| Most ADHD discussions pertain to ADHD's | | | | IQs. This intelligence is not always evident in |
| potential challenges such as trouble paying | | | | formal learning environments. Standardized tests |
| attention, impulsivity, or stimulation seeking. | | | | are used to test intelligence and learning. People |
| ADHD's potential strengths are largely overlooked. | | | | with ADHD tend to have trouble with |
| In fact, many people are not even aware of | | | | standardized tests because we read the question, |
| them. Even adults with ADHD can focus so much | | | | choose, our answer, and go on. We find checking |
| on the challenges that they do not see the | | | | our answers to be tedious. However, when we |
| potential benefits. Identifying our strengths and | | | | learn about a subject, especially one we are very |
| learning to highlight them is critical to living with | | | | interested in, then we show the ability to learn |
| ADHD. | | | | very quickly. |
| Adults with ADHD tend to be very creative. | | | | ADHD gives us the ability to hyper focus. ADHD is |
| When I first read that people with ADHD were | | | | associated with an inability to pay attention. |
| creative, I found it hard to believe. I only painted | | | | However, reality is not always the same as |
| a picture in high school are class. I was in high | | | | perception. It is true that adults living with ADHD |
| school band but enjoyed only marginal success. | | | | are always scanning our environment. This is |
| Then I realized that creativity comes in many | | | | actually an ancient protection mechanism. But, |
| forms. My creativity shows itself during problem | | | | when we get interested in a topic, task, or job |
| solving. I thoroughly enjoying tackling problems | | | | then we can hyper focus. We will actually "tune |
| that others have difficulty with. For me, it is like | | | | out" everything else around us but the task at |
| giving a hungry dog a thick steak. Often, I will | | | | hand. We can learn to harness this trait by |
| come up with solutions that others did not see. | | | | pursuing careers we are passionate about or |
| For adults with ADHD it is important to take an | | | | finding ways to make everyday tasks more |
| objective look at how you use your creativity. | | | | interesting. For example, I harness my hyper |
| Adults with ADHD are very intuitive. As | | | | focusing ability by timing mundane tasks. I then will |
| technology has grown, our society became | | | | try to beat my best time. |
| increasingly scientific. In general, society wants | | | | Knowing that ADHD does bring potential benefits |
| everything proven. They want to be able to | | | | is the first step. At first, it may be hard for you |
| touch, see, feel, taste, or hear something. | | | | to realize they even exist. Society and our |
| Sometimes, by the time you have hard proof, it | | | | doctors tend to focus on the challenges. Realizing |
| is too late to avoid danger. ADHD provides us | | | | that ADHD can make us very creative, intuitive, |
| with "gut feelings". These gut feelings are meant | | | | intelligent, and give us the ability to hyper focus |
| to help us avoid danger. If we learn to listen to | | | | allows us to look for ways to harness these |
| these feelings then we can avoid many potentially | | | | traits. A good first step is to sit down with |
| harmful situations. In business, this intuition can | | | | someone you trust and take stock of these |
| help us spot trends or avoid bad partnerships. | | | | advantages. Look for ways that you currently |
| People with ADHD are often very intelligence. | | | | use these advantages and ways that you can use |
| Several studies identified a large percentage of | | | | them more. These advantages can make living |
| people with ADHD also possess above average | | | | with ADHD much easier. |