Hyperkinesia: Psychophysiological Energy in Motion
Among the most fascinating phenomena within psychophysiological mechanisms involved in human behavior is what I call “hyperkinesia”: a concept involving excessive psychological need of kinetic release, and requiring a kinetic impact in response, that is characterized by an uncontrollable need to frequently release high levels of bottled-up physical and mental energy.
My aim here is to describe a conceptual framework of hyperkinesia, discuss the concept of kinetics, explain psychological mechanisms of hyperkinesia in detail, explore its expression in behavior, and further examine other underlying factors associated with this trait. Additionally, I will detail how lack of kinetic motion can be a stressful experience for hyperkinetic persons, and examine the key differences between hyperkinesia and ADHD, and the significance of physical action in their differentiation.
On Kinetics
To comprehend hyperkinetics, we must first grasp the concept of kinetics. Kinetics is a branch of science that deals with the effects of forces on the motion of material bodies or changes in a physical or chemical system. In physics and engineering, kinetics is concerned with the relationship between motion and its causes, specifically forces and torques. In chemistry, kinetics focuses on reaction rates, which are the rates at which chemical reactions proceed. In engineering, kinetics can be applied to study the motion of mechanical systems, such as the rotation of a wheel around a fixed axis due to the application of torque.
In psychology, kinetics encompasses individual's activity levels and motion, response to stimuli, both physical and cognitive, and the interplay between external and internal factors that shape these levels. It provides a framework for understanding how the need for kinetic motion and psychological activity manifest in human behavior.
On Hyperkinesia
In a simplest sense, *hyperkinesia* refers to uncontrollable need for physical activity and high levels of mental restlessness. It involves high energy levels, impulsivity, fidgeting, inability to sit still, coupled with a persistent need for a kinetic response. Common psychological manifestations of hyperkinesia include anxiety, stress, depression, mania, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation. Hyperkinetic individuals often exhibit inability to concentrate and rapidly change thought patterns, and a need to release physical energy. Their minds may jump from one idea to the next without settling, followed by excessive motor activity.
While there are no known causes, hyperkinesia is assumed to develop due to a combination of factors such as genetics, personality traits, coping habits formed in childhood, and mental health conditions, among others. Symptoms can range from mild to severe. In more extreme cases, there may be significant disruptions to work, relationships, and daily functioning. In hyperkinetic individuals, these behaviors may become problematic rather than just mildly annoying to others.
The neural trigger mechanisms of hyperkinesia could be understood as a stressors, in that delay of a kinetic response triggers acute increase in stress levels. A triggered stressor prompts a fight-or-flight response, a decision which, in case of hyperkinesia, is heavily biased towards fight. This stress-response activates the Behavioural Activation System (BAS) in the amygdala, leading to modulatory action in stress circuits like the Adrenergic Network, Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis (HPA) or Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS), and release of stress-related hormones cortisol, dopamine, norepinephrine, adrenaline and testosterone.
Hyperkinesia in Behavior
Hyperkinesia is expressed through a variety of behavioral manifestations, although these may vary from person to person. Restlessness and an insatiable need for constant motion and kinetic response are key indicators of hyperkinesia. For instance, a child with hyperkinesia may have difficulty sitting still, constantly fidgeting or squirming in their seat. They may also exhibit a tendency towards excessive talking, interrupting others, and being unable to wait their turn in conversations or activities.
Impulsivity is another significant aspect of hyperkinetics. Individuals with this condition often act without fully considering the consequences of their actions. This impulsivity can manifest in impulsive decision-making, where individuals make hasty choices without careful thought or engage in risky behaviors without adequately assessing potential dangers.
Furthermore, difficulties in maintaining focused attention are prevalent in hyperkinetics. Individuals may struggle to concentrate on tasks, easily getting distracted by external stimuli or their own racing thoughts. This may result in incomplete work, poor academic performance, challenges in sustaining relationships, and other difficulties of social interaction.
Hyperkinesia can be expressed in varying behavioral ways:
• Excess physical movement, fidgeting, tapping, and constant changing of body position. Individuals with hyperkinetics often find it difficult to sit still for any period of time.
• Constant talking and speaking rapidly. Hyperkinetic individuals tend to talk a lot and have difficulty staying silent or speaking at a slower pace.
• Impulsivity and poor self-control. They tend to act without thinking and have trouble inhibiting behaviors. They tend to insist on attention and impact as a response to their behaviour.
• Poor attention and concentration. They typically have short attention spans, become easily distracted, and struggle to focus on tasks for long.
• Rapidly changing thought patterns. Their busy mind jumps from one idea to the next quickly and unorderly, making it hard to think in an organized or logical manner.
• Restlessness and inability to relax. They are constantly "on the go" and find it hard to just sit back and unwind.
• Excess activity level and energy. They seem to constantly need activity and stimulation. They can become bored easily.
• Mood swings and emotional dysregulation. Their emotions and moods change rapidly and intensely. They have trouble managing and controlling their emotions.
• Risk-taking and thrill-seeking behaviors. They engage in activities for the excitement and stimulation, without considering the risks.
• Interrupting others frequently. They tend to cut people off when speaking due to their impatience, impulsivity and lack of focus.
The key things to look for are persistently high levels of physical and mental activity that interfere with the ability to excert self-control. Most kinetic behaviour is not excessive or harmful. It's the excessive and problematic nature of the behaviors that indicate psychological hyperkinetics, rather than the behaviors themselves. Many factors underlie these hyperkinetic tendencies, manifesting in a wide range of behaviours.
Behaviours in Social Interactions
In social interactions, hyperkinetic individuals often struggle when there is a lack of appropriate kinetic response or feedback from others. This can lead to feelings of stress and strain. Conversely, interactions that provide kinetic reactions offer relief from stress.
One common example is hyperkinetic persons interrupting others frequently due to impatience, impulsivity and inability to focus. Without a firm kinetic response like being explicitly told not to interrupt, they continue the behaviour. The lack of feedback allows their kinetic energy to build up internally, causing stress. In contrast, a direct "Please don't interrupt" response provides a necessary kinetic reaction, discharging some of their excess energy and reducing stress.
Hyperkinetic individuals also tend to rapidly change topics of conversation, jump from idea to idea and speak quickly. When others do not adequately engage with their rapidly shifting kinetic mental state by following their trains of thought and sustaining the conversation, they do not receive the kinetic feedback they crave. This lack of kinetic impact in the interaction then triggers feelings of frustration and stress. However, when others actively acknowledge and converse about each new topic as it arises, it provides a kinetic social response that relieves some of their stress.
Hyperkinetic persons frequently display physical restlessness in social settings, fidgeting, tapping and struggling to sit still or be quiet. Without kinetic responses like others explicitly acknowledging or addressing them, it goes unmodified. This lack of kinetic reaction leads to a buildup of kinetic energy within them, eventually causing stress. But when others calmly tell them "You seem restless, is everything ok?" it provides a necessary kinetic feedback that can reduce their stress levels.
For hyperkinetic individuals, social interactions that lack appropriate kinetic responses to their excessive behaviors often trigger stress and feelings of strain. Their kinetic energy goes unreleased, building up internally. However, interactions that provide adequate kinetic reactions through acknowledging, engaging with or addressing their hyperkinetic tendencies offer relief from stress by discharging some of their excess physical and mental energy. It is the presence versus lack of kinesia in these social settings that determines whether hyperkinetic persons experience stress or relief.
Lack of Kinetic Response Triggers Stress and Kinesiagnosia
Kinetics refers to movement and energy in motion. My argument here is based on the observation that stress in hyperkinetic individuals is triggered by a lack of appropriate kinetic response to their psychological needs and behaviors.
In physics, kinetic motion requires an impact or stimulus in response. When a force acts upon an object, the object moves or changes motion according to Newton's second law of motion. Psychologically, humans also require responsive impacts to regulate their kinetic energy. Hyperkinetic individuals, in particular, need physical responses to the excessive behaviors stemming from their high levels of mental and physical activity. Without an appropriate behavioral response, their high kinetic energy builds up, resulting in an accumulation of stress.
On the other hand, kinesia refers to the ability to move. For hyperkinetic individuals, kinetic movement of their physical and mental energy is required to prevent a buildup of stress. Without opportunities for their kinetic energy to be actively or passively dissipated, they experience *kinesiagnosia* - a lack of ability to perceive their own motion. This often manifests as feelings of frustration, impatience, tension or boredom - the symptoms of stress and anxiety.
When hyperkinetic persons engage in their usual excessive movements and rapidly changing thought patterns without a responsive impact from the external world, their kinetic energy becomes trapped within themselves. This kinetic energy, without an outlet, eventually builds to a point of strain and stress. The lack of movement in hyperkinetic individuals thus paradoxically leads to stress, as opposed to the common misconception that movement itself causes stress.
In reality, hyperkinetic persons need kinesia - they require physical responses to their kinetic behaviors in order to discharge their excess mental and physical energy. When they do not receive appropriate feedback and responses, whether positive or negative, their kinetic energy dissipates improperly, resulting in internal strains that trigger stress. For hyperkinetic individuals to reduce stress, therefore, it is crucial that their kinetic actions meet with due kinetic reactions from the world around them.
For hyperkinetic persons, a lack of appropriate kinetic response to their excessive behaviors leads to a buildup of kinetic energy within themselves. Hyperkinetic individuals require kinesia - physical reactions to match their kinetic actions - in order to reduce stress. It is the lack of kinetics in their lives that ultimately triggers feelings of strain and tension.
Hyperkinetic Behavior and the Need for Impact
A key aspect of hyperkinesia is the need for the behaviors to have an impact - some kind of response or reaction - in order to release pent up energy. When hyperkinetic behaviors do not meet with adequate impact, these individuals will persist and insist until there is a response. This reveals an underlying need for kines - the ability to perceive and give effect to one's own motions.
Some hypothetical scenarios of hyperkinesia and the need for impact:
- At a party, a hyperkinetic individual speaks loudly and excessively dominates the conversation. When others do not respond or continue their own conversations, person raises their voice further, interrupting others and repeating the same stories. This persists until someone directly engages or asks person a question, providing the impact necessary to satisfy kinetic verbal behavior.
- A hyperkinetic child constantly taps his foot and drums his fingers, disrupting class. While the teacher ignores it at first, hoping he'll stop on his own, the behavior intensifies until the teacher asks him to stop. Only when the hyperkinetic movements have an impact - by affecting the teacher - is the kinetic energy released.
- At work, a hyperkinetic employee proposes one radical idea after another to improve productivity. When his suggestions are initially dismissed by the team, he pushes further with alternative proposals, growing louder and more insistent. Only when his ideas are actually discussed - having an impact on the conversation - does he settle down and become less restless.
- A hyperkinetic person continually changes the TV channel at home, unable to settle on one program. When his partner initially tries to ignore it, hoping he'll choose a show, he starts switching channels more rapidly. Only when his partner directly tells him to pick a show - providing an impactful response - does he select one and stop the hyperkinetic behavior.
In each case, the hyperkinetic person persists in or escalates their excessive movements, speech or ideas until they receive some reaction - good, bad or neutral. This reveals a core need for their kinetic behavior to have an impact, in order to release excess energy and provide psychological kinesia - the experience of one's motion affecting the outside world. Without sufficient impact, hyperkinetic behaviors simply continue to build up kinetic energy within the individual, resulting in further stress and restlessness.
Contributing factors of Hyperkinesia
The underlying factors contributing in the development of hyperkinesia are largely unknown. However, while they are not yet fully understood, several potentially overlapping factors have been identified. One common association is with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is characterized by symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention, aligning closely, yet not exactly, with the manifestations of hyperkinesia. Other underlying neurobiological conditions, such as autism or certain genetic predispositions, can also contribute to hyperkinetic behaviors. Dysregulation in prefrontal cortex control mechanisms is involved in most neuropsychological conditions..
Environmental factors can play a role as well. Chaotic or stressful home environments, exposure to toxins, substance abuse during pregnancy, and premature birth are some environmental factors may be linked to hyperkinesia. Additionally, certain medications, such as psychostimulants used to treat ADHD, may induce hyperkinesia-like symptoms as a side effect.
Other potential factors associated with hyperkinetic behavior include:
• Anxiety - People with anxiety can display hyperactivity as a way to alleviate their symptoms. The physical activity and mental restlessness can provide temporary relief from anxiety.
• Stress - High levels of chronic stress can lead to hyperkinetic symptoms as a coping mechanism. The excessive behaviors provide a distraction from the stressors.
• Personality traits - Certain personality types, like those with high extroversion, high neuroticism or high conscientiousness, are more prone to hyperkinesia. Impulsivity, risk-taking and sensation-seeking traits can also contribute.
• ADHD - Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is characterized by hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention. ADHD symptoms persist into adulthood for some people.
• Bipolar disorder - The manic phase of bipolar I disorder involves increased physical and mental activity, impulsivity and rapid speech. This hyperkinetic state is a hallmark of mania.
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder - Some people with OCD experience bothersome obsessions and compulsions that lead to repetitive, restless behaviors.
• Medication side effects - Certain medications can cause restlessness, agitation and hyperactivity as side effects in some individuals.
• Substance use - Caffeine, nicotine, cocaine and other stimulants are known to increase physical activity and disrupt focus, potentially triggering hyperkinetic behaviors.
• Genetic factors and neurobiology - Certain genetic variants associated with hyperkinesia are linked to traits such as novelty-seeking, reward-seeking and risk-taking, specifically ones that are regulated by dopamine.
• Underlying medical conditions - Rarely, hyperkinetics can stem from issues like thyroid problems, seizures or infections that affect the central nervous system.
Generally speaking, most cases of hyperkinesia have a psychological or emotional basis, fueled by factors like anxiety, depression and personality traits. Less commonly, medical conditions and medication/substance use may contribute. An important step in treatment is identifying and addressing the root causes.
Differentiating Hyperkinesia from ADHD - The Significance of Physical Action and Impact
While hyperkinesia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) share certain similarities, it is crucial to recognize the key differences between these two conditions. One fundamental distinction lies in the requirement of physical action in hyperkinesia, whereas ADHD does not necessitate such overt motor activity. Let us now focus on the disparities between the two and the significance of physical action and kinetic response in hyperkinesia.
Hyperkinesia, as previously discussed, is characterized by heightened physical and mental activity. Unlike ADHD, hyperkinetics places a notable emphasis on the need for physical action and a kinetic response as defining features of the condition. Individuals with hyperkinetics often exhibit excessive movement, restlessness, and an irresistible urge to be in constant motion.
Consider a person with hyperkinesia who struggles to sit still during a meeting. They may frequently shift in their seat, tap their feet, fidget with objects, or multitask. This physical restlessness is an inherent component of hyperkinetics, underscoring the vital role of bodily movement in the manifestation of this condition.
Furthermore, hyperkinetic individuals often engage in impulsive actions that involve physical movement. For instance, they may act on immediate desires without considering the consequences, leading to impulsive behaviors such as running across the street without looking, climbing on furniture, or engaging in other physically risky activities.
ADHD: Beyond Physical Action
ADHD, on the other hand, encompasses a broader range of symptoms that extend beyond the requirement of physical action. While hyperactivity is one of the core symptoms of ADHD, it is not exclusively defined by overt motor activity. In fact, individuals with ADHD may display hyperactivity in a more internalized manner, characterized by inner restlessness or mental agitation rather than the need for externalised physical movements. Moreover, hyperkinetics often requires a kinetic impact, while in ADHD the need for a physical response is only manifested occasionally.
For instance, a person with ADHD may experience racing thoughts, an inability to relax or sit quietly, or a constant feeling of restlessness internally. This inner turmoil may manifest as mental restlessness and racing thoughts, or an inability to stay focused on a task, all without necessarily exhibiting excessive physical movement.
It is worth reinforcing the notion that individuals with ADHD can still display physical restlessness and engage in excessive motor activity, but it is not an absolute requirement for the diagnosis. The core features of ADHD revolve around inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, with hyperactivity being a more broad-ranging term that encompasses both physical and internalized (mental) restlessness.
Distinguishing hyperkinetics from ADHD lies in the requirement of physical response as a defining characteristic of hyperkinetics. While hyperkinetic individuals exhibit excessive physical movement and restlessness, individuals with ADHD may display hyperactivity in a more internalized manner, without necessarily requiring overt physical actions.
Conclusion
Hyperkinetics, as we have discussed, revolves around excessive levels of physical and mental activity. Hyperkinesia is distinguished by the imperative need for physical action and kinetic response as central characteristics. Restlessness, impulsivity, and heightened mental and physical arousal also hallmarks of hyperkinesia. Individuals with hyperkinesia display a compulsion to engage in constant movement, whether it be fidgeting, tapping, multitasking or other physical restlessness.
The significance of physical action in hyperkinesia is evident in the impulsive behaviors associated with the condition. These actions often involve overt motor activity, such as running, climbing, or engaging in physically risky behaviors. Physical action serves as a crucial outlet for the restless energy experienced by individuals with hyperkinesia, channeling their excess kinetic energy into observable movements.
When hyperkinetic behaviors do not have adequate impact - whether positive or negative - these individuals will persist and repeat the behaviors in an attempt to gain some reaction. This reveals an underlying need for kinesia - the psychological experience of one's own energy in motion affecting the outside world. By insisting until their actions receive a response, hyperkinetic persons are trying to release excess physical and mental energy through an experience of kinetic impact.
Finally, hyperkinesia and ADHD are distinct psychological conditions, with one significant difference lying in the requirement of physical action. Hyperkinesia places a paramount emphasis on physical movement as an essential component of the condition, whereas ADHD encompasses a broader range of symptoms beyond overt motor activity.