Not sure why some people have their knickers in a twist. Whether you call it "hyperfocus" or "fart-assing around" we know we do it. If u insist this is a gift can you tell me how do I return it? If you are being offended by this clip I can't help but feel you are missing the point. It's not a bloody gift it's a bloody hard to be this way-when people don't understand us however it's not the end of the world! If you have ADHD educate urself about it & get going An amazing life is waiting for u!
@paemxia7 I'm not sure he's saying that, there are many options available to try b4 meds. With all conditions there are spectrums eg hearing impairment some people just need to turn up the tv, others need a cochlear implant or hearing aids. If you are not content with treatment, its outcomes or your practitioner-for anything seek an alternative opinion & seek out all available options. Some do respond well to ADHD meds-some just need academic/work adjustments, support, tools, peace &quiet.
I think Dr Barkley is a bit negative..yes hyperfocussing can be a pain in the backside but sometimes it can be handy..if only I could find a job I am actually interested in, I would be their best employee :-)
@thegreenjudy He's telling it as it is-it is in no way wonderful having a condition that continually causes your performance to belie your intelligence. We are the Good Will Huntings-pushing around brooms rather than in the boardrooms and research centres as the ADHD can keep us in the ghetto of failure and isolation-despite our best efforts if we are not diagnosed and supported towards long term success.We are the 5% of the pop'n that comprise 90% of addicts and >40% of long term prisoners.
Tell that to Albert Einstein who hyper focused on the atom when he should of been getting dressed for work, Or Michael Phelps who should of been reading books instead of hyper focusing on swimming. Hyper focusing just makes you dedicate all your time to one thing which is called perfection.
ADHD is a gift. FUCK YOU DR.BARKLEY. I wonder how much money adderall and ritilan pay you to say this shit.
@CubsSuck05 Specious reasoning-some people have natural talents for certain activities and don't have ADHD. If you have ADHD and you are amazing at something-it's because you are amazing-not because you have ADHD. There are some people that are "gifted" with ADHD and some that are simply "gifted". He's talking about the inconvenience to our lives or collateral damage caused by engaging in these amazing thoughts or feats people with ADHD can experience-getting fired for being late is no gift.
@BrightNotBroken... Because even if you have been swimming laps in world record time it's no use to anyone (especially you) when you should have been at work-and they fire you. As it's hard to be a world champion swimmer when you're homeless, can't afford food, can't buy your speedos/goggles or pay your pool entry. Do you get it now?
Yes.. Hyperfocus IS you being unable to switch to something else. But it doesn't mean I HAVE to switch to something else. When I'm reading, playing music or doing something I actually like and find interesting. Is it bad that I can actually concentrate and focus for as long as 2/3 hours without a break? No. That's a gift to me. It's not a curse.
I have found out TODAY by watching videos and looking online that I have ADHD. THANK FUCKING GOD!! I thought there was something really wrong with me, that I was the only one with no self discipline, and just lazy. I could NEVER finish things off which is a very very bad habit. Especially in your work as a web designer and internet marketer, all my fails come from that. I have been struggling for 3 YEARS to understand wtf was wrong with me, through trials, and errors. And now finally.. it clicks
man this guys a cheezit....get it....hyperfocus in the way people might use it is similar to the physical brainwave activated without neccesarily participating in suh activities....not sure if it's just gamma brainwave or a chemical imbalance....but its extreme coordination & exponential adhessive situation awareness.....your Ph.D vs. my 6th grade education
This is a crock of shit. ADHD cannot be treated through anaethetizing. Individuals with ADHD certainly may hyperfocus, distracting them from other tasks they need to do. They lack they ability to prioritize because of this hyperfocussing
We don't lack the ability to prioritize due to hyperfocus.. We lack that ability because of many factors.. We forget things easily, we get easily distracted etc etc. Hyperfocus is more a gift then a curse (at least to me it is). It's one of the few moments in where you CAN actually concentrate and focus on something for a long time.
Please sign this petition for ADD students rights: on thepetitionsite. Go to care2 website and type adhd in the search box. Click on second link (Schools, Adopt ADHD Training..) , THANK YOU
I actually feel 'comforted' when I am hyper-focused because I no longer have to worry & fret about deciding what to do or where to start! Making decisions & prioritizing are painful for me. Funny & True - Dinner w/ friends: 20 mins analyzing traffic patterns in order to get best route, 20 mins looking for coupon, keys, phone; arrive late; 15 min analyzing menu & polling the table 'what are you getting?' - Waiter arrives & in a panic, I blurt out 'I'll have the eggplant! LOL! Dr Barkley help me!!
Dr Russell, maybe there is a drug that one can take that will mimic the effects of a frontal lobe brain damage. You should take some, and see how it really feels like to live with ADHD.
this is true. Sorry for all the people in denial. I suffer acute ADHD and also am a deeply artistic and creative person who deal with quick problems swiftly and efficiently. I even deal with drawn out creative problems well too, however never once in my life have I experienced this 'hyperfocus' these well meaning ignorants claim exist. It has and always will be a nightmare for me to keep focus on something, even video games I often lose track and lose interest or just plain lose as a result.
@Danaceb I think maybe you're just one of the lucky few to suffer only part of the condition...you see I happen to be one of those 'well meaning ignorants' who claim it exists. Rather I am a intelligent individual that can't seem to get a handle on life, and I definately hyperfocus. To me the biggest clue is in the intense angry reaction when I'm interrupted...usually during a video game, go figure. I know I'm being irrational, but that doesn't stop the reaction.
Iam studying bachelor of education and after two schoollabs i recognized, I CANT BE A TEACHER. So I decided to study psychology. But i have no good marks... So i claimed myself with a sue into psychology. My hyperfocus was about 2 months. And without it, i never had sued myself into it!!!
@Ikarr0s Me too! Well, at least what I paid attention to :) What was funny, while watching/listening to him, I found myself clicking around on another site and only 1/2 attending...But I think this guy is on the money for real.
In the same way that this explains why people with autism often have good memories, it also serves to explain why people with ADHD often have the ability to focus for prolonged periods of time and show unusual signs of eccentricity and perspicaciousness.
Again, this doctor fails with his logic, plain and simple. Just because it is a sign of a frontal lobe injury, does not necessarily detract from it being a "gift" for the individual. For example, people who are born with developmental disorders often overcompensate in other areas that are in contrast to the individual's overall limitations. Whilst a person with ADHD might "hyperfocus" because they have abnormal brain function, this could still inadvertently be beneficial for the individual.
@rabadooda Think of it like this....Hyper-Focusing only benefits that to which you are focused on; and extremely detrimental to the other 9999 "things" you are avoiding, or ignoring. Furthermore, hyper-focusing may not even benefit anything or anyone - I spent 7 hours this weekend learning about Typography and should have done my taxes. True story!
Dr. Barkley seems to be the only guy who believes that hyperfocussing doesn't occur in ADHD. Why is ADHD a syndrome of extremes if ADHDers cant hyperfocus. Why do so many of ADHD patients clean their house in an obsessive way, others are early for everything or others who save and count every penny. O.K. the obvious example here, are the students who leave all the studying to the night before the exam, because they know with the adrenaline flowing they can cram the years work into a night
If you do not find your thoughts repeatedly interrupting the person you are trying to listen to (to the point where you hear next to nothing that they are saying and cannot recall what they are even talking about), then you do not have ADHD. I have not yet found anything as aggravating as when someone ignorantly assumes they understand what I experience in every aspect of my everyday life. If you do not have ADHD, you can never know what it is like. Not even if someone close to you has it.
@Yotes4Life That´s so true. One time I had a very close friend of mine, telling me she had a serious disease and that she though she was diying, and meanwile, I was doing as if I were listen to her (because I learned to do as if I were listening so no one would get mad at me when I wasn´t)., but inspide of that I was thinking about how to upcicle a shirt. I love my friend, i really do. but I coudn´t hear her asking for desperate help. that´s what ADHd do to you..is that a gift?
I would say when you can Wright a book or read a book in a few hours when it takes any-else else days or able to complete work at lightning speed with accuracy a good thing. Your sir are a dick and a jealous one at at that. I love my hyperfocus, and you can snap out of it, just set an alarm or get someone to give you a shake.
After listening to this man's lectures, I finally understand WHY I do the things I do: bursts of raw emotion, social rejection, impulsive reactions which turn out to be stupid, lack of motivation time blindness, being distracted by extraneous stimuli, and so on. Dr. Barkley explains ADHD as a executive function impairment due to anatomic and genetic abnormalites. This makes ADHD a disability that is very hard for people to dismiss. Also, now I know what I need to work on with my therapist.
And according to the DSM, perseveration is a characteristic of ppl diagnosed with AUTISM (ASD), not ADHD. If doctors and mental health professionals would take the time to truly diagnose people who show sx of AD/HD, ASD, or BD we'd know for sure which is a characteristic of which disorder IF there isn't a dual diagnosis.
And one more thing, people with AD/HD are not incompetent, criminals, or stupid. What they lack is social skills that are not taught in school by boring teachers LINEAR thinking teachers who are UNABLE to challenge students and keep their attention.
Please retire. You are an embarrassment to scholars who have a true understanding of AD/HD..
To Dr. Barkley, perseveration or hyperfocus--whichever term YOU might prefer, whether the act might be the result of nature or nurture, the fact remains that had people like Einstein, Tesla, Conrad, Edison, and ALL those other leading scientist NOT engaged in perseveration or HYPERFOCUS, we wouldn't have the scientific advancements we now take for granted. You TOO perseverate or "hyperfocus" because YOUR passion is learning about AD/HD.
FUUUUUUCK!!!!!! FUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!! I JUST DISCOVERED I HAD THIS FOR YEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAARRRSSSSS!!!!!! FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!! let me hear that kansas song again...
He's absolutely right. "Hyperfocus" is fucking awful. There have been times when I've obsessively browsed the Internet for seven hours straight, on school days, and it felt like less than half that time. And when I'm writing a paper or an e-mail, I obsess over every word. Hyperfocus is basically OCD.
This is the closest way I've ever heard what I experience described. In college and in my job which involves a lot of paperwork, I will proofread and obsess over every word to the point that it drives me crazy. I know it is irrational to the point of "OCD" but so difficult to change this. In college, I had the luxury to take as much time as I wanted to complete my projects and would still score my A's but after 3-4 times more time/effort. In the real world, time mgmt is key.
Wow, people with ADHD have one small "win" and you've got to take all the positivity out of it. Yes, it can be a problem as much as the distractibility but channeled in the right way it can be a great benefit. Like people with this condition need any more reasons to feel inferior.
Dr B: Totally agree that hyperfocus and cognitive abundance [looking like OCD] so frequently presents in the office as unrecognized ADHD and symptoms of PFC imbalance. In my own opinion this presentation that you describe so accurately is the most commonly missed subset of PFC dysregulation. I have a video here on You Tube under Anxiety and ADHD [at drcharlesparker the channel] that supports Dr B's observations. Many posts at CorePsych Blog further document these commonplace misunderstandings.
What a douche! It's assholes like this that perpetuate the stigma placed on mental illness (or gift if you prefer). He's nothing more than a predatory fuck looking for a shortcut to recognition through controversy. If hyperfocus is a myth, how is the other end of spectrum dispelled? If multi-threaded thought processes fall under the "myth" definition, then what has my mind been up to for the last 35 years? Perhaps he can dig into his Magic Bag of Reality and let me know. ~ The next video will f
This hyperfocus can actually be beneficial, it's not a myth. Einstein was known to hyperfocus on problems and I guess he had autism. This dumb fuck...
You call me ridiculous, because you are right I never went to a mental health doctor. Since that post I think maybe I should have earlier, I recently went to deal with a relationship problem. The doctor said within 2 minutes, without me mentioning it, he knew I had ADD. He asked me all the questions, and everything he asked confirmed what I had thought. I did not mention anything about hyperfocus to him. But it confirms it to me, that I thought the Hyper focus was related to ADD.
He hits the nail on the head. "Hyperfocusing" in ADHD is just another procrastination problem relate to executive failure. You tend to "hyperfocus" on stupid, unproductive things. Want to see it in action? Give a copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops to an untreatedADHD male and he'll flunk all his classes because he simply can not stop. Give it to a normal male,he'll play a lot too but when there is a paper to write, he'll get to it much sooner. I am amazed by how many here failed to miss the point.
@Kohox lol you're exactly right, I'm that untreated male, and I have indeed spent far too many hours playing CoD:BO. It's amazing how "I'll just play a couple rounds" turns into an 8 hour marathon session, and it feels like 2 hours. Before you realise it's 3 a.m. and you have to get up in 3 hours....oops!
When I found Dr. Barkley's videos on ADHD, I felt that I was reborn. He has taken all of the questions I have asked myself (including self doubt, guilt, fear, uncertainty) and answer every single one of them. If you're in the group that says "stop your pity party," I tell you that I don't pity myself. I now feel empowered with knowledge so that I can do the things that I know that I need to do. So I'll do my thing, and you do your thing, and let's not judge each other. Let's all be at peace.
I'm pretty sure he just equated being diagnosed with ADHD with having frontal lobe trauma,was this some sort of mechanism to describe things in layman terminology for descriptive purposes(if so, i say it was done in a fairly ham-fisted manner)or he needs a lesson in social graces concerning respect to those whom are afflicted with said disabilities.
I can only relate to myself, but I think his example is bad. This weekend I stayed at my parent and played with their new puppy - for hours and hours. I just enjoyed playing with her so much I lost focus on time and everything else. I think a similar sensation is what people feel when they can dedicate so many hours into one thing, fell good about it, then just drop it and move on.
This is at odds with my experience. Hyperfocussing to me is definitely a gift. I can see how, if it happens over something pointless it could be a waste of energy, but almost all of the significant things I've achieved in my life have been a result of hyperfocusing. The things I usually hyperfocus on are related to computing; programming or electronics projects, which is the field I work in, so it is not a waste of energy for me. I just wish I could turn it on and off when I actually need it.
This guy is fucking moron. I'd raise my hand in the audience and tell him to change his tone of voice before I come up and treat him like a little kid in front of the audience. ADHD is a code word for "those who only bend for the institution such that the institution leaves them alone." It is a code word for those who never buy the myth of "liking school" which is just a equation to "liking to take orders."
@ChelseaOskar I'm not really sure what you mean. If anything getting diagnosed and going on meds has given me the power to further achieve my goals and go against the mainstream, instead of just struggling to keep up with the status quo. Instead of continually trying to fit into the predetermined idea of success, I can ignored it and just do what I love. I think you've kind of missed the point.... Have you tried going on meds? P.S. Some of us love school, with or without meds. :P
@ChelseaOskar You are ignorant and stupid, you can never understand the struggles that someone that has ADHD goes through every day. He is right on the money, everything he describes are issues that I struggle with every day. And to discount it so quickly as just being "lazy" or whatever you want to call it is nothing more than the opinion of an uneducated mind. Learn more, meet someone with ADHD and ask them about it, maybe then you will understand. Otherwise, STFU!
@nighthawk2k9 I at first had this reaction as well. But as I listened to it more carefully all he's really talking about is semantics. The act is the same whether it's called "hyperfocus" or "perseveration." Basically, it's the inability to switch gears whether it's being called hyperfocus or perseveration. In both cases it's not a "lazy" choice. It's a misfunction of the brain. I think that's what he is saying. He's just not saying it very well.
People who have not experienced ADD/ADHD themselves or know someone who has it tend to think it is not real or that a person is exaggerating. I cannot tell you how frustrating it is. People think it's just being lazy or a personality trait, they don't get how much easier life would be if I were just lazy or had a procrastinating personality trait-those.
So don't pay attention to anyone who is ignorant of it
@nighthawk2k9 I struggle every day. Though ignorance shouldn't be fought by telling someone to STFU. You only cause more anger in the resulting action from your words .
@BornIntoMusic I know, but I'm also impulsive and emotional, sometimes I say shit without thinking about it first. What fun it is. My intention wasn't to generate anger, rather to convey my extreme furstration with the lack of credible information and informed people. I got ahead of myself....again.
@ChelseaOskar I agree he is a moron, but WTF are you talking about lol your a dumbass lol its not "code" for anything unless you want to call ADHD the "code" version of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.lmao (that was sarcasm in case it flew over your liddo head) . And loads of students like school with or without meds with or without ADHD or ADD. And "liking to take orders" this is not a Wendys. Its just youtube honestly who gives a shit lol. ppl are too serious here.
@zillyzachary I so agree with you!!! he must not know what perseveration means. To me, THAT is more for autistic children/adults. I have ADHD and work with autistic children and that is more characteristic of them than us ADHDers.
Perseveration: Uncontrollable repetition of a particular response, such as a word, phrase, or gesture, despite the absence or cessation of a stimulus, usually caused by brain injury or other organic disorder.
I feel I probably have ADD, which means, I sometimes think about way too many things at one time, and when I could control that, I was really surprised at the level which I could perform, in a number or situations. It's not like focussing on a video game, or tv... It's more positive, controlled, and you are still aware of the things around you.
@trentjapan : I hate when people talk about this bullshit ! First of all you say you "probably have ADD" which leads me to believe you have not even been evaluated by a mental health professional, to determine whether or not you do or do not. I was in the military for 7 years and i still have problems focusing even when I try I miss things. Medication helps me a great deal but I still struggle ! your ridiculous.
Not sure why some people have their knickers in a twist. Whether you call it "hyperfocus" or "fart-assing around" we know we do it. If u insist this is a gift can you tell me how do I return it? If you are being offended by this clip I can't help but feel you are missing the point. It's not a bloody gift it's a bloody hard to be this way-when people don't understand us however it's not the end of the world! If you have ADHD educate urself about it & get going An amazing life is waiting for u!
BrightNotBroken 1 week ago
Yeah! So drug the children.
paemxia7 2 weeks ago
@paemxia7 I'm not sure he's saying that, there are many options available to try b4 meds. With all conditions there are spectrums eg hearing impairment some people just need to turn up the tv, others need a cochlear implant or hearing aids. If you are not content with treatment, its outcomes or your practitioner-for anything seek an alternative opinion & seek out all available options. Some do respond well to ADHD meds-some just need academic/work adjustments, support, tools, peace &quiet.
BrightNotBroken 1 week ago
I think Dr Barkley is a bit negative..yes hyperfocussing can be a pain in the backside but sometimes it can be handy..if only I could find a job I am actually interested in, I would be their best employee :-)
thegreenjudy 3 weeks ago
@thegreenjudy He's telling it as it is-it is in no way wonderful having a condition that continually causes your performance to belie your intelligence. We are the Good Will Huntings-pushing around brooms rather than in the boardrooms and research centres as the ADHD can keep us in the ghetto of failure and isolation-despite our best efforts if we are not diagnosed and supported towards long term success.We are the 5% of the pop'n that comprise 90% of addicts and >40% of long term prisoners.
BrightNotBroken 1 week ago
I watched this video five times in a row
sblabarge 3 weeks ago
Tell that to Albert Einstein who hyper focused on the atom when he should of been getting dressed for work, Or Michael Phelps who should of been reading books instead of hyper focusing on swimming. Hyper focusing just makes you dedicate all your time to one thing which is called perfection.
ADHD is a gift. FUCK YOU DR.BARKLEY. I wonder how much money adderall and ritilan pay you to say this shit.
CubsSuck05 4 weeks ago
@CubsSuck05 Specious reasoning-some people have natural talents for certain activities and don't have ADHD. If you have ADHD and you are amazing at something-it's because you are amazing-not because you have ADHD. There are some people that are "gifted" with ADHD and some that are simply "gifted". He's talking about the inconvenience to our lives or collateral damage caused by engaging in these amazing thoughts or feats people with ADHD can experience-getting fired for being late is no gift.
BrightNotBroken 1 week ago
@BrightNotBroken... Because even if you have been swimming laps in world record time it's no use to anyone (especially you) when you should have been at work-and they fire you. As it's hard to be a world champion swimmer when you're homeless, can't afford food, can't buy your speedos/goggles or pay your pool entry. Do you get it now?
BrightNotBroken 6 days ago
Comment removed
CubsSuck05 4 weeks ago
faggot
KeaneUndertheIronSea 4 weeks ago
@Zeverouis " Is it bad that I can actually concentrate and focus for as long as 2/3 hours without a break? No." without medication?
REDFOLKEYES 1 month ago
@REDFOLKEYES agreed..
KeaneUndertheIronSea 4 weeks ago
Yes.. Hyperfocus IS you being unable to switch to something else. But it doesn't mean I HAVE to switch to something else. When I'm reading, playing music or doing something I actually like and find interesting. Is it bad that I can actually concentrate and focus for as long as 2/3 hours without a break? No. That's a gift to me. It's not a curse.
Zeverouis 1 month ago
I have found out TODAY by watching videos and looking online that I have ADHD. THANK FUCKING GOD!! I thought there was something really wrong with me, that I was the only one with no self discipline, and just lazy. I could NEVER finish things off which is a very very bad habit. Especially in your work as a web designer and internet marketer, all my fails come from that. I have been struggling for 3 YEARS to understand wtf was wrong with me, through trials, and errors. And now finally.. it clicks
TeamWebdesigns 1 month ago
ii Bermensch
REDFOLKEYES 1 month ago
man this guys a cheezit....get it....hyperfocus in the way people might use it is similar to the physical brainwave activated without neccesarily participating in suh activities....not sure if it's just gamma brainwave or a chemical imbalance....but its extreme coordination & exponential adhessive situation awareness.....your Ph.D vs. my 6th grade education
REDFOLKEYES 1 month ago
This is a crock of shit. ADHD cannot be treated through anaethetizing. Individuals with ADHD certainly may hyperfocus, distracting them from other tasks they need to do. They lack they ability to prioritize because of this hyperfocussing
Alyssadelaveg 1 month ago
@Alyssadelaveg
We don't lack the ability to prioritize due to hyperfocus.. We lack that ability because of many factors.. We forget things easily, we get easily distracted etc etc. Hyperfocus is more a gift then a curse (at least to me it is). It's one of the few moments in where you CAN actually concentrate and focus on something for a long time.
Zeverouis 1 month ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Please sign this petition for ADD students rights: on thepetitionsite. Go to care2 website and type adhd in the search box. Click on second link (Schools, Adopt ADHD Training..) , THANK YOU
TheKsk1997 1 month ago
I actually feel 'comforted' when I am hyper-focused because I no longer have to worry & fret about deciding what to do or where to start! Making decisions & prioritizing are painful for me. Funny & True - Dinner w/ friends: 20 mins analyzing traffic patterns in order to get best route, 20 mins looking for coupon, keys, phone; arrive late; 15 min analyzing menu & polling the table 'what are you getting?' - Waiter arrives & in a panic, I blurt out 'I'll have the eggplant! LOL! Dr Barkley help me!!
73niki73 1 month ago
Dr Russell, maybe there is a drug that one can take that will mimic the effects of a frontal lobe brain damage. You should take some, and see how it really feels like to live with ADHD.
tomhuynh77 1 month ago
this is true. Sorry for all the people in denial. I suffer acute ADHD and also am a deeply artistic and creative person who deal with quick problems swiftly and efficiently. I even deal with drawn out creative problems well too, however never once in my life have I experienced this 'hyperfocus' these well meaning ignorants claim exist. It has and always will be a nightmare for me to keep focus on something, even video games I often lose track and lose interest or just plain lose as a result.
Danaceb 2 months ago in playlist Russell Barkley
@Danaceb I think maybe you're just one of the lucky few to suffer only part of the condition...you see I happen to be one of those 'well meaning ignorants' who claim it exists. Rather I am a intelligent individual that can't seem to get a handle on life, and I definately hyperfocus. To me the biggest clue is in the intense angry reaction when I'm interrupted...usually during a video game, go figure. I know I'm being irrational, but that doesn't stop the reaction.
nighthawk2k9 1 month ago
Iam studying bachelor of education and after two schoollabs i recognized, I CANT BE A TEACHER. So I decided to study psychology. But i have no good marks... So i claimed myself with a sue into psychology. My hyperfocus was about 2 months. And without it, i never had sued myself into it!!!
kletschky 2 months ago
I have ADHD and i totally agree with this, and 99.9% of everything else i have ever heard Dr. Russel say.
Ikarr0s 2 months ago
@Ikarr0s Me too! Well, at least what I paid attention to :) What was funny, while watching/listening to him, I found myself clicking around on another site and only 1/2 attending...But I think this guy is on the money for real.
73niki73 1 month ago
In the same way that this explains why people with autism often have good memories, it also serves to explain why people with ADHD often have the ability to focus for prolonged periods of time and show unusual signs of eccentricity and perspicaciousness.
rabadooda 2 months ago
Again, this doctor fails with his logic, plain and simple. Just because it is a sign of a frontal lobe injury, does not necessarily detract from it being a "gift" for the individual. For example, people who are born with developmental disorders often overcompensate in other areas that are in contrast to the individual's overall limitations. Whilst a person with ADHD might "hyperfocus" because they have abnormal brain function, this could still inadvertently be beneficial for the individual.
rabadooda 2 months ago
@rabadooda Think of it like this....Hyper-Focusing only benefits that to which you are focused on; and extremely detrimental to the other 9999 "things" you are avoiding, or ignoring. Furthermore, hyper-focusing may not even benefit anything or anyone - I spent 7 hours this weekend learning about Typography and should have done my taxes. True story!
73niki73 1 month ago
Dr. Barkley seems to be the only guy who believes that hyperfocussing doesn't occur in ADHD. Why is ADHD a syndrome of extremes if ADHDers cant hyperfocus. Why do so many of ADHD patients clean their house in an obsessive way, others are early for everything or others who save and count every penny. O.K. the obvious example here, are the students who leave all the studying to the night before the exam, because they know with the adrenaline flowing they can cram the years work into a night
zestyut1 2 months ago
Hyperfocus is a gift from above.
Denvermorgan2000 3 months ago
@Denvermorgan2000 Not when this 'gift' prevents you from doing more important things.
nighthawk2k9 3 months ago
@nighthawk2k9 ... i agree, i can hyperfocus on starcraft 2 all night instead of trying to sleep or set goals. damm adhd!
tomhuynh77 1 month ago
If you do not find your thoughts repeatedly interrupting the person you are trying to listen to (to the point where you hear next to nothing that they are saying and cannot recall what they are even talking about), then you do not have ADHD. I have not yet found anything as aggravating as when someone ignorantly assumes they understand what I experience in every aspect of my everyday life. If you do not have ADHD, you can never know what it is like. Not even if someone close to you has it.
Yotes4Life 4 months ago 6
@Yotes4Life That´s so true. One time I had a very close friend of mine, telling me she had a serious disease and that she though she was diying, and meanwile, I was doing as if I were listen to her (because I learned to do as if I were listening so no one would get mad at me when I wasn´t)., but inspide of that I was thinking about how to upcicle a shirt. I love my friend, i really do. but I coudn´t hear her asking for desperate help. that´s what ADHd do to you..is that a gift?
TheAnusqui 4 days ago
I would say when you can Wright a book or read a book in a few hours when it takes any-else else days or able to complete work at lightning speed with accuracy a good thing. Your sir are a dick and a jealous one at at that. I love my hyperfocus, and you can snap out of it, just set an alarm or get someone to give you a shake.
adamvester 4 months ago
@adamvester I have adhd and am highly affended by this
piciscichlid 2 months ago
@piciscichlid If you were in hyper-focused mode, you would have picked up on the typo...
73niki73 1 month ago
@adamvester Completely agree!!! I do the same thing.
mysorrowsong 2 months ago
I'm supposed to go to work now but I'm still watching this. O_o
amiel5enriquez 4 months ago 2
After listening to this man's lectures, I finally understand WHY I do the things I do: bursts of raw emotion, social rejection, impulsive reactions which turn out to be stupid, lack of motivation time blindness, being distracted by extraneous stimuli, and so on. Dr. Barkley explains ADHD as a executive function impairment due to anatomic and genetic abnormalites. This makes ADHD a disability that is very hard for people to dismiss. Also, now I know what I need to work on with my therapist.
Akewataru133 4 months ago
the other goals don't give us dopamine, and therefore i am phsically incapable to give a shit.
paenitet7nullum 5 months ago
And according to the DSM, perseveration is a characteristic of ppl diagnosed with AUTISM (ASD), not ADHD. If doctors and mental health professionals would take the time to truly diagnose people who show sx of AD/HD, ASD, or BD we'd know for sure which is a characteristic of which disorder IF there isn't a dual diagnosis.
DenActivist 5 months ago
And one more thing, people with AD/HD are not incompetent, criminals, or stupid. What they lack is social skills that are not taught in school by boring teachers LINEAR thinking teachers who are UNABLE to challenge students and keep their attention.
Please retire. You are an embarrassment to scholars who have a true understanding of AD/HD..
DenActivist 5 months ago
To Dr. Barkley, perseveration or hyperfocus--whichever term YOU might prefer, whether the act might be the result of nature or nurture, the fact remains that had people like Einstein, Tesla, Conrad, Edison, and ALL those other leading scientist NOT engaged in perseveration or HYPERFOCUS, we wouldn't have the scientific advancements we now take for granted. You TOO perseverate or "hyperfocus" because YOUR passion is learning about AD/HD.
DenActivist 5 months ago
it's a damn shame that these videos have so few views, if only there were a way to get more people to want to learn more about ADD and ADHD.
nighthawk2k9 6 months ago
FUUUUUUCK!!!!!! FUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!! I JUST DISCOVERED I HAD THIS FOR YEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAARRRSSSSS!!!!!! FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!! let me hear that kansas song again...
tironi333 6 months ago
He's absolutely right. "Hyperfocus" is fucking awful. There have been times when I've obsessively browsed the Internet for seven hours straight, on school days, and it felt like less than half that time. And when I'm writing a paper or an e-mail, I obsess over every word. Hyperfocus is basically OCD.
topraman519 6 months ago 2
@topraman519
This is the closest way I've ever heard what I experience described. In college and in my job which involves a lot of paperwork, I will proofread and obsess over every word to the point that it drives me crazy. I know it is irrational to the point of "OCD" but so difficult to change this. In college, I had the luxury to take as much time as I wanted to complete my projects and would still score my A's but after 3-4 times more time/effort. In the real world, time mgmt is key.
Shirahshell 2 weeks ago
So what do we do about it? GIVE US ANSWERS!
Mantismash 6 months ago in playlist adhd
Wow, people with ADHD have one small "win" and you've got to take all the positivity out of it. Yes, it can be a problem as much as the distractibility but channeled in the right way it can be a great benefit. Like people with this condition need any more reasons to feel inferior.
GavHeryng 6 months ago
Comment removed
luckystrike383 7 months ago
Dr B: Totally agree that hyperfocus and cognitive abundance [looking like OCD] so frequently presents in the office as unrecognized ADHD and symptoms of PFC imbalance. In my own opinion this presentation that you describe so accurately is the most commonly missed subset of PFC dysregulation. I have a video here on You Tube under Anxiety and ADHD [at drcharlesparker the channel] that supports Dr B's observations. Many posts at CorePsych Blog further document these commonplace misunderstandings.
DrCharlesParker 8 months ago
What a douche! It's assholes like this that perpetuate the stigma placed on mental illness (or gift if you prefer). He's nothing more than a predatory fuck looking for a shortcut to recognition through controversy. If hyperfocus is a myth, how is the other end of spectrum dispelled? If multi-threaded thought processes fall under the "myth" definition, then what has my mind been up to for the last 35 years? Perhaps he can dig into his Magic Bag of Reality and let me know. ~ The next video will f
rc5retro 8 months ago
This hyperfocus can actually be beneficial, it's not a myth. Einstein was known to hyperfocus on problems and I guess he had autism. This dumb fuck...
shannonhodgins 8 months ago
Comment removed
trentjapan 8 months ago
@ryanael
You call me ridiculous, because you are right I never went to a mental health doctor. Since that post I think maybe I should have earlier, I recently went to deal with a relationship problem. The doctor said within 2 minutes, without me mentioning it, he knew I had ADD. He asked me all the questions, and everything he asked confirmed what I had thought. I did not mention anything about hyperfocus to him. But it confirms it to me, that I thought the Hyper focus was related to ADD.
trentjapan 8 months ago
Ahh I'm sorry I'll get back to work instead of watching these Youtube videos! :(
blickblocks 9 months ago
He hits the nail on the head. "Hyperfocusing" in ADHD is just another procrastination problem relate to executive failure. You tend to "hyperfocus" on stupid, unproductive things. Want to see it in action? Give a copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops to an untreatedADHD male and he'll flunk all his classes because he simply can not stop. Give it to a normal male,he'll play a lot too but when there is a paper to write, he'll get to it much sooner. I am amazed by how many here failed to miss the point.
Kohox 9 months ago 2
@Kohox lol you're exactly right, I'm that untreated male, and I have indeed spent far too many hours playing CoD:BO. It's amazing how "I'll just play a couple rounds" turns into an 8 hour marathon session, and it feels like 2 hours. Before you realise it's 3 a.m. and you have to get up in 3 hours....oops!
nighthawk2k9 6 months ago
@nighthawk2k9 ... Kohox, my sister is a psychologist, and she recommends for me to lay off the video games because it makes the condition worse.
tomhuynh77 1 month ago
@tomhuynh77 Lay off the video games? lol that's funny!
iFlyFoamPlans 1 month ago
I HAVE FUCKING AUTISM NOW?!? Ugh, that doesn't even make sense.
TheManOfVeal 10 months ago
@TheManOfVeal No, just the inability to pay attention long enough to understand what he is saying.
indolering 10 months ago 2
When I found Dr. Barkley's videos on ADHD, I felt that I was reborn. He has taken all of the questions I have asked myself (including self doubt, guilt, fear, uncertainty) and answer every single one of them. If you're in the group that says "stop your pity party," I tell you that I don't pity myself. I now feel empowered with knowledge so that I can do the things that I know that I need to do. So I'll do my thing, and you do your thing, and let's not judge each other. Let's all be at peace.
sactownteri 10 months ago 4
I'm pretty sure he just equated being diagnosed with ADHD with having frontal lobe trauma,was this some sort of mechanism to describe things in layman terminology for descriptive purposes(if so, i say it was done in a fairly ham-fisted manner)or he needs a lesson in social graces concerning respect to those whom are afflicted with said disabilities.
nothingtoyouatall 11 months ago
I can only relate to myself, but I think his example is bad. This weekend I stayed at my parent and played with their new puppy - for hours and hours. I just enjoyed playing with her so much I lost focus on time and everything else. I think a similar sensation is what people feel when they can dedicate so many hours into one thing, fell good about it, then just drop it and move on.
Korvmannen 1 year ago
Thanks bald man, you understand.
EnjoicoolPanda 1 year ago 2
This guy in the video is being a jerk about it in his tone of voice. I gave him the finger at the end lol.
Jamesk81 1 year ago
This is at odds with my experience. Hyperfocussing to me is definitely a gift. I can see how, if it happens over something pointless it could be a waste of energy, but almost all of the significant things I've achieved in my life have been a result of hyperfocusing. The things I usually hyperfocus on are related to computing; programming or electronics projects, which is the field I work in, so it is not a waste of energy for me. I just wish I could turn it on and off when I actually need it.
gurintto 1 year ago
This guy is fucking moron. I'd raise my hand in the audience and tell him to change his tone of voice before I come up and treat him like a little kid in front of the audience. ADHD is a code word for "those who only bend for the institution such that the institution leaves them alone." It is a code word for those who never buy the myth of "liking school" which is just a equation to "liking to take orders."
ChelseaOskar 1 year ago
@ChelseaOskar I'm not really sure what you mean. If anything getting diagnosed and going on meds has given me the power to further achieve my goals and go against the mainstream, instead of just struggling to keep up with the status quo. Instead of continually trying to fit into the predetermined idea of success, I can ignored it and just do what I love. I think you've kind of missed the point.... Have you tried going on meds? P.S. Some of us love school, with or without meds. :P
bananaba1121 1 year ago
@ChelseaOskar You are ignorant and stupid, you can never understand the struggles that someone that has ADHD goes through every day. He is right on the money, everything he describes are issues that I struggle with every day. And to discount it so quickly as just being "lazy" or whatever you want to call it is nothing more than the opinion of an uneducated mind. Learn more, meet someone with ADHD and ask them about it, maybe then you will understand. Otherwise, STFU!
nighthawk2k9 1 year ago 31
@nighthawk2k9 - Yo Mama!
ChelseaOskar 1 year ago
@nighthawk2k9 I at first had this reaction as well. But as I listened to it more carefully all he's really talking about is semantics. The act is the same whether it's called "hyperfocus" or "perseveration." Basically, it's the inability to switch gears whether it's being called hyperfocus or perseveration. In both cases it's not a "lazy" choice. It's a misfunction of the brain. I think that's what he is saying. He's just not saying it very well.
ljg307 6 months ago
@nighthawk2k9
People who have not experienced ADD/ADHD themselves or know someone who has it tend to think it is not real or that a person is exaggerating. I cannot tell you how frustrating it is. People think it's just being lazy or a personality trait, they don't get how much easier life would be if I were just lazy or had a procrastinating personality trait-those.
So don't pay attention to anyone who is ignorant of it
SugarBudgie 5 months ago
@nighthawk2k9 I struggle every day. Though ignorance shouldn't be fought by telling someone to STFU. You only cause more anger in the resulting action from your words .
BornIntoMusic 4 months ago
@BornIntoMusic I know, but I'm also impulsive and emotional, sometimes I say shit without thinking about it first. What fun it is. My intention wasn't to generate anger, rather to convey my extreme furstration with the lack of credible information and informed people. I got ahead of myself....again.
nighthawk2k9 4 months ago
@nighthawk2k9 anyone who says it's just lazyness should try to walk a day in our shoes..
trisky1234 3 months ago 2
@nighthawk2k9 Amen.
RankAndFileGuy 2 weeks ago
@ChelseaOskar I agree he is a moron, but WTF are you talking about lol your a dumbass lol its not "code" for anything unless you want to call ADHD the "code" version of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.lmao (that was sarcasm in case it flew over your liddo head) . And loads of students like school with or without meds with or without ADHD or ADD. And "liking to take orders" this is not a Wendys. Its just youtube honestly who gives a shit lol. ppl are too serious here.
mysorrowsong 2 months ago
Why so much aggression? He's clearly talking about the clinical nature of the disorder and not making a personal statement about you.
vphoenix 1 year ago 14
@vphoenix
Still, kinda sad or disappointing hearing it from another person, lol.
=\
SoulPhantomX 1 month ago
I love to go into hyperfocus, and this guy is accusing me of being autistic, fuck this guy
zillyzachary 1 year ago
@zillyzachary I so agree with you!!! he must not know what perseveration means. To me, THAT is more for autistic children/adults. I have ADHD and work with autistic children and that is more characteristic of them than us ADHDers.
Perseveration: Uncontrollable repetition of a particular response, such as a word, phrase, or gesture, despite the absence or cessation of a stimulus, usually caused by brain injury or other organic disorder.
He needs to read that.
mysorrowsong 2 months ago
this is the type of guy you would see putting electric ear muffs on you , saying it will cure you
jasonouarda29 1 year ago 2
this guy is a douche
anoma1ee 1 year ago
I feel I probably have ADD, which means, I sometimes think about way too many things at one time, and when I could control that, I was really surprised at the level which I could perform, in a number or situations. It's not like focussing on a video game, or tv... It's more positive, controlled, and you are still aware of the things around you.
trentjapan 1 year ago
@trentjapan : I hate when people talk about this bullshit ! First of all you say you "probably have ADD" which leads me to believe you have not even been evaluated by a mental health professional, to determine whether or not you do or do not. I was in the military for 7 years and i still have problems focusing even when I try I miss things. Medication helps me a great deal but I still struggle ! your ridiculous.
ryanael 1 year ago
Comment removed
trentjapan 1 year ago
anymore hyperfocusing on him might mean my knuckles will hit his face
kauters 1 year ago
Sounds like you know what your talking about Doc...
SPOOKSTR 1 year ago