People with ADHD may be more creative, studies suggest

"Researchers conducted a pair of studies involving 750 participants, finding that those with ADHD may experience more frequent episodes of mind-wandering, and that that, in turn, could lead to greater creative thinking abilities. 'Previous research pointed to mind-wandering as a possible factor linking ADHD and creativity, but until now no study has directly examined this connection,' one of the investigators, Han Fang, said in a statement."

"The findings add to other evidence pointing to some of the more beneficial seeming traits of ADHD, including that certain ADHD traits like impulsivity or a tendency to ' hyperfocus ' can lead to greater creativity. For example, a 2021 study found that people with a common form of ADHD known as combined type ADHD were more creative than people with other forms of the condition. What those findings suggested was that higher degrees of ADHD symptoms were associated with greater creativity."

People with ADHD experience more frequent episodes of mind-wandering, which can contribute to enhanced creative thinking. Deliberate mind-wandering—when individuals intentionally allow their thoughts to drift—associates more strongly with creativity than spontaneous mind-wandering. ADHD traits such as lack of attention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and tendencies toward hyperfocus link to higher creative achievements. Individuals with combined-type ADHD may display greater creativity than those with other ADHD forms. These relationships suggest mind-wandering could function as an underlying mechanism connecting ADHD characteristics and creative output. The potential for leveraging these traits could inform treatment approaches, though further research is required.

Read at Fast Company