Adult ADHD: the good, the bad, the ugly

I happened to talk with several creative type friends the other day about Attention Deficit Disorder -- one has been diagnosed, the other thinks he has it. Just over 4 percent of adults do.

Research has found a correlation between ADHD and creativity.

Previous research has suggested that adults with ADHD perform better on some measures of creativity than non-ADHD adults. The present study replicated this: Adults with ADHD showed higher levels of original creative thinking on verbal tasks  and higher levels of real-world creative achievement, compared to adults without ADHD.

So I looked up the symptoms. Here are a few:

• “zoning out” without realizing it, even in the middle of a conversation.
• extreme distractibility; wandering attention makes it hard to stay on track.
• difficulty paying attention or focusing, such as when reading or listening to others.
• struggling to complete tasks, even ones that seem simple.
• tendency to procrastinate.

There are many more, but I picked those because I'm sometimes like that. I think we all exhibit some of these some of the time. I've seen young people get a formal evaluation from a psychologist and then respond quite well to medication. I don't think I would be diagnosed.

It's important to understand the burden on someone with ADD. As two counselors write:

Most adults with AD/HD were not diagnosed until they were adults. Throughout their lives, they have suffered a great deal of pain. Many have had to develop coping mechanisms to help them survive. Over time, the constant pressure of trying to cope with their problems brought on by their new ways to cope can bring about stress. As a result, some adults become overwhelmed, depressed, anxious and lose confidence.

Here's another look at what it's like from the perspective of someone with ADD.