It’s another area that I am slightly confused about as I think most of us are aware of the hype around ADHD by now.
But... perhaps we could reframe ‘awareness’ as the wider ‘awareness’ of what it’s actually like to harbour a different way of looking at the world in general. As I’ve said on many occasions, I believe most musicians are slightly odd (in a good way – maybe that’s just me), we need to make art, we need to self soothe through our musicking, we need to find community in our musicking relationships when the ‘real world’ can be just a little too complex. It’s a vital lifeline for many of us.
When we are different, simple things become difficult, the juggle between over and under stimulation, too much noise, not enough noise, too many people, to few people, getting a bill paid, car insurance….it really can be chaotic! Life can be an exhausting circus at times.
It’s far easier to sculpt a melody, hit a drum or write a lyric.
And, of course the music industry is a wild ride full of both ultra-stimulation and the monotony of long silent, still touring hours. For those who struggle with transitions in general, it’s a challenging world!
For me, ADHD awareness means just being open to people that see and approach life differently. This way of being in the world is becoming more accepted in today’s society but it does still carry stigma for some. It’s also important that these differences aren’t used as an excuse, but as a way to acknowledge and find individual ways to navigate the nuanced challenges it presents. For example, if we struggle with time elasticity, the classic ‘now and not now’ time frame of ADHD, then we need to use a diary or calendar. We shouldn’t expect others to accept our chaotic twilight zone of psychedelic timing. Maybe we can expect a little more understanding but ultimately it is us (ourselves) that must take ownership of our needs, perhaps through open and honest conversations.
There are, of course, many other traits of this ADHD way of being (alongside time stretching) but it’s important that we can have open conversations about what is required of us and what we require of others to meet our full potential. In all, ADHD is a complex thing and we should be more open about it whilst remaining mindful that it is not an excuse and not everything is ADHD as social media would have us believe. The truth is somewhere in the middle... for those of us who have this ‘way of being’, it can be both a blessing and a curse but ultimately it is a part of us and thus, we don’t need to feel bad about it.
If you are interested in finding out more about ADHD and musicians please consider joining the Tonic Rider ADHD Peer Support Group.
Adam Ficek hosts a monthly show 'Tonic Music' on Totally Wired Radio, where he talks to various guests about music and mental health. You can listen again to any of the previous show on the Tonic Music Mixcloud page.
