ADHD: Six radios in my head

A lot of people think that ADHD (with its 'Attention Deficit' bit at the beginning of its name) means ADHD is a condition that has to do with too little attention, but in reality, it's more to do with dysregulated or misdirected attention. In fact, for many, ADHD feels more like they're paying too much attention to what's going on - a bit like having 'six radios in my head' all at once, as one person described it.

Attention Regulation, Not Deficit

ADHD isn't a lack of attention—it's a challenge in controlling where attention goes, how long it stays, and when to shift it. People with ADHD may:

• Struggle to focus on uninteresting or repetitive tasks

• Overfocus (hyperfocus) on things they find stimulating

• Jump quickly between thoughts or stimuli

  
  

As ADHD author and coach Lou O'Connell says: "I'm a nightmare in a shared office - not only am I distracted by everyone else, I am also very distracting to them too." ('You are not your ADHD', 2024)

Rather than an attention deficit, ADHD is more like having your receptive abilities constantly ON but in a scattered way, which can sometimes feel exhausting and frustrating.

Hyperfocus Is A Real Thing

Many ADHDers can happily enter a state of intense attention on things they're really interested in leading to hours of productivity. This is a powerful ability and it's probably one the reasons why many people with ADHD have been highly successful in capitalising on this ability to 'lock in': deeply, doggedly pursuing their interests and talents with Bill Gates, Richard Branson, and Simone Biles being some high-profile examples.

3. Sensitivity to Stimuli

With the equivalent of multiple radios or web browsers on and open at once, ADHD brains and bodies are often that much more sensitive to sounds, sights, smells and also emotions, their own and those of others. Because ADHDers are processing so much input at once, it can make it almost impossible to attend to one thing at once which subsequently means it can be overwhelming to prioritise what matters most in any given moment.

TIPS for managing these difficulties include breaking tasks down into manageable chunks, minimising distractions (e.g. buying noise cancelling headphones) and setting timers. The Pomodoro method involves taking regular short breaks and physically moving around which enables a 'reset'. For more on this, see below. Many people find timers helpful or dictating things they're worried they might forget about directly into their reminders or calendar apps on their phone. There are many other useful tips and hacks available online.