ADHD Superpowers : So im curious if... - CHADD's Adult ADH...

CHADD's Adult ADHD Support

24,828 members6,091 posts

ADHD Superpowers

Doomann profile image
7 Replies

So im curious if anyone out there has noticed that they also have superpowers possibly because of there ADHD. When I was a child I loved to dismantle amost everything wich also incuded destroying alot of stuff. In my head I developed the ability to take things apart in my mind ( this all was in my head of course not talking about any sort star wars shit) matter of fact to this day if I take it apart I can put back together.

Mind you I took alot of blows to the head as a child my brain was bounced around alot, So any ways at the age of 8 while watching tv sitting about 1ft away from the screen the tv stopped working my mother noticed as well and said she would have daddy look at it when he got home then left me alone as she went off and left the house to somthing like shopping I don't remember cause I was solely focused on the broken tv and the fact I could not watch my show. So I desided I would take the back off the tv now this was a console tv a giant 19" screen wood framed beast and in ran on tubes my father for a hobby would work on tvs in the garage so I admit there is a connection here but. So I look at the back and saw one of the tubes was burnt black so I pulled it out and went into the garage to see if I could find a compatible tube I found a similar looking one and went back in and installed it still the tv did not work then I notice a giant siver box were the other end of the plug from the wall went in and it also had a burnt smell to it so I relezed that this silver box was keeping me from watching tv, this of corse was the tranfomer on the tv. so with two butter knives i got from the kitchen I bridged that tranformer and voila the tv turned back on. When my mother came home she said I thought the tv was broke? And I replied no I fixed but don't look at the back. Pause for a laugh

Now later in life I refer to this ability as a Technopath I still have this ability today my wife calls it jimmy rigging.

I do have other unique abilities but will save that for people that want to share their own abilities or that like this story and want me to share more.

Written by
Doomann profile image
Doomann
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
7 Replies
STEM_Dad profile image
STEM_Dad

Welcome to the forum Doomann !

Technopath, eh? I love that word!

(It looks like it's already been used on a couple of ways. One appears to be branding for medical diagnostics. The other is in fiction as a kind of mix of telepathy/clairvoyance/telekinesis to detect and manipulate technology.)

In the way you're using it, I'd call myself a Technopath, as well. I'm able to visualize how mechanical, electronic and architectural systems are likely put together. I can do the same sort of thing with data and with visualizing organizations of people (like an hierarchical organization chart within a business).

• I'm more of a "big picture" thinker. I can get the gist of it. To be able to mentally flow through specific segments, like for you example how the wiring looks in a TV's transformer/power converter, I'd need more firsthand knowledge. ... But, yeah, I can also "take things apart and put them together" in my mind.

I don't just do this visually. I do the same sort of thing using empathy, to try to understand people better. I understand feelings better than words, sometimes. However, if I walk in a room and there are more than a handful of people, I can't do this... There are too many people to "read" /"feel out".

• I know that I have my own rich, layered emotional system. At any one time, I'm not feeling just one emotion, just like my ADHD brain doesn't let my have just one thought at a time. There are emotions in strata, layered on each other, connected with the different things going on in my head.

~~~

Besides that, my ADHD superpowers include:

• endless curiosity

• being a "Jack of All Trades" (mostly in the tech field... everything but programming, which in suck at)

• getting along with almost anyone (the exception being people who are high in narcissism...I can't understand them, I can't normally "read" them empathetically, and if I do, then I don't like what I find)

• hyperfocus, particularly for getting things done "at the last minute"

Doomann profile image
Doomann in reply to STEM_Dad

Thats amazing I stole the term Technopath from the series Hero the son of the the mother with the Hulk like split personality thats what he was for example if my wife cant get remote to work literally all she has to do is hand to me and it will work or if there was somthing wrong with the computer I would sit there not even knowing what I was doing or looking for and just figure it out an idiot savant of nuts and bolts you might say thank you for reading my post Doomann

CloudsAreLovely profile image
CloudsAreLovely

I took a portable radio apart when I was 5 and fixed it and put it back together. At the time I didn tknow that to be advanced. I just wanted to fix it. I still do figure out how the fix things. I rebuilt my computer because It needed upgraded for all my gamimg. Dooman are you a gamer too? But, anyways Ive lived my life by this..... If I want something bad enough..... go get it, research, find the videos and get after it. But, dont ask me what I ate yesterday. Lol.. or subjects I'm not interested in. I will fail. But thats ok....adhd'ers have there special powers/ gifts. I focus more on the positive side as I get older.

Doomann profile image
Doomann in reply to CloudsAreLovely

I have been on xbox for years currently into Smite and Dead by Daylight my gamer tag is "THE LIQUIDGATOR" years ago i use too hunt down posses on Red Dead Redemption just me online riding my zebra donkey taking out 5 plus gangs teaching them a lesson I memorized the respawn points and killed them before they even could get back in to the game. Thank you for responding oh yea I play games.Doomann

CloudsAreLovely profile image
CloudsAreLovely in reply to Doomann

Nice!!!

Prairiefrontporch profile image
Prairiefrontporch

I am 37 years old with ADHD, my father past when I was a kid. Looking back I think he may have had ADHD for various reasons but I’m not sure. this post really made me think of him and I’ve never made this connection before. I remember my grandfather saying your dad could take anything apart and put it back together when he was a little kid. When my dad reached adulthood he was a mechanic , probably a lot of this taking a part putting back together stuff again . Very cool thanks for your post

Jozlynn profile image
Jozlynn

Hi Doomann!

My superpower is - like one of STEM-Dad's - empathy. I can pick up on someone's emotional state in a matter of seconds. Sometimes it's a burden as I can be impacted by someone's sadness/anger/etc., and kind of absorb it in a way, but I wouldn't give it up for the world.

I started my own business where we hold discovery calls to find out if we're a good fit for what the potential client needs, and for every contract I've signed it's been because I was able to connect to and relate to that person. I think it's particularly helpful with people like ADHDers, because we often feel completely misunderstood - so to have someone "get" us is such an amazing experience.

This was an awesome post, by the way! And besides myself (unless Candy Crush counts 😂), I come from an entire family of gamers. WoW has been the longest running game at my house.

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

ADHD Clutter vs. Hoarding

So I've struggled for years with clutter. Every time we moved, a little more stuff was packed and...

Brain Freeze - ADHD day from hell.

I had a doozie of a day. I’m on Medi Cal and on stress related disability so I have an EBT card for...

ADHD and Employment

What is it with major companies that won't help with any kind of accommadations? My son (23) worked...

Struggling with potential ADHD realisation

I was recently told by someone that they were sure I was not neurotypical, I definitely had some...

Russel Barkley on adhd

I'm watching these videos on ADHD, because they explain a lot about what is going on in the brain...