Digital Hypervigilance: A New Framework for Interpreting Adult ADHD-Like Symptoms in the Digital Age

Objective: Adult diagnoses of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are rising in Australia alongside increasing stimulant prescribing. This trend has occurred in parallel with unprecedented changes in digital exposure and cognitive load. This paper proposes Digital Hypervigilance as a conceptual model to explain adult-onset ADHD-like symptoms arising from chronic digital overstimulation rather than neurodevelopmental disorder. Methods: We synthesised evidence from neurobiology, attention research, digital-media studies, and sleep and arousal science. We compared the behavioural and physiological features of neurodevelopmental ADHD with those predicted by chronic, high-frequency digital novelty exposure. A mechanistic model—the vigilance loop—is outlined to describe how unresolved orienting responses may generate persistent hyperarousal and attentional fragmentation. Findings: Digital Hypervigilance is characterised by fluctuating symptoms, over-arousal, sensory hyper-reactivity, sleep disruption, and context-dependent executive dysfunction. These features differ from the stable, early-onset, under-arousal phenotype associated with neurodevelopmental ADHD. Stimulant medications may worsen hypervigilance in affected individuals. Recognition of this distinction may reduce diagnostic error and support non-pharmacological interventions targeting sleep, circadian rhythm, and digital-exposure patterns. Conclusions: Digital Hypervigilance provides a biologically plausible and clinically relevant framework for understanding emerging adult attentional presentations in the digital era. Differentiating this state from ADHD may improve diagnostic accuracy, minimise inappropriate stimulant prescribing, and guide behavioural interventions aimed at reducing digital novelty load and restoring arousal regulation. Further research is required to validate diagnostic criteria and evaluate targeted interventions.