I have Attention Deficit Disorder (which I find is more of a surplus really). I coach adults with ADHD, have an ADHD resource website with over 130 pages of information, and an adult ADHD blog. So, I’m fairly familiar with ADHD. I’ve been using Mac computers for 20 years, sold them for 7, and have spent thousands of hours on the net. So, I’m fairly familiar with the high tech world.
I’ve noticed there are many similarities between the two worlds.
I believe there are many people who work in the high tech industry who have ADD, much more than the average of the population. Approximately five per cent of the population has ADD and 85 per cent of adults with ADD don’t know they have it. It seems to me ADD and the technology industry is a natural fit. The constant change of the high tech world can be stressful and troubling for some people but it’s often stimulating and energizing for the ADDer. A great source of Dopamine hits. Although, there are no specific statistics a number of other ADD experts I’ve talked to agree with my observation.
Many people only see the many problems associated with ADD, and many people, especially men avoid getting diagnosed for ADD. The delay in getting diagnosed is that some people portray it as an almost totally pathological condition, and they view it as just a weakness.
To put it into perspective, I thought I’d write a list of some advantages of having ADD in the wired world to help people in the industry recognize and develop their ADD related strengths as well as managing their ADD challenges.
I also hope this might help those who may be afraid of getting diagnosed and treated (medication, Adult ADD coaching, therapy etc.) for ADD because of the negative stigma promoted by the people that condemn ADD as a moral failure. (i.e., “there’s no such thing as ADD, turn off the TV, stop eating sugar, beat your kid more often, and twirl around 3 times and tap your heels and it will go away). ADD is an inherited neurobiological condition. Every medical and psychological association has stated this. As more people realize the advantages of having ADD, they will be more inclined to seek diagnosis and treatment. Some people believe ADD is related to IQ, the idea that all ADD’ers are slow learners or below average IQ, wrong. I have it and I made the Dean’s Honours list and many PhD’s have it. MENSA has an ADD special interest group with 573 300+ members. It comes down to a difference in brain wiring, and in some fields (high tech, marketing, artists, the media, entrepreneurs) the unique wiring of the ADD brain is a competitive advantage.
Top Ten ADD Advantages in a Hi Tech Career.
1. The Ability to Hyperfocus.
Hours of full engagement and concentration in a task, IF you find it interesting. You can get into the zone and be totally immersed in what you’re doing while the outside world disappears. When I went on the net for the first time in 1993 at an Internet cafe I got on the machine at 8 pm and around 4 am decided it was time to go home.
2. Rapid Fire Mind.
Your brain processes information at hyperspeed. You can do things in 30 minutes on a computer that might take other people hours. Downside if you’re stuck with an old machine and not enough RAM you’ll be frustrated cause it can’t keep up with the speed of your brain.
3. Multitasking at Will.
Able to run 14 apps at a time and effortlessly switch between each without breaking a sweat. Able to do several projects at a time with ease.
4. High Energy Level.
You’re able to keep going on a project (if it’s interesting, ADDers are more into creative and entrepreneurial activities than clerical and repetitive ones). 14-hour days? No problem. Adrenaline is my fuel source:)
5. Highly Creative.
Able to think beyond the idea of a box. This comes naturally for ADDers, while others pay thousands of dollars to try and learn this. Since you take in more information than the average person, and you’re easily distractible, you’re more likely to view a problem from many different angles than vanilla people (non ADDers), and therefore come up with more possible solutions to a problem. Need an idea generator? Find an ADDer.
6. Quick Learner.
IF it’s something you’re interested in. ADD is mainly a condition of boredom; you have no trouble paying attention to something if it’s interesting. Most people find it difficult to do boring or repetitive things but these can often totally shut an ADDer down. Your rapid fire brain + highly creative mind + the ability to hyperfocus equals fast absorption of new information quickly. Dr Ed Hallowell, who has ADD and has written several Delivered from Distraction : Getting the Most out of Life with Attention Deficit Disorder, said he stopped teaching Psychiatry at Harvard University because the non-ADDer’s brains were just too slow and they took so long to get it. He got tired of being continually frustrated waiting for them to catch up to the ADD students.
7. Stimulus Seeking Brain.
A perfect match for the wired world, an under stimulated brain and an over stimulated virtual environment. Being an info junkie can be a good thing. Well, not always:)
8. Constantly Scanning your Environment.
Allows you to notice more and find information and resource that others miss. Also allows you to see possible problems before they arise, and opportunities that others may not see because they have tunnel vision vs. multiplex vision. An ADDer invented the electronic ticket.
9. Great in a Crisis.
High energy intense situation? Lots of chaos and change? Sign me up; I thrive on stimulation, change and chaos. We can create order from chaos effortlessly. We can also create such an environment as well if needed.
10. Risk Taker.
Impulsivity means you’re more willing to take risks and have a bias for action, act now while the opportunity is hot instead of getting into analysis paralysis. Many entrepreneurs have ADD i.e. Paul Orfalea who founded Kinko’s, JetBlue Founder and CEO David Neeleman who attributes his creativity to ADD. Both are Billionaires. Imagine how successful a high tech CEO would be if they didn’t take many risks.
These are just a start of the advantages of ADD, for more go to the list of 151 positive characteristics of people with ADD at my ADD Resource website.
This is not to say there are no disadvantages or real problems associated with ADDers in a high tech career, there most certainly are, and if you don’t learn to manage them (see Top ten ways to manage Adult ADHD), they can a great deal of trouble and grief to various aspects of your business, social and personal life (and those around you).
That’s when you might consider working with an adult ADHD coach. You don’t want to wait until your on your 10th job or 3rd wife before you start thinking, “hey, maybe they’re right, I do have some problems I need to deal with”.
If you have or think you have ADHD and work in a high tech career, what are your ADHD competitive advantages?
{ 103 comments… read them below or add one }
← Previous Comments
Next Comments →
Thanks Ally, you might try looking at my Teaching Students Who Have ADD section of my website, it has Links to 34 Articles & Ebooks
http://www.addcoach4u.com/teachingstudentsadhd.html
You may also want to get the boys dreaming to find out what kind of career they’d like. Then (depending on age) get them to research what they need to do to get there, most cases that involes completing high school. Boys need a reason to do things. That might be one.
I have ADD and I live a very happy life.
Pete,
When I read this post in November 2006 and I cried with joy. It was completely me. This was the first time I’d read something that lined up all my strengths in a positive way. For all the things on this list; people had told I was doing things “wrong” and gave me extra dull tasks to “help” me. I can see they were misguided and that I have a special and rare gift. Attempts to have me conform to what others thought failed because that was just not me. It also explains why I’ve been extremely successful as an entrepreneur. I went out on my own in June of 2006 and haven’t looked back once!
Awesome article, I look forward to having you as my coach this spring!
Thanks multiple entrepreneur Adria, I look forward to coaching you
The thing about ADD and working in a technological field is that you need to have a fresh supply of coffee. I find that with out coffee, my attention span is very short and I too easily end up surfing the net instead of working.
About half of these top 10 apply to me and the other half and are the exact opposite. (I’m not impulsive, I study things to death, I’m nitpickingly detail-oriented, I hate overstimulation, avoid violent movies like the plague, and spend most of my time in silence. I even walk out of stores before I’ve finished if it’s too noisy.)
I was diagnosed by an expert in Tourette Syndrome at a Harvard teaching hospital. Maybe I should get re-diagnosed. I’ve heard that sometimes a mild form of autism can be confused with ADD.
I have the IQ of a baked potato, and that’s without the sour cream, but somehow I managed to get a degree and a key.
Also 2 important points:
- Some doctors can be stubbornly ignorant. Don’t see a primary care physician for something that requires a psychiatrist. They’re simply not qualified to diagnose ADD.
- ADDers are not good at multi-tasking. No one is. It is a common delusion. This has been studied many times. Even people who think that they’re good at multi-tasking perform MUCH worse than if they handled each task exclusively and sequentially.
ADDvantages can help you in many areas of life. It is just a case of restructuring what you do, to make it more appealing to your learning style. For example, I’m at college and rather that read a text book in my head, then try to remember it. I read out loud and record it on a dictaphone, that way I can listen back and jot down the important information. So if you listen better than you read, that could work for you. Either way, you will find your own way to use your gift, if you stick at it.
Oh and can I just reiterate, ADD is a gift. Yes it does have disadvantages but what doesn’t. The ‘normal’ kid in school will have weaknesses too. However, these will probably fall under our strengths. Such as creativity and so on…
p.s. the comment about multi-tasking being a myth is partly right, the ability to multitask well only really works when the tasks are related to the same end goal.
By the way if you like my way of thinking, check out -http://borntoexplore.org/Positive%20and%20Alternative%20Views.htm
Chad – dark_purple_18@hotmail.co.uk
Add is a double edge sword, always known my brain was wired different, hard to deveolop interpersonal skills with “slow brains”, most people when they talk bore me and takes them way to long to get to points. So ADD good and bad, need skills to turn it on and off or it can drive slower minds nuts. (Which is after all pretty much everyone)
This does NOT sound like ADD to me. Very little of it, anyway. I have both Adult ADD and a PhD in Psychology. Read the clinical literature for a more accurate portrayal. Thanks.
I’m wondering if there’s an overlap in symptoms between true ADD people and very creative very intelligent people who might not be ADD but who are confined to roles lacking in creativity and intelligence. The colleagues may well be friendly, well-meaning, and smart — it’s then even more frustrating when they say interesting things but just don’t “get” fairly obvious consequences, when everything has to be spelled out (and they still don’t get it).
According to this – I have it
RT @hagai: Good article about ADD / ADHD and High Tech http://bit.ly/2dHhmi
RT @sageeb: [reading:] Top 10 Advantages of ADD in a High Tech Career http://bit.ly/2dHhmi via @hagai. Guess this works for many a friend.
RT @sageeb: [reading:] Top 10 Advantages of ADD in a High Tech Career http://bit.ly/2dHhmi via @hagai. Guess this works for many a friend.
i check on at least 7 out of 10 – ADD + hitech http://bit.ly/2dHhmi (via @dotmad)
Top 10 Advantages of #ADD in a High Tech Career http://tinyurl.com/ba4dh
Top 10 Advantages of #ADD in a High Tech Career http://tinyurl.com/ba4dh
http://adultaddstrengths.com/2006/02/09/top-10-advantages-of-add-in-a-high-tech-career/ # 6
http://adultaddstrengths.com/2006/02/09/top-10-advantages-of-add-in-a-high-tech-career/ # 6
@CatherineOmega yes multitasking is #ADHD advantage # 3 on this list http://bit.ly/7HktV
@CatherineOmega yes multitasking is #ADHD advantage # 3 on this list http://bit.ly/7HktV
@shamanfox Yes Hyperfocus is #ADHD advantage #1 see Top 10 Advantages of Having ADHD in a High Tech Career http://bit.ly/7HktV
@shamanfox Yes Hyperfocus is #ADHD advantage #1 see Top 10 Advantages of Having ADHD in a High Tech Career http://bit.ly/7HktV
RT @petequily@shamanfoxYes Hyperfocus is #ADHDadvantage #1see Top 10 Advantages of Having ADHD in a High Tech Career http://bit.ly/7HktV
RT @petequily@shamanfoxYes Hyperfocus is #ADHDadvantage #1see Top 10 Advantages of Having ADHD in a High Tech Career http://bit.ly/7HktV
@Mike_Stewart i.e., this post is on the advantages of #ADHD in high tech, but many of those +'s are also useful in sales http://bit.ly/7HktV
@Mike_Stewart i.e., this post is on the advantages of #ADHD in high tech, but many of those +'s are also useful in sales http://bit.ly/7HktV
#ADHD Can be good for a High Tech Career! http://bit.ly/7HktV by @petequily
#ADHD Can be good for a High Tech Career! http://bit.ly/7HktV by @petequily
Good read… Top 10 Advantages of ADD in a High Tech Career http://bit.ly/24nONw
Good read… Top 10 Advantages of ADD in a High Tech Career http://bit.ly/24nONw
Interesting article from a few years ago on the advantages of ADHD in a high-tech career http://bit.ly/i8xe #adhd
@gregorylent See Top 10 Advantages of Having #ADHD in a High Tech Career http://bit.ly/7HktV & hunter farmer theory http://bit.ly/bP7Ghl
.@1BigMick @jennifer_jj see some of the posts here http://bit.ly/c8nXkm + Advantages of Having #ADHD in a High Tech http://bit.ly/7HktV
Supposed Advantages of ADHD in a High Tech Career: http://ow.ly/2bR7t Amusing, but some truth. Early adapters do crazy things to their tech.
Top 10 Advantages of Having #ADHD in a High Tech Career http://bit.ly/7HktV
Thanks for the encouraging tips info I’m
sitting in front of job ctr depressed. Feeling more hopeful now!
you’re welcome Kim
Are there any researched structural changes in CT/MRI brain or EEG of an Adult ADD ?
Well done and Many Thanks
47 seven old now and having ADD all my life killed me in school. I could not focus on the learning process to save my life. No help from my family to find additional assistance they just let it go. Therefore I was at deficit from the beginning. I now take Strattera and have had to learn what I missed in school as an adult and it has made it difficult to keep up with many college grads (not all). I have been in high tech now for 17 years and do have many of the advantages spoke of in this article so I do see the benefits. But I can say, given the option, I’d rather have a long attention span when necessary not just when I find something interesting. I guess all cases are not alike.
@ Rich
The DSM is by all means is not the people’s bible. There has been many corrections during its existence, and mark my words, there will be many more in its future. Psychology is a concept of merely speculating human behaviors and generalizing them into categories with names such as “ADHD” or “BiPolar Disorder.” To say the clinical literature is a “more accurate portrayal” seems a little too concrete to me. If you have ADHD, you should understand that there is no such thing as a black and white circumstance or case. Besides that, I would appreciate seeing the contradictions you have identified with cited clinical literature.
Amazing article! Given that I’ve already come to intuitively come to take advantage of the “Top Ten ADD Advantages in a Hi Tech Career,” should I be concerned that treatment might impede these superpowers?
no David,
treatment just might make it more likely for you to take even better advantage of them
I wanted to thank you so much on an incredible webpage and all of the different posts of people that have struggled with ADD/ADHD. I am a 27 year old male that has struggled constantly with ADD throughout my entire life. I have researched my disorder and medications/treatments for it, for the past 5 years. I have only been taking medication for it, for the past 4 years. This is definately the first time that I have found more information that pertains and matches to me and my life than I have ever read before. For all of the people with negative posts and that, (maybe at least to me), seemed a little too sarcastic with some of the statements or questions — Guess what? You have no idea how it is to have a disorder that can pretty much destroy a individual’s development, education, relationships, and career all throughout their life — I can vouch for this.. If you’re really skeptic about it, read my entire story!….
I have always known that I’m a lot different than most people in general society, big time! Do you know what it’s like to see both sides of every situation constantly? Never agreeing or disagreeing because you just study too deep into a situation that shouldn’t even matter anyway? Well, this is my life (in a nutshell). It’s sad that I feel like I’ve never belonged in almost any setting I’ve been in my life…. Throughout my entire life I’ve managed to make some great friends and gain respect from many of my peers, despite many of my ailments I’ve always had. As of today, I’m still kicking and going, but struggling in many different areas still….. (I was going to throw this in at the top of this post, but if you find my story interesting…. I’ve probably got some of the most defined and concrete evidence for developing ADD/ADHD)….
To begin, when I was born, I almost didn’t make it out alive as it was. There are few people that suffer from all 3 of these ailments at birth, but (lucky me): Asthma, Bad Allergies, and Excema, all diagnosed at birth… All I can remember growing up (in grade school) was falling asleep or being sick with a runny nose constantly in class because of some new prescription that I had to take for one of my ailments at the time…. Or because of allergens in the school environment period. This was in grade school, when I was suppose to be developing many of my skills as it was…. I remember being sleepy constantly, sneezing or sick because of a cold or decongestant ( that i probably shouldn’t have been taking), and occasional asthma attacks… I still attempted to learn…… With all of these health problems growing up, it can destroy a child’s ability to learn and exceed in education… Luckily, somehow I managed to deal with most of my symptoms, but honestly to a certain point, it probably destroyed my attention span, creativity, and ablity to learn and grow like most kids should be able to… My mind (between half of the time dealing with my allergies/asthma/excema) would even day dream, wonder, and generally do anything not to create any more stress (learning) to get through the day. I’m not saying I had an awful childhood, and my life was miserable all the time……but this had to be some part of where my attention span began to deplinish towards things I needed. I finished grade school and went through middle about the same way. My health began to get better with exercise and a stronger immune system, so it did get a little better. By the time I was in high school, I had pretty much outgrown asthma, but my allergies and excema have never dissapeared. I even got through high school, (somehow), without knowing for sure about my learning disabilities. I was an average student, but I struggled constantly for C’s in my classes. It’s sad that I never got diagnosed until halfway through college (after failing out of plenty of classes)…. I had to get diagnosed, totally by myself. My parents never completely understood why I couldn’t learn and why I couldn’t ever focus on many things.. They didn’t know or weren’t sure about ADD/ADHD problems with people… Well, to end my story (there’s still way too much to explain).. I’m currently unemployed and trying to find a good career…. I’ve served tables for the past 6 years to get by, and trying to finally get a good career.. The only thing I am really good at focusing on is learning everything and anything about the internet and computers. I don’t know why or how I developed such interest and why I enjoy it so much sometimes, but I love it. I even have a college degree, but it’s in Business Administration (not computer anything). I’m currently trying to find some kind of career with the internet and technology that I can work on from home or develop a new program or website to help people in some way in this crazy world. (This whole post took me 2 hours to type, but that’s exactly what I’m talking about. I agree completely that technology is the definate career with people struggling with ADD) If anyone would like to offer me a job or has any good ideas, I’m open to them! Lastly, Thank you so much to Pete and Pat for all of this new info!
Ok, weird. So, yeah, I had a suspicion that I had ADHD, but didn’t get check out till last year. The insight has changed my life. I had dropped out of high school when I was 16, got my GED and started working at a computer store. I have been into computers since I can remember, I just get it. But, everything I have tried to do to further my career education wise, I could never finish. Ohh the frustrations. I love it when I learn something, then the teacher makes you practice it 1000 times, then you have to wait for other students to get it. That’s where I would check out. Anyways I am 30 years old now and November of last year, I decided that I really need to get my 4 year degree. I found a program that worked perfectly. I went to Western Governors University, which is an online non-profit school. Guess what, its self paced. Its COMPENTENCY based! YEAH. Its fully accredited nationally and regionally! Its Cheap! You get credit for getting certifications. So, nine months later I went from a GED to bachelors degree. Because once you get it, you take a test or a few assignments and you move on. My first 6 month term I earned over 70 credits, cause I kept pushing myself and not being afraid to take the test after a far shorter amount of time of studying. Anyways, I would say, don’t be afraid to realize your potential with a fast brain. The world doesn’t want to accommodate this, but instead they appeal to the common denominator. I have also heard great things about Montessori learning, does anyone have experience with that type of learning in relation to ADHD?
I think that the connection with high tech and ADD is coincidence. The fast paced environment we are a part of “carries” us along. It might appear that we are able to multi-task well, but in reality we are just going with the fast paced flow of things; because of the forever changing aspects we are not bored.
In short, the industry manages us, makes us conform to it (in this context I agree with the psychologist’s perspective that we find it hard to multi-task, because if it weren’t for the chaos forced on us, we’d be generating the chaos instead… missed deadlines, 90% complete tasks, late starts, etc).
WE are able to keep up… normal types can’t keep up as well; they try to slow things down, and when normal types are the managers it makes it hard for the ADD types because they tend to either try slowing things down, or trying to micro-manage…. an ADDer goes balistic if micro-managed; probably re-ignites old feelings of boring teachers or authoritative figures from childhood years gone by… LOL
Hmmm…. good article.
I’m currently working on my dissertation for a Masters in Information Systems Management. I’m highly interested in scholarly articles on this topic. Specifically, I’m looking for articles that correlate ADD/ADHD OCD Asperger spectrum with IT professionals. If you know of any such articles/papers, please contact me at jmtscout@yahoo.com. [Pete - Thank you for suggesting that I make this post.]
I feel like a complete outcast. I am 37 years old, married with 2 teen girls & I have no job (was fired from my last one). I am in college, but going at a turtles pace. I have ADD ( not the hyper-activity – ADHD) – I take FOREVER to get things done & forget things continuously. Is there hope for me in the “carreer world”?
There is always hope Heather. If you learn how to manage your adhd more effectively it will help.
Here are the Top 10 Ways to Manage Adult ADHD
I have a 10th grader with ADHD who has a great sense of humor and loves computer games. He has to make course selections soon for 11th grade and we’d love to start channeling him into a career that he could love and be successful with. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks….Randy Stank
← Previous Comments
Next Comments →
{ 76 trackbacks }