concentration help?

[luvmyfam444]

I'm having troublewith my mind when I'm reading the material isn't necessarily boring - it happens with whatever I'm reading.

I'm sure that ADD meds may help - but I'm not a fan of those...is there any other option out there to help me? I reread passages over & over again (though not on the DISboards not a problem on here much) and its driving me crazy 'cause I MUST read & I love to read just not the same thing over & over....

 

[Liberty Belle]

Are you under a lot of stress right now? I used to get that way when I was under stress or anxious about something.

Maybe it would help to do some deep breathing exercises before you start reading?

Do you have ADD/ADHD?

 

[luvmyfam444]

My MIL swears I have ADD & when I was scrapbooking last night I sure thought I did - starting 600 projects at a time!
I remember Dr/ Phil on a show years ago saying if you were really ADD you can never finish any projects - and I can finish when I have a deadline...I just usually procrastinate.

Of course I took one of those ADD tests on the rug site once & the questions were so vague that everyone would be ADD.

And yep I'm pretty much anti-drugs. What did ADD people do before drug companies? DId they just not survive in life?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My shrink recommended Omega 3's to help--specifically Omega-Brites. You can buy those on line.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Coffee. Lots and lots of coffeee.

OTOH, I know some who went on the drugs just to finish his PhD, finished it and went off 'em again. If I go back to grad school AND work, I'm planning on doing the same thing. (I'm classic ADD kitty, but I have a TON of coping strategies I've developed over the years to make it through normal times.)

Just because you take ADD drugs to make it through a time when you absolutely HAVE to concentrate for long periods of time, it doesn't mean you have to stay on them.

For the rest, try using search words on Amazon.com for books with coping strategies. There are a LOT for adults with ADD.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

ANother one that I forgot is intense exercise. If you were to say--swim in the mornings for example...there is something that helps your brain concentrate later in the day.

OF course there is a fine balance--you don't want to work out like crazy and be too exhausted for the rest of the day.

But 30 minutes of continuous physical activity, can help with focus throughout the rest fo the day.

And yes--if you are ADD/ADHD then caffeine--though a stimulant, helps calm the mind and get it to focus.

I never used it to stay awake ( I think it made me more sleepy actually)--but it did help me concentrate at times.

My choice was diet coke since I can't stand coffee in any format.

 

[JR6ooo4]

when I study, I need to have some music playing. not wild and crazy rock music or anything... It helps keep my ind from wandering elsewhere from what i am reading.

Mikeeee

 

[Liberty Belle]

My MIL swears I have ADD & when I was scrapbooking last night I sure thought I did - starting 600 projects at a time!
I remember Dr/ Phil on a show years ago saying if you were really ADD you can never finish any projects - and I can finish when I have a deadline...I just usually procrastinate.

Of course I took one of those ADD tests on the rug site once & the questions were so vague that everyone would be ADD.

And yep I'm pretty much anti-drugs. What did ADD people do before drug companies? DId they just not survive in life?

Just like with all non-life threatening disorders, they managed as best they could. There are other strageties besides pharmecutical which help in many cases. But, some people do need medication and it helps them greatly. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking medication when it's needed. Of course, you and your doctor determine what you need and before you're diagnosed with ADHD, you have to be thoroughly evaluated and it involves much more than just a quiz.

 

[luvmyfam444]

Thanks for the tips -

I don't drink caffeine @ all - that's quite interesting point -

And exercising I don't do @ all - so that could be a good place to start...

 

[3boymthr]

Not being able to focus on what you are trying to read is not considered a symptom of ADD or ADHD believe it or not. My oldest DS has ADHD and reads constantly and some really difficult stuff usually without meds.

To help focus consider listen to some classical music. It's supposed to help.

 

[dawson5]

my youngest son was just sent a letter for a program through Notre Dame. The information supplied directed to google cogmed and I think there was a site called cogmed.com. I think it said there were ways to work with ADHD/ADD without medication. He's not too keen on taking the meds but understands the needs and can recognize the problems on the days that we miss or forget.

I don't know if this would directly help you but might give more insight into ADD/ADHD. Our therapist told us to read Driven to Distraction. This was an eye-opening book.

 

[luvmyfam444]

Thanks so much for the tips! I'll check it all out!

 

[LuvOrlando]

Just a thought, I think you need to see a Psychologist and get diagnosed before you do ANYTHING. Yes, it could be ADD but sometimes a Manic episode mimics ADD and if you give someone in a Manic episode any stimulants you could possibly trigger a psychotic break. Some people are Uni-polar, not bi-polar which means they cycle through Manic episodes with normal behavior. I remember reading a story in Time Magazine 7 years ago or so titled "Young and Bipolar" and they spoke specifically about all the young kids with Bi/uni- polar &/or Schizophrenia who were being misdiagnosed and receiving medications that shoved them right over the edge

The big thing to keep in mind is IF YOU THINK something is wrong, it probably is... just take the time to get properly diagnosed before self medicating because that could be needlessly very dangerous.

Get some help and feel better ok

 

[luvmyfam444]

thanks - but surely there's other symptoms for a manic episode?

I wonder if there is a site like WEBMD for mind issues - guess I'll go google @ see...

 

[Imzadi]

Could it be a vision problem? Maybe the type is too small for you to read clearly now. But, on a computer screen, the type is naturally bigger.

Also, check for iron-deficiency anemia. I was having concentration problems for a while where even filling out forms with my name and address seemed like it was too much work. Once I was properly diagnosed with anemia and the iron & supplements kicked in, my concentration problems went away!

 

[snarlingcoyote]

ADD is pretty much like. . .oh. . .say you have a TV that usually works semi-okay, but it has this quirk. It changes channels randomly.

You'll be half-way through a show you really wanted to watch and boom! The channel changes to another show.

Or you'll be sitting there, trying to watch the news, and the channel changes. For all of 10 seconds. Then it changes again. And again. And again.

That's kinda' sort of what ADD is like, at least for me. It's not that I don't want to pay attention - in fact, what's in front of me may be enthralling - but the channel of my attention just switches. It just does. And it may switch and switch and switch or it may not.

Conversely, sometimes, I simply CAN'T change the channel. I remain fixated on one channel and stay on it. Nothing else penetrates: I'm focused only on that one channel.

Now, I know coping strategies. I know to have 2 or 3 or 4 things on my plate to work on at any one time. Then when my mind swaps channels, generally, it's on one of the OTHER things I want to work on, and not something totally random and pointless. I know to swap channels even when I'm on a channel (topic of thought) that is really interesting, so that I don't go all single-minded for hours on end. I know to always have the radio on news or something involved that requires some sort of thinking, just so that I do have 2 thoughts going at all times. Strangely, this keeps me focused on the road.

To-Do lists are good, especially ones I can post and see. Then when I'm in the middle of changing, I have something tangible to direct me - focus on this, not that!

Anyway, that's ADD. Best explanation I can find for what it's like.

 

[luvmyfam444]

thanks for the input.
I talked to a psycologist tonight - he's actually my professor & he gave me the assignment to start with exercise - getting out of the house & then a schedule. A schedule may keep me on track - he said it could be specific breakdown - 1/2hour or hour or over several hours & then see how that helps.