Katie Coen

I think back to my time in middle school and high school. Many of my friends had been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, but I never really knew what it meant or why they had it. I always wondered if they were born hyperactive or if it was something they learned. This is what Hari explored in Chapter 13 of “Stolen Focus.”

Hari spoke to researchers about whether ADHD was a genetic disorder or if it’s more based on one’s environment. He wondered if the changes in the way children are raised is what caused this spike in ADHD diagnoses, with 13% of all adolescents now diagnosed with ADHD by a medical professional (Hari 213). One researcher discussed how children run around less, eat different diets, and have different schooling then they did before this rise in diagnoses.

“Is it a coincidence that ADHD diagnoses are on the rise at the same time as these big changes are occurring, or is there a connection?”

Hari 221

I think there is a connection, as the freedom to play without technology shaped my childhood. Before I started using Instagram and watching YouTube in my later elementary school years, I would play outside with my friends in my neighborhood. We would build forts and play games just for fun. When technology came into my life and the lives of those around me, this outdoor time came to a halt. 

I sometimes struggled with paying attention and staying focused, but it never got to the point of contacting my doctor to discuss it. I know I’m lucky in that sense, but now I wonder if my attention problems have to do with my constant use of technology. 

Those who I know that do have ADHD, like my sister, tend to get distracted more easily than I do. Technology can be one of the biggest distractions while trying to focus. The buzzing phone or the notification sounds of emails being received can change the course of someone’s task.

My question now is focused on the link between technology and ADHD. Does it make it worse? Are there ways technology can help those who are struggling with attention difficulties?