People With ADHD Usually Do 7 Truly Exhausting Things Way Better Than Everyone Else
PeopleImages | Shutterstock ADHD can make certain parts of life harder, but it may also come with strengths that deserve far more credit.
People with ADHD are often underestimated and judged only by the challenges associated with the condition. However, the same traits that make it difficult to stay focused and control impulses may actually help some people thrive when they're challenged or under pressure. Many people with ADHD develop abilities that help them tackle things other people find completely exhausting.
Here are 7 things many people with ADHD are surprisingly good at that exhaust everyone else:
1. Staying calm and thinking quickly during a crisis
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Some people with ADHD find that r high-pressure situations give their brains the stimulation they need to focus. This means that while other people may feel overwhelmed by everything happening at once, some people with ADHD find that urgent situations help them focus and decide what needs their attention first.
Not only that, but some studies have found differences in theta activity among people with ADHD, but researchers generally connect these patterns with attention rather than an unusual ability to stay relaxed during a crisis. This may help explain why some people with ADHD feel well suited to fast-paced jobs where priorities change quickly.
2. Bringing an impressive amount of energy to things that excite them
Many of us struggle daily to find the energy to get things done, but some people with ADHD experience bursts of energy, particularly when something captures their interest. While it can be exhausting for this group to try to focus their attention on one thing at a time, you'd be hard-pressed to find a person with ADHD lacking the energy to actually do things.
When they're excited about something, some people with ADHD can bring an impressive amount of enthusiasm to it. While that energy can sometimes make it harder to slow down or stay focused, they're the ones you can always count on to spend a fun day with and keep spontaneous conversation flowing.
3. Thinking outside the box and coming up with creative ideas
Along with bringing energy to the things that interest them, people with ADHD have an extraordinary ability to think outside of the box for an extended period of time that other people could only dream of. A lot of us try to stay present so we don't get so caught up in our thoughts, but this might actually be hindering creativity. In fact, recent research has shown that people with ADHD have minds that naturally wander more than others, which is now being linked to higher levels of creativity.
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The study, from Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands, found that in a clinical setting, "mind-wandering" is when the person's mind drifts away from the present moment and pays more attention to self-produced inner thoughts. This allows the person to be more in tune with whatever their mind is concocting outside of external stimuli. This is why people with ADHD can better see things from a bird's-eye view without being exhausted by it.
4. Bouncing back after difficult experiences
People, especially children, with ADHD are often described as being "resilient." Living with ADHD can be frustrating, especially when its symptoms make routine responsibilities harder to manage. However, when it comes to ADHD, this resilience to deal with everyday challenges, caused by a world not built for their brain, extends to every facet of life.
People growing up with ADHD have had to face numerous stigmas and social challenges. Whether it was from peers, family, or their community at large, people with ADHD have been told time and time again that their behavior is inappropriate or it's abnormal. After facing years of misunderstanding or criticism, some people with ADHD develop impressive resilience, especially when they have support and effective ways to manage their symptoms.
5. Taking chances other people are too afraid to take
Life doesn't come without taking risks, and for many people without ADHD it can be exhausting to take a leap of faith all of the time. Not for people with ADHD. As mentioned, people with ADHD are more adept at taking in external stimuli and having to sift through more information than the average person. Impulsivity may make some people with ADHD more comfortable taking chances other people would hesitate to take.
People with ADHD have an intrinsic need to get things done, and this can manifest in wanting to do things seemingly out of the ordinary. It can also manifest as feeling confident when looking for solutions to problems or truly believing that the grass is greener on the other side. This group simply wants to live life a little bit on the edge, and that can be an asset in dealing with everyday risks and even big life-changing risks.
6. Focusing intensely (hyperfixating) on something that interests them
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While it's true that all of us can hyper-fixate on a certain objective or task that we care about and want to get done, people with ADHD genuinely have a superpower level in this domain of thinking. ADHD affects brain systems involved in attention, motivation, and reward, which may help explain why an interesting task can hold someone's attention while a routine one feels almost impossible to begin.
Left untreated, people with ADHD can hyperfixate too much on one thing at the expense of other necessary, boring tasks in life. However, once this ability is harnessed, the person with ADHD can concentrate on an activity for literally hours on end. When directed toward something useful, this intense focus can help people practice a skill, complete complicated work, or learn an incredible amount about a subject.
7. Following their curiosity until they understand something completely
Curiosity is also commonly described as a strength by people with ADHD, although researchers are still studying how it relates to the condition. Obviously, people without ADHD can be curious about things, especially if they're passionate about what they're learning. However, people with ADHD take this ability to an extreme level, often being able to learn at a breakneck pace, and actually crave this sort of learning environment too.
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Anne-Laure Le Cunff, a researcher who also has ADHD, explained that highly curious people with ADHD may learn by jumping between questions and looking for connections. Their learning process can resemble a sprawling mind map instead of a straight line.
Luke Aliga is a writer with a degree in Technical Writing and Communication who covers relationships, culture, astrology, and human interest topics.
