ADHD & Hyper-Focus - Part I

ADHD & Hyper-Focus

This commentary examines the nature of and evidence for a frequently cited benefit of ADHD, especially in adults – that being “hyper-focusing (HF).” Despite its widespread belief, this relationship has not been explored much in the scientific literature, with less than 8 studies being identified. The results are conflicting, depending on whether the study used people who just had high symptoms of ADHD, and not the disorder, compared to studies of clinically diagnosed individuals who had the full disorder (symptoms and impairments). In general, there does seem to be a significant relationship between ADHD and HF when ADHD is measured as rated symptoms. But in clinically diagnosed people the results are conflicting, with one study finding the relationship and another not. And while HF is often presented as a benefit or gift of ADHD, there are suggestions in some studies that it also has a more negative side, being related to risk for internet addiction and certain types of offending behavior. So, the claim that ADHD is definitely linked to hyper-focusing and that it is a positive trait is not definitively established at this time. More research is clearly needed but such claims of HF as being widespread among those with ADHD, and entirely a benefit, cannot be taken on face value as an established fact. I explore this issue in three videos.

Part I explores the claims about hyper-focus in those with ADHD as well as an excellent review of the concept of hyper-focus and its overlap with those of "flow" and "being in the zone." This review from 2019 could find just 1 study about hyper-focus in ADHD. In Part II, I explore other studies.

Research review on hyperfocusing by Ashinoff et al. (2019). Psychological Research:

Hyperfocusing and ADHD in college students. Grotewiel et al. (2022). Current Psychology.

Hyperfocusing in adult ADHD. Hupfeld et al. (2018). ADHD (journal)

Hyperfocusing as a dimension of adult ADHD. Ozel-Kizil et al. (2016). Research in Developmental Disabilitites.

Testing the relation between ADHD and hyperfocus experiences. Groen et al. (2020). Research in Developmental Disabilities:

Hyperfocus and internet addiction. Ishii et al. (2023). Frontiers in Psychiatry.

Hyperfocus and offending behavior: a systematic review. Worthington & Wheeler (2023). The Journal of Forensic Practice.

[RyanFuruness]

I’d say the difference between hyperfocus and flow is the level of drive. Flow feels good and flowy but hyperfocus is this insane manic drive to plow through something that simply cannot be stopped. It’s almost a state of perfect hyper awareness of that one specific task combined with manic energy and task drive. It’s really special. But within the scope of a life affected by adhd, it’s a minor minor perk unless the stars align for it very often somehow - desirable reward and clear steps to reward

[BlackIceDragonSalome]

Hyperfocus would be such a benefit. If one could control it.

It can be a benefit if the focus kicks in with something I actually have to do. It's not a benefit if I just have to research the emergence of the christian/abrahamic god for 10 hours straight, have to infudump everyone I know and forget the existence of my bodily need.

[MnMPryoBanana]

95% of my hyperfocus is not a benefit. Its hugely detrimental. However, the other 5% is so impressive that I think is the reason why some ppl believes that it is a benefit. For example, when I was in school/university, I could solve economics/mathematical questions nobody else in my level could solve while being one of the worst students there. I was only able to do that because of the huge social reward as those were competitions. Hypefocus kicked in and I found the answer. That is why it looks like a superpower. However, most of the rest of my life, hyperfocus is only in gaming. Its a huge waste of time and detrimental to my health.

My personal non scientific bs explanation is that our brain lacks ''dopamine'' and we become hyperfocus on anything that can give us ALOT of ''dopamine''. Its like our brain is so deprive of it that we become obsess with it.

Anyway, I did eventually made it into an advantage after decades of effort. Apparently, I have talent for and am able to hyperfocus on investments. It is now a constant source of income. I had been struggling for income for decades. My advice to other ADHD patients is that you MUST quit whatever you are currently obsessed with that does not benefit you and keep searching for something that you can hyperfocus on and that it has significant benefit for you.

[Jamahl_Cross]

Which executive function dysfunction is responsible for the careless mistakes that ADHD tends to make?

There seems to be a general tendency to attribute them to low processing speed, but you have not mentioned much about processing speed.

I am not sure I understand whether the high number of careless mistakes in office work and other tasks is highly related to slow processing speed or can be explained only by small capacity of working memory.

[NavJackgaming]

LOVE TO HYPERFOCUS ON SOME USELESS PERSONAL RABBIT HOLE! /sarcasm
then i "come to" HOURS later when i finally break myself out of it.
if i worked and my employer wanted me to use my "super-power" during my job i'd quit right there on the spot.

[claxttd]

I find when I am Hyperfocal it reduces the stress of ADHD, I enjoy it

[MaxFung]

i have hyper focus symptoms with diagnosed adhd. i don’t view it as a benefit. while it’s helped me dive deeply into some subjects ive wanted to specialize in, ive found that it can compound into obsessions where i can’t use my executive function to stop until im entirely exhausted. and it causes me to miss other time based tasks i need to get done during the day. so it’s a double edged sword and needs to be managed. i usually get it when im making music, coding, or some other thing that interests me

[victorfranko]

I hyper focus on dumb stuff hardly anyone else is interested and are completely useless in the real world. Example, I watched every second of every episode of The Facts of Life because I heard it was the longest running sitcom of the 80s and I wanted to know why. I joined and was very active in fb groups and researched the actors as well as followed them on social media. Now I couldn’t care less.

[bekksterlab]

I have ADHD. And I don't even consider myself as having hyper focus. I randomly get interested in a topic and will research it a lot. And it will annoy me to get interrupted. But I don't think I do it anymore than any neurotypical person. I also get into and out of hobbies for months at a time. But I also see this is neurotypicals. Also, I almost always take in all stimuli, I don't tune it out. I don't even understand the concept of tuning something out.

[rmc]

"They're more akin to propagandists..."

MEGA BASED.

[hippityhipflask]

As previously stated there are differences between hyperfocus and flow. Hyperfocus is compulsive. When at work and given a task to perform, and intellectually knowing full well the cost of failing to complete it (at the very least socially), it is still impossible to stop what you are (hyper)focusing on and switch to what you should be doing. Spending more energy on what excuses to give than what it would have taken to actually do the task. In some ways it is similar to other aspects of ADHD such as the inability to pay bills: you have the means and it is only a simple little login to your bank and some - albeit boring - manual labor to set up the transaction, and yet you can't do it even when the cost of failing to is painfully obvious. With that said, hyperfocus feels wonderful, there are however similarities to stereotypical behaviors associated with central stimulant abuse (especially amphetamines) so it is possible that it is partially triggered or reinforced by ADHD medication. Anecdotally I do experience it more often while on medication than not. That double-edged sword: "can't do shit without medication, focuses on the wrong shit while on it." (English isn't my first language so do excuse my shortcomings)

[oysterchampion]

Id say hyperfocus is good for society short term and bad for long-term. Example would be me starting a business. Bad is strained relationship with wife and kids.

[oysterchampion]

I took a TOVA test while getting evaluated. My second score was 20pts higher while medicated than unmedicated. I could tell i wasnt as focused on the test while medicated as I am while hyperfocused on something. Would love to be able to see how high it goes while hyperfocused.

[BrothireStrangLuve]

Thank you for all of the links to scientific literature.

[cameron]

Hyperfocused on a person right now. not good.

[BXLrules]

Luckily I can use hyperfocus in my work. The other symptoms do balance that benefit out again. Im at home because I burned out, unable to focus on anything, but I did hyperfocus on adhd literature and talks. I got diagnosed today, will have to wait a few weeks for the paperwork to be done so I can try meditation. Thanks dr Barcley for the amazing content, of all the books I keep 'taking charge of adult adhd' for future reference.

[renanmonteirobarbosa]

Even the lack of rigour it is interesting that hyperfocus happen and the mechanisms underlying it.

[LovedWonllc]

Thank you for making all these lessons available. For the time to reach and teach. For explaining things so well, bridging the gap between clinical and day to day life to things make so much more sense. For this entire catalogue you've made of nurture and education. It means a lot. Really appreciate you and your work, how you've gifted so much to so many.

[uidentity]

Feeling hyper focused just watching this video🫥

[nicolesnyder]

I am a huge Dr. Barkley fan for many years HOWEVER I want to remind everyone that he, by his own admission, is funded by big pharma, so we must keep in mind that he is not paid to find advantages of ADHD, quite the opposite. Notice in this vid he fails to mention the other disorder (syndrome actually ) that was the “inattentive type” that will be eliminated from ADHD in the next DSM. One has to wonder why he would use old studies not allowing for this new finding that a substantial amount of people diagnosed with ADHD, actually do not have ADHD or even a disorder but an entirely different syndrome.
I look forward to the studies on ADHD AFTER the people who don’t have it are removed from the equation. In the meantime, keep this in mind when listening to Dr. Barkley’s opinion.