On a daily basis, I encounter children and young adults who experience frustration with school work. Several of my older students bring to a session a backpack that includes a cell phone. My policy is that the student must put away the phone and not turn it on until the session ends. That policy of restricted cell phone use is very difficult for some, and I can sense the anxiety when they are limited to not touching the phone. Sometimes I find them reaching into their pocket; some will even casually flip it over and glance at the latest text. This type of behavior is not uncommon for a lot of people; most adults do the same thing. Is there something that is going on in the brain that is responsible for this addictive-like tendency, that we find it necessary to constantly interact with technology? Is everyone becoming hyper-focused, and if so what do we need to do about it? When do we worry that hyper-focusing can interfere with daily life, including homework and getting work done? Might the extreme spectrum of hyper-focusing actually be associated with ADHD?
Recently, I came across an article titled “The Good, The Bad, The Ugly of Hyper-Focusing.” I read this after working with a young student who spends an inordinate amount of time staying up late, playing video games and trying to juggle his school responsibilities. He says he really wants to do well in school, but can’t seem to break the habit of texting, watching videos and playing Fortnite.
Did you know that hyper-focus can be the flip side of distractibility? Hyper-focus is a psychological state that is confusing to parents as well as to the person who is dealing with it. It can be what allows your child to pay attention to something that interests him for a long period of time, like playing Fortnite, instead of doing math homework. However, hyper-focus is also one of ADHD’s “superpowers” whereby it may cause distractibility issues, but also may be used for extreme productivity. It allows adults and children to get a lot of work done in a short amount of time. Hyper-focusing can function as a positive attribute when someone wants to learn a topic he likes. Often, these are the kids who know all the statistics in sports, yet they inconsistently complete their math homework.
A parent needs to understand that youngsters often hyper-focus or concentrate on a single interest or project for an extended period of time, but find it difficult to shift gears. Dr. Russell Barkley writes: “If they’re doing something they enjoy or find psychologically rewarding, they’ll tend to persist in this behavior after others would normally move on to other things. The brains of people with ADHD are drawn to activities that give instant feedback.” In other words, they may put off until a later time something that is not pleasurable. Many kids with this dysfunction have problems with the abundance of attention and regulating it. People with ADHD can pay super attention, but when they’re not interested their minds go somewhere else. Parents question how their child can stay attentive in a game on the screen but not with their homework.
The term ADHD can give the impression that if you have it, you obviously can’t focus or pay attention, given that the letters stand for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This impression can be misleading. Much like distractibility, hyper-focusing may result from low levels of a neurotransmitter in the brain that makes it hard to shift gears. That is, people don’t like to do what they consider boring. Dr. Larry Silver claims, “Such intense concentration is actually a coping mechanism.”
So, is hyper-focusing harmful, or is there is an upside to this? Is technology becoming responsible for more people not being able to work successfully? For some, hyper-focusing can be an asset. Successful people talk and write about their ADHD and say that they learned strategies that helped them cope. Athletes, musicians, writers as well as scientists and computer techies stay focused and work on their techniques and routines for hours because they are doing things they like.
The concept of zeroing in intensely on an interesting activity needs to be viewed as a positive aspect of attentional issues. However, if you suspect that your child or you have an extreme intense fixation or can’t control hyper-focusing, then seek out help and get a proper diagnosis. Keep your mind and eyes open to potential problems and look to professionals who understand how to diagnose learning issues and offer suggestions. Hyper focusing can be the other side of the ADHD coin. Looking to control ADHD and managing problems associated with it first requires a proper medical diagnosis from a neuropsychological perspective.
For me, as a therapist and learning disabilities specialist, it is very important to understand a child’s strengths and weaknesses. Hyper-focusing on computer games and technology is a distraction and needs to be addressed in each child’s home. It doesn’t necessarily mean that your child has ADHD, but a problem does exist. For many who have problems with hyper focusing, academic tutoring and coaching is essential so the child doesn’t miss deadlines, be it studying for a test or finishing some aspect of a job. A few suggestions to deal with hyper-focusing when technology interferes with learning: create and post rules with time limits. Place the devices away from the study area and reward the student for self-control.
Thus, embrace the positives, give encouragement and get the right kind of help. Now look below. Do you see a beautiful woman or a witch? Do you view hyper-focus as a plus or a problem? If it’s becoming an extreme problem, seek out help.
By Patricia London
Patricia London, M.Ed. CAGS, is a NJ-state certified learning specialist with an established private practice in Englewood. The London Learning Center provides individual tutoring, consulting and subject support for students K-college. Patti worked for 25 years for the Ridgewood Public Schools as an LDTC, supplemental, resource teacher and child study team administrator while maintaining her private practice. She has taught numerous in-service courses, written articles, lectured on topics in the field of special education. For the Brookline Public Schools she worked together with Harvard students who studied with Dr. Keith Connors, the “Father of ADHD.” Her first job was as the teacher for a model classroom that The Connors Rating Scale was based upon in his studies of identifying ADHD. She currently provides private tutoring in all general studies subjects, and with her associate she now provides tutoring in advanced math, SAT and ACT math and science.
