First, some Fun Facts about ADHD
Will Smith, renowned Hollywood celeb, diagnosed with ADHD as a child, took to rapping to find focus+interest, which eventually got him to be an actor, producer with constant discipline
Richard Branson, the billionaire businessman, often talks about his ADHD diagnosis and how he embraced it as part of his creative and entrepreneurial nature.
Then we have Emma Watson, Justin Timberlake, Ryan Gosling, and many more with ADHD who succeeded largely.
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is a neuro-developmental condition that gives:
impulsiveness
inattention
hyperactivity
This has its major challenges, but when you understand the beauty of the brain in depth, ADHD people also show a lot of superpowers that come precisely because of their challenges.
ADHD superpowers:
Creativity: Due to lack of attention specially in things they do not like, ADHD folks show heightened creativity in things that interest them.
High Energy Levels: The hyperactivity comes as a boon to ADHD people. They show abundant energy that makes them excel in activities requiring physical endurance and fast thinking. Michael Phelps, the most record breaking Olympic swimmer with ADHD is one such example.
Successful Entrepreneurial Spirit: Being an entrepreneur requires impulsivity, unparalleled creativity + risk taking ability, which all come quite naturally to ADHD folks. Daymond John, founder of ‘The Shark Group’, often known for Shark Tank, credits his ADHD for quick thinking and risk taking ability for his success.
Emotional Sensitivity: Often ADHD folks are highly perceptive of emotions, both in themselves or others. This is why what doesn’t connect to them emotionally, doesn’t interest them really, and the world perceives it as an attention deficiency. But this empathetic nature can be a boon for the world if used wisely.
Highly sensitive people are also often highly intuitive and so are many ADHD folks. Believe them if they say so.
Hyperfocus: Though they lack attention in what doesn’t connect to them, but what genuinely interests /engages them, brings unparalleled Attention or Hyper-focus with remarkable concentration, creativity and productivity.
Sir Richard Rogers, famous British architect, known for designing iconic buildings like, Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Lloyd’s building in London, attributes his ability to see things differently via his ADHD, giving him massive focus.
Quick Problem-Solving: Since ADHD folks lack attention to what they don’t like, thus their brain is constantly figuring around them the next interesting thing, helping them with rapid thought processes to identify patterns, make connections, and solve problems quickly.
Sir James Dyson, the successful British inventor, industrial designer, known for inventing famous bagless vacuum cleaners, has ADHD. He credits his ability to focus intensely on problem-solving as a key to his success.
But ADHD folks also suffer majorly as the world is not able to recognise that their impulsivity, inattention and hyperactivity is nothing but a way to filter what doesn’t really connect to them at a deeper level.
Often because of this ADHD folks struggle with:
- being bullied
- being humiliated / made fun of
- being treated differently and not included enough
- being shown they are not good enough consistently impacting their self-worth, confidence, ability to trust & being vulnerable
- being judged
Facilitating healthy environment filled with :
- connectivity
- healthy criticism
- emotional + physical safety
- authenticity
- support
- Visibility
can help ADHD folks lead a fulfilling life.
More often than not prenatal and early childhood environmental factors contribute to the development of ADHD. So you can heal ADHD from root by changing the environment.
ADHD can impact relationships, academics, work, and overall daily functioning if left untreated. Also, individuals with ADHD should not be stigmatised or blamed for their symptoms.
There are three main types of ADHD:
Predominantly Inattentive Presentation: This type is characterized by difficulties in sustaining attention, being forgetful, and having trouble organizing tasks or following through on instructions. Individuals with this type may appear daydreamy and often have trouble focusing on tasks.
Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation:
This type is characterized by excessive fidgeting, restlessness, impatience, and difficulty in staying seated or engaging in quiet activities. People with this type of ADHD often act impulsively, interrupt others frequently, and struggle with self-control.
Combined Presentation: This is the most common type, where individuals display symptoms of both inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD.Now you can also reserve personalised Yoga Psychology – Root Cause Healing Therapy Sessions with Ilashrei Anand. We hope you take your well-being on priority.