People with ADHD often let their minds wander, but when done deliberately, this can unlock powerful creativity and original thinking .
A new study suggests that people with ADHD can be more creative, especially when they choose to let their minds wander on purpose. This habit, when guided, could help turn ADHD traits into a creative strength .
Researchers presented the study at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) congress in Amsterdam. Led by Fang (2025), the team found that deliberate mind wandering , choosing to let thoughts drift, may boost creativity.
The study involved 750 participants, including people with ADHD and those without. It looked at two types of mind wandering: spontaneous (unintentional) and deliberate (intentional). Participants were asked to come up with new uses for common objects to measure creative thinking .
These results fit with earlier research showing that some ADHD types are linked to higher creativity. For example, Girard-Joyal, Dufresne, and Blais (2021) found that certain ADHD subtypes perform better on creative tasks, suggesting that the ADHD way of thinking can encourage original ideas.
By learning to guide their natural tendency to daydream , people with ADHD might use it to their advantage, helping them think more creatively and solve problems in new ways. Teachers and clinicians could also use this approach to support creativity and innovation .
References:
Fang, M. (2025, October 12). ADHD linked to creativity through deliberate mind wandering. ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251012054608.htm
Girard-Joyal, O., Dufresne, M., & Blais, C. (2021). Creativity in the predominantly inattentive and combined subtypes of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 303, 111126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2020.111126
