The pros and cons of hyperfocus

Even those of us who are diagnosed with combined or inattentive ADHD can experience the exact opposite of not being able to focus. This is the phenomenon known as hyperfocus.

"Hyperfocus is when someone develops an intense fixation on an interest or activity for an extended period of time. People who experience hyperfocus often become so engrossed they block out the world around them. Unless something or someone interrupts, hours drift by as important tasks, and relationships fall by the wayside." (www.additude.com)

Everyone can experience things that interest them or that they enjoy and therefore spend time on, but hyperfocus is more extreme. The ADHD brain craves dopamine and there are those activities that provide far more dopamine. At times when we find these activities we find ourselves in a mode of hyperfocus.

There is an extreme gift in hyperfocus as it allows us to be able to be incredibly productive and creative. There is a downside of hyperfocus too because it can mean that we neglect essential things which we need to do, as well as experience burnout and exhaustion.

If your ADHD child is in hyperfocus there may be a sense of relief that they are able to maybe complete some outstanding homework or doing what they enjoy. However, it is also important to support your child in learning to manage their time and attention so that there is a happy balance between harnessing the positivies of the intense focus, but not for so long that it causes exhaustion and other things being neglected from their daily routine.