Attention deficit disorder is a misleading term. People with an ADHD can be just as focused as people without ADHD. However, they have trouble controlling their attention reliably. This means they are not able to activate, maintain, and deactivate their attention as easily as others. How come that they are sometimes able to concentrate extremely well?

The hyperfocus

The phenomenon of hyperfocus has not yet been extensively researched. However, individuals with ADHD are quite familiar with it, despite the fact that it is not listed as a diagnostic criterion in the DSM-5. What exactly is the hyperfocus?

Hyperfocus refers to a period of intense concentration. It resembles the “flow” described by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, which also causes one to forget the world around them. A person may be so absorbed in their task that they do not respond when called. However, two characteristics distinguish hyperfocus from flow:

• It causes them to neglect their personal needs (eating, drinking, going to the bathroom, etc.).
• In hyperfocus mode, the person easily gets caught up in insignificant details (for example, formatting a text needlessly after writing it).

This makes the hyperfocus more intense and less controllable than the flow.

The ADHD hyperfocus is triggered when something interesting captures the attention completely. When this happens, a person with ADHD can focus intensely and continuously on a specific task without being distracted for even a second. This is very curious, because at other times, the same person clearly demonstrates serious concentration problems. What is going on? Isn't this simply a lack of willpower and effort?

Trouble of regulating one's attention

Contrary to popular belief, ADHD is by no means synonymous with “attention deficit.” It is the regulation of attention that is reduced in ADHD. The part of the brain that controls and regulates executive functions is less active. According to Swiss psychiatrist Heiner Lachenmeier, this can have effects such as:

• distractibility
• trouble concentrating
• distorted perception
• hypersensitivity
• hyperactivity
• clumsiness
• impulsivity
• and poor organizational skills

When there is a marked personal interest, the control center automatically gets acitve in an ADHD brain. But in the absence of a pronounced interest, its activity is significantly reduced, making it extremely difficult for the person to concentrate on the task at hand and causing them to be easily distracted. Anything that seems more interesting at the moment will then grab their attention.

This phenomenon can leave those around the ADHD person bewildered and lead to comments such as, “She can concentrate when she wants to.” However, this is not a question of willpower. It is simply that the control center in the brain is unable to trigger concentration due to poor regulation of certain neurotransmitters.

The role dopamine plays

ADHD is roughly characterized by a deficiency of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain.

• Dopamine suppresses unimportant information. It is part of the reward system.
• Norepinephrine (also called noradrenaline) reinforces important information.

You need both neurotransmitters so you can focus on what's important and ignore what's not. Low levels in people with ADHD cause them to have trouble paying attention and get easily distracted. How can their levels be increased?

• ADHD medication can boost the levels of either neurotransmitter for two to eight hours.
• The person feels a strong sense of interest and is highly stimulated by the activity itself.

It should be emphasized that strong feelings are necessary. Mental willpower has no effect on these neurotransmitters. Blaming people with ADHD for a lack of willpower is pointless and even hurtful, as they cannot deliberately change anything about it. Like distractibility, hyperfocus is not really under the control of the person with ADHD.

High level of interest and concentration

People with ADHD find it very difficult to concentrate on boring and mundane tasks, but they can focus exceptionally well on activities that stimulate them. A good balance between personal interest, stimulation, and reward increases dopamine production, which allows for exceptional concentration manifested as hyperfocus.

The hyperfocus makes a person so absorbed in an activity that they forget everything going on around them. This usually happens when the person is engaged in an activity they find fun, rewarding, and/or stimulating. It is also linked to an immense feeling of satisfaction and happiness.

Moreover, hyperfocus is not limited to people with ADHD, but is also observed in people with autism and schizophrenia.

Signs of hyperfocus

When a person with ADHD is immersed in a task that stimulates them intensely, their ability to concentrate is extraordinary. Virtually any task can trigger hyperfocus, including reading, playing a musical instrument, creating art, and playing video games. Hyperfocus has the following characteristics:

• Full commitment: The person becomes extremely focused on their task and anything unrelated to it gradually disappears from their attention.
• Long-term attention: They lose track of time and can remain engaged in their task for hours.
• Tunnel vision: They stop noticing things around them and neglect other tasks they wanted to do.
• Extraordinary performance: Intensive and sustained concentration on a single task enables them to achieve a very high level of performance and efficiency.

This abundance of concentration can be both a blessing and a curse, depending on how it is channeled.

The positive side

Some disruptive aspects of ADHD, such as distractibility, disappear completely during the hyperfocus phase. For people with ADHD, their hyperfocus has significant advantages:

• High productivity: Thanks to theri hyperfocus, they can achieve exceptional levels of concentration and productivity for tasks that stimulate them. They are able to work without interruption for long periods of time, which leads to impressive results in certain areas.
• Creativity and innovation: When hyperfocusing, they can be highly creative and produce innovative ideas. Total immersion in a subject can generate unique ideas and original approaches.
• In-depth expertise: Their hyperfocus allows them to immerse themselves deeply in a subject and acquire extraordinary knowledge in their areas of interest.
• Passion and commitment: Often, the hyperfocus is triggered by activities that the person is truly passionate about. This intrinsic motivation can lead to deep and long-lasting commitment to certain projects or fields.
• Personal satisfaction: Their hyperfocus allows them to experience moments of success, which not only gives them personal satisfaction, but also increases their self-esteem, which is often greatly diminished by failures in other areas.

Challenges

Although the hyperfocus has undeniable benefits, it presents significant challenges for people with ADHD. The following are the main challenges associated with hyperfocus:

• Poor time management: People with ADHD generally have difficulty managing time. In a state of hyperfocus, they can spend hours on a particular task, neglecting other important activities. A complete loss of track of time can lead to delays in other areas and unfulfilled obligations.
• Neglect of physiological needs: The hyperfocus often causes them to ignore their body's natural signals. They forget to eat, drink, use the bathroom, and sleep, which has negative effects on their health.
• Harm to social relationships: When experiencing hyperfocus, people forget about those around them, which may be perceived as indifference or rudeness by others. As a result, this can easily lead to misunderstandings, and damage social relationships.
• Neglect of other obligations: Intense concentration on a single task causes people to forget other important responsibilities, including household chores as well as job and family obligations. This can quickly lead to tension with those around them.
• Exhaustion and burnout: Hyperfocus sessions can be mentally and physically exhausting. Once the session is over, the person may feel tired, irritable, and unable to concentrate on other tasks, which can hinder their productivity in other areas.
• Difficulty switching to another task: The person may be so focused on their current task that they struggle to switch to another activity. This difficulty in transitioning can disrupt their daily routine and their ability to juggle multiple tasks effectively.

The hyperfocus allows one to increase productivity. However, this is threatened if other important responsibilities are neglected or if one's own health is not taken care of.

Dangers and risks

People with ADHD may devote so much time and energy to a highly stimulating task that it has a negative impact on other areas of their lives, for example,

• Misunderstandings and conflicts in their social relationships
• Serious consequences due to missed urgent deadlines
• Neglect of key responsibilities at work
• Decline of academic and professional achievements
• Neglect of personal care (healthy meals, exercise, sufficient sleep, etc.)

The hyperfocus becomes truly harmful when it is devoted to superfluous or even useless activities, such as:

• Improving a text that is already good enough
• Doing online research on a completely insignificant detail
• Modifying a completely negligible aspect of an object
• Playing video games
• Checking social media

In such cases, the hyperfocus offers no benefits and only has negative effects. It must be acknowledged that everyone with ADHD experiences this regularly. However, it is absolutely necessary to prevent these episodes from occurring too often and to put appropriate strategies in place to this end.

An asset in the professional world

In order to use your hyperfocus to your advantage in your career, the key is to identify the specific tasks that stimulate you to the point of triggering your hyperfocus. Once you have done that, you need to find an environment that offers you these types of stimulating tasks. Under these conditions, your hyperfocus will allow you to stand out in jobs that require intense and sustained concentration.

Tips for turning your hyperfocus into an asset

Although hyperfocus has many advantages, it is important to note that it can also have disadvantages if not managed properly. Balanced management is therefore essential to get the most out of it. Here are some practical ways to use your hyperfocus in a productive way:

• Find topics that stimulate you: Focus your education and career on what you are passionate about. At the same time, avoid jobs that involve a lot of tasks that do not stimulate you.
• Manage your time effectively: Set priorities and make sure you stick to them. Set reminders and create schedules to stay on track and avoid distractions. Also, set time limits for tasks where you tend to overdo it.
• Identify your early warning signs: It's important to know your warning signs when hyperfocus starts to have a negative impact on you, such as lack of sleep or skipping meals. This allows you to put strategies in place to prevent them.
• Look ahead: If you only have a few minutes before going out or going to bed, don't start an activity that leads to hyperfocus. Leave it for when you have enough time.
• Talk about hyperfocus: Explain hyperfocus to others to avoid misunderstandings.
• Join a peer support group: Benefit from the experiences of others by joining a peer support group. There, you can talk freely about your challenges and find support. Attend meetings in your area or online.

Good time management is essential. The ADHD brain is forgetful and needs reminders. That's why I always set reminders on my cell phone when I'm at risk of forgetting an important task because I'm hyperfocusing on another task. In addition, I use a Pomodoro method app to remind me regularly that 25 minutes have passed, and it's time to take a short break. In my Firefox browser, I have installed an extension (LeechBlock NG) that blocks access to certain sites during predefined hours.

You may also seek support from a family member or friend if reminders or other strategies are not having the desired effect. They can alert you when you are spending too much time on an activity and are unable to detach yourself from it.

Learn to tame your hyperfocus

Understanding your hyperfocus can turn it into a powerful tool, provided you manage it properly. You need to recognize its dual nature – both beneficial and dangerous – and implement effective strategies that work for you. This will allow you to enjoy it and get the most out of it. Here are a few more positive aspects of hyperfocus:

• Exceptional productivity on stimulating projects
• Solving complex problems in original ways
• Completing ambitious artistic or technical projects

By learning to channel and manage your hyperfocus, you can turn it into a real asset in your private life and in your career, while limiting its potentially negative effects. Many scientists, writers, and artists with ADHD have had highly successful careers, largely thanks to their ability to focus on what they were doing for hours on end.
 

Main sources:

• LACHENMEIER, Heiner, 2023. ADHD and success at work: how to turn supposed shortcomings into strengths. Cham: Springer. ISBN 978-3-031-13436-4.
• Alice Gendron : Comprendre L'hyperfocus TDAH : Le Bon, Le Mauvais et Les Défis (in French)
• ADHD Hyperfocus: The Secret Weapon to Unleashing Productivity and Creativity.
  add.org/adhd-hyperfocus
  
  

This article was first published in French in September 2024 and has now been translated into English by the author himself.

Author of the article: Beát Edelmann, expert in neurodiversity (autism, ADHD and high IQ) and personality exploration. He is the founder of the Abundana Institute for Self-Management in Geneva, which offers coaching, training, and consulting services in French, English, and German.

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