Cant concentrate

[Gooznie]

Hello-I am having a very bad problem with concentration.I am studying for my masters with a punnishing reading regime and I simply cannot concentrate.I am quick to be distracted or wonder off mentally into one day dream or anxiety filled concern .I am struggling with keeping up school and spend hours on very little progress, I also feel like sleeping most of the time and even after a good nap..I find it difficult to proceed with my readings with renewed vitality.I suspect I might has attention deficit disorder and need a solution desperately as I fear failing my studies.Please advise.

[Paxiled]

I guess I disagree with the theory of mental illness some have expressed here.  If mental illness is the result of chemical imbalance, nobody has yet found what chemicals they are, so there's no sense in dwelling on what nobody's found yet but was advertised by pharmaceutical companies to sell antidepressants.  It might be some day they'll find a genetic cause or a chemical imbalance, but since they haven't, maybe there isn't one.  I also don't know that you're depressed -- you don't mention feeling sad, you mention having trouble concentrating, as if this is unusual.  As someone with two graduate degrees, they all come with a ton of reading, and it's always hard to focus on that.  Sitting still is hard for any animal, including humans.  Those who are successful at it find a way to do it that works for them.  I'm not willing to diagnose you as having a mental illness over the internet, but I can tell you from what you've said that it's possible all you need to do is find a better system for doing your work.  And if you're not exercising, start.  You need to burn off the lethargy, and exercise does that.  Meditation also helps do that.  Working in shifts of four hours at most might be what suits you -- working longer than that on intellectual work for most people just results in bad work and lost concentration.  Taking breaks to do something else and then returning to your work helps -- keeps you refreshed.  And it helps if you like what you're studying -- it might be you just don't really like it or that you just really don't like desk work.  That's something you have to figure out.  But in the meantime, enjoy the learning -- it's always fun to learn new things.  Don't force yourself to work when you're burnt out --  take a break, get some exercise, eat something, take a nap, then get going again.  It will work out.  I'm not much for sitting around at a desk, but it got me through two degrees, one a law degree, though I didn't really use either of them I still learned what I learned.  But I paced myself, didn't pay any attention to what others were doing because it just makes one crazy, and took it one page at a time.  And it should be slow, because you're not just reading, you're learning.  To me, you're just describing graduate school and how it is for everyone.  So far, I don't see mental illness here.  

[Gooznie]

Thanks , for the response i ran this morning , doing better than usual.I also got off facebook deactivated my account coz I always feel the pressure to appear social validated- trying to be more organised , sleep early...i have since stopped partying will see how it goes.The readings are real nasty though- media studies..Stuart Hall,Bennett...its difficult to grasp them and keep up with the work..I need to trick my mind into loving what im doing..have given up a lot of stuff along the way.

[cocopopsx]

Hormones and not enough sleep possibly and not enough relaxation. More sleep a bit of exercise and some enjoyable music might help to uplift your mood. Take care and look at the positives about how well you done so far and that it will get better.

[specialmom]

Hi there.  You do list classic symptoms of depression.  Depression can be mild or severe.  You sound like you are struggling through which would make it more on the mild side.  It is very treatable--  you could even go to the health clinic at your university most likely for this.  Talk therapy helps but some have depression 'just because' without any early childhood trigger or major issue going on.  It could be as simple as not loving your major and realizing 'this' is your life!  Or it could just be brain chemistry.  

If you had attention deficit disorder, you'd probably know by now.  :>)  As at your age, ADD/ADHD have been hot diagnosis and teachers look for it in elementary schools!  Now ADD is harder to spot but most kids with ADD have struggles that are quite prevalent throughout there life.  It wouldn't just start in college for example.  So, if this isn't something you've felt for as long as you remember, I'd say it is more related to depression.

And boredom.  Frankly, endless reading with pressure to do well on the outcome is hard.  

Anyway, I'm here to help if I can.  But consider reaching out for help if you have depression.  (and above is right, we can't diagnose you so I am not doing that.  But it does ring bells for depression.)  good luck

[Gooznie]

I look back and there is a recurring theme somehow at grade school I was also stuck in reveres at one time.I vigorously pursue interests that excite me more than those that challenge me.I spoke to a psychology student I am friends with she said she will speak to me tomorrow am back at the university I first studied and am facing the same constraints.Its an unfortunate de ja vu..

[murf7777]

Please see a doctor now.  You mentioned some key words, like "cannot concentrate", "anxiety filled concern", "feel like sleeping", among others.  No one can diagnose based on a post, but my wife and I both made it through grad school, she with the most beautiful, blessed, optimistic wonderful mix of brain chemicals and synapses I have ever encountered, while my experience was more like yours.  

My background includes 3 years of dad telling me he was going to shoot me and my mom (while holding a loaded gun on us ), moving to another state to get away and facing extreme poverty (he never paid a dime in child support, and greatly metastasized cancer when I was 20 (1977).  My brain chem was forever altered, as was my outlook on like, by what happened to me between the ages of 11-22.  I am telling you this because you are going to need to sit down with someone and tell them exactly what happened to you, in a safe, therapeutic setting, and get the help you deserve to finish grad school.

Hope this helps.

[Gooznie]

Thanks for your response , i just cannot read my readings without my mind drifting off elsewhere.This is not completely new..In my first year at the same university i struggled as well-what was messing me around at that time was the fact that my dad was going blind and my mum could not cope.I had several panic attacks.I however managed to get my honours degree and did well-some how at that time I had a very out going friend who got me out of my cocoon and I dont know if that was the reason-but then of cause I was studying fine art which did not have the level of reading I have now .I went on to do very well at a university back home in my country even under pressure with a lot of readings for a post graduate diploma which i passed quite well.Im back at my original university there readings up to the ceiling but some how I cant concentrate...its either im thinking of women that id like to date or feeling inadequate..or I have issues with facebook likes..or my personal level of popularity as I am back at college one more time or thinking about my level of non existent popularity or a pending midlife crisis since im 2yrs from 40.I dont want to fail as going to varsity would have been an epic waste of money...I need to be able to focus on my readings at least.I have tried to sleep off my stresses and study buy its getting more difficult..it takes me 30 mins to read a page or 2 if im really trying-im not stupid ..some even say im intelligent but every-time i turn up at class with out having completed my readings I feel and look stupid in front of the younger students.Today I took 8 vitamin B complex pills to chill me out and it ODed me and I had to go back home..now im the butt of jokes as the younger students can see I cant cope.In hind sight I can see that I have always been the way I am..I can take great interest in some matters and have no interest in others that may be demanding.I need a solution and I need it fast.