Artists and ADD/ADHD: What came first the chicken or the egg?

Artists and ADD/ADHD: What came first the chicken or the egg?

I’ve known many creative folks in my lifetime. Having attended an art high school (where about 2/3 of the students were popping Ritalin like vitamins!), later double majoring in art and psychology in my undergraduate studies, having artists friends and personally being interested in the arts. I can safely say, I have been around enough artists and aspiring artist to observe certain “trends”: Artists have similar symptoms to ADD/ ADHD.

I’ve known artists who easily can transform a thrown out, broken stereo into a sophisticated and truly beautiful creation, belonging in a museum, however, won’t remember to pay rent on time or get too distracted when paying cable online. A certain artist friend of mine, has a difficult time reading and following directions and therefore “can’t” put Ikea furniture together or follow complex cooking recipes (though she cooks well!). My friend is a brilliant painter and photographer but has a hard time concentrating on things that are “boring”, mundane, the everydays.. She can be tangential in conversation and overly impulsive but impulsive (bold!) decisions has contributed to her mindblowing art!

I always wonder, what came first the chicken or the egg. In other words, does a creative, artistic mind contribute to ADD/ADHD symptoms OR are some (DISCLAIMER: CERTAINLY NOT ALL) individuals with ADD/ADHD just creative, artistic, different thinkers? Is what the psychology community labels as ADD/ADHD really just an “artist brain” which is imaginative, innovative, explorative, emotional, passionate, talented (*inserts many other positive adjectives*)? Do artists process information and manage their lives differently? Is it talent and perhaps the idiot savants of our society that just don’t have the room in their brain for the commonplace, inconsequential, one-at-a-time slow paced activities, because they are unique and gifted? Are we mental health providers (pointing my finger here!) more obsessed with stamping the ADD/ADHD diagnosis rather than truly understanding the interworking of an artist mind?

ADD/ADHD has several classifications/symptoms:

• ADD (Also may be known as ADHD inattentive subtype): Attention Deficit disorder is categorized as poor concentration (zoning out in the middle of reading a sentence or conversation, for example.
• Extreme distractibility
• Difficulty completing tasks
• Poor listening skills
• Tendency to overlook important details, being late with deadlines, difficulty starting and finishing projects, etc WITHOUT the hyperactive component
• Other symptoms may include poor self esteem, anxiety/depression

ADHD: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

• Same as ADD BUT with added hyperactivity/ impulsivity which creates a higher than normal activity level making it difficult to sit still and very fidgety.

There is another subtype that is the OVERFOCUED subtype which gives artist the ability to obsess and obsess and obsess and over-concentrate in their art. Hyperactivity is just the energy necessary to work hard in art making. The creative process is gratifying; full of instant rewards, cathartic releases and perhaps praise.

Many artists I know, may work throughout the night claiming to be more inspired at night and therefore lethargic and in a brain fog during daytime hours, perhaps exacerbating or contributing to the commonplace-related boredom (art process IS more stimulating!).

So, what really IS the artist brain composed of?

And if you are one of those brilliant visual expressers who I lost after the first paragraph, perhaps this entry was written about you!!! But I have to say, THANK YOU for making the world more colorful  :)

#ADHD #Mentalhealth #Artist #Creativity #Iloveartists #Artmakestheworldgoround #Iamatherapist