What's your ADHD superpower?

Hi all,

What aspects of your personality or behaviors do you notice about yourself or a loved one that you attribute to ADHD give you or that person a competitive advantage in some way?

Makes people laugh, but I can always catch things in mid-air before I (or anyone else) even realize they've fallen and I've had some wild near misses on the road (99.9% caused by others, I swear it!). youtu.be/T9GFyZ5LREQ(Not working as expected?) .

[Tiggerakafidgity]

Hi mc

Ah ha well that’s a very good question

I can speed read,read ppls minds and body language pretty well,I can hypnotise ppl.its my imagination that’s the best one.i can imagine something and make it,ive found I’ve an amazing set of skills making things and being extremely creative.ive loads of other things also

[The1Path]

My charisma and ability to charm people have helped offset some of my ADHD deficits. Oh, and I work harder than most people.

[Elle2896]

I’m an amazing multitasker! Honestly, I have to be because if I’m not working on more than one or two things at a time, I’ll be too bored to be productive.

[MrsKlco]

HELLO...I have asked the same question. SO let me answer for you...hummmm

First, I have personality

Second, multidimensional ...can teach by day and do home repairs or wood working by night

Third, seriously empathetic!! I am a social worker and I have spidy senses (some times for good some times because their is bad.... I could tell you stories, buuut--HIPPA not allowed!!)

Fourth, Ideas, ideas, ideas...remodeled my kitchen, my old house, my camper, may I go on!

Sad thing is, I am married to a guy that has no vision, left up to him, we would still be living in '70 shag n' green!

By the way...I do not feel that I am super confident in the home stuff ( no arrogance) but I can not stand the shag carpet!

Great question,

[Shnookie in reply to MrsKlco]

The shag rug story is too hysterical. Reminds me of a doctor who I once dated who had a rent control apt. in Santa Monica with chartreuse shag carpeting. a real LOL ha ha !!

[Shnookie]

I developed a very good memory when I was young to overcome issues like not being able to follow directions which my teachers said had. My ability to

Hyper focus was very important when I organized, summarized in a concise manner volumes of medical records.

I also learned how to think out of the box

when attorneys gave me

certain assignments.

[StuckInTheMatrix]

Being hyper aware of my surroundings (similar to OPs super power) - I'll dodge/catch/react to things before I notice what's going on. I can also listen to several conversations at once - great for managing different teams working on different things at the same time.

[Shnookie in reply to StuckInTheMatrix]

This is a very interesting comment. When I was younger before my mom passed often times we would go back and re-enter old conversations we were having like it was five minutes

ago. Not quite sure if this is considered ADHD related, she is the only one I did this with.

[kasybee]

I read very quickly, and when I get into a good flow I can study for hours!

[madisonj26 in reply to kasybee]

i second this.. But if the content doesn't interest me, you best believe I have to re-read the same thing over and over again>>> ugh...

[Karalin]

I’m very creative, and very enthusiastic. I think I can be fun, with people I’m close to.

[FullAgonist]

My problem solving ability is my forte. I am endlessly curious about how things work and I can repair most things as a result, no matter if it is a house, car, computer, everything boils down to a system of inputs and outputs and the object in the middle. I often propose radical solutions to problems and nothing is off the table because I am not as constrained by preconceived ideas or assumptions. The other side of that equation is susceptibility to distraction and I must manage that by staying on track with clear objectives. Sometimes I wish I had the same intuition with people as I do with machines but I'm not sure I could trade it and go back to being the average person who doesn't understand how to make a mathematical model or construct a door or write a computer program. It really is a superpower and a blessing.

[madisonj26]

My superpower is my ability in reading people. Heightened emotional IQ my therapist calls it. Empathic powers!

[ADHD33]

Love this thread. Let’s keep it going!

Brainstorming/problem solving/out of box thinking. (They aren’t all winners but when you come up with 30 new ideas in 30 seconds, usually at least one great one sticks!)

Hyperfocused and super comprehensive research when a topic interests me.

Seemingly endless extraverted energy to engage with and learn about other people.

Thinking quickly and very fast decision making.

Willing to take calculated risks and emotionally tolerate failure (when you’ve never been able to play by the standard rules you learn it’s ok to try new things and be wrong sometimes!)

Sometimes I really need to remind myself of these positives of ADHD... great thread. Thanks all for sharing!!

[Anthonysladder1224]

I think these aspects of our personality could just be who we are, and not attributed to a disability we all have in common. My opinion is that we could just be creative or gifted in some areas despite the negative influence of ADHD. In other words, we are people who happen to have degrees of executive disfunction, not that our disfunction gives us “superpowers”.