My ADHD Diagnosis in Lockdown -Neurodiversity in the Music Industry
Last month I was diagnosed with ADHD, something I’ve long suspected having. Turns out ADHD has been present throughout my life, albeit veiled until now by dyslexia, dyscalculia, anxiety and chronic insomnia.
The diagnosis came as a welcome relief under the pressures of lockdown. It helped explain many of the personal and professional challenges I’ve had over the years and still face. But together, my ADHD and dyslexia have also been a firehose of ideas, creativity, insights and social connections. I am truly grateful for all that they’ve taught me.
Sadly, in some less enlightened circles, there’s still a stigma attached to ADHD and it’s medication. That’s why I’m sharing this here. Given it is also Mental Health Awareness Week here in the UK, sharing it now seems all the more apt.
ADHD — Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder — is part of a family of neurological conditions that include dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, and autism. Individuals who have these conditions are sometimes known as neurodiverse, or ND. Neurodiversity in the UK is common, with some estimates saying ND people comprise around 15% of the population. Intersectionality of the conditions, like having ADHD and dyslexia together, is also very usual.
The prevalence of ND people in society is mirrored by their equal presence in the working world. Awakening to this fact, creative industries like music are starting to recognise and embrace the unique abilities ND people have to offer. As someone who works in the music business, I’m proud to see my industry taking a lead here.
Inspiring initiatives like that of Universal Music UK’s Creative Differences Handbook are enhancing our understanding of neurodiversity and point to best practice in the workplace. Anyone who reads this illuminating handbook will be struck by the vast range of talents ND people have. A high level of creative ability is an especially striking characteristic they all share. The Handbook also highlights the numerous advantages ND people have to offer. Those with ND clearly have a competitive advantage when their skills are married to the right job and a supportive workplace; a position I wholeheartedly agree with.
Given their creative edge, it’s no wonder that people with ADHD and dyslexia comprise many of the world’s leading artists and entrepreneurs. Such figures include Florence Welch, Will.i.am, and Richard Branson, right the way back to creative luminaries like Leonardo de Vinci. Alongside enhanced creativity, those with ADHD often have high energy levels and the ability to hyperfocus on tasks that engage them for prolonged periods, whilst dyslexics often display strong problem-solving skills and a pronounced ability to think outside the box. These are all highly prized skills in the creative industries as well as many others. Workplaces like film, theatre, music and design offer fertile ground for ND people to thrive.
Whilst ADHD can yield a wealth of benefits, it has its challenges too. Chief among these for me has been mental noise. I’ve spent a lifetime trying to focus whilst at the same time being constantly bombarded by internal and external distractions. My own experience of ADHD has often been akin to being enveloped by a perpetual cacophony of discordant TVs. Myriad images and sounds constantly distracted my mind away from the task in hand, making focussed work hard. The real-world distractions of the environment around me only compounded this further.
Since first realising in 2018 that I might have ADHD, I’ve developed a host of tools including meditation, yoga, reading and exercise to help calm my body and mind. These tools have been and continue to be hugely beneficial, but including meds in this mix following my diagnosis has been game-changing.
The meds help mute the mental noise, replacing the cacophony with calm. Or, put another way, taking them is like putting on glasses and being able to see clearly. You are exactly as you were before, with all the same skills and talents, only now everything is in focus. A new sense of peace and space enters your mind, providing greater time to think and making concentration easier. My concerns that meds might also mute my creativity or in some way change my personality have now been allayed by lived experience. Meds aren’t a cure, but like glasses, they are a powerful tool.
In order for ND individuals to flourish it is key that they understand their talents and play to their professional strengths whenever possible. From my own experience, trying to work like everyone else, or attempting to fit into a generic performance mould, only results in your talents being wasted and you feeling frustrated. Gaining a deep appreciation of your special skills will likely lead to greater happiness as it will enable you to find roles that best suit your abilities.
As Universal Music UK has so beautifully illustrated, employers have a responsibility to do more to foster workplaces that support and capitalise on their ND employees unique talents. Putting structures in place to help ND people is key. Nurturing such environments should be an essential aspect of all good business inclusion and diversity policies. Whether doing this in an office or remotely, these accommodating shifts are not onerous. Moreover, companies that seize this opportunity will inevitably secure a creative edge and thus likely gain a greater competitive advantage in their field.
From conferences in London and Amsterdam to Ibiza and beyond, I’ve spoken out on mental health in the music industry for many years, but I feel the topic of neurodiversity is one we are only just cresting. ADHD and dyslexia have been the focus here as they are the conditions I know best. Neurodiversity, however, as noted earlier, extends far beyond these two conditions. For those who are keen to learn more about the breadth and depth of neurodiversity then Universal’s Creative Differences handbook is a great place to start.
If, like me, you are of a neurodiverse disposition then please don’t feel alone — because you’re not! Your talents are amazing and deserve to be celebrated. Whether you’re already celebrating your neurodiversity or still working it through, know that you can succeed because of your unique nature, rather than in spite of it.
