“Does ADD and ADHD make people more creative?” The lists in the previous section certainly support the idea. Now, let’s dive deeper.
Many websites have said that ADD/ADHD and dyslexia aren’t connected, but really, they don’t know what causes ADD and ADHD:
The cause(s) and risk factors for ADHD are unknown, but current research shows that genetics plays an important role. (CDC Website)
So, why look for a link between ADD, ADHD, and dyslexia?
- Because some of the dyslexia literature gives us important information on how distractibility and creativity are linked in ways that transcend labels.
- For example, the brain can be optimized for speed and accuracy, or it can be optimized for creativity, but not both.
- So, how does that work?
Brock and Fernette Eide explain:
…there’s an inverse correlation between [latent] inhibition (or freedom from distraction) and creativity. What this means is that the highest creative achievers tend to score low on tests of latent inhibition and to be somewhat distractable. In fact, one study looking at Harvard students showed that nearly 90 percent of those who showed unusually high creative achievement scored below average in latent inhibition… (The Dyslexic Advantage 97-98)
This means that distractibility (the main feature of both ADD and ADHD) can be directly linked with creativity.