What You Focus on Grows: How to Realistically Make Changes to your ADHD Brain

Did you know, our brains work much like powerful algorithms? Just like social media feeds you more of what you engage in, your brain does the same - start looking at cooking videos, and low and behold, they’ll dominate your feed. If we engage in negative thoughts or challenges, the brain will give you more of it, in the same way that an algorithm does. How very kind of it!

This was an area I knew I needed to work on. The end of the summer here in the UK always left me noticing the grey, the mud, the dullness. I’d look for more evidence of it being rubbish just to prove myself right - reinforcing more negative patterns. So, what if I tried to change this pattern? If I could shift my focus to noticing the things that usually, for me, go unnoticed, like the colours of autumn, I could start to rewire my brain by creating new neural pathways through neuroplasticity, the brain’s incredible ability to adapt. These changes represent actual physiological changes in the brain that can be observed through functional MRI (fMRI) scans, which reveal how shifts in focus and habit formation can lead to growth in regions associated with positive emotions.

For ADHD brains, this is huge! It’s easy to get stuck in a loop of overwhelm or negative thought patterns. But if you consciously shift your focus to the good stuff even something as simple as noticing imperfections like a run-down building with some beautiful old features, you can start to rewire your brain to search for more of the positives.

However, this comes with an important side note. It’s also crucial to recognise days where the energy for this is low, and that’s ok. As humans, we do still need to be realistically positive. Let’s face it, some days are just pretty awful, and forcing yourself to spot something ‘sunny’ will probably feel hollow and unnatural , but on the days where you feel a little lighter and more connected with yourself, that’s where meaningful change can happen.

Rewiring our neuropathways is about more than just noticing the good in the world around us; it’s also about recognizing our own internal “wins.” I see it all the time when coaching; we work on building habits, like recognising something good that happened- something you were responsible for, or practising mindfulness, to help ADHD brains focus on what matters. Little by little, those small wins add up, and suddenly the darkness or overwhelm is replaced by clarity. It’s like giving your brain a reboot, but in a way that actually sticks.

So why is this important? Research suggests that for those with ADHD, it’s not just working memory that’s affected; emotional memory can be impacted as well. You might achieve something amazing—like good exam results—and feel proud in the moment, but holding onto that pride and letting it bolster self-esteem can be challenging for ADHDers. This is why learning to savour these moments of achievement, feeling the emotions fully in the present, and recalling them later with detail can be so transformative.

So next time you catch yourself spiralling into the negatives, hit pause and redirect your focus. I love helping ADHDers with this - helping you to be consistent and steering you back on track, so that eventually you start to do this for yourself. Whether it’s gratitude, a savoured moment, or just something that makes you smile, feed your brain the stuff you want to grow.

Remember, what you focus on truly grows, so choose wisely.

Bibliography

Merzenich, M. M., Van Vleet, T. M., & Nahum, M. (2014). Brain plasticity-based therapeutics. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 8, 385.

Pascual-Leone, A., Amedi, A., Fregni, F., & Merabet, L. B. (2005). The plastic human brain cortex. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 28, 377–401.

Shaw, P., Stringaris, A., Nigg, J., & Leibenluft, E. (2014). Emotion dysregulation in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 171(3), 276-293.