Does Difficulty Focusing to Enter Flow State Indicate Attention Deficit Disorder?

-1

Sometimes when I must complete tasks I find myself "not being present", distracted or bored and I tend to do anything but tasks that I must complete. Eventually I would be doing something else, tasks that are easy and not important. When I have those days, I notice how perception of time is different compared to days where I am focused and productive. Everything slows down and I do not take as much actions, ending up disappointed. And I don't need to mention that social media and YouTube are the killers here if I try to go there which I normally try to avoid...

Other times I am sharp and focused, capable to enter the flow state. From Wikipedia:

Flow is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. In essence, flow is characterized by complete absorption in what one does. [...]

Clear minded and goal oriented I feel like taking a charge of my day and getting things done in the end. All of the time I think of tasks at hand and can even multi-task between important and less important tasks. I tend to forget about food which I do think about when the situation is the oppsite like I described above.

So I am not sure why such inconsistency. And it started to happen more often where I am not as productive. Is it depression (bipolar 2) or lack of motivation due to not seeing the results I want, lack of quality of life to support me if my job makes me stressed?

Maybe it's a problem with ADD (attention deficit syndrome on Wikipedia)? There is hyperactivity mentioned but I am not like that since I am calm and patient. I have done the test for ADD where I had to take a small dose of Ritalin to sit in front of a computer and push the right button where my response time would be measured. My responses were fast enough to pass the test.

Thank you.

Boris_yo

Posted 2017-01-13T15:13:41.083

Reputation: 137

1Hard to understand this question. 1) A doctor has concluded that you don't suffer from ADD, and 2) you have difficulty entering flow. Then by logic it follows that no, difficulty entering flow does not imply ADD. – Gruber – 2017-01-13T15:21:53.407

I found the ADD test I did was strange. I think it was more for hyper active people who cannot sit and pay attention for a short while. It is not the ADD type I have and don't think the test was appropriate to determine that. – Boris_yo – 2017-01-13T15:28:03.203

1Many people never reach a "flow" state! It is something that does need to be practiced, and typically the environment needs to be right. – Rory Alsop – 2017-01-13T23:49:09.170

@RoryAlsop Then how would you explain why I was able to reach flow state under 2 minutes when I was playing video games? – Boris_yo – 2017-01-14T08:23:49.593

1That's an environment which works for you. Some can't do that. The fact that you can shows that your question is not around whether or not ADD affects entry to flow state for you: you can. Whether or not you actually have ADD. – Rory Alsop – 2017-01-14T09:31:19.083

Then apparently playing video games and working on a project are not the same thing for me. While I don't have difficulty focusing when playing video games, I do have difficulty when I am expected to deliver work in a professional working environment. – Boris_yo – 2017-01-14T13:36:42.343

Answers

I'm not a doctor, so I can't say. However, many doctors say, that it's over diagnosed to a lot of kids that have trouble focusing.

Dr. Richard Saul even claims in his book "ADHD Does Not Exist", that ADD/ADHD doesn't exist. What he means by that is, that he beleves that there is no such thing as add, however, it's a combination ov many different disorders, that all should be treated individualy.

Wikipedia says:

A child with ADHD inattentive type has most or all of following symptoms, excluding situations where these symptoms are better explained by another psychiatric or medical condition:

Be easily distracted, miss details, forget things, and frequently switch from one activity to another
Have difficulty maintaining focus on one task
Become bored with a task after only a few minutes, unless doing something enjoyable
Have difficulty focusing attention on organizing and completing a task or learning something new
Have trouble completing or turning in homework assignments, often losing things (e.g., pencils, toys, assignments) needed to complete tasks or activities Seem to not be listening when spoken to
Daydream, become easily confused, and move slowly
Have difficulty processing information as quickly and accurately as others
Struggle to follow instructions
Have trouble understanding minute details

A child with ADHD hyperactive/impulsive type has most or all of the following symptoms, excluding situations where these symptoms are better explained by another psychiatric or medical condition:

Fidget and squirm in their seats
Talk nonstop
Dash around, touching or playing with anything and everything in sight
Have trouble sitting still during dinner, school, doing homework, and story time
Be constantly in motion
Have difficulty doing quiet tasks or activities
Be very impatient
Blurt out inappropriate comments, show their emotions without restraint, and act without regard for consequences
Have difficulty waiting for things they want or waiting their turns in games Often interrupt conversations or others' activities

Symptoms of hyperactivity tend to go away with age and turn into "inner restlessness" in teens and adults with ADHD.

-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder

You could also read this: http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/6168.html

about testing

The thing about "flow" the so called "hyperfocus" is (if I understand it right). Not noticing about (feeling the need) to going to the bathroom or eat, is just a side effect. "Hyperfocus" doesn't care wheter something is important or not, it only cares wether you're interessted and if so, you're obsessed with it, usually a number of days.

With add you do NOT have difficulty entering flow.

But you have difficulty focusing on everything else.

An other indication, might be your grades in school.

When you're either on the very top and very bottom of the class. Also, many teacher dislike you, because you ask a lot of "interessting" (at least for you) questions.

To your last statement, hyperactivity is not required, it says here, that it can also soly be in you mind.

About your comment about your test, people with add or adhd have trouble focusing exept it's very interessting.

As an ADD, you probably have a lot of problems and questions like this: How to avoid mind drifting while listening?

Always sleepy, tired and not focused

If you're still not sure, get tested by a doctor.

Call your local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness or CHADD, and ask for names of professionals who specialize in ADHD. Another good option: an ADHD support group in your area. Word-of-mouth recommendations are often the best assessment of a professional’s ability.

http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/6168.html

You could also try these: http://www.additudemag.com/quizzes/index.html

however from your question and comments and your test result, I guess you don't have add.

Frezzley

Posted 2017-01-13T15:13:41.083

Reputation: 131

You just reminded me about Ritalin which I did not mention. It was required for ADD/ADHD testing. – Boris_yo – 2017-01-14T13:21:42.053

@Boris_yo about your comment on the top, it could also mean, that your brain does not have enough prossessing power I don't totally agree with what he says about the combination with adhd, because usually they have a high IQ, but the lack of prossessing power could be something different.

– Frezzley – 2017-01-14T14:07:23.420

That's interesting. You think it's not ADD/ADHD but just a limited mental capability to hold and process many things in mind that make me lose interest and I lose my focus doing something else? – Boris_yo – 2017-01-14T16:44:14.597

1As I said, I'm not a doctor. And that's not exactely what I mean, but you only describe some problems associated with ADD/ADHD. I can't make a diagnose, I only try to give you some inputs about the things you describe. What you described about gaming, just matched pretty much exactely what is said in the video with the "lack of mental RAM". (This is not a bad thing in particular and can come with Stress as well as with many other different problems), It doesn't mean that you're dumb at all. (it wasn't meant to offend you). Did you take a look at these links:? – Frezzley – 2017-01-14T17:21:57.453

1http://www.additudemag.com/quizzes/index.html and the book: "ADHD Does Not Exist". In the end I don't care, wheter or not you have ADHD, I just try to provide you information, so you can determine yourself. It just made me suspicious, that you have been tested and the test was negative. That's why I'd try to consider other options, but It's all up to you. – Frezzley – 2017-01-14T17:22:26.327

As I said, I don't judge, but I try to answer your questions. – Frezzley – 2017-01-14T17:26:09.250

In my pursuit for solution I choose open minded approach and take no offense from others who try to help. Are you Dr. Seng from video? – Boris_yo – 2017-01-14T17:44:12.283

1@Boris_yo No, I am not, but that's a good approch. But it might be a good Idea to try to reach out to him and ask for his oppinion. – Frezzley – 2017-01-14T17:45:32.997

No, being unfocused doesn't not necessarily indicate ADD/ADHD. Perhaps you could get a second opinion by a doctor that uses a different diagnostic criteria.

So what else could it be? Just to brainstorm a general list: depression, anxiety, lack of discipline, disorganization, lack of direction/plans/goals, poor eating habits, poor sleep habits. Feel free to add more in the comments.

Generally speaking again, the first standard thing is check in with docs. After that, I'd say start reading/researching. I believe you can certainly strengthen your focus with mindfulness/meditation practice. How's your diet and sleep cycles? Do you rely on energy drinks and sugar to keep you going? Do you have a system to tie your goals and plans to day-to-day tasks so you know you're heading in a meaningful direction?

Good luck!

eflat

Posted 2017-01-13T15:13:41.083

Reputation: 1 052

Depression and sleep stand out to me in what you wrote. Could be stress as well. I do not meditate. I exercise and weight train 1 hour per day - 30 minutes morning and 30 minutes between afternoon and evening. Wake up 6:00, sleep 11:00PM - 00AM. Diet is as less sugar as possible. Only coffee in the morning with MCT coconut oil, afternoon is a cottage cheese with chocolate pudding (sometimes small meal like boiled veggies and rice), coffee sometimes between afternoon and evening. On evening often experience binge eating - 3 apples, 1 orange, walnuts and peanuts (sometimes sunflower seeds). – Boris_yo – 2017-01-14T13:44:44.163

@Boris_yo That's what daunts nd keeps 99℅ of the people to be average. I mean Bill Gates is the world's richest person not 'cause he does the hardest work but the other factors as well like loving what one does and getting absorbed (flow state) by it. And the lack of that state doesn't mean that you may be an ADD/BPD 2(trust me you are far away from BPD 2 with what you have mentioned). So it's due to the lack of will power/self control-see Akrasia. And don't bother about that as what you resist will persist.just practise sitting with your discomforts. it's easier said than done but works – Harini – 2017-04-24T15:35:37.927