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Spikie
14-09-12, 09:18
Wasn't sure where to put this, sorry if there was a better place (it IS causing me anxiety though).

My attention span is (usually) appauling! This is generally interpreted by those around me as a poor memory, but I can (using rote and, my pride and joy, my memory palace) remember ludicrous amounts of information when I want to (I memorised 100 client 'phone numbers over a week to prove one employer wrong about my memory, and I got to 150 digits of pi before I lost interest and stopped adding to it).

However, I day dream a lot and, unless my mind is 100% occupied (and I mean 100%) it will wander, with often disasterous results! When my mind IS 100% focussed I can be (modesty aside) brilliant, I never fail exams and got distinctions in more than half of my professional accountancy and tax exams (plus a prize for top mark in the country :blush:), so momma Spikie didn't raise no idiot. But ask me to post a letter and you may as well throw it out the window and hope a passing pigeon delivers it for you.

I'm really starting to struggle with this since I came off my Citalopram, as I will make a stupid mistake due to poor concentration (missing a figure, forgetting to do something) and then beat myself up over it for days, leading to more issues.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I've mentioned it to my doctor who looked at me as if I had come in asking for help growing an extra arm and said given I can remember my name and where I live he can't offer any help. Is there perhaps some sort of herbal ADD med I can take to just perhaps focus me in a little? Or better yet some sort of diet I can follow.

I'm also wondering if a consistent life might help, making everything I can uniform (same meals each week at the same day and time) to minimise the number of things I need to think about.

All suggestions welcomed!

littlelu
14-09-12, 09:33
Hi Spikie
I cant really help unfortunatly but i suffer the same problem so im interested if anyone has any suggestions!

If im totally absored in something then im fine, whether its a work or a book or anything but if im just alittle bit distracted then my mind wanders and i day dream, sometimes i go through whole days of struggling to focus!

ive started writing things down that people ask me to do if not i have no chance of remembering but i can recall conversations and jobs we did at work from years ago so i know its not my memory!

Annie0904
14-09-12, 09:36
When my anxiety is at its worse my concentration is really bad. I even have trouble typing these messages and have to read over them before I send them because I keep missing letters out and making spelling mistakes and I am a literacy teacher! :roflmao:
We had a study with children in our area and gave them EYE Q capsules and they improved concentration in the children who took them so you might like to give them a try.

Spikie
14-09-12, 10:43
Hi Spikie
I cant really help unfortunatly but i suffer the same problem so im interested if anyone has any suggestions!

If im totally absored in something then im fine, whether its a work or a book or anything but if im just alittle bit distracted then my mind wanders and i day dream, sometimes i go through whole days of struggling to focus!

ive started writing things down that people ask me to do if not i have no chance of remembering but i can recall conversations and jobs we did at work from years ago so i know its not my memory!

^ Exactly this! I can recall things I did years ago (though not always what I did this morning), and I have... well, a LOT of trackers to make sure I remember things, plus reminders for every little thing (unless I wasn't paying enough attention to make the reminder :doh:).

Annie, I'll look at what you say at lunch, thanks!

t0rt01se36
14-09-12, 11:33
Spikie, I can so relate and thank you for posting this thread.

I can remember some phone numbers, brilliantly, but when it comes down to focusing on reading or course work, my concentration level is really bad.

I am studying Adult Literacy and finding it hard to concentrate , which is making me feel stressed and anxious.
I am sure the course work is understandable. Just wish I knew why I am struggling with it.

Numerous occasions, when I am supposed to be going quick, I find myself daydreaming, even sitting on the loo, I think and plan.

At School, up to 1992, my concentration level was bad and has remained quite poor.

Smallie
14-09-12, 18:14
Did you think procrastination may have something to do with it? I have a similar problem. I actually have a v good memory but often struggle to concentrate in exams etc and easily get side-tracked. I also am a v good procrastinator which doesn't help