reading books ADHD

Can you read for long periods of time even when you’re not interested in what you’re reading?

From what I understand, people with ADHD can hyperfocus on things that hold their interest. I know that’s true for me.

I have found a huge difference in my ability to remain focused on reading that interests me within the past year. That may be partially due to having done vision therapy for about a year and a half now. My focusing is good when I’m interested, but not when I’m bored or the material is too technical. Also, I can’t focus when there are auditory distractions (e.g., people talking) For whatever reason, I can focus best when I’m on a bus or in a bookstore cafe. I find it hard to sustain focus when I read at home.

I can hyperfocus on books I like for hours at a time. But if its a book I dont like, or I am required to read for school wtih no excitement, then I can read for like 15 minutes. Funny thing is though my LD is written expression. I always thought the two went together….I read well above average but write well below it.

I can hyperfocus on books I like for hours at a time. But if its a book I dont like, or I am required to read for school wtih no excitement, then I can read for like 15 minutes. Funny thing is though my LD is written expression. I always thought the two went together….I read well above average but write well below it.

I tend to be the same as many people on this chain. If I enjoy something, I can literally read for hours, even all night, which is not good for getting up early! Yet, if its something for work, something that I have little interest in, or if its during one of those periods where my brain doesn’t seem to want to work very well, my eyes just glaze over and I struggle to get through it. I can read in a crowed room full of sirens and not feel bothered if I am really into it. Consequently, I can be in completely quite place and struggle if I don’t care about the topic or feel distracted by other things.

Does this make any sense at all?

I also read better when I’m interested, but I think that this is true with anyone, add or not add. I can read for a considerably long time but for some reason I will lose interest towards the middle of the book and—lots of times—never finish reading it. I do not understand why I do this.

The easiest books for me to read were Jaws (im fascinated/afraid of great whites), Old Man and the Sea (only one huge chapter), Dora, and Notes from Underground.

At the maximum, the longest time I’ve ever read continuously was probably near 4 - 4.5 hours. I’d average probably 2-3 hours when reading long books. How do I compare with you (anyone who reads this)?

i think for some of us , reading is a hyperfocus thing , i have noticed that i am extreme , if i like something and it interests me , i can keep at it for hours , with the exclusion of everything else .. this can be a good thing and also a very bad thing .. i think this is a common symptom of all of us …with alot of us it is an either or .. no middle ground ,
i also think i adopted books to hyperfocus with to shut up the constant CHATTER and flow of thoughts … if i hyperfocus , i can achieve this , that is why i spend hours doing it , it is relief for me .. i too can read in a very noisy room , it takes me some time to get to the zone , but once i am there , a bomb could go off and i would not notice ..

other tasks that are mundane , i find myself wandering in my head and off track constantly , you should see how i clean my house , most people work on one piece of the pie at a time , i work on the whole pie in pieces all over the house !!! i hope i explained this right „, laura

I like to read. Sometimes I listen to music.

I tend to read books longer that are interesting to me too. I’m a graduate online student at Capella University, majoring in Organization/Management. Some of my textbooks I can read for at least an hour, but others, I can only read ten to fifteen minutes; this is really strange to me.

I tend to read books longer that are interesting to me too. I’m a graduate online student at Capella University, majoring in Organization/Management. Some of my textbooks I can read for at least an hour, but others, I can only read ten to fifteen minutes; this is really strange to me.

I tend to read books longer that are interesting to me too. I’m a graduate online student at Capella University, majoring in Organization/Management. Some of my textbooks I can read for at least an hour, but others, I can only read ten to fifteen minutes; this is really strange to me.

Reading is one of my favourite pasttimes. But, I have to be interested in the topic, storyline, and writing style. If I find the slightest thing boring, forget it. I’m done. I had a horrible time doing the required readings when I went to high school. It’s funny, I don’t think I ever independently read an assigned book throughout my entire school career.

When it came time for content tests, I would just sit and listen to everybody talk about the book prior to class, go in, write my test, and usually ace it.

When I was younger, I used to really like teen novels - you know, Sweet Valley High, Twins, Babysitters Club, etc. I could peel thru several of those books in ONE NIGHT. I finished Stephen King’s IT in two days - there is 1,138 pages in the paperback edition.

If I am into what I am reading, I can read non -stop for hours on end, no matter what noise is going on around me. You can speak to me directly, and I will NOT hear you.

If I have no interest in the book, forget it, I can’t get through the first page.

yes, i have done it for years, i wouldnt even realize it until it was hours later. it was so strange for me until i learned to use it in my studies in college, but it only worked if i was hyped up about the subject or before a big test.

Becky

OMG! Yes I have ADHD and I have always beenable to read and sit on the computer for long periods of time. I dont know why this is but reading is something that i love and as long as its a subject that intriges me then Im good for hours.

I guess I grew up with the inattentive ADD, and books were just another way of zoning out. It also fits with doing everything at once. I can’t watch TV unless I’m also reading. (I can’t read without something to munch on ..but that’s a whole nother story).

I’ve found that computers work even better than books. I can be reading 10 things at the same time, as well as having 2 solitaire games going.