I’ve recently been doing some research on the subject of ADD (although I guess it’s now technically referred to as ADHD-I or ADHD-PI) and was greatly intrigued by one aspect of the disorder commonly referred to as hyperfocus. When I first came across the subject, I could instantly relate to it and, for whatever reason, felt like writing about it here.

So what is hyperfocus? It is most frequently described as something of a trance-like state wherein someone with ADHD displays an intense, almost laser-like focus on a specific activity, often for a prolonged period of time. This behavior stands in stark contrast to the otherwise notoriously short attention span of those with ADHD. It’s a substantial reversal from the norm as the “easily-distracted” suddenly become nearly impossible to distract, focusing exclusively on one activity for hours and hours on end. Presently, hyperfocus is not officially recognized by the psychiatric community as a symptom of ADHD. Having said this, I’d like to continue by stating that, based on my own experiences in wrestling with ADHD, hyperfocus is a very real, very significant, and potentially very dangerous side effect associated with the disorder.

Channeling all of one’s mental energy into a specific activity without restraint and regardless of distractions can obviously be of major benefit in some circumstances. Indeed, Dr. Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D., psychologist, author, and thought-leader on the subject, believes that there is a direct correlation between the professional success of those with ADHD and whether or not they hyperfocus on their work. To help illustrate that point we’ll take an Olympic angle on the subject: I can’t think of a better example of someone who has effectively leveraged hyperfocus than Michael Phelps. Diagnosed with ADHD at a young age, the swimmer is legendary for his ability to focus and concentrate on the race. Phelps’ hyperfocus on swimming has clearly paid off for him.

There are those who have, more or less, romanticized the symptom, elevating it to the level of some sort of quasi-superpower. Sadly, this is not the case and I think the morphology of the term “hyperfocus” conjures inaccurate meanings to one’s mind, as we are not discussing an increased ability to focus so much as an inability to regulate one’s attention. Essentially your brain is “stuck” in a particular gear or mode that you can’t easily shift out of. In other words, you are unable to directly control this seemingly turbocharged focus, you don’t think about anything else because your brain can’t think about anything else.

Let’s take a look at what I mean by being unable to control hyperfocus.

First, you can’t just flip a switch and be “in the zone”; the task or activity has to be one that interests you. For Michael Phelps that activity was swimming. For someone else it might be stamp collecting. Tragically, we do not have the luxury to pick and choose which activities cause us to go into the mode. As a result, it is entirely possible (and common) to be hyperfocused on activities that are less constructive, such as video games.

Similarly, you can’t flip the switch off at will – one of the major drawbacks to the phenomenon is trouble “disengaging”, that is, transitioning back to “the real world”. It is very difficult to disengage from this state without a fairly strong external stimuli of some sort, like someone physically shaking you.

Finally, when you hyperfocus, you are completely disconnected from everything but your task. While you are more or less immune to distraction, you are also in your own little world. You will lose track of time, ignore those around you, and perhaps most dangerously, your ability to effectively prioritize will suffer while in the zone. Things that you would ordinarily put high emphasis on, such as completing other (equally pressing) projects, eating, or interacting with friends and loved ones will be permanently downgraded to secondary importance so long as you are locked in. Again, let me emphasize this in very clear terms: Repeated, uncontrolled hyperfocus can have dire social consequences and will often result in neglecting the relationships that you cherish and value most.

In conclusion, you can’t control when it kicks in, can’t control when you snap out of it, and have somewhat handicapped judgment while under its effects. On the flip side, it can be leveraged in specific circumstances to achieve impressive results. Like most things, the trick seems to be minimizing the drawbacks while maximizing the benefits.

Ultimately the jury is still out on this one and I may revisit the subject in a future blog post as I try to develop a higher awareness of my ADD symptoms.