Hyper focus

[Purplelemonade]

What is hyper focus?

[Pianoplayer28]

Hyperfocusing is like a clinical phenomenon of “locking on” to a task in people with ADHD who have a difficulty of shifting their attention from one subject to another, especially if the subject is about their interests. It isn’t likely to hyper focus on something of uninterest.

[Pianoplayer28]

My hyper focus is my artwork. I lock on to drawing for 8 hours straight, and it seems to be the only thing I can do for hours in a row! People tell me that it doesn’t make sense I have adhd when I can focus on drawing but little do they know we can hyper focus! It’s like a super power!

[Best_me in reply to Pianoplayer28]

I hyper focus on programming problems. When I am still learning a language, and trying to figure out how to program something, I get completely lost in solving the problem. For me, the issue is that it prevents me from moving on to other things that I need to do. It’s almost like binge drinking: I know I shouldn’t continue to do it, and I know there are other things I should do that are better for me and more important, but I just can’t stop doing it. I don’t like hyper focus, because it’s my brain not listening to what I really need.

[99cents]

Most people with ADHD can relate to hyper focus with video games. In general if you feel irritated when people interrupt you it's likely because you are hyper focused on something.

I tend to hyper focus when I am doing creative writing, a good video game, a fun and challenging work task... Maybe a movie. Or, since I was recently diagnosed, researching ADHD.

What it feels like, is like the rest of the world disappears and I am just in a flow, blazing away at a task. I'm often surprised when I realize hours have passed, maybe I missed a meal, or need to go to the bathroom way too urgently. I'm usually excited to get back into the thing.

[Purplejl]

I love this forum! Just found it and signed up. I’m thankful to read all your posts. I see myself in all of them and learned something from each. Thank you.

My coworker, who is a therapist, always tells me my ADHD is a super power. (I have only been diagnosed since 41…46 now) I noticed that I tend to get frustrated with myself because of certain adhd traits I have and hyper focus has been one. It has helped me tremendously to reframe my thoughts and really consider adhd as a super power. It’s just like someone who has a natural gift has to learn to reign it in and learn to control it for it to be most effective…that’s how I view some of the frustrating aspects of my adhd likeHyper focus. Reminds me of Peter Parker realizing he could shoot spider webs and the scene where he’s learning how to hone in on his new super powers! Lol! Thinking about it like that has really helped to lessen my frustration with myself. I now view my adhd as a super power I need to learn to use to the best of abilities🙃 thanks to my beloved coworker helping me to reframe how I view it💜