What do Reddit users say about ADHD boredom and hyperfocus? 

Online communities like Reddit have become unexpected meeting points for adults trying to make sense of ADHD’s extremes, from feeling under-stimulated one moment to completely absorbed the next. While not a substitute for clinical advice, these lived experiences echo what NICE and NHS guidance describe as “fluctuating attention” and “difficulty regulating focus” in ADHD (NICE NG87). 

The boredom–hyperfocus loop 

In ADHD forums such as r/ADHD, many users talk about boredom as mental pain, a state so uncomfortable that it pushes them to seek stimulation at any cost. When a task finally captures their interest, they swing into hyperfocus: hours of uninterrupted concentration that can make the rest of the world disappear. 

As one user put it, “I’m either staring at the wall or writing for eight hours straight; there’s no middle ground.” This mirrors what researchers describe as the “all-or-nothing” attention cycle, where dopamine-driven motivation spikes during high-interest tasks and drops sharply during low-interest ones (PMC, 2025). 

When interest becomes exhaustion 

Several adults on Reddit describe burnout that follows intense focus, neglecting food, rest, or relationships before crashing into exhaustion. Studies confirm that repeated hyperfocus episodes can trigger emotional fatigue and feelings of failure, especially when responsibilities pile up afterward (PMC, 2022). 

NHS England’s 2025 ADHD Taskforce also highlights the emotional cost of this cycle, recommending structured breaks and external reminders to help adults “reset” between focus bursts (NHS England, 2025). 

Finding middle ground 

Reddit users often share coping strategies that align with clinical advice, such as timers, accountability partners, and “dopamine breaks” between tasks. Others turn to therapy or ADHD coaching to manage extremes in motivation. Evidence-based behavioural programmes like those being developed by Theara Change aim to help adults recognise emotional triggers and create balance between focus and recovery. 

Takeaway 

Reddit’s ADHD community reflects what research already knows: boredom and hyperfocus are two sides of the same coin. The challenge is not to eliminate either but to manage the swings between them, learning to pause, reset, and protect energy before focus turns into fatigue.