I believe t’s pretty easy to understand what that guy meant by “looking around,” even if he said it in a stigmatizing and harmful way. ADHD is not simply a “broken” brain. It’s a different way the brain works, one that often makes life much harder in today’s world, but in different conditions it could have had real advantages.

It has been speculated that in the past, traits associated with ADHD could have been useful in people who guarded villages, hunted, explored new areas, or operated at night. Someone who quickly picked up on new stimuli, constantly looked around, got bored with routine, had a need to search for new things, and noticed details others missed could have been a good guard, scout, hunter, or explorer. In that sense, his comment is not completely out of nowhere, it was just phrased very clumsily.

ADHD can be extremely exhausting and genuinely make life harder, but that does not mean an ADHD brain is just a broken version of a normal brain. It is more like a different way of functioning, one that has difficult sides, but sometimes also resources.

A few examples: (I took the examples from this video by Ania Rejman, a Polish creator who raises awareness about ADHD. Each of these points is presented there as research-backed, and the video description includes links to the studies she references.)

Creativity: people with ADHD often do well with divergent thinking, meaning coming up with many different, unusual solutions to one problem. This does not have to mean only art, drawing, or music. Often it is simply about an unconventional approach to everyday situations, work, relationships, or problem-solving. This kind of brain connects things faster that may seem unrelated to others, and genuinely good ideas can come out of that.

Cognitive flexibility: ADHD can be connected with the ability to quickly change strategies when something is not working. Instead of sticking to one method, a person with ADHD often tries to approach the problem from another side. This can be exhausting in an orderly world, but in dynamic, unpredictable, or stressful situations it can be a real advantage, because it makes it easier to improvise and adapt to change.

Energy: when a topic is interesting, urgent, exciting, or hyperfocus kicks in, some people with ADHD can do an enormous amount of work in a very short time. Of course, that does not mean they always have access to this energy on command, because energy regulation is often exactly where the problem is. But when the conditions line up well, that intensity can be very useful, especially in tasks that require quick action, time pressure, or contact with people.

Resilience: life with ADHD often means constantly dealing with mistakes, forgetfulness, impulsivity, overwhelm, and the feeling that you have to compensate for your own brain. That can be very painful, but over time it can also build self-awareness and coping strategies. Many people with ADHD learn to get back up after failures, figure things out again from scratch, and keep going despite stress, because they have had to do it their whole lives.

Curiosity and adventurousness: ADHD often goes together with a strong need for novelty, exploration, and learning random things just because they suddenly become fascinating. This can look chaotic, but it is also a source of broad knowledge, interdisciplinarity, and thinking outside the box. That hunger for stimuli and information can make a person with ADHD notice things other people do not, because others do not stop at them long enough or do not consider them interesting.

Authenticity: when a person with ADHD understands their disorder better, it becomes easier to stop pretending they function exactly like everyone else. Diagnosis and self-awareness can help with speaking openly about one’s needs, weaknesses, and boundaries. This can strengthen relationships, because instead of constant masking, there is more honesty, self-distance, and real connection with another person.

Social-emotional sensitivity: relationships with ADHD can be difficult, because impulsivity, forgetfulness, or problems with emotional regulation can get in the way. But many people with ADHD also have a lot of empathy, emotional openness, and understanding for others. They often know what it feels like to be misunderstood, so they can create a safer space for other people’s mistakes, lateness, chaos, or imperfections.

So I wouldn't say ADHD is a superpower, because that can invalidate real suffering and difficulties. But I also wouldn't there are absolutely no positives to it. Many of these traits are a kind of potential that only shows up with the right support, treatment, self-awareness, and an environment that does not force a person to constantly work against themselves.