Attention Abundance Disorder

If no one has identified this disorder yet, allow me to officially stake my claim. I believe that there is such a thing that is the opposite of ADD or ADHD. I would like to call this AAD for acronyms sake. Now don't get me twisted here, I'm not talking about OCD, obsessive compulsive disorder. What I'm trying to convey here is; that if there are people who have a lack of focus, I'm sure there are people who have too much focus, regardless of whether its a positive or negative activity.

I will use myself as an example, at work today i ran into a problem that i was not able to remedy and i have left it there till Monday to try again. The problem is that i will not be able to get this problem out of my head, that it will be stuck there until the problem is fixed. its not an obsession to where I'm thinking of it every single minute, but I'm sure while I'm trying to enjoy my oh so short precious weekend, that the problem will resurface in my thoughts way more than i would like.

Now if we take this scenario, and apply it to all the current things that are on my table at this moment, the constant wondering about an action, approach, future, past, present, upside, downside, details etc of anything going on it begins to really overwhelm. Its like I'm so focused on everything that there's no way to put my brain at ease. even when i relax i cant relax because while I'm relaxing a thought will come into my head that i cant help but analyze. Come to think of it i was told by several ex girlfriends that i over analyze, which i do believe they are right.

Now here's my question, could something like AAD exist in people that are extremely driven? people like Olympic athletes, ruthless business men, great scientists and epic explorers? is my condition of intense focus upon anything i want to focus on even a detriment? Am i just whining? Is there any way to control it? Or can i put it into sleep mode? Mind you if i get good and drunk, I'm probably not thinking about much of anything, which is fine, But its only temporary, once I'm sober again its back to the same old hamster in the wheel turning the gears of my mind. besides, I don't want to be under the influence of anything in order to be able to get a handle on the reins of my brain.

Actually, I think you are on to something. The analogy you used of sports is a good area to look at this further. In the realm of athletics, I would think this is referred to as "being in the zone". But athletes who have reported this typically say things like they hardly felt anything or were really relaxed, or that the basket seemed like it was 10x bigger than normal, allowing the ball to drop through with little effort.

At the same time, my job does the same thing to me, to the point that I have a hard time getting to sleep at night. I have learned a simple meditation activity to clear my mind, allowing me to fall asleep easier. For me though, I am not sure if it is that I am overly focused, but just take my job seriously, and want to do well at it. Certainly I wish my mind didn't do that, or that I had a job that went the day ends, everything stays at the job site and doesn't come home with me.....literally or figuratively.

But again, I think you have a great point and idea here, and I think athletics is one way to see that easier. Of course, in all aspects of life this could come into play and either be a beneft or detriment.

Originally posted by ChachiArcola
Actually, I think you are on to something. The analogy you used of sports is a good area to look at this further. In the realm of athletics, I would think this is referred to as "being in the zone". But athletes who have reported this typically say things like they hardly felt anything or were really relaxed, or that the basket seemed like it was 10x bigger than normal, allowing the ball to drop through with little effort.

At the same time, my job does the same thing to me, to the point that I have a hard time getting to sleep at night. I have learned a simple meditation activity to clear my mind, allowing me to fall asleep easier. For me though, I am not sure if it is that I am overly focused, but just take my job seriously, and want to do well at it. Certainly I wish my mind didn't do that, or that I had a job that went the day ends, everything stays at the job site and doesn't come home with me.....literally or figuratively.

But again, I think you have a great point and idea here, and I think athletics is one way to see that easier. Of course, in all aspects of life this could come into play and either be a benefit or detriment.

Being in the zone, to me would be like turning your frequency up or your "frame rate" in order to super focus on the details. What I'm talking about is the single minded focus to train day in day out over years that it takes to develop their single skill. Are they unable to think about anything other than basketball, football, racing, golf, etc? Is their entire life planned around this single skill? Does this affect them socially? How do they manage once they are unable to Perform their skill, how do they adapt?

I feel where you're coming from about your job, i could say the same thing. I have unfortunately taken something that i used to love as a hobby and turned it into a career and now i don't love it anymore, as its now just a job. Lately I've been wondering if taking a break for a few years and doing something different would return my love for it, a vacation just doesn't cut it anymore, i need a Hiatus. But would this even work?

I Think thats called asburgers

reply to post by patternchek


No Asperger's Syndrome is part of the Autism spectrum, and its main effects are on the sufferers ability to understand, empathize and connect with others. I have a friend who suffers from it and as far as i know he doesn't have an over active attention span, if i had to guess id even put it as lower than average.

A form of obsessive- compulsive disorder (not recognized as a disorder if the focus of their obsession-compulsion is something they don't consider a hindrance in their lives!).

reply to post by Deafseeingeyedog


There is a way of resting the mind/thoughts, it is by seeing that the mind/thought causes all the suffering in the world. The mechanism of the mind/thoughts have to be understood. The mind will never beable to produce peace, it is the disturber of peace. However it looks like the mind wants peace and it is always looking for peace by trying to solve the problems. The mind is always looking for problems to solve but does not realize that it makes the problem in the first place. So as long as you believe the mind there will always be problems and there will be no peace.
Really there are no problems and there is nothing to solve.

Thought will always arise, thoughts appear but no one puts them there. If the thoughts are seen as clouds in the sky they will pass by. If the thoughts are not seen as clouds they will believed to be true and then you will try to solve them. It is just a thought, it has no power and there is nothing to solve. Something in the future or past can not be solved because you are here and now. Here and now has no problems, only past and future have problems and past and future are non existant.
Take care of now and the rest looks after itself.

reply to post by Itisnowagain


Thanks for the input! That sounds like it could be effective, i'll try to apply that and see what happens.

reply to post by Deafseeingeyedog


There is a thread running on here presently about Eckhart Tolle and his teachings, they are based solely on the 'now', you should check it out. He can show you the end of mind made suffering. It works.

Namaste.

reply to post by Itisnowagain


I've tried reading a new earth but I could get past the first quarter of it. It did not resonate with me. Im not a fan of the idea of trying to eliminate the ego, all the writings on eliminating ego seem to me like taking away our humanity and seem empty. I Dont believe that eliminating the ego is possible, practical or healthy. It seems like the only way to accomplish that is death. I've taken a different approach more akin to incorporating the ego as a healthy, humble, confident and functioning part of a complete mature psyche. Destroying your ego is like giving yourself a lobotomy, yeah you're alive, but you're not all there.

Umm... I'm pretty sure this "condition" is just how the brain learns. You encounter dilemmas during your daily routine. Then you try to come up with solutions. If you can't or if you think you can or may have to improve your brain continues to work on these problems subconsciously. Then you go to sleep and play out more circumstances that your subconscious thinks might help. You wake up refreshed with fresh ideas and a new perspective on how it could all play out.


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reply to post by Deaf Seeing Eye Dog


It is like death but the only thing that dies is an illusion, an imagined self, a self that 'thinks' it can make a better world. It doesn't make a better world though it tells you that life is not good enough, that your not good enough and that there are problems that need solving.
The real can not die. The real is what is left when the 'other' self is seen to be non existent.

reply to post by sine.nomine


Yes, this 'condition' is what people have. It is conditioning, a habitual thing humans do backed by the assumption that all that energy and distress actually pays off.

Interesting thread, S&F for thinking outside the box.

Last weekend my 12 year old wrecked on a dirtbike. He's fine, a little bloody and bruised but lesson well learned. I was talking to him the day after and he was trying to describe a new "sensation" he experienced, one which anyone who's lived long enough has had: The perception of time slowing down and "hyperreality" setting in.

I explained that in that moment when his brain realized he was going to crash (not consciously, but on a primal level) several hormones and endorphins were suddenly released into his body. This essentially causes the brain to "overclock" (best analogy my mind could come up with) for a short while, collecting and processing data at a much higher rate than normal. This allowed him time to react to the crash...ball up and roll it out, where at normal brain speed it would be over before he could process the situation.

I wonder if this phenomenon might be useful in helping to define your AAS hypothesis? Perhaps AAS could be related to an above average constant level of some combination of these brain chemicals?

EEA

If someone functioned at a higher "processing" level, what are the ramifications? Again, as a layperson, I understand that Ecstacy increases the release of what was it...dopamine? and there is a finite amount of it in your system.
True of other chemicals as well? Would living in that state be like burning your candle at both ends? An advantage while it lasted...perhaps causing major psych/mental problems later?

Originally posted by Itisnowagain
reply to post by Deaf Seeing Eye Dog

 

It is like death but the only thing that dies is an illusion, an imagined self, a self that 'thinks' it can make a better world. It doesn't make a better world though it tells you that life is not good enough, that your not good enough and that there are problems that need solving.
The real can not die. The real is what is left when the 'other' self is seen to be non existent.

But we can make a better world, it just doesn't have the glamour of instant gratification that we demand in this age of instantaneous results. This eckhart tools ego death idea has an air of defeatism. What is the real? And what is the point of achieving the real when we aren't able to use it to better our world?

reply to post by Deaf Seeing Eye Dog


The real can not be achieved because it is already. It is only the mind that can not see it as it is.
The mind and thoughts continually argue with reality. Saying that we can make a better world, is the same as saying the world is wrong. At this present moment it is the way it is. Only the mind or thought can say this is wrong, or is should be better.

The mind/thoughts will tell us all sorts of things but are the things they tell us correct?

Originally posted by blamethegreys

I explained that in that moment when his brain realized he was going to crash (not consciously, but on a primal level) several hormones and endorphins were suddenly released into his body. This essentially causes the brain to "overclock" (best analogy my mind could come up with) for a short while, collecting and processing data at a much higher rate than normal. This allowed him time to react to the crash...ball up and roll it out, where at normal brain speed it would be over before he could process the situation.

I wonder if this phenomenon might be useful in helping to define your AAS hypothesis? Perhaps AAS could be related to an above average constant level of some combination of these brain chemicals?

EEA

If someone functioned at a higher "processing" level, what are the ramifications? Again, as a layperson, I understand that Ecstacy increases the release of what was it...dopamine? and there is a finite amount of it in your system.
True of other chemicals as well? Would living in that state be like burning your candle at both ends? An advantage while it lasted...perhaps causing major psych/mental problems later?

edit on 1-10-2011 by blamethegreys because: EEA

Yes yes this is what I was wondering as far as being "burnt out" on an activity goes. Are those athletes ever able to enjoy their sport at a non competitive level once they are no longer in the pro's so to say?

Btw I think it's awesome how you were able to communicate to your son an explanation of his new experience, let's hope he uses this new knowledge in constructive ways.

reply to post by Deafseeingeyedog


You can make a better world and by posting your OP this is what you are trying to do. You are trying to improve the experience of this thing called life. You want to know how to relax without the mind driving you to drink. Sounds to me like something needs defeating, so maybe defeatism is what is required. The mind is what is in charge of you and until it breaks a bit then it will not allow the real you to see the truth. It will fight for survival because when it is seen through it will lose it's power over you.

reply to post by Itisnowagain


I see your wisdom and I thank you for it. I will keep that in mind and apply it.

reply to post by Deafseeingeyedog


The abundance of attention is what you are. It is where the attention is pointing that makes all the difference.
If the attention is on the past or future it has no real power, it just causes stress. If the attention is in contact with this moment then there is abundant power.

There can only ever be attention in the now moment, everything is happening presently, thoughts of past and future all occur in the present moment. Strange how humans get confused by this.
Thought can be watched from a still place and thought will lose its power, not that it ever had power.