Making ADHD your Superpower | George Cicci | TEDxWVU
Summary
TLDRIn this inspiring speech, the speaker shares his personal journey with ADHD, defying the guidance counselor's prediction of not graduating high school to achieving success in his career and personal life. He discusses the genetic traits of ADHD, linking them to ancient survival mechanisms and modern-day challenges. The speaker emphasizes the importance of harnessing the impulsivity, risk-taking, and ingenuity of ADHD to overcome overwhelm and suggests practical strategies like brain dumping to manage and channel the ADHD mind's energy productively.
Takeaways
- 🎓 The speaker was told in seventh grade that they wouldn't go to college or even graduate high school due to their behavior, but they were determined to prove this prediction wrong.
- 👨👩👧 The speaker's uncle, who attended Duquesne University, was a significant influence, inspiring them to desire a college experience filled with learning and social activities.
- 🏠 The speaker's family members who didn't attend college but were successful in business and IT provided examples that college was not the only path to success.
- 🔍 The speaker was diagnosed with ADHD at 31, which explained their past struggles with focus and impulsivity, and sparked an interest in understanding the condition.
- 🧬 The script discusses the genetic basis of ADHD, linking it to the drd4 gene and a mutation that affects dopamine production, leading to a need for stimulation.
- 🌟 The speaker suggests that the traits associated with ADHD, such as impulsivity and risk-taking, were beneficial for survival in ancient times and are now seen as a 'superpower' in certain contexts.
- 💡 The concept of 'positively selected' traits is introduced, indicating that these behaviors were advantageous in our evolutionary history and thus passed on.
- 📝 The speaker recommends a technique called 'brain dump' to manage overwhelm and harness the energy of ADHD, by writing down thoughts and ideas as they come.
- 🛠 The importance of balance is highlighted, emphasizing the need for individuals with ADHD to know when to engage their fight-or-flight response and when to be impulsive.
- 🚀 The script concludes with a call to action for people with ADHD to master their skills and use their unique traits to address the challenges facing humanity today.
- 👏 The applause at the end signifies the positive reception of the speaker's message, indicating that the audience found the content relatable and inspiring.
Q & A
What was the guidance counselor's initial prediction about George's academic future?
-The guidance counselor predicted that George would not go to college and would have a hard time getting out of high school.
How did George's family react to the counselor's prediction?
-George's family, particularly his grandmother, served as an example that one could be successful without a college education.
What was George's motivation to go to college?
-George was inspired by his uncle's college experiences and the idea of engaging in fun and meaningful activities like a dance-a-thon for charity.
What was the significance of the dorm room and college environment to George?
-The dorm room and college environment represented a new world of independence and excitement for George, which he found appealing.
How did George's behavior in school lead to accusations of drug use?
-George's hyperactivity and inability to sit still in class led the school principal to suspect that he was using drugs, specifically speed.
What was the irony in the principal's suspicion of George using speed?
-The irony was that George was listening to a cassette tape from Minor Threat, a straight-edge band, which contradicts the idea of drug use.
What was the advice given to George by the guidance counselor and principal for academic success?
-They advised George to sit down, shut up, and be quiet in order to succeed academically.
At what age was George diagnosed with ADHD?
-George was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 31.
What are the three main traits of ADHD according to the script?
-The three main traits of ADHD mentioned are impulsivity, risk-taking, and constant novelty-seeking.
How does the drd4 gene mutation relate to ADHD?
-The drd4 gene mutation inhibits the production of dopamine, leading to a need for stimulation in individuals with ADHD to feel good.
What is the 'spear' metaphor used to describe in the context of ADHD?
-The 'spear' metaphor refers to the action of engaging in the fight-or-flight response, which is a key aspect of how individuals with ADHD handle overwhelming situations.
What technique does George recommend for managing ADHD symptoms during moments of overwhelm?
-George recommends a technique called a 'brain dump,' where one writes down all thoughts and ideas as they come to prevent shutdown.
What is the key skill that George believes individuals with ADHD need to master?
-The key skill is learning to balance the fight-or-flight response, knowing when to engage it for productivity and when to allow impulsivity and risk-taking.
Outlines
🎓 Overcoming ADHD to Achieve Academic and Personal Success
The speaker reflects on their journey with ADHD, from being told in seventh grade that they wouldn't graduate high school, let alone attend college, to having a successful career and family life. They recount their desire to go to college, inspired by their uncle's experiences and the vibrant college life he described. Despite the guidance counselor's low expectations, the speaker was determined to pursue higher education. They also touch on the stereotypes and misconceptions about ADHD, highlighting their own experiences and the importance of understanding and embracing one's unique abilities.
🧬 The Genetic Basis of ADHD and Its Evolutionary Advantages
This paragraph delves into the genetic aspects of ADHD, focusing on the drd4 gene mutation that is linked to the main traits of impulsivity, risk-taking, and novelty-seeking. The speaker explains how these traits, once crucial for survival in prehistoric times, are now seen as disadvantages in a modern context. However, they argue that these traits have been positively selected throughout human history because they increased the chances of survival and reproduction. The speaker also discusses the importance of finding the right balance between the fight-or-flight response and impulsivity to harness the potential of ADHD in today's world.
🛠 Managing ADHD Through the Fight-or-Flight Response and Brain Dump Technique
The speaker introduces a strategy for managing ADHD by engaging the fight-or-flight response at moments of overwhelm. They describe the brain dump technique, which involves writing down thoughts and ideas as quickly as they come to prevent shutdown. This method allows individuals with ADHD to categorize and prioritize their thoughts, turning them into actionable items. The speaker emphasizes the importance of mastering the balance between impulsivity and the ability to focus, which is crucial for both personal and professional success in the face of contemporary challenges.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡ADHD
💡Guidance Counselor
💡College Aspirations
💡Impulsivity
💡Risk-Taking
💡Novelty Seeking
💡Dopamine
💡Fight-or-Flight Response
💡Brain Dump
💡Overwhelm
💡Genetic Mutation
Highlights
George wasn't supposed to be successful according to his guidance counselor, but he proved them wrong.
In seventh grade, George's guidance counselor advised his parents to put him in basic level classes and said he wouldn't go to college.
George was inspired to go to college by his uncle, who attended Duquesne University and shared exciting stories about college life.
In eighth grade, George was accused of being on drugs due to his hyperactive behavior, but his father defended him.
George was diagnosed with ADHD at 31, which explained his lifelong challenges with hyperactivity and focus.
ADHD traits include impulsivity, risk-taking, and novelty seeking, which are linked to a genetic mutation on the DRD4 gene.
People with ADHD need stimulation to feel good due to inhibited dopamine production.
Historically, ADHD traits were positively selected for survival, aiding in hunting and protection.
Modern success for people with ADHD involves harnessing the fight-or-flight response at moments of overwhelm.
George uses a 'brain dump' exercise to manage overwhelm by writing down thoughts rapidly.
The brain dump technique helps categorize and prioritize ideas, turning chaos into creativity.
ADHD can be a superpower when the balance between impulsivity and control is mastered.
ADHD traits like impulsivity, risk-taking, and ingenuity are crucial for solving modern problems.
George emphasizes the importance of embracing ADHD traits to make significant contributions to society.
He concludes by encouraging people with ADHD to master their unique skills for personal and societal benefit.
Transcripts
[Music]
when people meet me and they find out
that I've got a loving wife and a loving
daughter and an amazing career working
with some really big brands and that I
have ADHD they're often surprised and so
am I because I wasn't supposed to be
here you see in seventh grade I was
taken down to the guidance counselor's
office to schedule my eighth grade
classes and there were my mom and dad in
the guidance counselor's office and I
wasn't expecting that the guidance
counselor was going on about how George
shouldn't be in the academic level
classes next year he should be in the
basic level classes there something I
wasn't really paying attention but my
ears did perk up when she said to my
parents mr. and mrs. CC your son is not
going to go to college as a matter of
fact he's gonna have a hard time getting
out of high school now I knew this
wasn't the case I have friends and
family it didn't go to college my
grandmother didn't go to college and she
founded an empire of a business within
the dance industry my best friend didn't
finish college and he is the head of IT
for a massive national corporation but
the thing is I wanted to go to college
you see I have this uncle who's just 10
years older than me he was going to
Duquesne University and when he would
come home from college for any family
occasions like Thanksgiving or Christmas
or anything like that it was an event
the family would swarm him and ask him
all these questions how is college going
what are you doing for fun what classes
are you taking
and he would talk about these exotic
subjects I've never heard of before and
for fun I remember this one time he said
that he and his friends stayed up 24
hours in a row at a dance-a-thon to
raise money for a Children's Hospital
and I said that's what I want I want
that I want to be able to stay up 24
hours in a row with my friends at a
dance-a-thon doing good things for good
people but also I want this experience
of coming home from somewhere and having
people be like hey it's George how have
you been
and I idolized him I've begged my
parents let me go to college with him
they relented I went for about half a
day and I went to Duquesne University
and he took me around just me and him
and some of his friends
and I got to see his dorm room and it
was so cool once again this is the 80s
like remember he had this Devo poster
and he had the tiny mini fridge that's
the first time I had seen that I don't
I'm loving it I'm like this is this is
it I need this in my life and then he
shows me where the rest of his classes
are and they're not all in one building
we walked between buildings to get to
his classrooms this is getting better by
the moment the piece de resistance is I
had to go to class with him there was
one he couldn't get away from and so we
sat in the back and he took notes and I
doodled and ate the microwave popcorn we
cooked out in the hallway I'm in I want
to go to college but there wasn't 7th
grade being told you're not gonna have
any of that you're not gonna have the
homecoming is you are not going anywhere
you sure as hell aren't could eat
microwave popcorn in the back of a
lecture hall in eighth grade I was
pulled down to the principal's office
this time because I was bouncing all
over the place in gym class acting like
a crazy person
my dad was called away from the company
he runs to come up and talk to the
principal I said mr. CC we think your
son's own drugs possibly speed my dad
vehemently defended me and said he's
just enthusiastic and energetic and
you're lucky to have him as a student
and what I learned that day from my
guidance counselor was also pulled in
because I might have been on speed the
great irony here is that in my Walkman
was a cassette tape from Minor Threat
look the band up the irony would just
slay their straightedge band okay that's
the punch line for that but the guidance
counselor in the principal basically
that day said to me if you want to
succeed in eighth grade like that's a
goal and get to ninth grade like that's
a goal you need to sit down shut up and
be quiet here's the thing I'm
genetically incapable of sitting down
shutting up and being quiet nobody with
ADHD is genetically capable of sitting
down shutting up and being quiet I
didn't know that at the time I only
found this out after I was diagnosed at
31 years old the behest of many good
friends and a loving wife and a daughter
who was
tired of me losing my keys and I
couldn't drive her anywhere when I was
able after treatment have a slower mind
and read my first books from cover to
cover and 31 years old I became obsessed
with who I was
ADHD I don't have it I am and I found
some amazing things out there are these
study these scientists who have studied
genetics and they found out that the
three main traits of ADHD impulsivity
risk-taking and constant novelty seeking
you know finding new ways to do
something when you don't need to find
new ways to do something as stopping
projects to start new projects because
they're more exciting or call it
ingenuity those same three traits are
tied to a genetic mutation on the drd4
gene this genetic mutation inhibits the
production of dopamine the feel-good
chemical so in order for people with
ADHD to feel good we need stimulation
and if we don't find stimulation out
there we will cause the stimulation we
will fight we will draw extremely long
penalties and hockey games we will
escape or buell snowboard we will go to
punk rock concerts in the dangerous
parts of Pittsburgh every Friday and
Saturday night for six years in a row
just to feel normal and quote normal our
normal not your normal but to feel good
the same scientists also found out that
this gene mutation has been positively
selected since time immemorial now if
you're like me you had to look up what
positively selected men that means that
whenever somebody of our caveman
brothers or sisters exhibited those same
three traits impulsivity risk-taking
ingenuity they got to make more often
this is usually the point when people
with ADHD in the crowd kind of sit up a
little more proud you'll less ashamed
but why is that what do these three
traits have to do with passing on a gene
think about it we're in the same
tribe or clan of cave people it's night
time we're sitting out in front of the
cave we have a little fire going and out
beyond the edge of that fire beyond what
we can see there is a very slight snap
of a twig now there's about a hundred of
us here right now that means between
five and seven of us are often in the
night with Spears and we sink them into
whatever made that sound saber-tooth
Tiger bear wolf
whatever it was we return to the tribe
we saved and we mate with your partners
and this is phenomenal if we're being
hunted down by saber-tooth Tigers but
how do we take a survival mechanism in
the Stone Age and turn it into a success
mechanism in the 21st century you do it
by purposefully engaging the
fight-or-flight response see people with
ADHD we are the fight-or-flight response
our nervous system is primed to live
with our heads on a swivel and
constantly look for that saber-toothed
tiger because we are ready and when it
happens we are at our best when things
they are worst we do better so how do we
bring this fight-or-flight response
about a better question is when do we
bring this fight-or-flight response
about we bring it about at the moment of
overwhelm everybody experiences
overwhelm at some point in their life
people with ADHD experience overwhelm
multiple times a day because our brains
work so fast and you have all these
ideas going a billion ideas flowing at
once and you have immense physical
energy and you have all this going on
and you're trying to do all these things
at once except there aren't enough
outlets for all the energy and all of a
sudden you shut down shut down is what
kills careers for people with ADHD
there's that moment before the shutdown
though or it feels like the world is
collapsing in on you and you want to run
away from whatever it is you're doing
that's overwhelmed that's when we pick
up the spear now the spear in this case
is a pen and you do a very simple
exercise called a brain dump I keep this
notebook with me and one just like it
with me everywhere I've gone through
about 70 80 90 the things in a second
you start to feel it's tightening your
chest you feel like the world's
collapsing around you you crack open the
notebook and put pen to paper and you
start writing it doesn't need to be
legible to anybody but you doesn't even
need to be legible to you it doesn't
need to be grammatically correct it
could be thoughts
it could be words it could be entire
sentence it could be doodles it could be
whatever as fast as it comes into your
head onto the page into your head onto
the page into your head onto the page
over and over and over again front page
back page front paid back page for as
long as you can and something amazing is
gonna happen it's just gonna stop and
it's just gonna stop because you have
been impulsive you have allowed yourself
to do this you have engaged fight or
flight you have jumped into the darkness
sunk the head of the spear into the
saber-tooth Tiger this feeling is what
we get after we get in a fight after we
disrupt a class it allows you to take
all those ideas you had before that
we're swirling and coming at you at
light speed and categorize them to
prioritize them to do things with to
create the real superpower with ADHD is
learning the balance the two sides of
this gift it's knowing when to go into
fight or flight so you can use these
ideas and work with people and do
mundane things like balance books and
knowing when you need to take your hands
off the wheel and be impulsive and be a
little reckless and take risks and have
that flight of ideas everybody with ADHD
needs to master this skill it's not good
enough that we save the human race
we got us to here because the human race
is facing a lot of big problems right
now and the only way out of it is going
to be with impulsivity risk-taking and
ingenuity thank you
[Applause]
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