Hyperfocus

Hyperfocus is an intense form of mental concentration or visualization that focuses consciousness on a subject, topic, or task. In some individuals, various subjects or topics may also include daydreams, concepts, fiction, the imagination, and other objects of the mind. Hyperfocus on a certain subject can cause side-tracking away from assigned or important tasks.

Monotropic (hyperfocus) and polytropic learning
The psychological theory around brain lateralization has been considered around hyperfocus as a mental health symptom. It is under study but not empirically proven.[1][2][3]

Psychiatrically, it is considered to be a trait of ADHD together with inattention, and it has been proposed as a trait of other conditions, such as schizophrenia, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).[4][5]

Hyperfocus may bear a relationship to the concept of flow.[5] In some circumstances, both flow and hyperfocus can be an aid to achievement, but in other circumstances, the same focus and behavior could be a liability, distracting from the task at hand. However, unlike hyperfocus, "flow" is often described in more positive terms, suggesting they are not two sides of the same condition under contrasting circumstance or intellect.[3]

Psychiatric symptom

Hyperfocus may in some cases also be symptomatic of a psychiatric condition. In some cases, it is referred to as perseveration[5]—an inability or impairment in switching tasks or activities ("set-shifting"),[6] or desisting from mental or physical response repetition (gestures, words, thoughts) despite absence or cessation of a stimulus.[7][8][9][10] It is distinguished from stereotypy (a highly repetitive idiosyncratic behaviour).[4]

Conditions associated with hyperfocus or perseveration include neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly those considered to be on the autism spectrum and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In ADHD, it may be a coping mechanism or a symptom of emotional self-regulation. So called "twice exceptional" people, with high intellect and learning disabilities, may have either or both of hyperfocus and perseverative behaviours.[5][4] They are often mimicked by similar conditions involving executive dysfunction or emotional dysregulation, and lack of diagnosis and treatment may lead to further co-morbidity.[4]

ADHD
People with ADHD may find organization (such as with paperwork) difficult, but they may hyperfocus on other interesting things such as art.[2][3][4]

In ADHD, formulation and thinking can be slower than in neurotypical people (though this is not universal), and may be "long winded or tangential".[4][11] These inattentive symptoms occur dually with what has been termed "hyperfocus" by the 2019 European Consensus Statement on Adult ADHD. The over-concentration or hyperfocus often occurs if the person finds something "very interesting and/or provide(s) instant gratification, such as computer games or online chatting. For such activities, concentration may last for hours on end, in a very focused manner."[4]

ADHD is a difficulty in directing one's attention (an executive function of the frontal lobe), not a lack of attention.[12][13][14]

Conditions unlikely to be confused with hyperfocus often involve repetition of thoughts or behaviors such as obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), trauma,[15] and some cases of traumatic brain injury.[6]

Autism

Two major symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) include repetitive sounds or movements and fixation on various things including topics and activities.[16] Hyperfocus in the context of ASD has also been referred to as the inability to redirect thoughts or tasks as the situation changes (cognitive flexibility).[17]

One suggested explanation for hyperfocus in those with ASD is that the activity they are hyperfocused on is predictable. Aversion to unpredictable situations is a characteristic of ASD,[18] while focusing on something predictable, they will have trouble changing to a task that is unpredictable.[16]

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a mental condition characterized by a disconnect from reality, including grandiose delusions, disorganized thinking, and abnormal social behavior. [19] Recently, hyperfocus has come into attention as a part of the cognitive symptoms associated with the disorder. In this use, hyperfocus is an intense focus on processing the information in front of them. This hypothesis suggests that hyperfocus is the reason those afflicted with schizophrenia experience difficulty spreading their attention across multiple things.[20]

Psychopathy

Some research has shown that psychopaths are hyperfocused on obtaining a reward and as a result their ability to use contextual cues, punishment or contextual information for adjusting their behaviour may be impaired. Moreover, they develop tunnel vision blocking out any stimulation (such as fear of achieving the goal).

See also
  • Flow (psychology)
  • Hunter vs. farmer hypothesis
  • Mind-wandering (antonym)

References
  1. Freed, Jeffrey; Parsons, Laurie (1998-10-21). Right-Brained Children in a Left-Brained World: Unlocking the Potential of Your ADD Child. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9780684847931.
  2. Pfabigan, Daniela M.; Tran, Ulrich S. (2015-08-21). Behavioral and Physiological Bases of Attentional Biases: Paradigms, Participants, and Stimuli. Frontiers Media SA. ISBN 9782889196401.
  3. White, Holly A.; Shah, Priti (2006-04-01). "Uninhibited imaginations: Creativity in adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder". Personality and Individual Differences. 40 (6): 1121–1131. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2005.11.007. ISSN 0191-8869.
  4. Kooij, J. J. S.; Bijlenga, D.; Salerno, L.; Jaeschke, R.; Bitter, I.; Balázs, J.; Thome, J.; Dom, G.; Kasper, S. (2019-02-01). "Updated European Consensus Statement on diagnosis and treatment of adult ADHD". European Psychiatry. 56: 14–34. doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2018.11.001. ISSN 0924-9338. PMID 30453134.
  5. Webb, James T.; Amend, Edward R.; Webb, Nadia E.; Goerss, Jean; Beljan, Paul; Olenchak, F. Richard (2005), Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults: ADHD, Bipolar, OCD, Asperger's, Depression, and Other Disorders, Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press, Inc., pp. 50–51, ISBN 9780910707640, …there are no empirical data that support hyperfocus as an aspect of ADD/ADHD. In gifted children without ADD/ADHD, this rapt and productive attention state is described by Csikszentmihalyi (1990) as ‘flow.’ … What has been coined ‘hyperfocus’ in persons with ADD/ADHD seems to be a less medical-sounding description of perseveration. Thus the apparent ability to concentrate in certain limited situations does not exclude the diagnosis of ADD/ADHD.
  6. Priory psychiatric glossary
  7. Winn, Philip, ed. (2001), "Perseveration", Dictionary of Biological Psychology, Taylor & Francis, p. 595, ISBN 9780415136068
  8. Helm-Estabrooks N (2004). "The problem of perseveration". Semin Speech Lang. 25 (4): 289–90. doi:10.1055/s-2004-837241. PMID 15599818.
  9. Grinnell, Renée (2008). "Perseveration". Psych Central.
  10. Dictionary.com definition
  11. Goodin, Kate. "Famous People with ADHD". Parenting. Meredith Corporation. Retrieved 2013-08-22. David Neeleman, Founder of JetBlue Airways … reported in an interview with ADDitude magazine his ADHD prevents him from being detail-oriented and completing doing day-to-day tasks, saying, ‘I have an easier time planning a 20-aircraft fleet than I do paying the light bill.’
  12. 2012 Burnett Lecture Video, Part 1 of 3, Keynote Speaker: Russell A. Barkley, Ph.D. by UNCCHLearningCenter, retrieved Aug 2013
  13. 2012 Burnett Lecture, Video, Part 2 of 3, ADHD, Self-Regulation and Executive Functioning Theory, by UNCCHLearningCenter
  14. 2012 Burnett Lecture Video, Part 3 of 3, Q & A Dr. Russell Barkley by UNCCHLearningCenter - Streamed live on Nov 1, 2012 Sponsored by the Academic Success Program for Students with LD and ADHD — a UNC-Chapel Hill Learning Center Program in the College of Arts and Sciences — and the UNC General Alumni
  15. Brasic, James Robert (9 July 2012). "Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Differential Diagnoses". Medscape Reference.
  16. Ashinoff, Brandon K.; Abu-Akel, Ahmad (2021). "Hyperfocus: the forgotten frontier of attention". Psychological Research. 85 (1): 1–19. doi:10.1007/s00426-019-01245-8. ISSN 0340-0727. PMC 7851038. PMID 31541305.
  17. Geurts, Hilde M.; Corbett, Blythe; Solomon, Marjorie (2009-02-01). "The paradox of cognitive flexibility in autism". Trends in Cognitive Sciences. 13 (2): 74–82. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2008.11.006. ISSN 1364-6613. PMC 5538880. PMID 19138551.
  18. "Autism spectrum disorder - Symptoms and causes". Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 2022-03-12.
  19. "Schizophrenia - Symptoms and causes". Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 2022-03-12.
  20. Luck, Steven J; Hahn, Britta; Leonard, Carly J; Gold, James M (2019-09-11). "The Hyperfocusing Hypothesis: A New Account of Cognitive Dysfunction in Schizophrenia". Schizophrenia Bulletin. 45 (5): 991–1000. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbz063. ISSN 0586-7614. PMC 6737469. PMID 31317191.

Further reading
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