So, someone with ADHD might be a high achiever simply because they're highly intelligent in a way that is rewarded by the schooling and social system in which they find themselves.
While many experts agree that these children do exist, there is currently no formal criteria to identify giftedness in children who are ADHD or to identify ADHD in children who are gifted.
ADHDers Are Often Ambitious
Dr. Russell Barkley speaks powerfully on ADHD and motivation by noting that most people with the condition are unable to attain their dreams because they struggle with sustaining action towards a future goal. In the video below, I elaborate a little more on ADHD and ambition.
People with ADHD may have a hard time developing healthy social skills from childhood through adulthood, especially if their condition goes untreated. That said, it's possible to improve your social skills at any point in life.
These may include hyperfocus, resilience, creativity, conversational skills, spontaneity, and abundant energy. Many people view these benefits as “superpowers” because those with ADHD can hone them to their advantage.
Executive functions have other roles which affect how someone thinks. In people with ADHD, these executive dysfunctions impact thinking in numerous ways. People with ADHD don't really think faster than people without it, but it can sometimes seem like they do.
The five gifts of ADHD include creativity, emotional sensitivity, exuberance, interpersonal empathy, and being nature-smart (The Gift of Adult ADD, 2008).
A recent review of findings on ADHD and FFM personality suggests that, in general, ADHD has associations with the FFM traits of Neuroticism (positive), Agreeableness (negative) and Conscientiousness (negative).
Individuals with ADHD often experience social difficulties, social rejection, and interpersonal relationship problems as a result of their inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. Such negative interpersonal outcomes cause emotional pain and suffering.
So we want to emphasise that having ADHD is not a weakness or a failing, and definitely does not mean that someone is, or will be, a bad person. In fact, ADHD usually comes with lots of skills and character traits that other people would wish to have, and make them very 'good' people.
Why Are There So Many Successful People with ADHD? It is known that people with ADHD have specific strengths, as a result of their brain functioning difference. They are more spontaneous, creative, energetic, intuitive, imaginative, and inventive.
This is why people with ADHD can hyperfocus on creative things or other similar tasks, but may have trouble with completing tasks that are not interesting to them. This heightened focus can make leaders great at performing their work duties because they will be able to put more effort into the task at hand.
That's because ADHD is fundamentally a problem with executive function. Weaknesses in these skills can end up making kids behave in ways that seem to deny reality. And they often do that by being overly optimistic about outcomes.
Intelligence and IQ Do Not Counteract ADHD
In fact, the severity of their executive function impairments, especially in working memory and processing speed, does not differ from that in average-IQ adults with ADHD.
The controversy comes in part from the fact that so many people with ADHD struggle mainly because the idea of it being a disorder gets in the way of them moving forward. Many people become shocked by hearing that it is actually a gift. It is true that while some people with ADD have lives that work well, others don't.
Is ADHD considered a disability? Yes, ADHD is considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504). There are several types of disabilities, including but not limited to: learning disability.
ADHD is linked with the development of low self-esteem. 4 Low self-esteem can make it even more challenging to meet new people and make friends. You might not have the confidence to put yourself out there. Maybe you don't think anyone would want to be your friend, which can hold you back from making connections.
An ADHD brain ? processes thoughts differently.
So, when we're in the middle of a conflict, it can be hard to keep calm and think straight. We can feel extreme guilt, anger, sadness, or anxiety, and it can be hard to manage everything we're feeling.
Charisma – People with ADHD are often full of personality and wit, which makes them not only fun to be around but also great at stirring enthusiasm in others. Empathy – Many children with ADHD display an abundance of compassion for others and an ability to understand a variety of perspectives.
It means you can easily relate to other people, have a natural empathy to how they are feeling and are able to act accordingly. It also means that you are a good judge of character, which in turn has many benefits too.
It's often characterized by difficulty focusing, restlessness, and impulsive behaviors. Shifts in mood — often called “mood swings” — are common for people with ADHD, and there are many ways to cope.
“Twice exceptional” (2e) is the term used to describe intellectually gifted children with great potential for academic achievement who also have a learning disability or neurological challenge, like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD).
As a result, ADHD brains search for stimulation that can increase dopamine more quickly and intensely. Ultimately, the pursuit of pleasurable rewards may become a potent form of self-medication. In fact, dependent brains exhibit similar dysregulation of the dopamine reward system.
What is the Rarest Type of ADHD? The rarest type of ADHD diagnosed is the hyperactive-impulsive type with no indication of inattentive or distracted behavior, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.