Turning
distractions
into
directions
Version 2.0!
Social Media + ADHD

Social Media Is…
People
Platorms
Participation
And…

Please pay
attention
!!!!!!!!!

The HUUUUUGGGGGEEEE
Social ADHD Connection
Or, what I learned through attending Triangle Marketing Club Events

The HUUUUUGGGGGEEEE
Social ADHD Connection
Or, what I learned through attending Triangle Marketing Club Events

Can you relate?

Information
overload

“I think most
companies, most
human beings— we all
have a hard time
focusing… you can’t do
everything superbly." –
Jeffrey Slater, TheMarketingSage.com

Twezident

Is that really
the right
question to
ask?

Virtual ADD is spreading rapidly

“What has happened in
society is we now have
two types of people
with ADHD:"
Virtual ADD is spreading rapidly

There are those who’ve
had it since birth;
Virtual ADD is spreading rapidly

And there’s type 2 – it’s
an adult onset.
It comes from
using the
Internet.”
– Theodore Siggelakis
Virtual ADD is spreading rapidly

AADD• “Acquired
Attention Deficit
Disorder”
• – Dr. John Rateyat, Harvard University

AADD
“Acquired Attention
Deficit Disorder”
• – Dr. John Rateyat, Harvard
University

Virtual ADD
• “Digitized
Attention Deficit
Disorder”
• – Grant Crowell (not a doctor)

The Advantages of Virtual ADD
1. *Super-focused
2. Fast-thinking
3. Fast-talking
4. Thinking outside the
box
5. Entrepreneurial
ADHD Social Business World
1. Technology-driven
2. Fast-paced
3. Multitasking
4. Need for speed
5. Always-on
6. Always-changing
7. Quickly pivot

Examples of Virtual ADHD on Social Media
Time Mis-Management
• Easily distracted
• Not tackling priority tasks
• Incessant task-switching makes it difficult for “deep work.”
• Aversion to starting and finishing “imbore-tant” work.
• Hyper-focusing on getting one thing “perfect” when we have to
accept simply getting all of our things “done” (and on time).

Examples of Virtual ADHD on Social Media
Social Misbehaviors
• Over--disclosing
• Making inappropriate or detrimental impulsive comments.
• Sharing inappropriate photos over text.
• Trolling & Cyber-bullying
• Decreased engagement in face--to--face interactions or physical
activities.

YouTube is a Shopping Mall

YouTube is a Shopping Mall
• Imagine each store as a single
YouTube channel
• Many people enter a YouTube in
“just browsing” mode.
• Even those with a clear (shopping)
goal, YouTube’s “Suggested videos”
distract people from their original
goal.
• The result: user straying into other
stores, continuously. Way more time
is spent than one planned on.

LET’S ASK A COUPLE OF EXPERTS

• Licensed Clinical Psychologist
• Associate Psychologist at Sari Solden,
Private Practice
• Specializes in working with teens, adults,
and families navigate challenges related to
ADHD and similar disorders.

Why ADHD individuals are more
susceptible to digital distractions and
Internet addiction than those
without:

Why ADHD individuals are more
susceptible to digital distractions and
Internet addiction than those
without:
An individual with ADHD has structural,
functional, and chemical differences than
a nuerotypical brain, which includes:

Why ADHD individuals are more
susceptible to digital distractions and
Internet addiction than those
without:
An individual with ADHD has structural,
functional, and chemical differences than
a nuerotypical brain, which includes:
• Less dopamine and norepinephrine, both
key ingredients to reward and motivation.

Why ADHD individuals are more
susceptible to digital distractions and
Internet addiction than those
without:
An individual with ADHD has structural,
functional, and chemical differences than
a nuerotypical brain, which includes:
• Less dopamine and norepinephrine, both
key ingredients to reward and motivation.
• Less aversion to consequences, and;

Why ADHD individuals are more
susceptible to digital distractions and
Internet addiction than those
without:
An individual with ADHD has structural,
functional, and chemical differences than
a nuerotypical brain, which includes:
• Less dopamine and norepinephrine, both
key ingredients to reward and motivation.
• Less aversion to consequences, and;
• Lower ability to activate and regulate
behavior as well as emotion.

Technology gives the brain a shot
of dopamine
“The ADHD brain is one that struggles with
motivation, activation, organizing behaviors,
managing time, and maintaining focus.
"You can easily make the connection between
ADHD and the obstacles that highly engaging
and stimulating technologies may pose.
Because of the highly stimulating nature of
video games, social media, and the like, it
quickly and easily engages the brain.”

STILL, MUCH RESEARCH
NEEDS TO BE DONE…
“The truth is, we don’t have clear--cut
answers yet that are widely agreed
upon about the effects of this evolution
into a more integrated digital era. ”

The problems most often cited by Dr. Franks’
clients and their spouses or families have to
do with a few key areas:
1. Amount of time spent on digital technologies.
2. Difficulty transitioning off of the technology to tackle a
priority task.
3. Being distracted and using technology to procrastinate.
4. Impulsivity particularly regarding comments made and
pictures sent or posted on social media and texting.

erictivers.com
• Owner of Tivers Clinical Specialties
• Licensed Therapist, Coach, Consultant.
• Specializes in ADHD, Asperger's & Autism
• Podcast Producer and Host, “ADHD
ReWired.”
• Manages several Facebook Pages and
Groups for ADHD members, a Zoom group,
and a Google+ Hangouts group

“Social media, Internet
distractibility – all of these
hyper-connected aspects of
our modern world can
create behaviors, impulses,
that can look like ADHD;
but I think saying that
social media creates or
causes ADHD is a line that
concerns me because there
is already so much
misinformation about
ADHD.

“I think it’s important to
draw distinctions between
things that look like ADHD
and things that are ADHD.
ADHD by its nature is a
developmental delay; and
until the scientific literature
says otherwise, I think it’s
important to make that
distinction.

However, this doesn’t mean
that people with look-alike
syndromes can’t benefit
from the things that help
us.

SOCIAL HEALTH AND SUCCESS
TIPS
Mastering Virtual ADD in The Social Age

MEDITATE

AWARENESS

checkyapp.com

checkyapp.com

SIMPLIFY

TURN OFF NOTIFICATIONS

“I turn off all
notifications when I go
into my "work zone.
For me, it's about doing
one day a week of
nothing but meetings,
and four days a week of
going into my zone to
write, work, etc., where
I'm not interrupted.”
– Peter Shankman,
Shankminds.com and Faster Than
Normal podcast

FasterThanNormal.com

Work
offline

FOLLOW
ONE
COURSE
UNTIL
SUCCESS

CAPTURE AND PROCESS

TIME MANAGEMENT
DON’T SUFFER FROM TIME BLINDNESS!

easily editable
Caato.de

BETTER COMMUNICATION AND
RELATIONSHIPS

PLAY

GRANTASMS

GREAT SOCIALY ADD RESOURCES

TotallyADD.com

Build Your Emotional
Intelligence

Want More Nuts?
•bit.ly/adhdlinksbygrant

/grantcrowell
@grantcrowell
grantast
soundcloud.com/grant-crowell