What is hyperconcentration in ADHD?

You’ve probably heard that people with ADHD have trouble concentrating. What if we told you that, in some cases, your ability to maintain mental focus is amazing? We explain it to you below.

Have you heard of “hyperfocus” or hyperconcentration? The neurodivergent population and, specifically, those diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience this process frequently. It consists of giving a specific task an intense and sustained level of attention over time. So much so that they are not distracted for a second.

How can it be? Isn’t this neurodevelopmental condition supposed to present a clear limitation when concentrating on any activity? Well, in reality, what ADHD shows is a problem in the regulation of attention and not a limitation of it. This means that, every time they are immersed in something they like, their ability to focus is extraordinary.

We explain what this particular brain mechanism is due to in the following article.

Many parents often complain that their children with ADHD can spend hours playing video games, which demonstrates a high level of attention that, however, is almost non-existent in other tasks.

What is hyperconcentration?

Hyperconcentration is a characteristic of people with ADHD or autism that allows them to focus their attention intensely on a specific activity. The first thing you should know is that bringing this cognitive ability to light allows, in a way, to break a little of the stigma towards those who are within the neurodivergence spectrum.

A work published in Psychological Research highlights that it is a peculiarity little studied by science. What we do know is that, although it is common among the clinical populations mentioned above, some neurotypicals (people with typical neurological patterns) can also show it. Let’s get more information below.

How does hyperfocus manifest?

There is a book that is a reference for people with ADHD. Is about Adventures in fast forward: Life, Love, and Work for the ADD Adultt, by Kathleen G. Nadeu. In the pages she describes the real case of a woman, who was so concentrated on writing a paper, that she did not realize that her house was on fire and that the firefighters were trying to save her.

The level of cognitive absorption that these people reach is so high that the entire context that surrounds them ceases to exist. We could say that it is a state even more intense than that mental process that the psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi described as flow or optimal experience.

Who usually shows the ability to hyperconcentrate?

Research published in Research in Developmental Disabilities provides us with information in this regard. You will be interested to know that, Although hyperfocus appears to a greater degree in people with ADHD, it is not exclusive to this population sector. In fact, it is proposed that it may occur in the following cases:

patients with schizophrenia, people without neurodivergence, some men and women with autism.

Positive and negative effects of hyperfocus

Hyperfocus is often talked about as an exceptional superpower that people with ADHD have. It is evident that this cognitive particularity acts as an asset capable of offering them great advantages. As long as they are immersed in tasks that motivate and please them, their performance will be optimal and even exceptional.

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Now, as you can imagine, throughout our academic and working lives we do not always expose ourselves to activities that we like. This can cause someone with ADHD to excel in some areas and feel ineffective in others. Below we explain the advantages and limitations of this very particular cognitive competence.

Advantages

When a person develops in the area of study or work that is of interest to them, the results are too positive. Your performance can be exceptional and you can become someone with great talent. In this sense, the following points stand out:

Affective relationships are experienced with great intensity, especially at the beginning. Thanks to the results obtained with hyperconcentration, self-esteem rises. Individuals demonstrate great skills in creativity and innovation in those areas that are of interest to them.

Disadvantages

A work published by Frontiers in Psychiatry places interest in a particular aspect. Hyperfocus can sometimes lead to addiction to the Internet and the use of screens. The level of stimulation generated by technology and social networks can cause all of your attention to be hijacked by this type of media. It is a reality that is worth taking into account.

Likewise, we can also list other associated drawbacks below:

The hyperfocused mind loses track of time. By feeling absorbed by certain tasks, they may neglect other obligations. They may suffer from imbalances in their lifestyle habits. An example of this is not sleeping due to spending too many hours in an activity. Situations of self-criticism and suffering often appear. They wonder why they can’t focus on other, less interesting areas in the same way.

Can excessive attention be regulated to benefit you?

Not everyone knows that people with ADHD deal with such opposite extremes in terms of attention. Sometimes they are unable to maintain it and other times they become so absorbed that they isolate themselves from their reality. If you identify with this condition or if someone close to you experiences it, it will be useful for you to take into account the following aspects to better manage this particularity:

Guide your professional life towards what you are passionate about. The ideal is that you are clear about what you like and what motivates you to focus on those areas in which to develop. This is how you will feel fulfilled as a person.Identify those areas that focus your attention. It is important to know what activities your brain focuses on most intensely. Make sure they are healthy stimuli and regulate those that may be dysfunctional (such as excessive cell phone use).Set time limits. If you have this characteristic, it is necessary that you regulate it with time limits, either through alarms or other notices. For example, if you are passionate about reading, try not to occupy the entire night with this task to the point of not resting. Schedule the time you will dedicate to that task and leave it when the notice appears on your cell phone.

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Neurodivergence and the need to make its particularities visible

In our society there are many people who have quite diverse forms of neurological functioning. ADHD and autism are two small examples of this large group. The most decisive thing in these cases is to break stigmas and, to achieve this, there is nothing better than psychoeducation, which makes interesting information about these conditions visible.

Having this type of disorder presents certain advantages and certain disadvantages that can be overcome. With support and resources it is possible to go far and demonstrate the talent that each person carries within them. “Hyperfocus” is a feature that, well managed, can allow you to conquer great peaks.