Living with ADHD in a creative field can feel like a superpower and a super-struggle all at once. Your brain is a whirlwind of brilliant ideas, but harnessing that storm into a finished project? That’s the tricky part. If you’re tired of fighting your brain and ready to work with it, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve scoured Amazon.co.uk to find the best books out there for creative adults with ADHD, considering everything from cost and content to what real people are saying in the reviews.
Here are our top five picks to help you thrive, create, and finally finish that masterpiece.
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1. Delivered from Distraction: Getting the Most out of Life with Attention Deficit Disorder
Price: £11.99 (Paperback) Also available as: Kindle (£9.99)
Written by two of the leading experts in the field, Dr. Edward M. Hallowell and Dr. John J. Ratey, this book is often hailed as a bible for the ADHD community. It takes a strength-based approach, viewing ADHD not as a deficit but as a different way of being.
Content: This isn’t a dry medical textbook. It’s filled with real-life case studies that are incredibly relatable, making you feel seen and understood. The authors explore the various forms of ADHD and offer practical strategies for managing symptoms in all areas of life, from work to relationships. For creatives, the emphasis on harnessing the “interest-driven” nature of the ADHD brain is a game-changer.
What the Reviews Say: With over 2,000 ratings, reviewers consistently praise the book’s compassionate and positive tone. Many say it was the first time they truly understood their own minds. Creatives, in particular, appreciate the focus on turning ADHD traits like hyperfocus and divergent thinking into assets.
Special Sauce for Creatives: This book helps you reframe your ADHD. Instead of seeing it as a barrier to your creativity, you’ll learn to see it as the very engine of it.
2. A Radical Guide for Women with ADHD: Embrace Neurodiversity, Live Boldly, and Break Through Barriers
Price: £15.89 (Paperback) Also available as: Kindle (£13.49) and Audiobook (Audible)
While the title specifies women, the content in this book is invaluable for anyone who feels their ADHD has been misunderstood or overlooked. Sari Solden and Michelle Frank offer a fresh, empowering perspective that is particularly resonant for those in creative industries where imposter syndrome can run rampant.
Content: This guide focuses on the emotional experience of living with ADHD. It combines traditional strategies with mindfulness and self-compassion exercises. The book is structured like a workbook, with space to reflect and apply the concepts to your own life. It tackles issues like shame, perfectionism, and people-pleasing – all common struggles for creative individuals.
What the Reviews Say: This book is a lifeline for many. Reviewers love the workbook format and the focus on self-acceptance. Many creative women have said it helped them break free from the cycle of burnout and self-criticism, allowing them to embrace their unique creative process.
Special Sauce for Creatives: Its focus on overcoming perfectionism and shame is pure gold for any artist, writer, or designer who has ever been paralyzed by a blank page.
3. The Drummer and the Great Mountain – A Guidebook to Transforming Adult ADD/ADHD
Price: £16.99 (Paperback) Also available as: Kindle (£8.99)
This is a hidden gem. Michael Joseph Ferguson uses the metaphor of a “Drummer” (the ADHD brain) and a “Great Mountain” (the challenges of life) to create a unique and holistic system for managing ADHD. It’s less clinical and more spiritual, which can be a refreshing change.
Content: The book is divided into five main sections, covering everything from understanding your “Drummer” to building a sustainable lifestyle. It’s packed with practical exercises, meditations, and lifestyle tips. Ferguson’s approach is about creating a life that works for your ADHD brain, not against it. For creatives, the emphasis on finding your rhythm and flow is particularly powerful.
What the Reviews Say: Reviewers describe this book as life-changing. They love the gentle, encouraging tone and the practical, step-by-step approach. Many say it’s the most comprehensive and actionable ADHD book they’ve ever read. The unique metaphorical framework really resonates with creative thinkers.
Special Sauce for Creatives: The whole book is a creative metaphor! It speaks the language of artists and helps you see your life and your ADHD as a creative project to be shaped and molded.
4. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
Price: £14.99 (Hardcover) Also available as: Paperback (£9.99), Kindle (£5.99) and Audiobook (Audible)
Okay, so this isn’t technically an ADHD book. But its system for habit formation is so brilliantly simple and effective that it has become a holy grail for the ADHD community. James Clear’s approach is perfect for brains that struggle with executive function.
Content: The core idea is to focus on making tiny, incremental changes (atomic habits) that compound over time. Clear breaks down the science of habit formation into four simple laws: make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, and make it satisfying. This is a system that even the most overwhelmed creative can implement.
What the Reviews Say: With over 100,000 ratings, this book is a global phenomenon for a reason. People with ADHD consistently report that this is the only system that has ever worked for them. It bypasses the need for motivation and willpower, which are often in short supply when you have ADHD.
Special Sauce for Creatives: This book gives you a practical toolkit for building a consistent creative practice. Whether you want to write every day, sketch more often, or finally finish that passion project, Atomic Habits shows you how to make it happen, one tiny step at a time.
5. How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing
Price: £9.99 (Paperback) Also available as: Kindle (£7.99) and Audiobook (Audible)
Another book that isn’t explicitly about ADHD, but is written by a therapist who has it. KC Davis’s philosophy is that “care tasks are morally neutral.” This book is a compassionate guide to keeping your space functional when you’re struggling with energy, focus, or motivation.
Content: This is not your typical cleaning book. There are no rigid schedules or shaming tactics. Instead, Davis offers a flexible, gentle system for managing your home. The focus is on function over aesthetics, and on doing the bare minimum to make your space work for you. For creatives, a chaotic environment can be a major block, and this book offers a way out.
What the Reviews Say: Reviewers are emotional in their praise for this book, often saying it made them cry with relief. It has helped countless people let go of the guilt and shame associated with a messy home. The short, easy-to-digest chapters are perfect for ADHD brains.
Special Sauce for Creatives: A cluttered studio or workspace can kill creativity. This book gives you permission to do just enough to create a functional space, freeing up your precious mental energy for what really matters: your art.
The Verdict: Best Most Relevant Recommendation
While every book on this list is fantastic, the Best Most Relevant Recommendation for a Creative Adult with ADHD has to be The Drummer and the Great Mountain.
Its unique, metaphorical approach is perfectly suited to the creative mind. It doesn’t just give you strategies; it gives you a new language for understanding yourself. It reframes the ADHD experience as a creative journey, which is an incredibly empowering and motivating perspective for any artist. It’s practical, profound, and speaks directly to the heart of what it means to be a creative person with a “Drummer” brain.
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