Concentration Problems

[Paradox]

Lately (for quite a while actually) I've been having trouble concentrating. Like when I'm reading, after even just a couple of paragraphs I'll say to myself, "what the hell did I just read!?!" And it's not just with more complicated books on theory of stuff. Like my history textbook, I would go through it, and wouldn't remember what I had read from the page before. Right now, I'm planning on rereading the Manifesto, Critique of the Gotha Program, Wages, Price, and Profit, plus I'm reading this book on past amerikan and european imperialism in the Middle East, so it's quite a load. I do tend to read more than two or three books at once, could that be causing it? Too much information at once? And I've also had trouble sleeping, usually because I'm thinking a lot. Anyways, is there anything I can take that can help me with concentration? Something nonprescription and natural? I think I heard of some natural medicines, herbs, that help with this, but I don't know which ones. Anyone know anything about this? I appreciate your help.

[Colombia]

Well first off how old are you? I assume your an adult right?

[Black Dagger]

Do wear glasses? Maybe you need them? Might help you focus on words better, i'm probably reading too much into what you're saying though.

Apparently smelling/sniffing lavender is 'calming', my mum always used to tell me to take something with scented with lavender with me to school exams to help to stay calm and concentrate. Their are other, over-the-counter stuff you can buy for concentration, probably advertised for precisely the kind of stuff i mentioned above (helping students concentrate). There's a few herbal things and such, some people say stuff like brahmi extract, guarana, hairy lemon works, and then there's caffeine pills, but they can make you hyper, depending on how you react. gingko also helps- you can get gingko tea.

Hope that helps.

[monkeydust]

You might get a bunch of people saying you have ADD, and that you'll need some pills to sort it out.

Don't listen to them.

I can suggest is a number of things:

1. If you're depressed, that could be a factor, so try to sort that out.

2. Regular exercise and a healthy diet actually helps a hell of a lot.

3. Other than that, just learn to "snap" your mind back into focus whenever a thought distracts you. It works for me.

4. Take your time reading stuff if need be.

5. Get enough sleep.

Maybe some of those will help you a little.

[Paradox]

Well first off how old are you? I assume your an adult right?

Though I don't always act like it, yes, I'm an adult. :lol: I'm going to turn 20 next month.


gingko also helps- you can get gingko tea.

YEAH!!! That's what it was I heard about. I just forgot the name, gingko. Thanks.


1. If you're depressed, that could be a factor, so try to sort that out.

Yeah, I'm working on this one.


2. Regular exercise and a healthy diet actually helps a hell of a lot.

The exercise part, I've started doing that more regularly. The healthy diet, uh... that needs work. :P

Thanks for the help everyone. I appreciate it greatly.

[The Garbage Disposal Unit]

1. Get enough sleep.

2. Marijuanna in moderation.

[Paradox]

2. Marijuanna in moderation.

:lol: For concentration!?! Doesn't that shit mess up your short term memory? Are you saying that after the high wears off, everything I read or study will come back to me? And what is "in moderation" exactly? (not that I'll try)

[Black Dagger]

2. Marijuanna in moderation.

A good idea, but it won't help him concentrate :P
Ganja tends to make me easily distracted, in the sense that i can be having a very intense and abstract (!) dicussion with someone, and then shoot off on a tangent, and then repeat. Of course it depends on the individual, but i find that although it can allow me to think a lot more deeply about things, about the words i use, why i use them, and to analyse things, the result is everything is interesting-so everything becomes a distraction.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

Why do people always want chemical answers to their problems? At best they treat the symptoms only.

[Anarchist Freedom]

5-htp and leitchen.

[monkeydust]

Why do people always want chemical answers to their problems? At best they treat the symptoms only.

I agree.

They're nearly always something of a "band aid". They don't solve the problem, just help you along the way.

Sometimes that's all that's wanted, though, I guess.

[1936]

Cod liver oil capsules....according to the daily mail

[monkeydust]

I've heard that advice as well.

But generally anything from the Daily Mail should be regarded with less respect than my cat's shite.

[mikelepore]

I recommend body awareness exercises, like this: ... I am now noticing the pressure that the floor exerts on my foot ... I will now tense my left arm for a few seconds, so I can notice how it feels when I stop doing it ..... These kinds of exercises increase the ability to turn concentration on or off whenever we decide to.

There are several Buddhist proverbs that describe the problem: the human mind sometimes behaves like a drunken monkey ..... if we had as little control over our bodies as we do over our minds, we would never make it across the street alive ....

To introduce discipline in the the mind is one of the areas in which skill requires practice.

[Sir Aunty Christ]

Yeah, I've been taking cod liver oil tablets for about a year and they've done fuck all. In fact, I worse now than when I was 18 and I didn't give a shit about anything then.

[marxist_socialist_aussie]

as some one mentioned, get plenty of fresh air and exercise as well as a good diet with fresh foods. Also, essentially, the human brain has a continual concentration length of approx. 25-40 minutes depending on the person and their age. After this time, a persons mind begins to wander and they no longer take in any information so readily. To remedy this, every 30mins (approx.) simply get up and take a short little walk for just litteraly a minute and do something else which removes your mind from its work, like having a drink. Then, you can return to work and continue to concentrate. At school, we had a psychologist come in and he gave us this advice.