Why is ADHD Considered a Superpower?

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is a neurological disorder that impacts the brain's executive functions, making it difficult to plan, focus and execute tasks. It currently affects 2.6 million people in the UK, around 5% of children and 3-4% of adults.

There are 3 types of ADHD, inattentive, hyperactivity/ impulsive, and combined. People with primarily inattentive ADHD will have difficulty focusing, finishing a task, and following instructions, being easily distracted and forgetful. Those with the hyperactivity/ impulsive ADHD type will find it difficult to keep still, control their impulses, are often impatient, and interrupt others. The combined ADHD type is when an individual displays symptoms of both. 

Of course, just as each person is unique and individual, their ADHD symptoms will be unique and individual also and what we often hear through the media is the negatives of ADHD and how difficult it is for a neuro-divergent person to function in a neurotypical world. What this article is here to do, however, is bring to light the positives of having ADHD and the superpowers that come with it. 

Strengths and Benefits of ADHD

Whilst there is no doubt that living with ADHD is tough, trying to fit in and adapt to a world that wasn’t set up for a brain that is different is hard and exhausting but what we don’t see often enough are the positives that ADHD brings. Higher energy, increased self-awareness, and endless amounts of empathy are just a few of the qualities of ADHD and the reason we think that ADHD is a superpower is because these positive traits are heightened and much more concentrated than that of a neurotypical person. 

Benefits of ADHD to the Individual.

Individually, a person with ADHD can have great self-awareness, often from therapy in coping with the condition but it enables them to self-regulate more than a neurotypical person and understand their triggers and patterns and how to control them. This also leads to greater resilience, learning how to calm themselves and regulate their emotions better, and bounce back from difficulties, which in turn can lead to greater success. Couple that with higher energy levels and you have a recipe to achieve great things!

Benefits of ADHD at Work or School.

Hyper-focus is one symptom that can work wonders for a person with ADHD. If the topic is something that interests them, it enables impeccable attention to detail for things like school projects or presentations for work. Creativity is another trait that is well-known to sit alongside ADHD, not just being creative physically but mentally with greater idea generation and creative problem solving than a neurotypical person. Having a higher risk tolerance is also a strength in the workplace, allowing them to take greater risks and try solutions that others might not. 

Benefits of ADHD in Relationships.

A great strength of ADHD in relationships is the ability to set clear expectations. Often, an ADHD individual will have more honest and open conversations about expectations which can benefit and strengthen all sides of the relationship. In romantic relationships, the ability to keep the spark alive by being impulsive and playful can be a relationship saver, especially in long-term relationships. Lastly, people with ADHD are more receptive to therapy and behavioural approaches, as they will no doubt have undergone or be undergoing therapy themselves. This can really help when it comes to romantic relationship struggles. 

10 Amazing Superpowers of ADHD.

Now we’ve understood why we think ADHD is a superpower and how it can present in different areas of life, let’s take a look at the qualities and actual superpowers of the ADHD brain. 

• Pro Problem Solver- the continuous thoughts that race around the ADHD brain can lead to unique solutions to tricky situations.

• Inspiring Imagination & Creativity- the ability to continuously think outside the box, with awe-inspiring creations and ideas for play, problem-solving, and procrastination.

• Compassion and Empathy- feeling different can make people with ADHD extremely compassionate toward others, with the ability to put themselves in their shoes and share their unconditional love with others who are struggling.

• Funny Bones- thinking differently can lead to behaving differently in tense situations and one thing that people with ADHD are great at is lightening the mood with humour.

• Perseverance and Determination- struggling to fit in and needing to work harder than neurotypical people can build a deep determination and perseverance to succeed.

• Magnificent Multitaskers- the endless thoughts running through an ADHD brain can make it difficult to focus on one task so multitasking can mean being more productive.

• Hyperfocus- one of the more well-known superpowers. When a person with ADHD is interested and passionate about a topic, they can hyperfocus and work much faster than someone without.

• Energy in Abundance- a superpower we all want, those with the hyperactivity sub-type can find they never run out of steam.

• Acceptance- experiencing the world in a different way can lead to being more accepting of other people’s differences.

• Strong Moral Compass- often those with ADHD are caring, loving and compassionate individuals who often rely on a set of morals to live by and show them the way in times of uncertainty. 

Helpful Tips on Finding Balance Between ADHD Superpowers and Struggles 

By no means are we stating that ADHD is all benefits and positives, at Beyond, a private ADHD clinic in Manchester, we understand the immense struggles you will have to go through on your ADHD journey. Your feelings of inadequacy to your peers, struggling to keep up in a neurotypical world, and feeling like you are hitting constant barriers socially, professionally, and in family life.

It's important to understand and cope with the negative side of ADHD, some ways to cope could be through keeping a regular check on your mental health. The risk of depression or anxiety is heightened for those with ADHD so ensuring that you understand and can spot when you are entering a bad mental health phase is a great help and reaching out to a mental health professional who has experience in working with people with ADHD.

Finding hacks in life to keep the overwhelm at bay can be hugely helpful, like scheduling your day, setting aside time for meditation to help focus your thoughts and even keeping a dedicated spot for important daily items like your keys, purse, or wallet, etc. These things can make a huge difference for someone with ADHD. 

Beyond: Private ADHD Clinic in Manchester.

Sometimes, we all need more help than a few life hacks and that’s ok because having ADHD is hard, and at Beyond, we really understand this. Whether you’ve been diagnosed and need further help, your pretty sure you have ADHD but have yet to undergo any sort of ADHD assessment or diagnosis or you’re at the very start of your journey and you have that inkling, an ADHD clinic could be your answer.

At Beyond we are empowered by personal experience and are founded and run by people who have walked the ADHD path. We are here to help individuals, families, and children navigate ADHD assessment, diagnosis, and treatment together.

So, if you want to harness your superpower and start your journey to ADHD assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, then get in touch with Beyond, private ADHD clinic in Manchester, and see how we can help you.