If You Don’t Have ADHD, You’ll Never Understand These Things

If you have ADHD, I’m sure people tell you all the time that it’s a disability. People look at ADHD as a terrible condition that hinders you from leading a happy, productive life, but that’s not necessarily true.

Sure, ADHD can make sitting behind a desk for hours extremely difficult, but it doesn’t mean that it has to ruin your outlook. Here are a few things that we should all probably know about how ADHD really affects people’s lives.

1. People with ADHD are addicted to creative flow.

Since they have highly creative minds, many people with ADHD are hooked on the creative process.

2. They use procrastination as a tool.

Sometimes, they’ll purposely put off work until the last minute so that they can shine under pressure.

3. They think and speak in stories.

Because they’re highly perceptive, people with ADHD can craft and execute some of the best stories out there, verbal and written.

4. They need space.

People with ADHD need the correct environment to create and focus.

5. Their minds work at incredible speeds.

People with ADHD have keen minds that work quickly. It can be exhausting, but this capacity opens them up to inspiring levels of curiosity and ingenuity.

6. They create in cycles.

Creation comes in spurts for people with ADHD. Their creative juices ebb and flow constantly.

7. They can focus intensely.

This condition reveals the subtle difference between attention and focus. While basic attention might be difficult, focusing on what they see as important is an intense process.

8. The feel deeply.

People with ADHD are also emotionally intense. Whether they’re experiencing sadness or joy, they are often totally consumed by these sensations.

9. They challenge the status quo.

People with ADHD don’t think like most people, which often allows them to question the status quo. This complex way of thinking lets them view situations from all sides and examine all possible outcomes.

10. They often live on the edge of joy and depression.

Because they feel so deeply, people with ADHD are susceptible to intense mood swings.

11. They embrace their unique intelligence.

You might look at ADHD as a disability, but in many ways, people with the condition see the world in a much more interesting and complicated way than others.

12. They have difficulty staying on task.

The mind of someone with ADHD is highly creative and takes huge creative leaps, which can be a blessing at some points, and a curse at others.

13. They take their work personally.

When people with ADHD create something, they become very attached to it. If it gets ridiculed or praised, they feel it more intensely because of their extremely personal connection with the piece.

14. They always wear a bit of their inner child on their sleeve.

And that’s pretty great, since that mode of thinking often leads to awesome bouts of creativity.

15. They can connect the dots.

People with ADHD have a better time connecting causes and effects than most.

16. But sometimes, they have trouble reaching their own conclusions and finishing their projects.

Because their minds are so addicted to the early processes of creation, finishing projects often bores them.

17. They have a hard time believing in themselves.

Since their minds are always racing, it’s easy for people with ADHD to come across periods of intense self-doubt.

(via Go For Health)

People with ADHD will completely understand these things, so people who don’t live with that reality might not fully grasp these concepts. Still, the message is simple. While living with ADHD comes with a set of drawbacks, these people have many special strengths.