ADHD & How Anyone Can Improve Their Focus | Episode 37
Main Takeaways
ADHD is a disorder with a genetic component that affects 1 in 10 children and has nothing to do with intelligence.
Some people with ADHD outgrow it over time, while others require some amount of treatment.
Dopamine underlies enjoyment and curiosity, which creates a hyper-focus and state of motivation in individuals with ADHD.
Individuals with ADHD have the capacity to focus but struggle to engage attention on tasks they don't enjoy.
Typically, default mode networks and task networks work in opposition under the orchestration of dopamine - in ADHD, these networks are more correlated.
Low dopamine hypothesis explains why people with ADHD lean on recreational drugs or indulge in non-drug stimulants (i.e., coffee, cigarettes) which increase dopamine in the brain.
Attentional blinks are more common in people with ADHD, which causes them to be more easily distracted.
Tips for improving focus include consciously dilating gaze, meditation, blinking eyes, and fidget toys.
Pharmaceutical treatments for ADHD include stimulants that increase dopamine, norepinephrine, and adrenaline.
Non-pharmaceutical treatments for ADHD include behavioral tools, omega-3, phosphatidylserine, modafinil or armodafinil, and alpha-GPC.
