ADHD, Giftedness and other forms of neurodivergence: What’s the link and why should we care?

I’m very excited to announce a new trailblazing collaboration project with two incredible people: Frankie Berkoben and Dr Tracy Winter. We will be deep diving into the fascinating intersection of ADHD and giftedness to break stereotypes, combat misinformation, and give the most up to date information on the topic. Both terms [Neurodivergence and Giftedness] are often misunderstood, which can lead to many people being confused as to how we should even talk about the topics, what terminology to use, and what we should do. This is especially true for those who identify with either (or both) labels. We’re here to explore the big questions: What does it mean to be gifted? How does ADHD come into play? What about other forms of neurodivergence? And most importantly, how do these traits shape someone’s life?

This blog post is an introduction to the topic, and will (briefly) touch on some of the most pertinent and commonly asked questions on the topic. Consider it an appetiser for the coming project, where we will delve much more heavily into these and adjacent topics:

Is Giftedness a form of neurodivergence?

One of the first things we’ll tackle is whether giftedness itself falls under the neurodivergent umbrella. We often think of neurodivergence as ADHD, autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions, but where does giftedness fit? Is it a brain difference, a cognitive advantage, or something else entirely? 

What even IS giftedness anyway?

Discussion on giftedness is often quite reductionist, with the common understanding being that giftedness is exclusively related to IQ (Spoiler alert: It isn’t). But what does factor in our definition of giftedness, is it about: creativity, emotional sensitivity, learning capacity, leadership, or something else? How do traditional measures of IQ miss the full picture of what it means to be "gifted"?

ADHD and Giftedness -  Do they work together or clash?

For people who are both gifted and have ADHD, life can sometimes feel like a tug-of-war. ADHD can cause challenges with focus, organisation, and impulsivity, while being gifted might lead to high potential, deep thinking, and perfectionism. So, do these traits complement each other, or do they create friction? Does having ADHD make you more or less likely than average to be gifted?

Do you need to be eminent to be considered gifted?

Over the last few decades, ‘eminence’ in your field has been part of the prerequisite for the label of giftedness to apply to adults. Society often glorifies people like Einstein or Mozart as “gifted,” but is that the only way giftedness shows up? What about the person who has the potential for eminence and is cognitively gifted, but makes the decision to be a gardener or homemaker, should we still consider them gifted (Some academics would say no, some yes)? Is giftedness only validated by big achievements, or does it come in many forms?

Where does personality, ADHD, and Giftedness begin and end?

It's tough to say where one part of someone’s identity stops and another begins. Is it possible to separate personality traits like being curious or perfectionism from the effects of ADHD or the characteristics of being gifted? How does one determine the reason behind one’s strengths or difficulties - If your biggest challenge is ADHD inattention, the fix might be very different than if the challenge was giftedness related boredom. 

Self-Compassion for gifted ADHDers, how do we do it?

Living with both ADHD and giftedness can be overwhelming. That’s why self-compassion is a key part of this conversation. Learning to embrace your quirks, talents, and challenges without judgement can be transformative—but how do you actually practise that?

Why do gifted people need support? 

On the surface, being gifted might seem like a blessing, but it can come with its own set of quite significant struggles. Overwhelm, fear of wasted potential, perfectionism, and feeling misunderstood are just a few of the challenges gifted individuals face, with mental health issues being significantly higher than average. So, why is it that people often assume gifted individuals don’t need support?

Overexcitabilities: A gift or a challenge?

People with giftedness often experience “overexcitabilities” which is heightened sensitivity in areas like emotions, intellect, or the senses (A bit more complicated than this but that’s another post all together!). While these can lead to incredible creativity and passion, they can also make life more intense. Is this another layer to navigate when ADHD is in the mix?

Giftedness beyond society’s labels

It’s easy to see giftedness in those who make headlines or achieve public recognition. But what about the people whose brilliance shines in less obvious ways? Can we broaden our definition of what it means to be gifted?

Where do we go from here?

There are no easy answers to these questions, and that’s exactly why this conversation is so important. Our collaboration is designed to bring these issues to light, examine them and make recommendations on how best to live a life worth living. We don’t believe we will solve all of these issues, but we’ll certainly give it a go!. We want to create a space where these topics can be explored, and new perspectives can emerge.

For an introduction to this topic from an academic perspective, Rinn and Bishop’s systematic review on Gifted adults is particularly enlightening. However, if you don't want to read it now we will be discussing it in a future post! 

Ultimately, whether you identify as gifted, ADHD, or both, our goal is to bring awareness, foster understanding, and create a supportive space for everyone on this journey.