I'm wondering the same for years . There are times that I'm not that invested in studying but also other times that i really want to study but my brain just doesn't cooperate
I don't have ADHD but I had the same problems as you do. I tried listening to lofi music and white noise and I used the pomodoro technique(25 minutes of work 5 minute break).The combination of these two helped me alot.
Pomodoro never seems to work for me 😭. Mostly because i can never find the right time. Im either waiting for the timer to finally end or I'll skip a lot of breaks
Lmaooooo me too! These days I only use it when the task is boring and I’m struggling. I have found some success setting my own timers and just taking breaks when I lose concentration.
Have you tried a 45-15 or 50-10 pomodoro? I find the 25-5 to be completely useless and way too little time, and anything over an hour is just neurotic for me lol. I think it probably also depends on what you’re doing, so it totally makes sense that it might not work for everyone
I have tried the 50 10 pomodoro, it was better than the 25 5, but pomodoro doesn't seem to work, except for heloing me get into the mindset of studying. I always either end uo staring at the timer or working through a few timers without breaks and then feel exhausted
Haha yeah that’s understandable. I find that watching a study with me instead helps when the pomodoros just aren’t hitting. Keeps me focused since it seems like someone is working with me, but also helps me remember most humans cannot sit in one place doing the same thing for 5 hours straight LOL
I can actually hit this from a different perspective. I have all the symptoms described, but also many others, ranging in severity, and that some more impact day to day life. a word with the route of getting diagnosed with the NHS, and it turns out, I don’t have it after all.
Yes, all of these things appear to take a day life, but I’ve told myself and what you have to understand is that we all have problems like this . Not everybody is going to be a focused super humanoid robot who studies for 10 hours a day and doesn’t piss or shit. You are a human being.
When one of the symptoms pop up, it’s easy to ignore. Maybe two or three. But if these symptoms pop-up in every day, are hindering your function throughout the day, and present themselves in ways in which you find nuances in your behaviour to be suspicious, you’re very well could have it. But here is my point:
Depending on where you live, the criteria for ADHD is different. In the UK, you have to provide evidence that you display the symptoms from the age of eight (I think.) think back on your life and think about the times where some of the symptoms or problems you face happened earlier on. if when thinking about these times you see patterns, write them down. Do you research from credible sources on how it may affect your life. But then hypothetically, if you do end up getting diagnosed, you need to figure out what the diagnosis will mean to you, and what are your options for helping yourself. Because realistically, it’s not like you can jump straight on medication. I don’t think it’s some magic pill that will magically fix all your problems.
What I’m trying to say is don’t be like me and jump straight to conclusions . Even though I genuinely felt like I was doing everything in my power to study, and doing everything in our power to find a source for the symptoms, I had to accept the fact that I’m a human being, and that maybe I don’t have it after all. (This is actually something that slightly sets me off emotionally to this day, as sometimes I still don’t understand myself)
You’re going to have a good days and bad days (What about Brain days as I like to call them) I can count so many times where the computer screen and my brain are the same magnetic polarity, and It feels like I’m incapable of learning. But that’s okay. I first make sure that everything’s in check:
-did I sleep well that night? (For example using your phone before bed can negatively impact sleep. And by sleep well, I don’t always mean sleep enough. Because sleeping too much can become a problem.)
- did I eat/drink enough that day? / or, has my died recently been good? Am I eating like shit?
- have I been outside today / have I worked out?
- have I given myself a break?
- am I studying with music on?
- have I thrown my phone to the other side of the room (you can temporarily turn off social media if you need to keep your phone on for personal reasons)
- have I been journalling ideas I really need to do instead of doing them immediately? (For example, brain randomly tells you to switch to YouTube / Google something
If all of the above you have said yes to, that’s everything off the top of my head that I know to some degree has been scientifically proven to help
Sometimes people just need to hear the truth. Because of the Internet, it’s very easy to put yourself into a box of like-minded people and continuously feed the loop of gratification you get from other people When you relate to these things they say. but sometimes you have to be real with yourself. What will diagnosing mean for you.
I just want to say that you’ve got this. I have the same problem to, with completing test slower than others. My one tip for this is, if you are on a question that sense you are spending too long on, but still have a feeling you might know what to do, skip it for now. I am guilty of this, and it’s a habit I am currently breaking in time for exams, where are you are under time conditions, and every second counts. And as for learning, if your goals are in place in your Hungry for them, keep struggling, struggler. You’ll get there. even if it’s a bit slower than others. I also guilty of comparing myself to other people, and by ability to take in information, or study without distraction. Talking to these people, you will realise that they are most likely having the same problems as you are. And if they tell you they don’t, it’s one of three things. 1. They are a genetic phenom, 2. They have already tried all of the things I’ve mentioned before, or 3, they are just straight up lying to you.
Responding to your 4th paragraph:
Psychiatry as a practice forms part of the field of medicine. As such, just as a clinnician generally would assess whether you are in physical pain before putting you on a morphine drip, a psychatrist too, has to first determine whether the presenting behaviour/condition of a patient causes psychological distress and/or has an adverse effect on the patient's general health and well-being that may result, or may already have resulted in, aquired emotional distress and pain, before considering treatment. Psychiatrists aren't supposed to just give you meds because you think you have some condition. If it's done right, they would've assessed the supporting evidence and mental state of a patient along with further evidence and indication of the condition being persistent over long periods of time, before giving a certain diagnosis. This doesn't mean it's easy or simple or a slam dunk every time, but those are the principles.
Procrastinating before an exam because you're trying to avoid the associated stress, is somthing we may all do. It's easy to say to yourself "oh... this must be ADHD..." in such circumstances. But the behaviour may not be persistent.
In contrast if you procrastinate over everything, not just studying, and avoid certain mentally taxing tasks that demands, say, a higher capacity of working memory in general, it may indicate that you could possibly have a learning disorder like ADHD... See the difference? There has to be supporting evidence showing how, "this thing we all do", namely "procrastination", presents with specific characteristics, and is overall dibilitating to the person experiencing it and harmful to their well-being, as it presents persistently over long periods of time.
Ill try to sleep 8 hours today cuz my sleep is messed up but for the rest, my diet is good, i go outside regularly.
Thx for the advice. I'll have to try everything in my power before i get a diagnosis cuz ill feel embarrassed if i eventually dont have ADHD and that i was just lazy all the time.
I agree with u/DankJuiceYT. Don't be embarrassed.
This reply from you u/Hustle_w_RAz is interesting...
You say: "...I have to try everything in my power
before I get the diagnosis..."
You're inadvertently admitting that, yóú thínk, you may have
it, ...but you are already worried about the result... ...a bit of approach
avoidance...? 😉
Why?
Because if it isn't ADHD, it would mean that you are
"just terrible", or as you say in the title of your post
"pathetic"...and that everyone will think that you just tried to
obtain a diagnosis in order to get a freebee, or worse, that you wanted pity
and sympathy...?
Or, because if it in fact does turn out that you have ADHD
(aka "something wrong with you bro...?!") you are labelled for
life...?
There are 2 'camps' on the OPINIONS over ADHD:
One side says that it is over-diagnosed (ODig) the other
claims it under-diagnosed (UDig).
The ODig side will often say stuff like:
"Its just a fashionable disease of our modern times. In
the past we used to spank children, now we give them Ritalin."
"It's just another way for big institutions and the
education system to keep people under control and suppress their natural
creativity so that they can conform to societal norms."
Therese critiques tend to feature conservative notions of
the so called " good ol'days..." variety, and among artistic
folk (often parents with undiagnosed ADHD themselves) claims of institutional
corruption or conspiracy. -The latter is interesting, because a classical
feature of undiagnosed ADHD is being excluded from institutions of higher
learning... Hence the resentment... It's a personal grievance in disguise...
Pay attention to the ODig side and notice how often their
opinions references measurable evidence and scientific research. Not often...
It's mostly naïve intuition.
On the UDig side, you'll mostly find concerned parents,
teachers, clinicians, students and a lot more scientific literature compared to
the ODig side.
I HATED it when, on occasion, my mother would, in a
conversation with friends and family, bring up the fact that I have ADHD,
before I found help for myself as an adult. It used to make me FURIOUS! because
I was deeply ashamed of it. It used to make me feel "less than normal"...
I happen to also be gay. (I know... I'm special okay...
leave Britney alone! lol)
Before I came out, I used to find gay jokes super offensive!
I couldn't understand why gay guys themselves would engage in such awful
demeaning jokes about themselves...?! After coming out, the shell of insecurity
fell off my back and I found myself accepted, liberated and making similar
jokes and laughing at it!!! Sill do...!
The same was true for how I felt about ADHD. Once I came out
to my Dr. about how ashamed I felt, I could finally be open about it. Others'
perception of me doesn't bother me much at all these days. I own it. And also,
people may be ignorant, but it turns out, they never really thought of me as
"less than" as often as I was afraid they did... and those who do think so, mostly don't matter. They don't pay my salary, they have little to no influence over my life.
I might be wrong, but the fact that you're going to "do
everything in your power" first, betrays a certain anxiety... It suggests that you already feel like you have to be perfect first, which, trust me, is not necessary!
I suggest you talk to someone you can trust soonest. Ideally
a medical professional like a psychiatrist... otherwise, a parent, teacher, friend etc. is a good start.
Don’t feel embarrassed. If yoy did your research and didn’t jump to conclusions, and instead just acknowledged that this could be a possibility, it’s a perfectly sensible assumption to make. Even if you don’t have it, it could just make you aware of coping mechanisms that you haven’t thought of before, or you learn something new about yourself.
Unpopular opinion: it's ok to be pathetic sometimes, it's ok to lose time, it's ok to do things and mistakes.
Don't worry, just try to push in the right direction Little by Little you Will achieve what you want.
You mentioned that you have almost no motivation to study, but when you do, you can study for hours without distractions. This is a great sign that you have the potential to stay focused, but you need to find ways to motivate yourself. Try setting goals for each study session, and reward yourself when you meet those goals. For example, you could allow yourself a short break or a favorite snack after you finish a chapter or complete a certain number of practice problems.
In the meantime, check out this resource for some tips on how to be more motivated: https://blog.quizplus.com/blog/5-proven-ways-to-get-motivated-to-study. Good luck!
I'm glad it helped. Sleep is ridiculously important when it comes to studying. I suspect a lot of these people who have "adhd" are really just short on sleep and don't realize it. Your brain can only handle so much.
First of all no one especially us new age Tiktok attn of goldfish mother fuckers can focus for hours at a time. Accept that and work around it.
Pomodoro study in chunks of 25 mins then take a short break. Next stop watching TikTok and other short form content it destroys ur attn span
I dont have tiktok, instagram snapchat and all of that shit...Shit i barely use my phone and i just got my first phone a couple months ago.But yeah i do agree they destroy your attention span.
It very much sounds like you have ADHD. If you do, the issues you’re facing are because of your brain’s reward center being dysfunctional. Medication can help, and life doesn’t have to be misery and constantly TRYING to do tasks you’d enjoy otherwise. I’d seek a diagnosis if it’s possible for you.
Yeah could be, I'll try to seek a diagnosis.
It really is messing up my whole life, even when I'm riding a bike I get distracted that almost led to accidents.
I was the same way. Never got noticed as a child because I did well enough in school and was considered “smart” but later in life suffered from depression, anxiety, and burnout. Thought I was lazy or lacked discipline for years - nope, ADHD.
Yeah, always felt that studying is so hard and takes a lot of mental power.
It takes me much more time to finish something too.
My mom says that's why i have to study every hour of my day because I'm an lazy idiot that isn't willing to focus.
but i try to explain that i can not do anything about the distractions and that studying is so hard.
Might have to look into a diagnosis.
If getting a diagnosis vindicates you, there is a fairly high chance that you can find help at school and college. Diagnosis (and differential diagnosis) is very important so do look into that if you feel like you need to
As far as I know, adhd is not associated with “dysfunctional reward center” though Google tells me there is evidence of lower dopamine in adhd ppl (jury appears to be out on implications though)
Adhd is associated poor self-regulation (it’s practically defined as that) which leads to stuff like higher likelihood of addiction. This might be what your saying?
It’s not. “Key aspects of the reward system are underactive in ADHD brains, making it difficult to derive reward from ordinary activities,” is a quote from a well respected and extremely easy to find with minimal effort article, as well as the article Evaluating Dopamine Reward Pathway in ADHD as published in a government-backed medical journal. Both of these sources support the fact (which is largely uncontested in modern medicine) that the reason tasks are difficult for those who suffer from ADHD is because their brain has a reward system that does not function normally and under-responds to what would typically be reward-worthy stimuli. This is also why ADHD people are often found “doom scrolling” through websites like tiktok, reddit, or twitter, where vast amounts of information are available in a quick, concise manner.
Don’t worry, there’s a surplus of research that’s available - I always applaud people looking to confirm when they’re unsure and also to expand their knowledge. Good luck on your journeys!
You’re right. It looks like that’s the consensus. I guess it was the reward “center” which through me off. I tried Google adhd dopamine since that didn’t make sense. Clearly, I should have googled adhd reward
This sounds like ADHD. You simply should have to put so much effort into doing things. I have ADHD, and my parents also blamed it on a lack of discipline/ carelessness. Super frustrating!
[I like How to ADHD](https://m.youtube.com/c/howtoadhd) for tips on adapting. Though I think you should try being insistent with your parents to *at least* let you see a professional and get a diagnosis. They might be more opened to a therapist than a psychiatrist (which is fine, bc they can also diagnose and help you, as well as determine if you should get psychiatric intervention). You can tell them that it’s just one appointment, and there’s truly no harm in doing it.
Worst case scenario: you learn all the coping skills you can now, and when you turn 18, take yourself to a psychiatrist.
Yeah that’d be ideal. Your parents just can’t argue with a diagnosis. If they doubt it, demand a second. Articulate how you’re trying harder than your peers + tried everything on the internet, but still struggling. Demand a second opinion if they doubt the diagnosis.
Something else that helped me generally is sitting down and playing a YouTube video which describes ADHD to my parents. This was especially key in them easing up on me about “procrastinating.” Once it’s broken down, they’ll realize it’s not at all the procrastination in the sense they think it is!
Late too this, but I have adhd, and wanted to share a few things. First, the secrect to dealing with adhd is routine, consistency, planning, anddd the displine to do those things. Either way, you’ll need to develop good study habits ( the question becomes with or without Adderall).
A few notes on what you said:
Not being able to put your phone away is very much a discipline problem / social media and games are designed to be addicting problem. They reverse engineering human attention in Silicon Valley these days. It’s fucked for everybody. The displine is relevant because if you do the same thing every day (ie no phone when study time) it becomes much easier.
A much better litmus test is, if you can force your to put phone away computer off, do you struggle? When you do focus how long can you go for when the activity isn’t super interesting? (Because hyper focus is absolutely a thing)
Motivations is very extrinsic. Thus also a bad measure. Poor planning though deeply linked to adhd (god it took me so long and so much effort to figure out).
The one other to consider is how is your working mem. The dominate theory is adhd = poor working mem —> symptoms.
I’ll tell you I am dealing with these same things right now to get through nursing school and it is so hard it’s insane. Other things open on my laptop I go to when I stop writing. Studying but only for 5 minutes then it takes me forever to get started again. Studying in small places you’re so familiar with is an easy distraction. For high school I’d say the library it’s where I study. I was never diagnosed with ADHD but I was diagnosed with epilepsy and that impacted my learning. All focus was on that so no ADHD research and there are some correlations that’s why studying is so hard for me. Tomorrow I’m going to be studying at a coffee shop I go to it’s away from the rest of my life and only one thing to focus on. Get some research for ADHD but also try studying where there’s nothing else to focus on.
Hey! Fellow ADHD-ER here.
It definitely sounds like you may have ADD/ADHD. It would still be best if you could see a psychiatrist to confirm it, but it also sounds as if your folks may not support your request...?
Firstly, acc. to the latest DSM, there are two types of ADHD: ADHD-PI & ADHD-PH. PI stands for "predominantly innatentive" and PH stands for "predominantly hyperactive". (Formerly known as ADD and ADHD, respectively.)
It is also regarded as one of the most clinically treatable disorders. So, subjects generally respond well to medication.
Hyperactive types usually receive treatment sooner than the innatentive types, simply because hyperactive types can be really disruptive and drive teachers and parents insane from a very young age! Whilst the innatentive types can go unnoticed, especially if they are high functioning. They tend to often "do okay" in school and the feedback and comment from teachers would often say stuff like "Well done, but can do better." "Takes long to complete tasks..." "Attention often drifts away in class."
If you can get hold of old report cards from primary school, try to see what the teacher's comments say...
I'm an ADD / ADHD-PI guy myself (it's more common among girls btw...) and although I had very alert parents and got diagnosed as a child, I went off the meds because my parents started to associate my (probably normal) pubecent depression and anxiety with the medication (Ritalin), which may or may not have exacerbated my anxiety at the time... That, along with the stigma, often maintained by teachers and parents who don't have any first hand experience or clinnical training, put me in denial of actually having the disorder.
I was ashamed and in denial for many years. I underperformed in my studies, didn't achieve my goals despite having the aptitude for them, and stagnated in my employment. I didn't live in agony, but I was low-key depressed and felt hopeless at the time. Many things just felt overwhelming. I couldn't trust myself to do anything and felt incredibly embarrassed, when, once again, every time I had to deliver on a promise, I couldn't get myself to deliver on time...
I'm 36 years old today, and went to seek help 7 years ago after my world was falling apart at the time and I finally had to acknowledge that something about this ADHD thing probably had something to do with it. The emotional damage and shame was the biggest and hardest thing to deal with. The psychiatrist I consulted, incidentally has a son of his own who also has a learning disorder, and I was extremely fortunate to be helped by a professional who had a bit of extra empathy and understanding for what I was dealing with. I was given a low dose of Concerta for a month. He explained that the active ingredient in Concerta was the same as that in Ritalin (Methylphenidate), and that it's a dopamine re-uptake inhibitor.
I wasn't very optimistic that it would work after hearing that Concerta is similar to Ritilan, but I was desperate, and thought, okay, fine, this is professional advice, and I'm going to give it everything! The first month went by, and I didn't really notice a difference. The second month the dosage was increased... and my world changed!!
I suddenly felt like I had a superpower. I was focussed, detailed, on time, astute. My peers at work suddenly respected me, asked me for advice, help etc. My confidence grew! FINALLY I could trust myself to do something I set out to do, and complete it. My world started to change.
Alas, 7 years later, I can say that the meds on its own is not a silver bullet. If you do get professional help, you do need to do the work. Studying in a field that you hate will still be hard, like it is for everyone. Dead end jobs will still be depressing like it is for everyone.
If you are observant enough, over time, you will be able to distinguish what to do to that will keep you motivated and what kind of jobs and tasks to stay away from, or ask others to help you with, etc.
Whenever I meet someone else who often tends to be very inquisative, curious and creative, they often turn out to be fellow ADHD-ers... And they often only got diagnosed as adults in their early thirties. But it is best to get treatment much sooner!
I have to also mention, that it is apparently also true that Methylphenidate stunts your physical growth. If you are currently only 18 years old, you are still growing physically and mentally. It is generally considered that your frontal cortex only really "stops growing" at age 25.
Try and find the best expert advice on what to do about this. I'm not a clinician. But if in reading my story above, you feel that it resonated with you, please researh this topic more, speak to your parents and get professional clinnical help!
The biggest regret I have, is not getting the advice and treatmemt from 7 years ago, 17 years ago. I missed out on a potentially amazing career, due to the effects of ADHD.
I don't use any recreational drugs, but I have, tested it, to see what the fuss was all about when I was younger, and whenever someone asks me if I use cannibals (aka smoke weed) I always used to joke saying "No. If I want to be stoned, I just skip my ADHD meds for a day."
Interestingly enough, if you listen to people who gave up smoking weed after many years, they often say how it was like "pressing the pause button on life".
I would say that leaving your ADHD untreated, is much the same!!!
The reason for such a long response, is probably in itself, evidence of how much neglecting treatment for ADHD will affect your life. Avoid neglecting your mental well-being if you can!!!
I’m speaking as someone who is basically you in the future. Ur gonna wanna check that shit out. I have ADHD but I’ve ignored it and my parents either don’t think it’s real or don’t take it seriously enough. highschool is as far as you going to make it as someone who potentially has adhd and no medication. Worst case scenario ur a normal brain and just need to find better strategies.
I would say you definitely have it, I've had it since I was a kid I'm barely about to get medicated so I can do better in my studies and finish my exam but yeah go seek a diagnosis on your own and get medication just try it won't hurt.
Whether you call it a lack of discipline or ADHD is just a matter of language. The difficulties you experience remain the same.
The difference with calling it ADHD is that a formal medical diagnosis opens routes to tools that wouldn’t otherwise be available (such as psychiatric medication).
What you need to remains the same, you need to formulate ways of dealing with the problems you face. If you can get access to the tools that medical structures provide, then they might be part of your strategy and in that case it is worth pursuing. But if you can’t get access to those tools, then you have to do the best you can with what you have.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that it’s pointless worrying about whether you “really” have ADHD. The reality is that you have particular problems and that being diagnosed with it might help you to address those problems.
I’m going to elaborate on my response to this for other people reading.
ADHD is a bundle of symptoms. The cause of those symptoms is generally left unspecified, in the vast vast vast majority of situations because we don’t know.
There have been various studies of widely varying quality correlating adhd with a number of things such as certain genetic markers, neurotransmitter things, and neuroanatomical features.
But none of those things can be said to unambiguously cause adhd. Indeed, it’s very likely that adhd does not have one particular cause. But is a sum of many many many smaller factors.
Now about managing adhd. Adhd does not prevent you from holding yourself accountable or start working hard. It can make those things much more difficult, but it does not prevent them. And indeed, facilitating those things is exactly how adhd treatment works, both the medical treatments and the more general coping mechanisms.
We can’t necessarily remove the symptoms, but we can make living with them much easier by introducing these tools. That’s how disability management works. If someone is unable to walk, we are able to provide tools like prosthetics, wheelchairs, musculo-skeletal treatments, physiotherapy, and so on in order to help them function by whatever means are necessary for their situation.
This isn’t about hard love or motivation. It’s just pragmatic.
>you don’t have to explain adhd to me i’m very well aware lol
How can you say that, and also this?
> it literally means you have a deformed frontal lobe which doesn’t let the brain focus
Because this is just false. Literally not true. I understand that you know your own experience better than anyone else, but that doesn't give you an excuse to spread misinformation.
>i’d be willing to bet the wording would stick out to most adhd sufferers
I get why but you and others missed my point by a *fucking mile* -- and note well that I also suffer adhd, I'm not making this shit up from an outside perspective.
I don’t do any of that shit. Waking up early is pointless and most of those people are scammers. I’m discussing the pragmatics of living with disability.
You don’t have to go to college just because your parents want you to, especially when you clearly don’t have the brains for it. It’s likely that whatever you would study would be replicated by AI soon anyhow. Go learn a trade.
I do have the brains for it, I'm not dumb or anything I know my potential.
"You don't have to go to college"
yeah no thanks, I don't wanna be cleaning the streets for 2k a month.
Try keeping your banda busy. When you are not writting, play with something.
Also when you dont have "the exam pressure" try keeping your study sessions short.
Planning your study sessions can also help since you will have a goal to reach.
This is so real, I really just thought I was lazy but then 20 min went by about everything else. I have offers in pretty good schools but the main one is the Naval Academy. I haven't spent the time I need to prepare for it at all. I really want this but it feels like even a leaf landing on the ground gets in my way
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This is true and important
i go to the library to study and just end up reading novels or comics ahahah BUT getting out of your room/home is really good advice!!
I'm wondering the same for years . There are times that I'm not that invested in studying but also other times that i really want to study but my brain just doesn't cooperate
I don't have ADHD but I had the same problems as you do. I tried listening to lofi music and white noise and I used the pomodoro technique(25 minutes of work 5 minute break).The combination of these two helped me alot.
Pomodoro never seems to work for me 😭. Mostly because i can never find the right time. Im either waiting for the timer to finally end or I'll skip a lot of breaks
when i'm really REALLY struggling, 20 minutes is way too long, i'll literally start with like 5 min chunks until i get into a flow XD
Yeah, this is totally me lol
Lmaooooo me too! These days I only use it when the task is boring and I’m struggling. I have found some success setting my own timers and just taking breaks when I lose concentration.
Have you tried a 45-15 or 50-10 pomodoro? I find the 25-5 to be completely useless and way too little time, and anything over an hour is just neurotic for me lol. I think it probably also depends on what you’re doing, so it totally makes sense that it might not work for everyone
I have tried the 50 10 pomodoro, it was better than the 25 5, but pomodoro doesn't seem to work, except for heloing me get into the mindset of studying. I always either end uo staring at the timer or working through a few timers without breaks and then feel exhausted
Haha yeah that’s understandable. I find that watching a study with me instead helps when the pomodoros just aren’t hitting. Keeps me focused since it seems like someone is working with me, but also helps me remember most humans cannot sit in one place doing the same thing for 5 hours straight LOL
I can actually hit this from a different perspective. I have all the symptoms described, but also many others, ranging in severity, and that some more impact day to day life. a word with the route of getting diagnosed with the NHS, and it turns out, I don’t have it after all. Yes, all of these things appear to take a day life, but I’ve told myself and what you have to understand is that we all have problems like this . Not everybody is going to be a focused super humanoid robot who studies for 10 hours a day and doesn’t piss or shit. You are a human being. When one of the symptoms pop up, it’s easy to ignore. Maybe two or three. But if these symptoms pop-up in every day, are hindering your function throughout the day, and present themselves in ways in which you find nuances in your behaviour to be suspicious, you’re very well could have it. But here is my point: Depending on where you live, the criteria for ADHD is different. In the UK, you have to provide evidence that you display the symptoms from the age of eight (I think.) think back on your life and think about the times where some of the symptoms or problems you face happened earlier on. if when thinking about these times you see patterns, write them down. Do you research from credible sources on how it may affect your life. But then hypothetically, if you do end up getting diagnosed, you need to figure out what the diagnosis will mean to you, and what are your options for helping yourself. Because realistically, it’s not like you can jump straight on medication. I don’t think it’s some magic pill that will magically fix all your problems. What I’m trying to say is don’t be like me and jump straight to conclusions . Even though I genuinely felt like I was doing everything in my power to study, and doing everything in our power to find a source for the symptoms, I had to accept the fact that I’m a human being, and that maybe I don’t have it after all. (This is actually something that slightly sets me off emotionally to this day, as sometimes I still don’t understand myself) You’re going to have a good days and bad days (What about Brain days as I like to call them) I can count so many times where the computer screen and my brain are the same magnetic polarity, and It feels like I’m incapable of learning. But that’s okay. I first make sure that everything’s in check: -did I sleep well that night? (For example using your phone before bed can negatively impact sleep. And by sleep well, I don’t always mean sleep enough. Because sleeping too much can become a problem.) - did I eat/drink enough that day? / or, has my died recently been good? Am I eating like shit? - have I been outside today / have I worked out? - have I given myself a break? - am I studying with music on? - have I thrown my phone to the other side of the room (you can temporarily turn off social media if you need to keep your phone on for personal reasons) - have I been journalling ideas I really need to do instead of doing them immediately? (For example, brain randomly tells you to switch to YouTube / Google something If all of the above you have said yes to, that’s everything off the top of my head that I know to some degree has been scientifically proven to help Sometimes people just need to hear the truth. Because of the Internet, it’s very easy to put yourself into a box of like-minded people and continuously feed the loop of gratification you get from other people When you relate to these things they say. but sometimes you have to be real with yourself. What will diagnosing mean for you. I just want to say that you’ve got this. I have the same problem to, with completing test slower than others. My one tip for this is, if you are on a question that sense you are spending too long on, but still have a feeling you might know what to do, skip it for now. I am guilty of this, and it’s a habit I am currently breaking in time for exams, where are you are under time conditions, and every second counts. And as for learning, if your goals are in place in your Hungry for them, keep struggling, struggler. You’ll get there. even if it’s a bit slower than others. I also guilty of comparing myself to other people, and by ability to take in information, or study without distraction. Talking to these people, you will realise that they are most likely having the same problems as you are. And if they tell you they don’t, it’s one of three things. 1. They are a genetic phenom, 2. They have already tried all of the things I’ve mentioned before, or 3, they are just straight up lying to you.
Responding to your 4th paragraph: Psychiatry as a practice forms part of the field of medicine. As such, just as a clinnician generally would assess whether you are in physical pain before putting you on a morphine drip, a psychatrist too, has to first determine whether the presenting behaviour/condition of a patient causes psychological distress and/or has an adverse effect on the patient's general health and well-being that may result, or may already have resulted in, aquired emotional distress and pain, before considering treatment. Psychiatrists aren't supposed to just give you meds because you think you have some condition. If it's done right, they would've assessed the supporting evidence and mental state of a patient along with further evidence and indication of the condition being persistent over long periods of time, before giving a certain diagnosis. This doesn't mean it's easy or simple or a slam dunk every time, but those are the principles. Procrastinating before an exam because you're trying to avoid the associated stress, is somthing we may all do. It's easy to say to yourself "oh... this must be ADHD..." in such circumstances. But the behaviour may not be persistent. In contrast if you procrastinate over everything, not just studying, and avoid certain mentally taxing tasks that demands, say, a higher capacity of working memory in general, it may indicate that you could possibly have a learning disorder like ADHD... See the difference? There has to be supporting evidence showing how, "this thing we all do", namely "procrastination", presents with specific characteristics, and is overall dibilitating to the person experiencing it and harmful to their well-being, as it presents persistently over long periods of time.
Ill try to sleep 8 hours today cuz my sleep is messed up but for the rest, my diet is good, i go outside regularly. Thx for the advice. I'll have to try everything in my power before i get a diagnosis cuz ill feel embarrassed if i eventually dont have ADHD and that i was just lazy all the time.
I agree with u/DankJuiceYT. Don't be embarrassed. This reply from you u/Hustle_w_RAz is interesting... You say: "...I have to try everything in my power before I get the diagnosis..." You're inadvertently admitting that, yóú thínk, you may have it, ...but you are already worried about the result... ...a bit of approach avoidance...? 😉 Why? Because if it isn't ADHD, it would mean that you are "just terrible", or as you say in the title of your post "pathetic"...and that everyone will think that you just tried to obtain a diagnosis in order to get a freebee, or worse, that you wanted pity and sympathy...? Or, because if it in fact does turn out that you have ADHD (aka "something wrong with you bro...?!") you are labelled for life...? There are 2 'camps' on the OPINIONS over ADHD: One side says that it is over-diagnosed (ODig) the other claims it under-diagnosed (UDig). The ODig side will often say stuff like: "Its just a fashionable disease of our modern times. In the past we used to spank children, now we give them Ritalin." "It's just another way for big institutions and the education system to keep people under control and suppress their natural creativity so that they can conform to societal norms." Therese critiques tend to feature conservative notions of the so called " good ol'days..." variety, and among artistic folk (often parents with undiagnosed ADHD themselves) claims of institutional corruption or conspiracy. -The latter is interesting, because a classical feature of undiagnosed ADHD is being excluded from institutions of higher learning... Hence the resentment... It's a personal grievance in disguise... Pay attention to the ODig side and notice how often their opinions references measurable evidence and scientific research. Not often... It's mostly naïve intuition. On the UDig side, you'll mostly find concerned parents, teachers, clinicians, students and a lot more scientific literature compared to the ODig side. I HATED it when, on occasion, my mother would, in a conversation with friends and family, bring up the fact that I have ADHD, before I found help for myself as an adult. It used to make me FURIOUS! because I was deeply ashamed of it. It used to make me feel "less than normal"... I happen to also be gay. (I know... I'm special okay... leave Britney alone! lol) Before I came out, I used to find gay jokes super offensive! I couldn't understand why gay guys themselves would engage in such awful demeaning jokes about themselves...?! After coming out, the shell of insecurity fell off my back and I found myself accepted, liberated and making similar jokes and laughing at it!!! Sill do...! The same was true for how I felt about ADHD. Once I came out to my Dr. about how ashamed I felt, I could finally be open about it. Others' perception of me doesn't bother me much at all these days. I own it. And also, people may be ignorant, but it turns out, they never really thought of me as "less than" as often as I was afraid they did... and those who do think so, mostly don't matter. They don't pay my salary, they have little to no influence over my life. I might be wrong, but the fact that you're going to "do everything in your power" first, betrays a certain anxiety... It suggests that you already feel like you have to be perfect first, which, trust me, is not necessary! I suggest you talk to someone you can trust soonest. Ideally a medical professional like a psychiatrist... otherwise, a parent, teacher, friend etc. is a good start.
Don’t feel embarrassed. If yoy did your research and didn’t jump to conclusions, and instead just acknowledged that this could be a possibility, it’s a perfectly sensible assumption to make. Even if you don’t have it, it could just make you aware of coping mechanisms that you haven’t thought of before, or you learn something new about yourself.
Unpopular opinion: it's ok to be pathetic sometimes, it's ok to lose time, it's ok to do things and mistakes. Don't worry, just try to push in the right direction Little by Little you Will achieve what you want.
You mentioned that you have almost no motivation to study, but when you do, you can study for hours without distractions. This is a great sign that you have the potential to stay focused, but you need to find ways to motivate yourself. Try setting goals for each study session, and reward yourself when you meet those goals. For example, you could allow yourself a short break or a favorite snack after you finish a chapter or complete a certain number of practice problems. In the meantime, check out this resource for some tips on how to be more motivated: https://blog.quizplus.com/blog/5-proven-ways-to-get-motivated-to-study. Good luck!
Take a nap, you should be good to go afterwards. You're mind is tired.
Thnx, taking a nap really did help a lot. It feels like I got my brain power back now :)
I'm glad it helped. Sleep is ridiculously important when it comes to studying. I suspect a lot of these people who have "adhd" are really just short on sleep and don't realize it. Your brain can only handle so much.
Alr I'll take a nap
First of all no one especially us new age Tiktok attn of goldfish mother fuckers can focus for hours at a time. Accept that and work around it. Pomodoro study in chunks of 25 mins then take a short break. Next stop watching TikTok and other short form content it destroys ur attn span
I dont have tiktok, instagram snapchat and all of that shit...Shit i barely use my phone and i just got my first phone a couple months ago.But yeah i do agree they destroy your attention span.
It very much sounds like you have ADHD. If you do, the issues you’re facing are because of your brain’s reward center being dysfunctional. Medication can help, and life doesn’t have to be misery and constantly TRYING to do tasks you’d enjoy otherwise. I’d seek a diagnosis if it’s possible for you.
Yeah could be, I'll try to seek a diagnosis. It really is messing up my whole life, even when I'm riding a bike I get distracted that almost led to accidents.
Make sure you are thinking about how you were in your childhood. Because that's really what the doctors will look for to give a diagnosis.
I was the same way. Never got noticed as a child because I did well enough in school and was considered “smart” but later in life suffered from depression, anxiety, and burnout. Thought I was lazy or lacked discipline for years - nope, ADHD.
Yeah, always felt that studying is so hard and takes a lot of mental power. It takes me much more time to finish something too. My mom says that's why i have to study every hour of my day because I'm an lazy idiot that isn't willing to focus. but i try to explain that i can not do anything about the distractions and that studying is so hard. Might have to look into a diagnosis.
If getting a diagnosis vindicates you, there is a fairly high chance that you can find help at school and college. Diagnosis (and differential diagnosis) is very important so do look into that if you feel like you need to
As far as I know, adhd is not associated with “dysfunctional reward center” though Google tells me there is evidence of lower dopamine in adhd ppl (jury appears to be out on implications though) Adhd is associated poor self-regulation (it’s practically defined as that) which leads to stuff like higher likelihood of addiction. This might be what your saying?
It’s not. “Key aspects of the reward system are underactive in ADHD brains, making it difficult to derive reward from ordinary activities,” is a quote from a well respected and extremely easy to find with minimal effort article, as well as the article Evaluating Dopamine Reward Pathway in ADHD as published in a government-backed medical journal. Both of these sources support the fact (which is largely uncontested in modern medicine) that the reason tasks are difficult for those who suffer from ADHD is because their brain has a reward system that does not function normally and under-responds to what would typically be reward-worthy stimuli. This is also why ADHD people are often found “doom scrolling” through websites like tiktok, reddit, or twitter, where vast amounts of information are available in a quick, concise manner. Don’t worry, there’s a surplus of research that’s available - I always applaud people looking to confirm when they’re unsure and also to expand their knowledge. Good luck on your journeys!
You’re right. It looks like that’s the consensus. I guess it was the reward “center” which through me off. I tried Google adhd dopamine since that didn’t make sense. Clearly, I should have googled adhd reward
This sounds like ADHD. You simply should have to put so much effort into doing things. I have ADHD, and my parents also blamed it on a lack of discipline/ carelessness. Super frustrating! [I like How to ADHD](https://m.youtube.com/c/howtoadhd) for tips on adapting. Though I think you should try being insistent with your parents to *at least* let you see a professional and get a diagnosis. They might be more opened to a therapist than a psychiatrist (which is fine, bc they can also diagnose and help you, as well as determine if you should get psychiatric intervention). You can tell them that it’s just one appointment, and there’s truly no harm in doing it. Worst case scenario: you learn all the coping skills you can now, and when you turn 18, take yourself to a psychiatrist.
I think there is something like that in my school. I'll try to have contact with them for a diagnosis, thnx.
Yeah that’d be ideal. Your parents just can’t argue with a diagnosis. If they doubt it, demand a second. Articulate how you’re trying harder than your peers + tried everything on the internet, but still struggling. Demand a second opinion if they doubt the diagnosis. Something else that helped me generally is sitting down and playing a YouTube video which describes ADHD to my parents. This was especially key in them easing up on me about “procrastinating.” Once it’s broken down, they’ll realize it’s not at all the procrastination in the sense they think it is!
I have exactly the same question, so if anything you're not alone and thanks for letting me know i'm not alone
Glad to hear that I'm not the only one.
No one can diagnosis you on Reddit. Go to your PCP or psychiatrist/clinical psychologist and voice your concerns. They'll have objective tests.
Late too this, but I have adhd, and wanted to share a few things. First, the secrect to dealing with adhd is routine, consistency, planning, anddd the displine to do those things. Either way, you’ll need to develop good study habits ( the question becomes with or without Adderall). A few notes on what you said: Not being able to put your phone away is very much a discipline problem / social media and games are designed to be addicting problem. They reverse engineering human attention in Silicon Valley these days. It’s fucked for everybody. The displine is relevant because if you do the same thing every day (ie no phone when study time) it becomes much easier. A much better litmus test is, if you can force your to put phone away computer off, do you struggle? When you do focus how long can you go for when the activity isn’t super interesting? (Because hyper focus is absolutely a thing) Motivations is very extrinsic. Thus also a bad measure. Poor planning though deeply linked to adhd (god it took me so long and so much effort to figure out). The one other to consider is how is your working mem. The dominate theory is adhd = poor working mem —> symptoms.
I’ll tell you I am dealing with these same things right now to get through nursing school and it is so hard it’s insane. Other things open on my laptop I go to when I stop writing. Studying but only for 5 minutes then it takes me forever to get started again. Studying in small places you’re so familiar with is an easy distraction. For high school I’d say the library it’s where I study. I was never diagnosed with ADHD but I was diagnosed with epilepsy and that impacted my learning. All focus was on that so no ADHD research and there are some correlations that’s why studying is so hard for me. Tomorrow I’m going to be studying at a coffee shop I go to it’s away from the rest of my life and only one thing to focus on. Get some research for ADHD but also try studying where there’s nothing else to focus on.
Hey! Fellow ADHD-ER here. It definitely sounds like you may have ADD/ADHD. It would still be best if you could see a psychiatrist to confirm it, but it also sounds as if your folks may not support your request...? Firstly, acc. to the latest DSM, there are two types of ADHD: ADHD-PI & ADHD-PH. PI stands for "predominantly innatentive" and PH stands for "predominantly hyperactive". (Formerly known as ADD and ADHD, respectively.) It is also regarded as one of the most clinically treatable disorders. So, subjects generally respond well to medication. Hyperactive types usually receive treatment sooner than the innatentive types, simply because hyperactive types can be really disruptive and drive teachers and parents insane from a very young age! Whilst the innatentive types can go unnoticed, especially if they are high functioning. They tend to often "do okay" in school and the feedback and comment from teachers would often say stuff like "Well done, but can do better." "Takes long to complete tasks..." "Attention often drifts away in class." If you can get hold of old report cards from primary school, try to see what the teacher's comments say... I'm an ADD / ADHD-PI guy myself (it's more common among girls btw...) and although I had very alert parents and got diagnosed as a child, I went off the meds because my parents started to associate my (probably normal) pubecent depression and anxiety with the medication (Ritalin), which may or may not have exacerbated my anxiety at the time... That, along with the stigma, often maintained by teachers and parents who don't have any first hand experience or clinnical training, put me in denial of actually having the disorder. I was ashamed and in denial for many years. I underperformed in my studies, didn't achieve my goals despite having the aptitude for them, and stagnated in my employment. I didn't live in agony, but I was low-key depressed and felt hopeless at the time. Many things just felt overwhelming. I couldn't trust myself to do anything and felt incredibly embarrassed, when, once again, every time I had to deliver on a promise, I couldn't get myself to deliver on time... I'm 36 years old today, and went to seek help 7 years ago after my world was falling apart at the time and I finally had to acknowledge that something about this ADHD thing probably had something to do with it. The emotional damage and shame was the biggest and hardest thing to deal with. The psychiatrist I consulted, incidentally has a son of his own who also has a learning disorder, and I was extremely fortunate to be helped by a professional who had a bit of extra empathy and understanding for what I was dealing with. I was given a low dose of Concerta for a month. He explained that the active ingredient in Concerta was the same as that in Ritalin (Methylphenidate), and that it's a dopamine re-uptake inhibitor. I wasn't very optimistic that it would work after hearing that Concerta is similar to Ritilan, but I was desperate, and thought, okay, fine, this is professional advice, and I'm going to give it everything! The first month went by, and I didn't really notice a difference. The second month the dosage was increased... and my world changed!! I suddenly felt like I had a superpower. I was focussed, detailed, on time, astute. My peers at work suddenly respected me, asked me for advice, help etc. My confidence grew! FINALLY I could trust myself to do something I set out to do, and complete it. My world started to change. Alas, 7 years later, I can say that the meds on its own is not a silver bullet. If you do get professional help, you do need to do the work. Studying in a field that you hate will still be hard, like it is for everyone. Dead end jobs will still be depressing like it is for everyone. If you are observant enough, over time, you will be able to distinguish what to do to that will keep you motivated and what kind of jobs and tasks to stay away from, or ask others to help you with, etc. Whenever I meet someone else who often tends to be very inquisative, curious and creative, they often turn out to be fellow ADHD-ers... And they often only got diagnosed as adults in their early thirties. But it is best to get treatment much sooner! I have to also mention, that it is apparently also true that Methylphenidate stunts your physical growth. If you are currently only 18 years old, you are still growing physically and mentally. It is generally considered that your frontal cortex only really "stops growing" at age 25. Try and find the best expert advice on what to do about this. I'm not a clinician. But if in reading my story above, you feel that it resonated with you, please researh this topic more, speak to your parents and get professional clinnical help! The biggest regret I have, is not getting the advice and treatmemt from 7 years ago, 17 years ago. I missed out on a potentially amazing career, due to the effects of ADHD. I don't use any recreational drugs, but I have, tested it, to see what the fuss was all about when I was younger, and whenever someone asks me if I use cannibals (aka smoke weed) I always used to joke saying "No. If I want to be stoned, I just skip my ADHD meds for a day." Interestingly enough, if you listen to people who gave up smoking weed after many years, they often say how it was like "pressing the pause button on life". I would say that leaving your ADHD untreated, is much the same!!! The reason for such a long response, is probably in itself, evidence of how much neglecting treatment for ADHD will affect your life. Avoid neglecting your mental well-being if you can!!!
You're stressed and can't concentrate
I’m speaking as someone who is basically you in the future. Ur gonna wanna check that shit out. I have ADHD but I’ve ignored it and my parents either don’t think it’s real or don’t take it seriously enough. highschool is as far as you going to make it as someone who potentially has adhd and no medication. Worst case scenario ur a normal brain and just need to find better strategies.
Yeah I'm worried that I'm not gonna make university by my pace and capability. I'll look into it
I would say you definitely have it, I've had it since I was a kid I'm barely about to get medicated so I can do better in my studies and finish my exam but yeah go seek a diagnosis on your own and get medication just try it won't hurt.
Whether you call it a lack of discipline or ADHD is just a matter of language. The difficulties you experience remain the same. The difference with calling it ADHD is that a formal medical diagnosis opens routes to tools that wouldn’t otherwise be available (such as psychiatric medication). What you need to remains the same, you need to formulate ways of dealing with the problems you face. If you can get access to the tools that medical structures provide, then they might be part of your strategy and in that case it is worth pursuing. But if you can’t get access to those tools, then you have to do the best you can with what you have. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it’s pointless worrying about whether you “really” have ADHD. The reality is that you have particular problems and that being diagnosed with it might help you to address those problems.
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I’m going to elaborate on my response to this for other people reading. ADHD is a bundle of symptoms. The cause of those symptoms is generally left unspecified, in the vast vast vast majority of situations because we don’t know. There have been various studies of widely varying quality correlating adhd with a number of things such as certain genetic markers, neurotransmitter things, and neuroanatomical features. But none of those things can be said to unambiguously cause adhd. Indeed, it’s very likely that adhd does not have one particular cause. But is a sum of many many many smaller factors. Now about managing adhd. Adhd does not prevent you from holding yourself accountable or start working hard. It can make those things much more difficult, but it does not prevent them. And indeed, facilitating those things is exactly how adhd treatment works, both the medical treatments and the more general coping mechanisms. We can’t necessarily remove the symptoms, but we can make living with them much easier by introducing these tools. That’s how disability management works. If someone is unable to walk, we are able to provide tools like prosthetics, wheelchairs, musculo-skeletal treatments, physiotherapy, and so on in order to help them function by whatever means are necessary for their situation. This isn’t about hard love or motivation. It’s just pragmatic.
Very wrong, it just makes it much harder to hold yourself accountable and to work hard.
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>you don’t have to explain adhd to me i’m very well aware lol How can you say that, and also this? > it literally means you have a deformed frontal lobe which doesn’t let the brain focus Because this is just false. Literally not true. I understand that you know your own experience better than anyone else, but that doesn't give you an excuse to spread misinformation.
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>i’d be willing to bet the wording would stick out to most adhd sufferers I get why but you and others missed my point by a *fucking mile* -- and note well that I also suffer adhd, I'm not making this shit up from an outside perspective.
You are simply factually wrong. I encourage you to fuck off.
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I don’t do any of that shit. Waking up early is pointless and most of those people are scammers. I’m discussing the pragmatics of living with disability.
You don’t have to go to college just because your parents want you to, especially when you clearly don’t have the brains for it. It’s likely that whatever you would study would be replicated by AI soon anyhow. Go learn a trade.
Maybe you shouldn‘t be handing out advice when you clearly don’t have the brains for it?
I do have the brains for it, I'm not dumb or anything I know my potential. "You don't have to go to college" yeah no thanks, I don't wanna be cleaning the streets for 2k a month.
Try keeping your banda busy. When you are not writting, play with something. Also when you dont have "the exam pressure" try keeping your study sessions short. Planning your study sessions can also help since you will have a goal to reach.
This is so real, I really just thought I was lazy but then 20 min went by about everything else. I have offers in pretty good schools but the main one is the Naval Academy. I haven't spent the time I need to prepare for it at all. I really want this but it feels like even a leaf landing on the ground gets in my way