Hyperfocus

Have you ever started working on something and suddenly looked up to find hours had passed? That you’d forgotten to eat, drink, or even notice people talking to you? Welcome to hyperfocus — one of the most misunderstood parts of the ADHD and neurodivergent experience.

Hyperfocus is when your brain becomes completely absorbed in what you’re doing. Not in a “I’m really concentrating” way, but in a “the rest of the world has ceased to exist” way. It’s like your attention gets vacuum-sealed around one thing.

This can happen with work, hobbies, video games, research rabbit holes, or even cleaning — basically anything that hits the right combination of interesting, stimulating, or urgent for your brain.

You might recognise this if you:

• Lose entire afternoons or evenings without realising it
• Skip meals or forget to drink water because you literally don’t notice you’re hungry or thirsty
• Become completely deaf to people calling your name or sounds around you
• Feel physically unable to stop, even when you know you should
• Get really frustrated or disoriented when someone interrupts you

Here’s the thing: hyperfocus isn’t always helpful. Yes, it can lead to amazing bursts of productivity, creativity, or getting into that magical “flow state.” But it can also mean missing appointments, neglecting relationships, or burning yourself out because you can’t regulate when it happens.

The key isn’t trying to control hyperfocus — good luck with that. It’s about learning to work with your brain’s natural rhythms. Maybe that means setting phone alarms to remind you to drink water, warning people you might disappear for a while, or accepting that some days your brain will choose what gets your attention, not you.