Extra Ordinary Readers

Researchers at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology held two studies that allowed people diagnosed with ADHD to mentally wander in directed and uncontrolled fashions to unlock their full creative abilities. The results found that those allowed “deliberate mind wandering” were able to unlock higher creative potential, but people diagnosed with more ADHD symptoms creatively thrived better in both “deliberate” and “spontaneous” mind wandering compared to their counterparts.

"We found that people with more ADHD traits, such as lack of attention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity, score higher on creative achievements in both studies. This supports previous research,” said lead researcher Dr. Han Fang. “Additionally, we found that mind wandering, particularly deliberate mind wandering, where people allow their ‘thoughts to wander on purpose,’ was associated with greater creativity in people with ADHD. This suggests that mind wandering may be an underlying factor connecting ADHD and creativity.” Read more about this breakthrough below.