ADHD Strengths
And how to leverage them
Programmers will joke, “It’s not a bug, it’s a feature,” to describe how sometimes mistakes in code can work advantageously. Wired writer Nicholas Carr expounded on this idea, writing, “What is evolution but a process by which glitches in genetic code come to be revealed as prized biological functions?”
Similarly, what to many might seem “bugs” of ADHD—distractibility, impulsivity, and hyperactivity—can actually be those prized biological functions.
Distractible —> Curious
You’ve heard that curiosity killed the cat, but it also invented penicillin, the light bulb and the post-it note. By balancing our distractibility, we can hone it into a fine blade of curiosity.
Find outlets for curiosity such as woodworking, science, coding, or puzzles.
When your child with ADHD succeeds in not being so distracting, shower them in praise.
Medication can be game changing here. The right med doesn’t dampen one’s curiosity, but allows one to better filter when to be curious and when to not.
Impulsive —> Creative
What is creativity but an impulse? Reframing impulsivity this way, we see that creativity is all about seeing things from a new, exciting angle, and having the wherewithal to try something out.
In Driven to Distraction, Ned Hallowell suggests we free up time to be creative by using structure:1
Pattern plan: always grocery shop at 7p on Wednesdays, always call your mother at 4p on Sundays, etc.
Use alarms like the “Reminders” app on iOS devices
Using low-tech reminders, too, like post-it notes can help
Use the OHIO principle for paperwork, emails and other essential and boring tasks
Hyperactive —> Energetic
In the documentary The Disruptors, Ned Hallowell, who himself has ADHD, says, “I’m 70, and I’m glad I have this booster on my back.” But sometimes the energy that can accompany ADHD is vexing, distracting and exhausting. To help ourselves be energized and not hyper:
Exercise a few times a week (duh)
Keep a regular sleep schedule
Take frequent movement breaks and use a standing desk
If your work requires a lot of phone calls, try taking these while on the move
Hallowell, E. M., & Ratey, J. J. (2011). Driven to distraction: Recognizing and coping with attention deficit disorder from childhood through adulthood. essay, Simon & Schuster.