A recent large study in the Netherlands revealed the positive aspects of attention deficit disorder, as reflected in the questionnaires filled out by the subjects. The research shows that the five traits that stood out among the researched were: creativity, dynamism, flexibility, social skills and cognitive skills.
Another study relating to the entrepreneurial aspect gathered data from 581 entrepreneurs. The study found that attentive people have behaviors that are useful for building businesses when they know how to use them correctly. In the study it was proven that attention deficit disorder serves as a key factor for innovation, because attentive people tend to jump quickly between thoughts and stimuli and are thus able to assimilate information that would otherwise “overwhelm” them and get lost. In addition, they have the ability to identify opportunities and adapt to changes and enthusiasm to initiate.
Many people with ADHD have managed to break the mold and thrive – entrepreneurs, businessmen, Michelin-starred chefs, Olympic athletes, pulsating actors and famous artists whose works have become a global consensus. They expand the meaning of “neurodiversity” and prove that alternative mental wiring is not a defect that needs a standard but a lens through which one can see the world. It is very gratifying that many celebrities today talk openly about their attention disorder and thus enable the raising of awareness and the shattering of stigmas on the subject, which can lead us to adopt a useful, targeted and accurate approach. Here are some of them.
Johnny Depp
The iconic actor, known for roles such as Captain Jack Sparrow, was officially diagnosed with ADHD in 2014, along with other conditions such as depression. In his unique acting style, Depp presents strange and complex characters, as a channel for his creativity in ADHD.
Zooey Deschanel
The American-Jewish actress, singer and musician spoke about her struggle with attention deficit disorder, mainly during her school years, and said that a traditional learning environment did not suit her, but her attention deficit disorder contributed to her creative pursuits. “You don’t have to go to college to develop your brain,” she said, “You don’t have to obey all the rules.” In her experience, she said, there is no one-size-fits-all way, especially for those navigating ADHD.
Greta Gerwig
The director, screenwriter and actress who directed acclaimed works such as “Lady Bird”, “Little Women” and “Barbie”, revealed her diagnosis of ADHD in an interview with “The Guardian”. “As a child, my mother said, ‘Let’s enroll her in every activity. Let’s tire her out,'” she said, “I always had enormous enthusiasm, I was just interested in everything. I had a really active imagination. I had a lot of really deep feelings, I was emotional.”
Emma Watson
The actress who grew up before our eyes as Hermione in the “Harry Potter” films and transformed from a sweet child to a self-confident woman has never spoken about her condition, but according to reports she has been treated with ADHD medication since she was a child. And she was also wildly successful: she graduated from a prestigious school, became a star, and even served as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations.
Alfie Allen
The English actor who became famous for his role as Theon Greyjoy in “Game of Thrones” was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder as a child. “At school I had a problem concentrating on anything for more than 10 seconds,” he said. His sister, singer-songwriter Lily Allen, also suffers from attention deficit disorder. And she is also a success story.
Michelle Rodriguez
The American-Jewish actress and musician who played among others in “Lost” and “Fast and Furious”, openly discussed her diagnosis of attention deficit disorder in “Cosmopolitan” as early as 2006. “I want to write and direct, but it’s not easy with attention disorder,” she noted, “It’s hard for me to focus when I’m alone. I’m scattered.”
Britney Spears
The iconic pop singer revealed that she was diagnosed with ADHD in her youth and had to take medication to deal with her symptoms.
Jamie Oliver
The celebrity chef who supports a healthy diet was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder and dyslexia as a child, and created a menu designed to deal with the symptoms.
Heston Blumenthal
And another chef – the culinary innovator behind the restaurant “The Fat Duck”, which won three Michelin stars, was diagnosed at the age of 50 with HDAD. “I wouldn’t change it for others, but it made me realize things about my own behavior,” he said, saying that he believes his attention disorder fuels his incessant curiosity and his boundary-breaking culinary experiments. “I have a restless curiosity and a mind full of questions and maybe a somewhat obsessive personality.” Exactly what is needed to create groundbreaking dishes and cooking techniques.
Michael Phelps
The most decorated Olympic swimmer of all time was diagnosed at age 9 with ADHD. At first he was helped by medication, but later he found swimming to be a more effective and influential treatment. His mother encouraged him to channel his energy into swimming, thus learning discipline and focus. In interviews he shared how for him the pool became an important space for burning energy and achieving self-discipline.
Simon Bales
The Olympic gymnast from the USA was diagnosed with ADHD as a child, which did not prevent her from winning a gold medal four times. “I have attention deficit disorder and I’ve even taken medication since childhood,” she said, “It’s not a shame to take medication for it and I’m not ashamed to let people know.” Biles contributed A lot for breaking the stigma and normalizing the nervous diversity.
Shaquille O’neill
The famous NBA basketball player also shared that he has been dealing with ADHD since childhood, and for him too, it was not a barrier to his monumental success.
Justin Gatlin
The sprinter and Olympic gold medalist said that he sees the attention disorder as a challenge that shaped his athletic focus and woke him up. “In classes I had trouble concentrating, but running helped me focus,” he said, “when I harnessed that energy, I could use it on the track.” Gatlin revealed that he had stopped taking medication.
Ingvar Kamprad
Many people with ADHD tend to think outside the box, take quick actions and take risks, which often makes them the perfect entrepreneurs. Such is the genius behind IKEA, Ingvar Kamprad, who spoke candidly about his diagnosis and claimed that it was his unique approach to solving problems and his creativity that earned IKEA worldwide fame, and it was his philosophy, inspired by ADHD, that made the company the embodiment of simplicity, efficiency and clean Nordic design.
David Neelman
The founder of the American airline JetBlue Airways is another trailblazer diagnosed with ADHD. His unique approach to business revolutionized air travel, making flying more accessible and customer-friendly. Instead of seeing his attention disorder as a disadvantage, Neelman sees it as an asset that increases his creativity and problem-solving ability. He stated that he would not even consider giving her up and said that she is the source of his groundbreaking ideas.
Simon Sink
The renowned author, lecturer and leadership guru has openly embraced his ADHD, calling it “my greatest asset”. He also revealed that it allows him to focus intensively on projects and said that he urges others to leverage their unique qualities instead of suppressing them. For him, ADHD is a unique lens that shapes his groundbreaking perspectives. “I have attention deficit disorder and that’s one of my biggest advantages. Sure, it has its disadvantages. It’s harder for me to focus on things that don’t interest me, but that means I have to focus on doing things that do interest me. I have an abnormal advantage and I feel sorry for all the people who don’t able to focus on something like those with ADD or ADHD.”
Mel Robbins
The mentor and television presenter was only diagnosed with attention deficit disorder in her adulthood, and said that thanks to it she felt an energetic mission in her ability to connect with diverse audiences. The five-second rule she developed – a self-help technique – can also be used as a practical tool for managing ADHD symptoms and achieving challenges.
Dr. Shirley Hershko is a psychotherapist specializing in the field of attention