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[spümpkin]

I've been worrying about this for quite some time, as I have a really short attention span aside from only the best times, and I sturggle to stay focused on any one activity for any sustained length of time. I would much rather go out to the doctors or a psychologist or something, but I really don'tthink my parents will believe me, and they'll just dismiss it (I'm quite often a pretty paranoid person).

It's also been getting in the way of my school a bit, as I'm starting to notice that I can't focus on subjects that don't immediately interest me. I'm doing well, mostly, but I did really bad on an english test due to lack of time management, and I had heard that that may be a symptom. I also get really easily distracted, even by my own thoughts.

I'm really worried, because I don't want it to worsen.

Please, anyone with or without medical knowledge, advice, please.

[~Neri]

Could be a diet problem, could be depression, could be quite a hell of a lot of other things. Often the lack of certain nutrients can cause focus and chemical imbalance issues which can lead to a lack of focus. Brian not getting what it needs to function optimally. ADHD and ADD are often a misdiagnosis given to people for quite a lot of things. Showing a symptom does not mean you have something, and often, medications are poorly picked and don't react well or at all due to genetics. (There is actually genetic testing now to lessen the risk of poorly picked meds though.)

I'd honestly see if you can balance your diet first and give it a few weeks to even out internally before worrying.

[miauw62]

-nvm-

[Ghills]

I've been worrying about this for quite some time, as I have a really short attention span aside from only the best times, and I sturggle to stay focused on any one activity for any sustained length of time. I would much rather go out to the doctors or a psychologist or something, but I really don'tthink my parents will believe me, and they'll just dismiss it (I'm quite often a pretty paranoid person).

It's also been getting in the way of my school a bit, as I'm starting to notice that I can't focus on subjects that don't immediately interest me. I'm doing well, mostly, but I did really bad on an english test due to lack of time management, and I had heard that that may be a symptom. I also get really easily distracted, even by my own thoughts.

I'm really worried, because I don't want it to worsen.

Please, anyone with or without medical knowledge, advice, please.

Could be, could be a lot of other things. It could be that as your life is getting more complex you're not as able to cope with your pre-existing ADHD. It could be something else.  What you describe does sound like ADHD, but it also sounds like being a teenager - it depends on how much it's impacting your life and how much you have to go above and beyond what your peers are doing to manage the same level of functioning.

Good news: The same things that help with ADHD will also help with most everything that causes disorganization and distraction! Aside from really serious disorders like bipolar (don't stress about being bipolar - it'll get pretty obvious). So there's no need to rush to a diagnosis.

There's lots of good free advice about how to be organized and manage executive function problems (i.e. time management, loosing track of things, short attention span).  I recommend Lifehacker as a good blog.  7 Habits of Highly Effective People/Teens is a good book to start with.

Basics that helped me:
1) Practice mindfulness. Take a few minutes to be still and just feel where you are - the textures of your clothes, what the room you're in is like, etc. This helps ground you in where and when you are instead of getting lost in stuff you're thinking about. It sounds like nonsense, I know, but it helps A LOT.  Do this at least once a day, and whenever you notice yourself getting way too distracted.
2) Take a short 10-20 minute walk every day without headphones or anything.  Having someone along to talk to you is also good.  Another grounding technique.
3) Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.  This is to teach your body a regular routine so that your hormones and energy stabilize.   
ALSO 3a) No electronics, books, watching TV or other entertainment in bed. This is to teach your body that bed is for sleeping, so you don't lie awake in bed, which is super frustrating. If you read / whatever in bed the adjustment can be hard but it's totally worth it. I went from not falling asleep for an hour to falling asleep in 15 minutes.
4) WRITE ALL THE THINGS DOWN.   I can't overstate how helpful it was to just write everything down. Abbreviations make note-taking go faster. Carry a small notebook and pencil so you can note down things people ask you to do if you have trouble remembering.  Some people will laugh at you, but some people will laugh at you for anything because they're just jerks, so don't worry about it.
5) Ask teachers for help.  They're often willing to remind you of which pages the assignment was on, when the paper is due, etc.  They generally want students to do well.

To get a real diagnosis of ADHD there's a long questionnaire to fill out, one version for you and one for your parents.  I'll see if I can dig up a sheet. 

 http://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Resource_Centers/ADHD_Resource_Center/ADHD_A_Guide_for_Families/Home.aspx and http://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Resource_Centers/ADHD_Resource_Center/Home.aspx are good places to start researching for a diagnosis. Remember - a lot of the symptoms of ADHD happen sometimes to everyone and that's normal. When they happen so much they cause repeated problems, they need further investigating.

Even if you have ADHD and not something else, you'll still have to practice mindfulness, work on organization, etc.  MEDICATION HELPS BUT DOESN'T SOLVE IT - ADHD is a different way of processing and remembering, not something that a pill can fix.  Don't rush into a diagnosis thinking that you can take a magic pill and be perfect.   There are a lot of resources you can tap before heading to a doctor's office, and any decent doctor will tell you to make lifestyle changes right along with the pills, so you may as well start  with improving your habits first.

[Tiruin]

I was going to make a post but my internet died, then Ghills posted very nice stuff ._.

I would much rather go out to the doctors or a psychologist or something, but I really don'tthink my parents will believe me, and they'll just dismiss it (I'm quite often a pretty paranoid person).

First of all: Do talk to your parents instead of listening to paranoia because ADD/ADHD has little in the way of stigmatization -.- (there's the nice saying that people who do have that are smart, and I'm being silly while trying to work around abstracted paranoia. ;3 [sorry .-.]).
Second of all: Check if you can schedule an appointment with a doctor yourself There's firstly nothing to fear, and secondly nothing to worry if you even ARE diagnosed in the first place because it's merely a diagnosis--'merely' as in it doesn't contribute to making your life worse or putting a label down onto you. It's a spectrum (mild, moderate, severe, profound...), and generally I'm unsure how your parents won't believe you. [Because as a Psych student, I can see it going smoothly unless there's some kind of stigma there on mental health?]

[spümpkin]

-snip-

Thanks for this. I'll try these techniques and see if they help, if not, I can always ask again on this thread.

I was going to make a post but my internet died, then Ghills posted very nice stuff ._.

I would much rather go out to the doctors or a psychologist or something, but I really don'tthink my parents will believe me, and they'll just dismiss it (I'm quite often a pretty paranoid person).

First of all: Do talk to your parents instead of listening to paranoia because ADD/ADHD has little in the way of stigmatization -.- (there's the nice saying that people who do have that are smart, and I'm being silly while trying to work around abstracted paranoia. ;3 [sorry .-.]).
Second of all: Check if you can schedule an appointment with a doctor yourself There's firstly nothing to fear, and secondly nothing to worry if you even ARE diagnosed in the first place because it's merely a diagnosis--'merely' as in it doesn't contribute to making your life worse or putting a label down onto you. It's a spectrum (mild, moderate, severe, profound...), and generally I'm unsure how your parents won't believe you. [Because as a Psych student, I can see it going smoothly unless there's some kind of stigma there on mental health?]

I think that my parents just won't believe me, mostly. If I do ask about it, I think they'll just dismiss it as paranoid worrying, and then not do anything about it. They do that a lot.

Could be a diet problem, could be depression, could be quite a hell of a lot of other things. Often the lack of certain nutrients can cause focus and chemical imbalance issues which can lead to a lack of focus. Brian not getting what it needs to function optimally. ADHD and ADD are often a misdiagnosis given to people for quite a lot of things. Showing a symptom does not mean you have something, and often, medications are poorly picked and don't react well or at all due to genetics. (There is actually genetic testing now to lessen the risk of poorly picked meds though.)

I'd honestly see if you can balance your diet first and give it a few weeks to even out internally before worrying.

I don't think it's my diet, I'd like to think I eat fairly well. But it might be depression, because I've been struggling with that for quite some time, and it seems like the patterns follow. I haven't read a whole decent book since I've been depressed, so yeah.


Thanks you guys, I'll try those things that have been suggested, and if I need more help I'll post on this thread again.

[Tiruin]

I think that my parents just won't believe me, mostly. If I do ask about it, I think they'll just dismiss it as paranoid worrying, and then not do anything about it. They do that a lot.

That's association
This is a wholly different case altogether--if ever it happens again if you try it, ask why. That gets into knowing why they do what they do, other than leaping to conclusions to predict what they'll do.

[AbstractTraitorHero]

Well if you do have it I wish you the best of luck as I have ADHD as well and it can be quite frustrating at times.

[DolosusDoleus]

When it comes down to it, you're going to have to go to a doctor to get a definitive answer to whether you have ADD/ADHD.

However, ADD/ADHD doesn't suddenly "start happening" at some point during your life. It is a lifelong condition. If you only recently became disorganized/distracted, chances are you don't have ADD/ADHD.

[Plex]

I have pretty much the exact same problem. I have no motivation or attention span whatsoever but I've never been diagnosed with anything like ADD/ADHD/autism... nothing of the sort.

I'm really not too sure how I managed to master the learning curve of DF, actually.

Hope things go well for you, but I really don't know what else to say. Good luck.