How Hyperfocus Affects People With ADHD

The name attention deficit disorder can give the impression that if you have ADHD you can’t focus or pay attention to anything. However, this is misleading because ADHD is actually a problem of regulating attention rather than a lack of attention.

Children and adults with ADHD find it very hard to focus on boring mundane tasks, yet can focus exceptionally well on activities that interest them. In fact, when they are engaged in a task that is interesting to them, they focus so well that it is called hyperfocus.

The ability to hyperfocus can be frustrating to parents, teachers, or spouses, and results in comments like, "They can focus when they want to." However, the ability to focus is more complex than just wanting to. Lots of people with ADHD want to focus, perhaps on their homework assignment that is due tomorrow, or what their partner is saying, yet they can only seem to focus on an activity when there is the right balance of personal interest, stimulation, and reward.

What Does Hyperfocus Look Like? 

When someone is in hyperfocus mode they become so immersed in the task that they are oblivious to everything else going on around them. They can become so focused that they do not pause to eat, drink, or use the bathroom. You may notice this when a child with ADHD is playing a video game and you try to get their attention. You call them, but you get no answer. You try calling louder, but you still get no answer. Finally, you raise your voice to a shout, and you realize you might have to get their attention a different way.

In her book, Adventures in Fast Forward, Kathleen Nadeau shares a story about a woman with ADHD who became so intensely focused on a paper she was writing that she was completely unaware her house had caught fire. “She had missed the sirens and all the commotion and was finally discovered by firemen, working contentedly in her room while the kitchen at the back of the house was engulfed in flames,” writes Nadeau. Luckily, this woman was able to get out of the house safely. (Her paper was probably extraordinarily well written, as well!) 

Benefits of Hyperfocus in People With ADHD

Hyperfocus can be a "superpower" for people with ADHD and is sometimes used interchangeably with the term flow state, a term coined by psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi. He explained when you are in a state of flow: "The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you're using your skills to the utmost."

People who are in this state of intense focus are goal-directed and feel contentment and satisfaction. What they are doing is intrinsically rewarding and triggers the release of dopamine, and that motivates them to continue. There is often a heightened degree of creativity and skill attainment while in a state of hyperfocus or flow. For example:

• When there is a deadline, you can push everything else aside and focus only on meeting that deadline. 
• If you hyperfocus on work-related tasks, you develop a reputation as someone who is talented and dedicated to their work. Plus, it means that you enjoy the time spent at work.
• At the beginning of a relationship, you might hyperfocus on the person you are dating. This intense level of attention feels flattering and intoxicating to your date.
• A parent can hyperfocus on an activity they are doing with their child. Having a parent that engrossed in a shared, fun project makes the child feel incredibly special.
• A child might hyperfocus on an activity that builds their self-esteem. This is very positive, as living with ADHD can erode their self-esteem. The activity, whether learning to skateboard or to program a computer, is less important than how it makes them feel.
• Some of the greatest discoveries and inventions result from an individual’s ability to stay “in the zone,” focused and immersed in an activity for hours and hours.

Negative Effects of Hyperfocus

Unfortunately, if it is not managed properly, hyperfocus can cause many problems. Some people escape into their own worlds, neglecting those around them, and ignoring important tasks that need to get done. Personal hygiene may go out the window, and eating habits could revolve around quick and easy snacks. If this occurs, school and work performance suffer, personal health is negatively impacted, and relationships become strained. Some people refer to this as hyperfixation, another term used interchangeably with hyperfocus but it has a more negative connotation. For example:

• You stay up all night binge-watching your new favorite TV show. Now you can't stay awake at school.
• At work, you might miss meetings, or fall behind in your responsibilities because you have been too focused on the elements of the job you enjoy.
• You are frustrated with yourself for procrastinating on an important homework assignment because you got sucked into a video game again.
• Your spouse might get angry with you because you only seem to do activities that are fun for you while they are left to do the household chores.
• Your health can get out of balance because it is easy to lose track of time when you are hyperfixated. As a result, there isn’t time to do other important activities, like taking a shower, preparing healthy food, or going to the gym.
• You feel guilty because you are not spending time with your friends and loved ones.
• You can become critical of yourself and expect yourself to always be able to focus if you just put your mind to it. For example, if you focused intensely for 12 hours one day to meet a deadline, you wonder why you can’t do that the next day too.
  

6 Tips for Getting the Most from Hyperfocus

Give these tips a try to take advantage of hyperfocus.

1. Match your career with your hyperfocus activities. Choose a career path that is in line with what you tend to hyperfocus on. As Nadeau explains, “Choose what you love to do as your life’s work.” This way, your hyperfocus is put to good use in advancing your career. Plus, you will be much happier doing what you enjoy.
2. If you're a parent of a child with ADHD, figure out what your child focuses on. Knowing what your child hyperfocuses on gives you an insight into their areas of interest and motivation. It might not be what a typical 9-year-old is interested in! With this knowledge, you can adapt their activities to include this area of interest. For example, when Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps was young he struggled in school. His mom tailored his education around his interest in swimming. To help him read, she gave him the sports section of the newspaper and made sure his math problems were customized so they were swimming-related.
3. Identify what your hyperfocus activities are. When you know exactly what you hyperfocus on, you can choose carefully when you do them. If you only have a few minutes before you go out with your partner or before you need to go to bed, don’t start a hyperfocus activity. Instead, choose to do them on the weekend when you have larger chunks of time. As a parent, you can help your child do the same.
4. Create a rhythm or schedule for your day. To stay balanced, hyperfocus activities should come after the most important tasks are done first. That way, you know your teeth are going to get brushed before you start reading that page-turner or join your gaming community for a few rounds.
5. Set time limits. It is helpful for parents to set firm time limits around “escapist” activities in which their children tend to hyperfocus. Sit down with your child, discuss the issue and together you can come up with predetermined time limits. Adults may also escape into television or online chat groups and forums. Try to limit your time participating in activities that exclude you from the outside world. Figure out a predetermined amount of time to engage in the activity and stick to it.
6. Set reminders. Figure out ways to establish cues that remind you of when it is time to take a break from an activity. You may need to be reminded to get up and move around, drink some water, or stick something in the oven. Adults may want to set an alarm to help them break away from the task for a while.​ Parents can help their children do the same. Parents can also give verbal and physical reminders. Sometimes verbal direction to turn off the video game is not enough. A parent may need to give a tap on the shoulder or even stand directly between their child and the video screen in order to get their child’s attention and help them shift to another activity.​

Hyperfocus can be your superpower in the case of getting into your "flow" state, or it can be your kryptonite in the case of hyperfixation. If you have ADHD, lean into the positive attributes of your ability to hyperfocus so it works to your benefit. If you find yourself excessively fixated on activities to the detriment of your personal health, mental well-being, and social life, consider talking to your doctor about getting some professional help or try one of the online therapy programs such as Talkspace, Betterhelp, and Regain. There are also tons of ADHD resources and support groups.