Hyperactivity: Problem, strength or both?

Context: When we consider the strengths-based perspectives of ADHD symptoms, we have to be mindful of the fact that these strengths are often contextual.

A strength or positive aspect of hyperactivity in one context (such as within sports or on stage) may be experienced as quite disabling and problematic in another (such as going to the theatre or in an exam).

So, bear in mind that what I say here is often individual, adaptable, and above all…contextual.

As an ADHDer, I know firsthand the challenges and misunderstandings that can come with hyperactivity. In a world that often demands calm and focus, it can feel like a battle trying to fit in as you are constantly told to “stop annoying people, be quiet, calm down, stop fidgeting, sit down, go over there, can you just not’”.

However, as mentioned above, these ‘problematic’ symptoms can present unique benefits when given the right perspective and environment.

Hyperactivity often means for some as having an endless well of energy. So, can we use it?  Find tasks that allow you to move, explore, or engage your senses. Can this meeting be outside?Can we walk and talk? Is there a career where being constantly on the go and moving is part of the job and not ‘inappropriate behaviour’ (Looking at you nursing, teaching, plumbing, public speaking, etc). I find that hands-on activities or dynamic roles, like speaking at conferences or teaching, help utilise my abundance of energy in a positive, impactful way. Can we use that?

People with ADHD are typically curious, novelty seeking, and love to explore new ideas. Use this as a tool to become a lifelong learner. Dive into topics you’re passionate about, whether it's neurodiversity, chess, hadron colliders, or something completely different. Your curiosity can lead you to unexpected and fulfilling opportunities. Often, society and our environments quash curiosity and exploration into areas which are not your “core business” or “the lesson you’re in right now at school”. With adjustments to allow for this curiosity we can see incredible gains. Recently, I’ve been working with an incredible school in Northumberland who allow neurodivergent students to ‘choose’ what they’re going to learn about that day and explore it at the curriculum level they’re currently at (and shock…they’re learning more than they ever did in mainstream).  

Hyperfixation, a contextual gift and curse. Hyperfixation is problematic when you forget to go to the toilet, speak to people, do what you’re “supposed” to be doing but are instead hyperfixated on your interest that day. But…when you find something you’re passionate about and can hyperfixate on which has a positive benefit to you, it’s absolutely incredible. Start projects that align with your values or interests, whether it’s advocacy work, creative ventures, or research, and watch how your hyperactivity turns into productive momentum. From my personal life, I would often hyper-fixate when writing up my PhD and have an unbelievably productive hour or two where I would write more in two hours than others wrote in a day, however, the hidden cost of this often meant that I needed significant rest time to recoup. When your fixation aligns with what you want to be doing…it’s phenomenal.

Not every space will allow you to thrive, and that’s okay. Seek environments where you can be active, dynamic, and true to yourself. For me, working as an Assistant Professor has allowed me to channel my energy into teaching, mentoring, and advocating for neurodiversity. I am almost never expected to sit for long periods of time without having the opportunity or ability to move around and stand up (A privilege we don’t always give our children in schools). Your environment matters, so choose one that celebrates your strengths.

For me, my hyperactivity symptoms are frustrating, problematic, and disabling in certain contexts. It impacts on relationships, productivity, and self-esteem. However, it also makes me a dynamic, engaging, and incredibly effective public speaker. As I rush around a stage in front of hundreds of people without getting tired or slowing down, making the audience laugh and cry in equal measure, I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Hyperactivity. Not a superpower, often frustrating…but a contextual strength.

Some neuroscience on this topic (Skip if it hurts your head!)

For those interested in the academic side of this, I was recently reading Hoy et al (2024), a paper on whether Hyperactivity in ADHD was a “friend or foe” from a neurocognitive perspective. Some interesting things to note, they found that:

Increased motor activity (i.e., whole body movement requiring large muscles) during attention-demanding tasks may help improve hypofrontality associated with ADHD and promote executive functioning (A common problem for those with ADHD). Additionally, higher rates of gross motor activity positively correlated with working memory performance for children with ADHD, but not for typically developing children. Moving HELPS ADHDers focus and improves executive functioning. .

Their conclusions that “This work provides supportive evidence for the emerging theory that hyperactivity in ADHD may serve as an unconscious compensatory mechanism by which to upregulate chronic hypoarousal, especially within the PFC, to support EF.” Are very interesting.

What does this actually mean?

As they state:

Taken all together, this research provides further evidence that strongly encourages the reframing of hyperactivity as a maladaptive and harmful behaviour to an adaptative and supportive behaviour for neurodiverse children who may require different levels of stimulation to succeed.