Sometimes a more helpful way to look at ADHD is to veer away from mere focus issues, and to understand it as a “hyper-focus disorder.” What this means is that when someone gets in a rhythm, especially with something they might enjoy, it’s very hard to transition to another task. Thus, this person may get lost in that project for hours at a time. To others, it can even seem obsessive. This can look like a certain work task, such as excel spreadsheets, or can be a hobby, such as artwork or puzzles. Thus, the ADHD patient lives in a dual reality: Certain tasks feel nearly impossible to be attentive to, and other tasks feel impossible to break away from.
The other component to this hyper-focus disorder is that it’s very difficult to transition from one type of task to another completely different task, whether or not it’s enjoyable. For example a child with ADHD struggles significantly to go from physical activity outside to suddenly sitting down inside and doing homework at the table. In order to be successful at going from task to task, there has to be a time for mental preparation for that change in routine.
There is often a behavioral component to ADHD that most commonly causes the family to pursue treatment. Behaviors include: attention-seeking behaviors, impulsive or disruptive behaviors, and destructive or even violent behaviors. Sometimes ADHD is mistaken for rebellious or antisocial traits. However, with the proper interventions, relationships, functionality, and focus can improve radically.
Why does someone become attention-deficient? There are many factors that can lead to poor focus and even an outright diagnosis of ADHD.
Genetics
In other words, it "runs in the family". The genes in the family line are predisposed to having risk of ADHD symptoms. But that's not always a thorough reason. We are not defined by our genetics, but rather by the way that we live. Lifestyle is a major factor in how our brain and cognition functions. This is not always good news for those who struggle with wanting to modify their lifestyle, but it is positive news because we have the power to choose how we want our brain to function. The following causes are examples of specific lifestyle factors that may impact attention.
Lack of Skills
This is not frequently talked about in a medical setting when someone is struggling with focus. The truth of the matter is that someone who struggles with transition, staying engaged, focusing when anxious or overwhelmed, etc. is that there is a lack of skills to self regulate, communicate needs, or to simply learn how to transition. When someone struggles with impulsivity or defiance, there is a lack of skill to pause, think through decisions, cope with or communicate their emotions. These skills are one of the most important aspects to focus on in treatment as it will help the patient become equipped for life’s challenges.
Poor Sleep
Sleep cannot be valued enough. Sleep is one of the first things that we cut out or cut back on when we feel pressure to complete tasks, stress, have poor routines in place, or when we have any coexisting mood symptoms (such as anxiety). Sleep is essential to supporting our brain's ability to focus because it is the only time in the day that we have uninterrupted moments for rest. The brain requires complete rest (through sleep) in order to have a proper reset and recharge. If someone is deficient in sleep, the brain will not be at full capacity. This is fairly simple if we imagine a battery that has not been properly charged overnight. We can only expect that whatever technology that battery is powering will have limited capacity for what it needs to do if it did not get recharged. Our brains are not too different! The question is: what symptoms do we typically see if the brain is not fully recharged? Poor focus, increased anxiety, more "over-stimulated", more irritability, increased impulsivity, more drained/fatigued, and decreased motivation… to name a few. The optimal duration of sleep for adults is between 6 to 9 hours each night. The optimal duration for minors is approximately 8 to 10 hours per night. We should be falling asleep within 20 minutes and should be staying asleep throughout the night. Is most essential to fall asleep by 10 p.m. in order to obtain all of the important stages of sleep, especially deep and REM sleep!
Limited Nutrition
Nutrition speaks to what are we eating, how often, and how much at each meal or snack. When it comes to focus and attention, we tend to see that people benefit from eating regular meals that are high in protein and healthy fat content (especially omega-3s). Being mindful of what to eat less of it's also important. While we don't want to create too many rules on what is "bad" or "wrong", it is helpful to know what is less helpful for the brain, especially when it comes to focus. These Foods include high sugar foods (desserts), high processed fat foods (french fries), and foods that contain a lot of preservatives or dyes (candy). It's always worth taking a look at what we are eating in a day, and assessing if there is enough balance between the guilty pleasure foods and the nutrient-rich foods. And remember, there's no perfect diet, and you don't need to have a perfect diet in order for your focus to be better. We have to eat often enough (every 2-4 hours) to keep the brain fed and alert. Typically, those with hyperactivity and higher energy burn through nutrients faster and need to keep up with the demands of the brain and body. We also have to make sure that we are eating at the appropriate time. One of the most important meal times for attention issues is breakfast, because this meal helps with starting your day strong. Perhaps one of the strongest factors for someone’s focus is whether or not they ate a strong breakfast, or any food at all. Examples of a strong breakfast may include eggs, yogurt with nuts and berries, avocado toast, or peanut butter toast with banana. The goal when we eat is to feed our body with the building blocks to create the hormones and chemicals that are needed for the brain to function well. It's an extra plus when we enjoy these nutrient-rich foods!
Co-existing mood symptoms
A really common concern that patients will want to be evaluated is to target their inability to focus, get good grades, or achieve tasks at work. But there is an ambivalence to how their mood is, or how they're feeling. One of the most telling signs that someone is struggling with depression or anxiety is that their focus is declining. For example if someone really struggles with social anxiety, fearing that others are judging them or fear that they don't fit in, their focus when they are at work or school will be one of the first things to be affected, because their brain is occupied by their fears. Or, when someone is struggling with hopelessness, sadness, or even suicidal ideation, the mind lacks motivation to stay engaged with life tasks. This can't be ignored, because most primary treatments for ADHD or focus issues can actually make anxiety, irritability, anger, or sleep worse if they are not first addressed. Another emotion that may be a component in the inattentiveness is anger... which can lead to defiance. This is a common emotion that we see especially in minors, but is not absent in adults. Anger is a high energy of motion that takes up a lot of space in our mind. It is very difficult to remain engaged in any other activity or task when anger is present. Anger is known for being distracting and overstimulating to the mind. If someone is struggling with anger and a secondary emotion that drives the anger, it is going to be nearly impossible to focus until those things are addressed.
Too Much Screen Time
This is a more pressing issue as our world becomes more technologically advanced. Our younger generations are becoming exposed to screens at even younger ages for longer periods of time. Screens surround us at work, school, and at home. Screen time has a direct impact on the brain, especially when it is still developing. Specifically, screens cause atrophy or shrinkage on the frontal lobe, which is the key area in the brain responsible for impulse control, focus, higher level thinking, and regulation of emotions. Our society as a whole is becoming more attention deficit and fitting into the ADHD category simply as a result of excessive screen time. It’s important to be mindful of and to limit screen time (especially for social or leisure use) to less than 2 hours per day. Spend time outdoors and with shared time together to replace this unhelpful habit and it will be very healing for the brain!
Our treatment team considers a variety of options to support focus, mood, behavior, and overall functioning. This may include holistic supplements, lifestyle management, mood-supporting medications, psychotherapy, case management, and parenting or family coaching, along with TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) as a non-invasive neuromodulation option.
Family involvement is one of the most important elements of ADHD treatment, especially when building long-term skills and practical tools for daily functioning.
Psychotherapy is often beneficial in cases of ADHD. The disorder can create stress within a support system, and feelings of frustration, blame, or anger may develop within families, friendships, or work environments. Family therapy helps educate parents, spouses, and caregivers about ADHD while addressing negative emotions that may arise when supporting a loved one. Behavioral therapy teaches individuals to notice, pause, and adjust their reactions.
Regardless of age, someone can be proud of moments when they manage emotions, think before responding, or stay focused on a task. Positive reinforcement can strengthen a care plan. In school settings, reward systems can encourage healthy behavior, while in the workplace, communicating the value of incentives or structure can support follow-through and productivity.
TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) can be a helpful tool for supporting attention, regulation, impulse control, and thought organization. This non-invasive approach uses magnetic stimulation to support brain activity involved in mood and focus, making it a potential complementary option within a broader treatment plan.
At Solstice Pacific, a treatment team will monitor progress and help identify a medication plan and neurological treatment approach that works for each individual. Everyone is affected differently, and neurobiology is always shifting based on environment, genetics, trauma history, chemistry, and co-occurring conditions. Finding the right integrated care combination takes time, communication, and support from an interdisciplinary team.
Life after a diagnosis has as much life in it as we train ourselves for; ADHD can be a benefit because the diagnosis may challenge the individual to be aware of their needs and learning style.
At Solstice Pacific, care means creating comfort and safety for you. While there is no cure yet developed for this condition, it is entirely possible to gain control over the symptoms and live a full and productive life.
Inattentive types display several of the following:
Makes careless mistakes
Has difficulty reading for long periods of time
Finds it challenging to sit through meetings, lectures or maintain conversations
Doesn’t listen to family, authority figures, peers or direction
Starts a task but quickly loses focus
Has a hard time maintaining deadlines and managing time
Strongly dislikes and avoids tasks that require sustained mental energy
Easily loses important things
Is easily distracted by thoughts and external forces
Forgetfulness in basic routine activities, like chores and keeping appointments
