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Writer's pictureallison zinnick

Unleashing Hidden Superpowers of Adults with ADHD

Hi! I’m Allison – an ADHD OG!

I’m not an expert. 

Please note that what I share below is just from my personal experiences and things I’ve learned from experts along the way. 

Please consult your doctor for more information.

Intro

ADHD brings with it all kinds of things that are not…great. There many labels that come with it like: ‘lazy’. But listen friend, we’re not here to talk about those. I’m here to pump your tires a little bit. Everyone needs a confidence boost once in a while.

Here are a handful of things that ADHD-ers do well, that you may not have even thought of! Glass is half full right? 

We Are Empathetic

ADHD-ers are known empaths. It’s because we are already “different”.  We know what it’s like to have the world come down on us because we don’t fit into their mould of “normal”.

Heck, it’s why I started this blog, to share my experiences. If I could prevent someone from feeling the same isolation and shame as I felt, it was worth putting myself out there.

We’ve Got Hyperfocus Pocus

If you’ve been learning about ADHD, you’ve likely heard the word “hyperfocus” thrown around. I’ll give you an example: 

This blog, and the merchandise I’m listing on it…are my latest hyperfocus. 

Where nothing in the world matters, except that thing. Obviously, this can provide benefits, and challenges. As some of you know, my ADHD landed me in a new role – stay at home mom.  My blog and affiliate marketing have taken over, and my housework has taken a bit of a it. 

Understanding what hyperfocus is can help you manage it. One tip is taking breaks from that task or activity, to prevent other responsibilities falling to the wayside. 

Creative AF

One of the biggest ‘perks’ of having ADHD is creativity. We are LOADED with it. We’re known for thinking outside the box, coming up with innovative ideas and solutions. There are plenty of actors, ADHD-ers are known for our out of the box thinking. This isn’t *always* a good thing, but thinking out of the box can give you that edge over the Corporate Barbies of the world. Creativity makes work more enjoyable for our brains that get bored ..so very quickly.  Overall, having ADHD means having a brain that thinks differently. And that’s something to embrace and celebrate, especially when it comes to creativity.

Crisis? What Crisis

The usual perceptions of ADHD are that we’re unmotivated, easily distracted, etc. Because of this, you’d think we would not be great at handling crisis’. But you would be w-r-o-n-g. 

Crisis actually calms most people with ADHD down. There are studies that have shown higher rates of ADHD among emergency personnel, stock traders, athletes, and entertainers. 

Also a high prevalence in journalists too,*cough cough* that’s me. 

I loved being a journalist, because it allowed me to do what I loved, writing, without getting bored. It was different every day. I loved that. 

Overflowing With Energy

This doesn’t apply to everyone. For me, I feel drained a lot of the time. I think that this is because my brain is so busy, I just feel exhausted.

But many ADHD-ers have so much energy they don’t know what to do with it. It provides fuel for work, school, and also healthy activities. *again, doesn’t apply to me*.  But exercise is very important for our brains, specifically ADHD brains. From ADDitude Magazine, “by exercising regularly, we can increase the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in our brain by developing new receptors in specific areas.” – lots of sciency words in that article. 

Keep in mind, this energy can sometimes be a challenge. It can be hard to focus and stay on task when your mind is racing a mile a minute, leading to impulsiveness and poor decision-making. With the right strategies and support, ADHD-ers can learn to harness that energy and use it to their advantage.



Spontaneous

Some of the best times I’ve ever spent with my mom have been because I have the ability to deviate from plans.  You want to get popcorn and go watch arrivals at the airport? Bet.  ADHD can be funny in that way though, as much as we crave structure, we’d rather not have structure.  Impulsivity, when managed, can be refreshingly spontaneous. 

Basically..just flip the script

For all of the “bad” things about ADHD or the perceptions that come with it, there are good things that come with it. 

They say hyperactivewe say energetic They say sensitivewe say empathetic They say crazywe say…ok fine we crazy. 

By learning to harness our strengths, and celebrating them, we can be successful.  Let’s continue to embrace and uplift each other! 

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