The term “ADHD” gets thrown around a lot these days. Across social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Tik Tok, people often say they can’t focus, and so they have ADHD. Thanks to Dr. Google, somebody just needs to do a quick web search for why their concentration is suffering and they’ll stumble across this diagnosis.
This is why it’s important to consult a mental health professional, rather than self-diagnose. According to the research, only 4.4% of American adults have ADHD. Yes, many of these people on social media may have ADHD. However, it’s probably true that many of these people are struggling to focus for other reasons.
In our experience, stress is the most common culprit. As Chris notes:
In small doses, stress can be healthy. Cortisol—the hormone our body releases when faced with a stressor—activates our “fight or flight” systems. This is when our innate instincts take over and we either “fight” a problem or avoid it altogether. People often feel a certain clarity as they move to action. A bit of stress is essential for our survival, both in the caveman days when this “fight or flight” system evolved, but also in getting through our modern-day lives.
The problem comes when we’re getting bombarded with too much stress over a long period. Overdosing on stress can have all kinds of side effects, like lack of sleep, poor mood, and lack of motivation. Moreover, if we’re dealing with a lot of stress, we’re probably going to have a harder time focusing. This can mean it’s tougher focusing on work or school, or even leisure activities like watching videos, talking with a loved one, or reading.
There have even been studies that show our IQ goes down when we’re feeling stressed, and we may not speak as well. It’s a big reason people sometimes feel “dumber” or less on top of things at work or school.”
Stress is just one possible reason for poor focus. If you’re interested in learning about all the different factors that might be affecting your concentration, read the post below:
If you’re not functioning as well as you’d like, you may want to consider speaking with a mental health provider. For one, you can receive a proper diagnosis of the problem. You also may benefit from different types of treatment, namely psychotherapy. Morant Clinical Services can help individuals, couples, and families navigate stressful situations and find new peace.