Anyone else feel awful after hyperfocusing? (lemmy.sdf.org)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Hi all.

I'll try and be succinct but as I'm sure you all realize that's often easier said than done.

I don't feel like I ever hear my fellow ADHDers discuss how negative an experience hyperfocusing can be.

First off, I never feel like I'm 'enjoying' myself when I hyperfocus. It feels a lot like I'm dreaming. Time moves weirdly, all my senses go askew, and it never feels like I'm in-control.

Then when the focus fades for whatever reason, I feel exhausted. I usually have a headache from the hours of intent concentration. Oftentimes I haven't eaten, had a drink or used the toilet. As I start to come out of it I often feel quite confused and borderline hungover.

It gives me such an existential crisis. An activity is either so boring I can't summon myself to engage with it or it's so absolutely engrossing that it feels like the activity is partaking of me rather than the reverse.

And when I come out of it, to an extent I do feel as if I've been consumed. I don't feel happy or satisfied or fulfilled. I feel tired, confused and uncomfortable.

Can anyone relate? Does anyone have any advice?

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[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

It depends. If I get into a really interesting book, and then spend several hours reading, I sometimes feel like that. Like I got so sucked into the world of the book that I left this one. Sometimes at the end of a really long, really good movie I feel the same. It doesn't feel as bad as you describe though. Just kind of disorienting.

If I get into a flow state at work it feels fantastic. At the end I feel tired, but in a good way. I can relax and usually kind of revel in whatever was created during the flow state. It feels so good, I have to be careful not to overindulge. If I don't watch it, I'll ignore all the boring work that's not likely to get me into a flow.

I highly recommend anyone with ADHD to look into flow state theory.

this post was submitted on 12 Jul 2023

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