Estimated reading time 3 minutes
Table of Contents
Does ADD and ADHD Make People More Creative #1: An Unexpected Connection
“Does ADD and ADHD make people more creative?” Yes. Lots of famous people with creative talent have ADD or ADHD. Moreover, creativity and ADD/ADHD are connected in an unexpected way. Keep reading to find out what it is.
This article uses technical terms. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the post.
Does ADD and ADHD Make People More Creative #2: Creative People with ADHD
“Does ADD and ADHD make people more creative?” As you can see from just this partial list, many famous creative people have either ADD or ADHD.
Musicians:
- Dave Grohl
- Todd Rundgren
- Brittney Spears
- Justin Timberlake
- Carrie Underwood
Writers:
- Katherine Ellison
- Lisa Ling
- Lousie Mensch
- David Allen Patterson
- Dav Pilkey
(To see the full list: click here.)
Does ADD and ADHD Make People More Creative #3: Latent Inhibition Deficit
“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.
Does ADD and ADHD Make People More Creative #4: How Distractibility Impacts Creativity
“Does ADD and ADHD make people more creative?” Yes, and it takes a long time for growing children to develop mature attention, which has a role in nurturing their creativity. Dr. Mark Jung-Beeman explains:
Perhaps there’s some benefit in the delayed development of mental focus – maybe that’s why humans in general develop so slowly. And perhaps those children who are developing more slowly in their attentional skills are developing more richly in certain aspects of creativity; and perhaps this extra creativity means that they’ll develop in great ways… (Neural Activity When People Solve Verbal Problems with Insight 500-510).
Furthermore, the drugs used to help ADD and ADHD people keep on task may be hurting their creativity. Dr. Jung-Beeman states:
One big concern I have is with the use of stimulant medications used for ADHD [e.g. Ritalin, Concerta, Adderall, Vyvanse]. These drugs improve mental focus and resistance to distraction, but getting people to focus more may ultimately be bad for creative thinking. We may actually be inhibiting growth in areas like creativity and insight that are very useful… (Neural Activity When People Solve Verbal Problems with Insight 500-510).
Does ADD and ADHD Make People More Creative #5: Summary
Here’s some final thoughts on Does ADD and ADHD Make People More Creative?
- Many famous people with ADD and ADHD have shown outstanding levels of creativity.
- The experts don’t really know what causes ADD and ADHD.
- Freedom from distractibility hinders creativity while distractibility enhances it.
- ADD/ADHD meds may limit creativity.
- Therefore, people with ADD or ADHD should think carefully about whether the advantages of increased focus outweigh the potential loss in creativity.
Related Posts:
- Do You Want Advice on Teaching a Music Student with ADHD?
- Do People with ADHD Have Difficulty Playing from Sheet Music?
- What Are Some Signs of a Twice Exceptional (2E) Child?
- Learning Differences and Spatial Ability (Part 1)
- Positives to Dyslexia – Everything is Connected to Everything Else (Part 2)
- What are the Advantages of Dyslexia? Episodic Memory (Part 3)
- Color Coding Music for Success
© 2023 Geoffrey Keith
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Glossary
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