What Causes the ADHD Brain to Hyperfocus? Like distractibility, hyperfocus is thought to result from abnormally low levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is particularly active in the brain's frontal lobes. This dopamine deficiency makes it hard to “shift gears” to take up boring-but-necessary tasks.
If you have ADHD, you're more likely to fixate on something enjoyable or rewarding. This happens because ADHD changes how your brain perceives reward and gratification. If you're struggling with an ADHD fixation, remember that this does not make you a “lazy” or “irresponsible” adult.
Hyperfixation is not unique to individuals with ADHD. But almost every child and adult with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD) knows what it feels like to become so engrossed in something — a book, a home project, a video game — that they block out the world around them for hours at a time.
Anxiety. It's well known that people who experience a lot of anxiety can use hyperfixation as a way to 'forget themselves' – and stop feeling their anxiety – for a while, by immersing themselves completely in something.
As adults with ADHD, we're so often burned by our own impulsivity that we sometimes go to the opposite extreme and micro-analyze. Our minds are always on, often running laps around the same track. So it's no wonder you find yourself drawn to thoughts of your beloved and what he or she is up to when you're not around.
In essence, people with ADHD can experience more obsessive-compulsive behavior due to their brain's constant struggle with controlling themselves and their actions.
Despite overthinking being a prominent feature for most people with ADHD, it's also worth knowing that some people living with ADHD do the exact opposite. Some develop no thinking or reflecting methods to deal with their ADHD brains.
People most commonly hyperfocus on people, places, food, TV shows, hobbies, or even their own thoughts. Sometimes compared to being “in the zone” or “in a flow state,” hyperfixation can lead your teen to become so engrossed in an activity that it limits their ability to perceive life outside of what they're doing.
Intense emotions and hyperfocus
When teens with ADHD fall in love, the good — and bad — feelings that come with it can be even more intense and more disruptive. New relationships or crushes are exciting and (mostly) enjoyable. But for kids with ADHD, that excitement and enjoyment can sometimes go too far.
“Love bombing” is defined by someone showering their partner with excessive affection, attention, gifts, and flattery in order to gain their trust and dependence.
During the early stages of a relationship, the partner affected by ADHD can focus intensely on the romance and the new partner. This sends the message that the new partner is the center of the person's world. It typically generates feelings of connection, love and validation, and the relationship seems to grow quickly.
Hyperfixation is characterized by an obsessive preoccupation with a particular person, object, or activity. People with hyperfixation often fixate on trivial or even imaginary things, and they may become so focused on their obsession that they neglect their own health and well-being.
Toxic relationships hound many people with ADHD, whose persistent symptoms and battered self-esteem make them especially susceptible to “love bombing,” “trauma bonding,” and other romantic red flags. Here, learn how to spot signs of an unhealthy relationship.
Autism is very distinct from ADHD, but the core symptoms of ADHD-Combined type, i.e., attention deficit, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, would appear to also be features of autism. ASD and ADHD are neurobiological disorders characterized by similar underlying neuropsychological “deficits”.
Yes, ADHD is considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504). There are several types of disabilities, including but not limited to: learning disability. cognitive disability.
Hyperfixation vs Hyperfocus
Hyperfixation more often occurs in those with autism or ADHD. Hyperfixation is often caused by an intense passion for a certain activity. Meanwhile, hyperfocus is more task-driven and comes with clearer goals.
A hyperfixated state can last anywhere from a few seconds to several hours… and in extreme cases even days or months. Being around someone who is hyperfixated on something can be crazy-making, but there are actually important advantages to being in a hyperfixated state.
A special interest is more than just a hobby or something we are casually interested in and often turns into a hyperfixation. When hyperfixation occurs, it can be hard to pull away from our special interests and can interfere with daily life.
People with ADHD have lower levels of dopamine. As such, they may be more “wired” to seek dopamine out. Since eating simple carbohydrates (such as high-sugar foods) triggers a rush of dopamine in the brain, this may be why people with ADHD tend to hyperfixate or binge on these foods.
Yes. ADHD can be considered neurodivergent because it's a neurodevelopmental disorder that changes how you think and process information. Scientists believe these differences are due to the unique structure and chemistry of the ADHD brain.
Though not often listed as symptoms, other indications of ADHD in girls and women include co-occurring depression and anxiety, difficult romantic relationships that can lead to intimate partner violence, trouble maintaining friendships, and at least one space in her life in disarray (messy house, messy bedroom, or ...
People with autism, engineers, and those with ADHD tend to say they think in pictures; teachers, in words, and when a word-thinker hears that there are those who think not in words, but pictures, they often are flabbergasted, taken aback, and have a hard time bending their mind around this alien thought form.