The pros of having ADHD

A lot of content and articles focus on the negatives of having ADHD and all the ways in which it hinders many aspects of life. And I get it, it’s thanks to this education that people finally understand the symptoms they may have been experiencing their whole lives.

But let’s focus on the positives - all the ways in which people with ADHD can actually excel thanks to having it. There are many, but the three that are arguably at the centre of it all are (backed by science by the way!):

Honesty, Integrity and Authenticity. 

And why is this? It’s because the ADHD makes it incredibly difficult for them to be or get interested in anything other than what they want to, as they have an interest-based nervous system. Their brain chemistry is unique and sends attention to the things that are novel to them.

This means you can pretty much guarantee that if someone with ADHD has written or talked about anything in great detail, it’s because they truly know a lot about it or believe in it.

It doesn’t stop there however as there are many more positives, and many of them are connected which is exactly why they can unlock never ending innovation and ideation in people with ADHD.

Creativity and problem-solving - This is all about invention and reinvention, coming up with something new and novel. Being flexible with your ways of thinking is exactly why people with ADHD are especially programmed to be able to access their creativity more easily than others. From a scientific perspective, creative thinker’s brains access a variety of regions and networks at the same time which means that thoughts can flow freely allowing for many possible solutions in a short amount of time*. 

Spontaneity - With the symptom of impulsivity being very prevalent amongst people with ADHD, this can also lead to simply not sitting on a decision so long that the moment or opportunity passes you by. It helps to jump head first into a plan or situation that can lead to something or unforgettable life experiences. More on this here.

Energy - As much as the ‘H’ for hyperactivity in ADHD is often seen as a negative, people can also tap into this by turning it into energy. Energy that can help them to keep going and not give up. This is also where hyper focus can play a part, the ability to completely zone into something for as long as it takes.

Resilience - Growing up with ADHD means facing challenge after challenge. It means constantly adapting in order to survive daily life. Basically you are able to recover and pick yourself back up, because that’s what you’ve been conditioned to do. An interesting study on this was conducted which you should take a read of here.

Compassion - This is because people with ADHD tend to be more sensitive, which makes them more empathetic to others situations. This is one of the reasons why people with ADHD could get more fulfilment from working in fields where they have to care for others. 

As mentioned, the list is long and there’s many scientific studies and research on the subject, an easy read of all of them can be found here: https://www.additudemag.com/slideshows/positives-of-adhd/