ADHD & How Anyone Can Improve Their Focus

The true ADHD experience is having to go back every couple of minutes because you lost focus and stopped listening

Actionable Items from the video without medication- 1. Reduce sugar consumption. 2. Rapid blinking to increase dopamine and do work. - 20 seconds or whatever suits you. 3. Eating stuff with Omega 3 Fatty Acids - Walnuts, Peanuts, Eggs, Milk etc. 4. Meditate - can be in 2 ways - a. Closed eyes - While focusing on breath. - 15 min. b. Dilated Vision - Look at a point, and without moving your eyes try to focus and perceive the environment. Hope this helps, this channel is an absolute goldmine

As someone with adhd …this took me 3 months to watch, thank you andrew😂

My personal notes: 2:33 adult adhd 15:14 impulsivity 16:51 time perception and fear of consequences 21:11 working memory 22:23 adhd menu 26:50 neurocircuits 28:36 default 29:42 task 33:42 dopamine system 36:55 self-medicating with sugar, or recreational drugs 56:40 diet and adhd 59:46 elimination diet 1:01:53 simple sugars 1:02:59 high sugar impact 1:04:50 omega 3 fatty acids 1:11:33 altered traits 1:15:10 attentional blinks 1:17:08 open monitoring 1:19:30 meditation 1:23:06 eye blink 1:23:42 time perception 1:25:11 time dilate 1:27:52 learning to blink 1:29:29 kids attention span 1:33:46 why we blink 1:35:43 cannabis 1:41:51 traditional drugs 1:48:04 omega 3 fatty acids 1:51:04 ginco 1:51:56 modaf 1:58:39 alpha gpc 2:05:27 TMS 2:09:35 smart phones

Watching this video while procrastinating is just poetry.

As someone with ADHD I am excited to make it through 7 minutes of this 2 hour podcast.

ADHD has medications that contribute to focus and behavior. This helps me a lot. ADHD can be used as a gift when one learns to master it. When other people see a large stop sign at the gym or in very demanding physical work, our stop signs can be 10 miles further away than normal. Many athletes have ADHD. Michael Phelps, the greatest swimmer of all time is one of them. So it is possible to turn it all into a gift when you have mastered ADHD. It will be demanding, it will take time and there is no shame in sharing feelings with someone you trust. It just means that you take these four letters seriously. Speaking from experience.

I am 32 years old and I have been watching your podcast for awhile now, I watched this episode and it made me realize that I strongly believe I have ADHD I always wondered why I struggled in school and my daily life now!! I have wondered for years why I couldn’t get focused or even know where to start when doing any project or everyday tasks.. my boyfriend and I watched this episode and I cried because it all made sense

I genuinely love this podcast but having a 2+ hour show targeted to people with adhd.... bold.... I will be listening to this in parts until I forget 😂

As someone with adhd I think time stamps are a necessity with every YouTube video. Thank you.

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🧠 ADHD and improving focus will be discussed in this podcast episode, including normal levels of focus and relaxation techniques. 01:24 🌿 The episode will cover drug-based and behavioral tools, diet, supplementation, and emerging brain-machine interface devices for improving focus. 03:21 ⚠️ Caution against self-diagnosing or diagnosing others with ADHD; formal diagnosis should be done by professionals. 08:39 📚 The history and genetic basis of ADHD are discussed, with insights into the renaming from ADD to ADHD in the 1980s. 13:33 🔍 Attention, focus, and concentration are similar concepts, while impulse control involves limiting perception. People with ADHD can hyperfocus on things they love. 16:28 ⏰ Challenges with time perception, running late, and procrastination are common in people with ADHD. 18:25 📦 Organizational challenges, like using the "pile system" for belongings, are often seen in individuals with ADHD. 20:21 🧠 Working memory deficits in ADHD affect the ability to keep and manipulate information in the short term, but long-term memory may remain intact. 22:45 🧠 People with ADHD can obtain heightened levels of focus, even hyper-focus, for things that excite them and align with their interests. 23:39 💡 The ability to focus varies among individuals, with some naturally excelling at focusing on any task while others may need to incentivize themselves internally. 24:41 🔍 Dopamine plays a crucial role in creating a heightened state of focus and motivation in the brain, particularly for things outside one's skin (exteroception). 25:39 👁️ Dopamine narrows visual and auditory attention, allowing individuals to focus on specific aspects of their environment. 27:06 🧠 The brain has two main networks relevant to ADHD: the default mode network (active during rest) and task networks (active when goal-oriented). In ADHD, these networks may be abnormally coordinated. 31:01 🎶 Dopamine acts as a conductor in the brain, directing when different networks should be active. In ADHD, dopamine's regulation of these networks may be disrupted. 34:20 🧪 The low dopamine hypothesis suggests that low dopamine levels in certain brain circuits lead to unnecessary neural firing unrelated to the task, which may be a key factor in ADHD. 35:53 💊 Individuals with ADHD may engage in behaviors like consuming stimulants (e.g., caffeine, nicotine, cocaine) to self-medicate and increase dopamine levels to improve focus. 40:37 📋 Common medications for ADHD, like Ritalin and Adderall, are stimulants that increase dopamine levels in the brain, helping to improve focus and attention. 46:33 🧠 Many college students and young adults use drugs like Adderall to improve focus, even without an ADHD diagnosis. Stimulant use is widespread in this age group. 48:28 ☕ Caffeine and nicotine have long been used to enhance focus and alertness, with caffeine increasing dopamine and norepinephrine levels in the brain. 49:28 🧒 Children with ADHD often take stimulant medications like Adderall, which paradoxically help them focus and control impulsivity by activating specific brain networks. 51:29 🍭 Avoiding high sugar and simple sugar foods can have a positive impact on managing ADHD symptoms, especially in children. 55:40 🍽️ An elimination diet that identifies and eliminates foods causing allergies can significantly reduce ADHD symptoms in some children. 56:09 🧒 Early treatment of ADHD is important due to the high neuroplasticity in childhood, which allows for better brain reshaping and development of focus-related circuits. 59:34 🐟 Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA, may help adults with ADHD reduce their reliance on medication and improve focus. These fatty acids modulate brain circuits and dopamine availability. 01:03:52 🛌 Good sleep plays a crucial modulating role in attention and focus, emphasizing the importance of overall health in managing ADHD. 01:09:40 🧠 Medications like Ritalin and Adderall affect brain circuits and chemistry related to attention and focus, but there are alternative treatments worth exploring. 01:10:37 📚 For those interested in ADHD and dietary interventions, a 2020 study titled "Oligoantigenic diet improves children's ADHD rating scale scores" offers a more recent perspective than the 2011 Lancet study. 01:11:37 🧘‍♂️ A practice, like meditation or open monitoring, can significantly enhance focus and attention by reducing attentional blinks. 01:15:34 🤔 People with ADHD may not necessarily lack focus but instead experience more attentional blinks, overfocusing on certain elements and missing others, which can be addressed through open monitoring. 01:17:00 👁️ Panoramic vision, achieved through conscious dilation of gaze, improves attention and the ability to process information, potentially offsetting age-related cognitive decline. 01:19:29 🧘‍♀️ A simple meditation-like practice of interoception (awareness of one's internal state) for 15-20 minutes can reduce attentional blinks and enhance focus. 01:25:46 ⏳ Blinking controls time perception, and dopamine levels influence how we perceive time. Controlling the frequency and timing of blinks can improve focus and attention. 01:29:14 🌀 Physical movements, such as focusing on a close visual target and fidgeting, help children and adults manage their energy and enhance their ability to focus mentally. 01:32:33 🕺 Tapping your foot or bouncing your knee subtly can help reduce hand shaking and improve precision during tasks like surgery or handwriting, as it redirects activity from premotor circuits. 01:33:03 🗣️ Engaging premotor circuits through movements like pacing, nodding, or gesticulating can assist in managing nervousness and enhancing focus during public speaking. 01:34:01 ☕ Drugs like Ritalin, Adderall, caffeine, and even cannabis affect blinking frequency, which influences the regulation of sensory information entering the nervous system. 01:35:00 🌍 Blinking rate affects the specificity of attention, with less blinking resulting in more focused, narrow attention and more blinking broadening awareness. 01:36:32 🌿 Chronic cannabis use can reduce eye blinking frequency, possibly contributing to increased focus, but it can also impair memory. 01:37:57 🌡️ People with ADHD do have interoceptive awareness of their internal state, but their challenges lie in coordinating attention and focus rather than a lack of awareness. 01:38:55 💊 Prescription drugs like Ritalin, Adderall, and Modafinil, which enhance dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin levels, can be combined with behavioral exercises for better results. 01:41:51 🐟 Omega-3 fatty acids, specifically DHA at levels above 300 milligrams per day, can positively impact attention, especially when combined with phosphatidylserine. 01:46:39 🌿 Ginkgo Biloba may have minor effects on ADHD symptoms, but it can cause headaches in some individuals due to its vasodilating and vasoconstricting properties. 01:52:57 💡 Modafinil and armodafinil are gaining popularity as alternatives to traditional ADHD medications, as they increase focus by acting on dopamine, norepinephrine, and the orexin system. Armodafinil is a more cost-effective option for some. 01:55:25 🧠 Armodafinil dosage may need to be adjusted based on individual sensitivity, as some people are hypersensitive to medication and require lower doses for the same effects. 01:56:24 🧪 Acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter, plays a crucial role in generating muscular contractions and is also released in the brain to activate specific locations and enhance focus. 01:57:52 💊 Alpha-GPC, an over-the-counter compound, increases focus by stimulating acetylcholine release from various brain locations and is often used for cognitive enhancement. 01:59:20 🧠 L-Tyrosine, an amino acid, can enhance focus by increasing dopamine levels but requires careful dosing, as it can lead to euphoria or jitteriness. 02:00:52 ⚙️ Racetams, like Noopept, can improve focus and cognition by affecting the cholinergic system and are available in some countries over the counter, but caution is advised. 02:05:13 🧐 Excessive smartphone use, especially among adolescents, may lead to attention deficits, and limiting usage to less than 60 minutes a day for adolescents and around two hours for adults can help maintain focus. 02:09:08 ⚡ Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive technology used to stimulate specific brain regions and has potential in treating ADHD and enhancing focus. 02:14:35 📱 Constant context switching due to smartphone use can erode attentional capacities and lead to difficulties in focusing on other tasks. Limiting phone usage can hel

I was diagnosed with ADHD since my teenage. Also suffered severe depression and mental disorder. Not until my wife recommended me to psilocybin mushrooms treatment. Psilocybin treatment saved my life honestly. 8 years totally clean. Never thought I would be saying this about mushrooms.

For all those with ADHD who have difficulties watching or listening to these two-hour episodes, consider going for a walk and listening to these as podcasts. I listen to his videos while walking my dogs. I walk my dogs for about an hour a day, so it might take a couple of days to finish the longer videos. For me, it seems easier to listen and focus while walking. I've been able to finish all the videos I've started so far.

As someone with ADHD, I have added this video to my 3rd watch later playlist with close to 5000 videos. I look forward to trying to make it through 10% of this video and giving up

My intensity of energy, daydreaming, coupled with inability to motivate myself to do cognitively demanding uncreative sit-down tasks like writing were the bane of my existence until age 38 when I finally got diagnosed. Even though it’s been a few years on since my diagnosis, it’s still hard to manage. Key things for me: sufficient sleep, less caffeine, sufficient exercise, sufficient protein, and sufficient TALKING TO PEOPLE REGULARLY.

I'm only 10 minutes in and sincerely want to listen to this entire video, but I'm losing focus and browsing other tabs. The irony isn't lost on me. - I clicked the subscribe button in hopes that I'll remember to come back and watch this another time.

This is just for me but what I learned what works for my ADHD is a combination of actions: 1) walk 4 miles in the AM and 4 miles in the evening. 2) meditation for 20 mins twice a day 3) no sugar or added sugars 4) no coffee after 11am 5) various vitamins including L-Theanine 6) no computers or phone use 1 hour before bed 7) fasting 16 hours 8) and finally.... when Im at work and feel my concentration struggling, I get up and move around and speak to myself on how I am feeling....basically getting in touch with myself. So I've been doing all this for 40 years and it helps. Again, this helps me and may help you too but it's all non scientifically proven.

Here's a list of some things to help you with ADHD in my experience. I've always felt I've had to work harder than the average person (neurotypical) person just to be "normal". With both successes & failures. I've honed in on some of what has worked for me and what I'm emphasizing more again now. 1. Pomadoro technique, working in 15-60min intervals to focus on one task while giving myself a short break in between. It simplifies things to prevent "overwhelm" / anxiety and helps manage my perspective of time (ADHD we lack perception of time often we understiminate how long it takes to do something or we get scattered). We can often forget what we did the whole day even if it was a good day. So this sorta helps keep your perspective of time & pacing. 2. I always pat my pockets or peek into my bag if possible before leaving my place or a venue. This is a habit that has helped me not lose things. And if I feel like I forgot to lock a door let's say it never hurts to double check. Also, creating designated spots let's say to place your keys or a specific spot you always put your journal. Again this can be a simple habit that will save you from losing stuff thou it will still happen. 😅 3. Fitness. Both a blessing & a curse. But because we release less dopamine we often lack motivation and we experience overwhelm from procrastination/anxiety. A hard fitness routine if possible everyday in some shape or form. Will ground you & lower your resting heart rate for the rest of the day to mitigate any anxiety/overwhelm/hyperactivity. While also keeping your dopamine receptors stimulated in a healthy way to help with general mood, motivation. Cold showers good too for a dopamine release & to keep a calm resting heart rate in the day (preventing anxiety, hyperactivity) 4. Supplementation / Vitamins It's better to do it with a diet obviously, but I found that it's easier to make it a habit by simply taking supplements. Requires less thought and can be made habitual. Specifically, omega 3 + D3 (omega 3 in foods is great too obv) and at night due to hyperactivity I can't sleep or if I'm triggered I tend to fixate on my thoughts all night. So ashwaganda has been great to calm down coupled with zinc + magnesium to help with overall immunity but to increase sleep quality (we are often more effected by lack of sleep so sleep quality is important), helps relax before bed. There are I'm sure other supplement recomendations out there. 5. Sobriety I found and in my history that we are prone to impulsivity. Often drugs even weed, pornography, or too much social media tends to exacerbated ADHD symptoms with attention span and obviously lowers our baseline dopamine even further. 6. Accept it has ur greatest strength. Learn to manage it but don't be too harsh on yourself or judge it. We are often very creative divergent thinkers, we often are passionate and can go in deep on multiple interests. Under pressure we can perform better and do more, than the average person (the problem is we often work ONLY under pressure, this can be adjusted but your the one you can excell when others are panicking under pressure). You may struggle with normal life things, but you can excell at deep thinking, complex subject matter tieing multiple ideas together in a way most can't. You think outside the box and can handle complex ideas. And there are times in life where, that hyperactivity will give you the energy you need to keep going when it counts! We can be great leaders especially when we learn how to delegate with the tasks we're not interested in. And we often have the courage/passion to do things at the cutting edge or takes risks most won't. We are 300% more likely to start a business. 7. Meditation If you can't do open eyed or a more traditional mediation I find something more active & involved form of mediation is easier to be engaged with when you have ADHD. Such as wim hof method or other breathing techniques. These also help stimulate dopamine and lower your resting heart rate for the day with all the other benefits of meditation such as attention span/will power. 8. Lack of understanding social ques. Generally, due to our brain development we may find it harder to socialize/understand social ques compared to neural typical people. I was literally mute, thou I could talk just chose not to in school for my first few years, the teachers were concerned. After some bullying later and overall always having a lot of social anxiety I've improved. I am even running my own business which involves sales! With experience, things can become habitual. Even social ques. So going out of your comfort zone and with experience it can improve greatly. Just don't beat urself up. It's a skill and a process like anything else. It is important too that you find people in your life that understand you, accept you and to whom you can be vulnerable with about what your going through. Here are a few things I found helped with socializing: Books (audio books are great, I struggle with reading physical books): 1. How to Win friends and Influence People 2. 48 Laws of Power (More so to protect yourself, great for understanding dynamics in the workplace let's say or if your dating. Just helps give a better understanding of people and to prevent you from being manipulated by others too) -Check out Charisma on Command on YouTube he's great. 9. Try journaling or some form of writing. In regards to socializing writing inherently will help you articulate yourself better in conversation with others. Such as improving your vocabulary. More notably, writing will help organize your thoughts. As we know, we think about a lot of things, all the time, taking the time to structure those thoughts is not a bad thing. With questions or just interesting ideas. You have a gift. So it's worth writing some of those down. If your journaling, as those with ADHD don't have the greatest short term memory. It can also help us with this and often we forget about even the positive things in our day. 10. Standing desk. It's doesn't have to be some fancy one even. Find a shelf at the right height, a surface, anything comfortable enough to act as a standing desk. It sometimes sounds pretentious. But for us it's self-explanatory. It does make a difference.

The scene from Malcom in the middle when hale starts one task then goes to another task and it goes On until he has the engine from the car out is the best depiction of real life ADHD I’ve seen. Starting a task then seeing something else needs work and is more important than the current task.

this is the first Huberman podcast I listen to and I’m amazed at how he his able to explain complex concepts in such an understandable way .