Most people experience this state of complete absorption in a task at some point. When a state of hyperfocus is referenced outside the context of ADHD—or schizophrenia and autism—it is typically called flow—a term coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi of the University of Chicago (2008, 1–4).

Attention and focus. Attention can be diffuse and global, like a floodlight, or tight and focused, like a spotlight. The ability to concentrate attention and keep it focused is necessary for accomplishing just about anything in life. More complex tasks require a greater capacity for sustained focus and attention, whereas conditions like ADD and ADH