Associated Benefits of ADHD: Creativity

The diagnosis of a child or teen with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often brings about a wave of emotions for both the child and parent. In many instances, these emotions are negative as those affected by the diagnosis attempt to come to terms with what the condition means for daily life and functioning. Parents and adolescents may be afraid that ADHD will impair the ability of the adolescent to live independently, hold down a job (or multiple jobs, as is often the case among today’s youth), maintain long-term relationships, or complete higher education.

While these issues represent realistic considerations for the adolescent diagnosed with ADHD, what many parents and adolescents fail to recognize is that ADHD provides the individual with certain abilities and benefits that, when viewed properly, can be seen as gift rather than a burden. From heightened energy and emotional sensitivity to a natural propensity for enthusiasm, we will discuss over the next few weeks some of the potential benefits that ADHD comes with and what that means for those diagnosed with ADHD. Today, we are focusing on creativity.

Research indicates that adolescents and adults with ADHD process more thoughts per second than individuals without this condition. As a result, individuals with ADHD often have a higher level of creativity than those without. Higher processing speeds in the brain leads to the ability of the individual to make a larger number of connections between information. This will impact creative capabilities, providing the individual with more opportunities for developing new ideas. The potential for enhanced creativity can also help stave off boredom - the bane of fast-thinking individuals - and positively influence the mental and emotional well-being of those with ADHD.

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