Thread by @LeaMikkola

Time for another #ADHD 🧵.

There's so much talk about the cons of ADHD that I'm now writing about the PROS it has for me. I want to emphasize these are my personal experiences and every ADHDer is different. #adhdtwitter 1/23

Also, I know people may think "how can you be sure that's ADHD and not just some random trait?" No, I can't be sure but these are traits that are common in other ADHDers (self-reported strengths)... 2/23

... and moreover these are traits I've been complimented for on several occasions as being way over "the normal" OR many people have commented (not always in admiration) how I can do something in a way that is clearly unperceivable to them, indicating that it's not normal. 3/23

I do relate to many of the strengths depicted in the perfect meme by @jessejanderson 🙏, but I'll list the most important ones that describe me as a person. Just follow the numbers. 4/23

1. I mentioned hyperfocus before and for me this is the biggest pro even when it comes with certain downsides that I have to be mindful of. Hyperfocus means that a person can concentrate on something for EXTENDED periods of time while loosing track of everything else. 5/23

First, hyperfocus can't be summoned on command and the subject of focus must be interesting. For me causes for hyperfocus are usually tasks at work that are either novel and/or especially hard, thus challenging my brain and I do love a challenge. 6/23

I can go for hours and hours fully concentrated on the given problem/task and I won't see/hear anything else and I totally loose track of time (and disregard things like hunger). I can be extremely efficient while hyperfocusing. 7/23

Of course this works outside work too but it's more random. I can hyperfocus on a good book, cleaning a book shelf, doing a puzzle, or whatever is interesting to me at the time. If it's not interesting then good luck with that😅 (I can do it but it'll be HARD to keep focus) 8/23

Hyperfocus is what has made me great at my work. When I have free hands and I can work my own way, I can hyperfocus the hell out of a challenge (not saying I'm always successful, I know when to admit defeat). 9/23

2. Non-sequential way of thinking. I might be not doing things the "standard way" but I can be really fast thinker when allowed to skip the a-b-c-d-e part (that can be done afterwards if needed). If I'm forced to the standard reasoning I'll be way slower. 10/23

This means I'm good at making really rapid decisions "by intuition", but even if it seems to outsiders that I haven't thought things through that's not true. I can always retrace my steps and give the a-b-c-d-e explanation but it's slow and I only do it if really necessary. 11/23

1. and 2. together are an exquisite combination imho. I get so much joy when I can freely go into a flow of thought and there's no restrictions. Even better if it can be shared with a kindred mind. It's beautiful how ideas can be exchanged with ease at extreme pace. 12/23

That may sound like boasting, but it's just a different way of thinking. There are undeniable strengths and weaknesses in both the neurotypical and ADHD ways of thinking. But I just have to highlight how much I love this aspect of my ADHD brain. 13/23

3. Learning. I'm super fast at learning new stuff. It doesn't mean that I can recite something by looking it over once (because crappy working memory), but it means that when I'm interested and allowed to work my own way, I can learn a new skill much faster than average. 14/23

I learn patterns fast and I also notice aberrations in them easily. This has been very useful at work in multiple ways. I quickly pick up if something out of ordinary is happening in my data or in the analysis steps. Bugs or mistakes rarely go unnoticed 🕵️ 15/23

4. Working under pressure. Because the way my ADHD brain works, I let the not-so-interesting stuff go to last minute. Then under the last minute pressure I do the work looking like this. It always works out and I do great so why change 🤷 16/23

Because I have worked like that since childhood, it has made me extremely resilient to pressure. Another trait that adds into this is the risk-taking ability. I'm not foolhearted, but I'm always willing to put myself on the line, especially if it's a question of fairness. 17/23

Therefore, tasks that have pressure either due to approaching dl or due to some risks affiliated with them or because it's just very challenging I'm on fire 🔥. It doesn't mean though that I always seek or enjoy pressure, but I do well with it and thus won't avoid it. 18/23

5. Last, I promise 😀. This is a trait I strongly share with my son (with susp. ASD). As I've previously written, ASD and ADHD overlap both trait-wise and genetically. The trait we share is great sense on empathy. I'd say that it's oversensitivity. 19/23

I feel people's feelings to such an extent that it's sometimes quite overbearing. However, I've learned to control it at a certain level (meaning I recognize what it is and can dissociate to some extent) and I've come to realize it's a strength and not a weakness. 20/23

Empathy in a working environment as demanding and harsh as academia makes me better at working with ppl. I can relate to others easily and although it's sometimes draining, I wouldn't change it for the world. 21/23

It doesn't make me a perfect person though (especially as certain other ADHD traits can be a bit challenging in social context 😬) and I have to be mindful and reload my batteries and give myself space and time because otherwise I'll burn out from the emotional load. 22/23

Here it was this time. If other ADHDers happen to read this, I'd be happy to hear about your experiences in this thread or by DM 🙂 23/23

I need to add that I realize I'm extremely privileged in many ways. I've always had a great supportive network around me (financially and mentally). I emphasize that not everyone have that and may be much more affected by the negatives of ADHD. This must not be overlooked.

And unroll please @threadreaderapp