Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhy People With ADHD May Struggle to FocusADHD Symptoms of InattentionTips to Help People With ADHD Focus

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Table of Contents

Why People With ADHD May Struggle to Focus

ADHD Symptoms of Inattention

Tips to Help People With ADHD Focus

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Approximately 5% of people in the world live withattention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).ADHD is a condition that affects the brain’s development in ways that makes it hard for the person to sit still and pay attention.As a result, people with ADHD may struggle to focus.

Beingunable to focusmay make it difficult for a person with ADHD to complete tasks, pay attention to details, or participate in tasks that require extended concentration.Therefore, the person may struggle at work or school and have difficulty maintaining relationships.

This can be upsetting and discouraging for the person and frustrating for others around them, saysAimee Daramus, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist.

It’s important to seek treatment for ADHD because without it, a person with ADHD may simply be unable to focus, despite wanting to do so.

Aimee Daramus, PsyDToo many people still treat ADHD as a behavioral problem or an issue of disobedience, when without help, someone with ADHD simply cannot focus or do what they’re expected to do.

Aimee Daramus, PsyD

Too many people still treat ADHD as a behavioral problem or an issue of disobedience, when without help, someone with ADHD simply cannot focus or do what they’re expected to do.

This article discusses the causes and symptoms of ADHD that can make focusing difficult and suggests some strategies to help people with ADHD improve their focus.

People with ADHD have differences in their brain’s anatomy and functioning.Below, Dr. Daramus explains some of these differences and how they can impact the person’s ability to focus.

Neurochemical Imbalance

There are chemicals in the brain, known asneurotransmitters, that help regulate attention and the ability to focus, among other things. People with ADHD may have low levels of two such chemicals, known as dopamine and norepinephrine.

Dopaminehelps us take action to achieve a specific goal or reward, so low dopamine can limit the ability to initiate action and feel a sense of reward when the task is completed. As a result, a person with ADHD may have difficultyinitiating tasksand seeing them through.

Norepinephrine is a chemical that acts to calm downadrenaline, which is a stimulant, so too little norepinephrine can contribute to hyperactivity. As a result, a person with ADHD may not be able to sit still and focus on a single task.

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Limited Visuospatial Memory

People with ADHD also often have limited visuospatialmemory.Visuospatial memory is the ability to see a picture in your mind and rearrange it, like you would when figuring out how to solve a puzzle.

For most of us this is motivating, but people with ADHD have trouble with motivation because they can’t visualize the end goal, making it harder for them to figure out the steps in between.

People with ADHD have difficulty focusing, which can result in a persistent pattern of symptoms.These are some of the symptoms of inattention they may experience:

In addition, people with ADHD may also display symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity.

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Treatment in the form of medication and therapy can help manage the symptoms of ADHD andimprove focus. In addition to treatment, Dr. Daramus suggests some tips that can help children or adults with ADHD improve their focus:

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A Word From Verywell

Having ADHD can make it difficult to focus, making it hard for a person to perform at work or school, or maintain friendships or relationships with family members. It can also cause the person to feel frustrated or misunderstood. While there is no quick fix for ADHD,treatmentand coping strategies can help reduce symptoms and improve focus.

8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Polanczyk GV, Willcutt EG, Salum GA, Kieling C, Rohde LA.ADHD prevalence estimates across three decades: an updated systematic review and meta-regression analysis.Int J Epidemiol. 2014;43(2):434-442. doi:10.1093/ije/dyt261Nemours Foundation.ADHD.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms and diagnosis of ADHD.National Institute of Mental Health.ADHD in adults.American Academy of Pediatrics.Causes of ADHD.Jamkhande PG, Khawaja A.Role of norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A mechanism-based short review.International Journal of Nutrition, Pharmacology, Neurological Diseases. 2016;6(4):146. doi:10.4103/2231-0738.191660van Ewijk H, Heslenfeld DJ, Luman M, et al.Visuospatial working memory in ADHD patients, unaffected siblings, and healthy controls.J Atten Disord. 2014;18(4):369-378. doi:10.1177/1087054713482582American Psychiatric Association.What is ADHD?Additional ReadingNemours Foundation.ADHD: Tips to try.

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Polanczyk GV, Willcutt EG, Salum GA, Kieling C, Rohde LA.ADHD prevalence estimates across three decades: an updated systematic review and meta-regression analysis.Int J Epidemiol. 2014;43(2):434-442. doi:10.1093/ije/dyt261Nemours Foundation.ADHD.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms and diagnosis of ADHD.National Institute of Mental Health.ADHD in adults.American Academy of Pediatrics.Causes of ADHD.Jamkhande PG, Khawaja A.Role of norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A mechanism-based short review.International Journal of Nutrition, Pharmacology, Neurological Diseases. 2016;6(4):146. doi:10.4103/2231-0738.191660van Ewijk H, Heslenfeld DJ, Luman M, et al.Visuospatial working memory in ADHD patients, unaffected siblings, and healthy controls.J Atten Disord. 2014;18(4):369-378. doi:10.1177/1087054713482582American Psychiatric Association.What is ADHD?Additional ReadingNemours Foundation.ADHD: Tips to try.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Polanczyk GV, Willcutt EG, Salum GA, Kieling C, Rohde LA.ADHD prevalence estimates across three decades: an updated systematic review and meta-regression analysis.Int J Epidemiol. 2014;43(2):434-442. doi:10.1093/ije/dyt261Nemours Foundation.ADHD.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms and diagnosis of ADHD.National Institute of Mental Health.ADHD in adults.American Academy of Pediatrics.Causes of ADHD.Jamkhande PG, Khawaja A.Role of norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A mechanism-based short review.International Journal of Nutrition, Pharmacology, Neurological Diseases. 2016;6(4):146. doi:10.4103/2231-0738.191660van Ewijk H, Heslenfeld DJ, Luman M, et al.Visuospatial working memory in ADHD patients, unaffected siblings, and healthy controls.J Atten Disord. 2014;18(4):369-378. doi:10.1177/1087054713482582American Psychiatric Association.What is ADHD?

Polanczyk GV, Willcutt EG, Salum GA, Kieling C, Rohde LA.ADHD prevalence estimates across three decades: an updated systematic review and meta-regression analysis.Int J Epidemiol. 2014;43(2):434-442. doi:10.1093/ije/dyt261

Nemours Foundation.ADHD.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms and diagnosis of ADHD.

National Institute of Mental Health.ADHD in adults.

American Academy of Pediatrics.Causes of ADHD.

Jamkhande PG, Khawaja A.Role of norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A mechanism-based short review.International Journal of Nutrition, Pharmacology, Neurological Diseases. 2016;6(4):146. doi:10.4103/2231-0738.191660

van Ewijk H, Heslenfeld DJ, Luman M, et al.Visuospatial working memory in ADHD patients, unaffected siblings, and healthy controls.J Atten Disord. 2014;18(4):369-378. doi:10.1177/1087054713482582

American Psychiatric Association.What is ADHD?

Nemours Foundation.ADHD: Tips to try.

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