ideas from a single starting point. Research consistently shows those with ADHD to lead the pack when it comes to divergent thinking tasks such as thinking of new uses for everyday objects.
Conceptual expansion
When you’re being creative, the ability to take concepts to new places is hugely beneficial. Often what prevents us from doing this is that we are using our existing references to think of something new.
Studies have shown that those with ADHD can more easily loosen their mental grip on a concept, which will allow them to take that concept in a new direction.
If you are drawing an alien, for example, it’s more likely to be an inventive drawing if you’re basing it not on a giraffe, an octopus, or an axolotl, but on no specific examples whatsoever. Those with ADHD may find it easier to imagine something from scratch, rather than basing it on something they already know.
Overcoming knowledge constraints
To explain a complex subject simply, this is the ability to overcome what you already know about something. While this may surprise you, having a lot of knowledge on a subject isn’t always helpful creatively. It may prevent you from being able to see things in new ways.
For example, a pen is designed to write with, right? While neurotypical people may struggle to see it as having any other function, someone with ADHD may be able to find a new and novel use for it, whether as a straw, a telescope for kiddies, or a makeshift backscratcher.
Final thoughts
If you or someone you know has ADHD, it may be time to give yourself permission to stop worrying so much about the problems that come with being this particular flavor of neurodivergent and start thinking more of how to harness the positives and see them as what they can be – superpowers.
These are only three examples of the positive traits that can come with ADHD. Excess energy, a wicked sense of humor and a knack for spontaneity are some others.
The specific traits we focused on were chosen because they are most relevant to ADHD and university. Being inventive, creative, and able to hyperfocus are all things that could hugely benefit you when it comes to your studies.
Of course, we understand fully that having ADHD isn’t all sunshine and lollipops. Keep reading this blog for tips on how to overcome some of the more problematic aspects of ADHD, so you can study to your full potential.
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