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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dr. Bob on January 22, 2004, at 20:54:44
In reply to ADD: Looking for helpful techniques for Hyperfocus, posted by Kemet on January 22, 2004, at 15:45:04
> I am a 43yr old with ADD. Although I take meds that help with focus and concentration I still have problems with Hyperfocus (I get so engrossed in what I am doing that the building could be on fire and I would still have trouble switching focus from what I am doing). At work it is like my eyes are magnetically pulled to my computer screne and I have trouble switching focus when someone approaches me with a question, etc. This has caused me to make errors in what I am currently working on, whatever that person just said to me went completely over my head, and of course they are looking at me saying "hello, anybody in that head of yours"?
>
> Does anyone have practices or techniques they use to help switch focus faster. I also get the opposite thing at times when I can not focus on what I need to but practicing yoga has helped me focus. I am looking for a way to practice switching focus with control and lessen my habit of hyper-focus.
Posted by EscherDementian on January 23, 2004, at 4:00:27
In reply to ADD: helpful techniques for Hyperfocus « Kemet, posted by Dr. Bob on January 22, 2004, at 20:54:44
The book "Driven to Distraction" ...
Written by two pdocs who both have ADD ~I believe it was fairly recently published. On the recommendation of others like us and also a therapist, i ordered and checked it out of my local library. Twice.
And a good sense of humour about your own ingenius uniqueness helps too.
Escher
Thinks Adderall should have a disclaimer on the package that reads, "BRAKES NOT INCLUDED"
Posted by Interject79 on January 23, 2004, at 23:40:07
In reply to Re: ADD: helpful techniques for Hyperfocus, posted by EscherDementian on January 23, 2004, at 4:00:27
Good question. I have the hyperfocus problem frequently. A timer might be a good idea for some things. (BTW, I thought of it just now and would like to try it myself.) I hyperfocus on solving any sort of problem. It's fun to see 'non-ADD' people casually lose interest and wander off while I sit, indefatigable. The trait has helped me win some tournament chess games too.
_ADD: A different perspective_ by Thom Hartmann might offer some good advice too.
Please post helpful suggestions you encounter...
Best,
interject
Posted by noa on January 24, 2004, at 9:58:29
In reply to Re: ADD: helpful techniques for Hyperfocus, posted by Interject79 on January 23, 2004, at 23:40:07
Yes, good question.
BTW, did anyone see the piece on one of the recent news magazines about how we are blind to things right in front of us when we are hyperfocused on something else? I wish I could remember which show I saw it on. It featured an experiment by a researcher who showed a videotape to people, of a bunch of people milling around and passing a ball around. There are people wearing white and people wearing black. The pre-viewing instruction was that they are going to have to report how many times a ball was passed among the people in the video who are wearing white. OK, so we, the TV viewers also do the experiment. It was pretty freaky, but while you are watching the video and focused on seeing and remembering how many times the ball was passed around by the people wearing white, something happens that you totally don't see. When they play back the tape in in slow motion, you can see it--it is a person in a gorilla suit walking onto the scene, standing there in plain sight for a while and then walking around again. They show the tape yet another time at regular speed, and it's clear as day--there is the guy in the gorilla suit! But I did not see it at all the first time, because of being hyperfocused on the counting.
It was very cool. I wish I could find the story on line. I looked at ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, and can't find it. I also looked at Harvard's website because I think the researcher was at Harvard.
Posted by Dr. Bob on January 24, 2004, at 10:20:07
In reply to Re: ADD: helpful techniques for Hyperfocus, posted by Interject79 on January 23, 2004, at 23:40:07
> _ADD: A different perspective_ by Thom Hartmann might offer some good advice too.
I'd just like to plug the double double quotes feature at this site:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faq.html#amazon
The first time anyone refers to a book without using this option, I post this to try to make sure he or she at least knows about it. It's just an option, though, and doesn't *have* to be used. If people *choose* not to use it, I'd be interested why not, but I'd like that redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20020918/msgs/7717.html
Thanks!
Bob
Posted by EscherDementian on January 25, 2004, at 8:11:55
In reply to Re: ADD: helpful techniques for Hyperfocus, posted by noa on January 24, 2004, at 9:58:29
lol
i love that. What was the date/time you saw it?
(The TVprogram, not the gorilla);-)
Posted by noa on January 25, 2004, at 20:25:05
In reply to Re: » noa, posted by EscherDementian on January 25, 2004, at 8:11:55
>What was the date/time you saw it?
It was sometime in January, I'm sure. I'm pretty sure it was more than one week ago.
I looked at all the web sites for the major news programs and can't find it. The only thing I can find is a piece--at 60 minutes I think--about a Harvard professor who teaches about seeing ordinary things as we walk through our environment. But they don't mention the experiment in the article.
It's frustrating not to be able to find a reference to it on these websites.
Posted by EscherDementian on January 27, 2004, at 3:10:52
In reply to Re: » EscherDementian, posted by noa on January 25, 2004, at 20:25:05
> >What was the date/time you saw it?
>> It was sometime in January, I'm sure. I'm pretty sure it was more than one week ago.
> I looked at all the web sites for the major news programs and can't find it. The only thing I can find is a piece--at 60 minutes I think--about a Harvard professor who teaches about seeing ordinary things as we walk through our environment. But they don't mention the experiment in the article.
> It's frustrating not to be able to find a reference to it on these websites.
>
Yes! i saw that 60minutes... i was cheering from the sofa for that Harvard professor. That was an excellent little piece~ kudos to 60minutes programming too!Now let's figure out how to locate those viewings to share them, noa?
i'm no online wizard, but if i find out something i'll post it. You?
Posted by noa on January 27, 2004, at 8:07:25
In reply to Re: » noa, posted by EscherDementian on January 27, 2004, at 3:10:52
Here is the story that 60 minutes did on that professor who teaches about how we don't see things becuase we are trained to read, etc.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/12/31/60minutes/main590907.shtml
It comes so close to the idea of the story I saw with the gorilla suit--about not seeing everything that is right there in plain sight--but it's not the story I was looking for.
Posted by naiad on January 28, 2004, at 7:52:44
In reply to Re: the Seeing Professor story » EscherDementian, posted by noa on January 27, 2004, at 8:07:25
It was Dateline (NBC). I saw it on Friday evening, January 16. It was an amazing demonstration of focused blindness!
This is the end of the thread.
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