“I can’t have ADHD,” I said. “I have no problem focusing on things I’m interested in. I can spend hours focused on those.”

This was my first response to the suggestion that I might want to look into ADHD. Back then, I still believed the myth about ADHD, that people with it couldn’t focus on anything at all. Many people likely never recognize that they have ADHD because of this myth, or don’t get diagnosed until adulthood (I was in my mid 30s).

The common but tired trope of “Squirrel!” paints a picture of someone bouncing from distraction to distraction to distraction, never finding a moment of focus. An image I never personally related with very much.

I mean sure, at times I can be a bit like that I suppose—excitedly jumping from distraction to distraction (particularly when avoiding some paperwork that I’d rather do never).

But more often I find that I slip into that seemingly wonderful world of something called hyperfocus.

Hyperfocus is a common experience for people with ADHD, where you get so incredibly and deeply focused on the thing in front of you that you no longer hear people calling your name, no longer feel the constant moving of time as minutes and hours tick away, no longer even notice the calls of your own body suggesting you might take a moment to take a sip of water or even visit the restroom.

Hyperfocus can sometimes feel like a superpower—I’ve gotten amazing amounts of work done in a hyperfocus sprint that I didn’t even mean to start. Most of my important papers in school were done in their entirety the night before they were due in a mental mad dash.

But other times, hyperfocus consumes all your attention, without you even realizing it’s happened. And soon you’ve spent 4 hours reorganizing your board game collection or setting up the perfect new hobby corner in your office, and now you’re late for that important job interview.

And there’s another problem that can come from hyperfocus:

Even this “productive” version of hyperfocus can cause you trouble. It may give you unrealistic expectations about your performance and ability to get things done. You won’t always be moving at 10x speed, so your normal work- load may make you feel you are falling short of your potential. (That cursed word again—potential.)

When you’ve experienced productive hyperfocus, you may think that level of productivity is your norm and anything less is a failure.

(via Extra Focus: The Quick Start Guide to Adult ADHD)

And when others see you hyperfocus on the things that interest you, it might suggest to them that when you struggle to focus on important-but-boring things (like homework, time sheet, and taxes), it’s some sort of act of defiance or laziness. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

With ADHD, it’s not about an inability to focus, but rather an inconsistent ability to regulate that focus in the same way that most neurotypical people do.

Understanding this is crucial for those with ADHD and those who interact with them on a regular basis.

It highlights why simplistic myths like “people with ADHD can’t focus” can be so harmful and counter-productive.

How has this myth affected your life? Have you found hyperfocus to be a mostly positive or mostly negative experience (or somewhere in between)?

Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments, they could be incredibly valuable to others in the ADHD community struggling with similar challenges.

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Stay curious,
Jesse J. Anderson

ADHD Myths Series

ADHD Myths: People with ADHD Are Lazy or Lack Willpower Jesse J. Anderson · Jul 9 Read full story