Although there's less research on ADHD superpowers, people with ADHD report that they are more energetic, creative, courageous, and resilient than people without the condition.
The impulsive, fearless and chaotic behaviours typical of ADHD can make everyday activities exhausting and stressful. Although it can be difficult at times, it's important to remember that a child with ADHD cannot help their behaviour.
Lots of ADHDers are overachievers, or perfectionists, or both. They are always working hard (often to the detriment of other parts of their life) and yet feeling bad about themselves. This is a powerful reframe: You can still achieve your goal, complete a task and it does not have to be THE best.
High IQ may “mask” the diagnosis of ADHD by compensating for deficits in executive functions in treatment-naïve adults with ADHD.
ADHD AND GIFTEDNESS are sometimes described as having the same or similar characteristics. However, one diagnosis is considered a disability and one, a gift. Neither assumption is ideal in supporting the child identified with either ADHD, giftedness, or both, often referred to as twice exceptional or 2e.
Thinking outside the box is a common thread among people with ADHD. They are nonconformists and they can generate powerfully imaginative ideas because they do think outside the boundaries that impede others. While this can be a problem in school, it can become a true asset in many different fields of work.
ADHD, especially if not managed well, can lead to constant frustration and self-criticism. The cumulative impact of these frustrations, criticisms, real and perceived failures, self-blaming, and guilt turn self-esteem into rubble.
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.
Imagination and Creativity
Many people with ADHD are really creative, inventive and imaginative. They often have more than one idea floating around their brain and are the ultimate 'outside the box' thinkers. They often have a different or alternative perspective and approach to tasks and scenarios.
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. People with ADHD do think differently though, in a sense.
Usually, the most difficult times for persons with ADHD are their years from middle school through the first few years after high school. Those are the years when students are faced with the widest range of tasks to do and the least opportunity to escape from the tasks that they struggle with or find to be boring.
Many kids with ADHD are prone to losing their tempers and arguing with others. They may get in physical fights, too, which can cause them to get injured or hurt someone else.
This is an asset in the high adrenaline environment of battle. Today we call the leaping-then-looking characteristic of ADHD impulsivity, however, in battlefield the same trait could be called decisive, quick thinking. Those snap decisions made by warriors over the centuries have no doubt saved and cost a lot of lives.
“Too Much Fighting” — Common in ADHD Relationships
In fact, “Too much fighting” was a top reason for leaving the relationship, according to ADHD Partner Survey respondents who had divorced, separated from, or stopped dating their ADHD partner.
Many adults with ADHD use coping strategies that help them hide their symptoms. This practice is known as ADHD masking and is especially common in women with ADHD. One type of ADHD masking — known as mirroring — involves intentionally or unintentionally mimicking the speech, movements, or behaviors of someone else.
Some adults who have ADHD don't know they have it. These adults may feel it is impossible to get organized, stick to a job, or remember to keep appointments.
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. People with ADHD have a unique perspective that others may find interesting and valuable.
All types of ADHD may include weaknesses in executive functioning. Thus, children with ADHD are more likely to have problems getting started on things, and have difficulty with planning, problem-solving, and time management.
High-IQ adults with ADHD seem to function well, but it comes at a high emotional cost. They feel burdened and exhausted, blaming their struggles on themselves, not on their ADHD.
One study found that adults with significant ADHD/ADD symptoms who achieve professional success do so largely thanks to compensation strategies. Because these people are high achievers despite their symptoms, they may not even realize that they have ADHD/ADD.
Statistically speaking, ADHDers have more struggles with performance and success in academics than their neurotypical classmates. But - you can do well in school with ADHD... with a bit of extra work. Be resourceful: stick to a routine, manage your meds, and ask for help.