Out of Focus – When the Brain Wanders Too Much

How often do you start working on a project a day or two before the deadline?

Do you keep forgetting appointments or arriving late at meetings?

How often have you paid a bill overdue?

Do you find yourself constantly daydreaming?

In our modern society, people are expected to behave according to certain norms. We assume that if one person can do a task well, everyone else should be able to, if they try hard enough. For example, most of our jobs include many tasks that require us to maintain constant focus. We need to sit at a desk for long periods of time, stay organized and follow a strict schedule. In fact, these requirements are present in almost all aspects of our lives. In our modern world, we need to keep track of dozens of different things all with different deadlines — bills, taxes, insurances and inspections — all while trying to manage simple things like keeping your house clean!

In fact, not all brains are wired the same way! While some people have no problems dealing with these aspects of our society, others quickly become disengaged from repetitive tasks and constantly look for new stimulation. For these people, keeping a schedule or maintaining an organized workspace can be a real challenge and appointments or commitments are easily forgotten.

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by inattention, sometimes hyperactivity, impulsivity and other symptoms. It is thought that individuals with ADHD have subtle differences in the way their brain’s dopaminergic and other systems work when compared to those of a “normal person”, which lead to these differences in behaviors. However, while most of the emphasis usually stresses the negative aspects, individuals with ADHD tend to be very creative and curious — explorers by nature — and when properly motivated they can even enter into a hyper focused state. Moreover, problems with personal and work-related organisation, focus, controlling impulsivity and rational decision-making are not exclusive to ADHD patients. With this in mind, should ADHD really be considered a disorder? Or is it just a difference? And if so, what really separates “normal” people from those with the diagnosis?

Join us in the discussion at our next event – Out of Focus, when the brain wanders too much – June 30th!