This is my first time posting and I’m probably doing it wrong but
I don’t know if I’m just trying to make up an excuse for my lack of concentration but it’s seriously bad. I’m on the honor roll and I take 4 ap classes but I dunno. I’M SERIOUSLY NOT TRYING TO BRAG, PLEASE DON’T TAKE IT THAT WAY.
Symptoms:
procrastinate (I try not to and I seriously feel TERRIBLE after)
hate myself for not studying
can't concentrate on what people are saying most of the time
i have two compulsive habits
I talk to myself a lot. LIKE A LOT.
"C'mon, you can do this. Just focus...just focus...don't focus on focusing.."
can't concentrate in a classroom. I'll just end up listening to other people's conversations or get lost in the sea of voices.
start lots of things, but won't finish it (dam* it!)
friends tell me i'm hyper, parents say i need to calm down a lot
I can't focus in class. It's like I hit a wall.
tests are really rough for me. Like really rough. i get attacks.
I feel like my mind is all over the place
People think I'm dumb or just don't pay attention (I'm sorry!!)
I’ve tried so hard to will it out, but i’ve had this problem for so long I don’t think it’s just laziness…maybe it is.
See? I don’t know. Help.
Have you talked to your parents about this? There are assessments you can have done (if your parents advocate for you at the school, the school might even do it for free) to determine if you do, indeed, have an attentional disorder. It certainly sounds probable to me (but I’m not a doctor, just an adult with ADHD), and you won’t know until you’re tested.
If you do indeed have ADHD, chances are excellent that caffeine helps you focus. Do you drink coffee/tea/soda, and if so, do you find it helps? That’s often a good clue.
thank you for replying!! You’re the best!
I haven’t told my mom or dad because I know they’ll say I don’t have it.
I know my dad will the say the same thing I’ve said to myself for a while. “You don’t have self-control.”
I actually drank so much caffeine to stay up and finish stuff that I have acid reflux now. Fudge. I hate procrastinating but I do it so freaking much.
What will happen if I’m diagnosed? I really hope I’m not but what if I am?
Can you talk to your doctor if you are in for a physical? They might be able to talk to your parents about getting evaluated. Nothing “happens” if you get a diagnosis unless you want it to. I have a kid with mild ADHD, and we (and she, now that she is older) have chosen not to medicate. But she has worked with her HS, testing services, and now colleges to get some accommodations on tests and in the classroom.
I will say that I don’t see procrastination as much related to ADHD. That is more self discipline. Set up a mini reward system for yourself to get tasks done.
No matter whoever answers on this thread, at the end of the day, none of us (I think) are qualified to diagnose you, and you certainly shouldn’t be diagnosing yourself with a disorder. But, I’d schedule an appointment with your doctor and talk to your parents about it (not necessarily in that order).
These are interesting. It doesn’t sound like the typical “I can’t concentrate” thing. I’d definitely go to a doctor and check it out.
Agree with the above posters that you should get a medical assessment if you believe this to be the case. But even a confirmed diagnosis doesn’t come with a silver bullet solution. You’ll be given strategies that often work.
If you want to get a jump on those, take a look at the book "that crumpled piece of paper was due last week. " there are several strategies in there that could help you approach your work in a way that might feel less distracting and anxiety producing. These are helpful to students with and without a diagnosis.
thank you everyone!! Yeah maybe I’ll seek out medical help. I usually procrastine and etc. because I avoid doing things that require intense concentration like studying because it’s so hard. Is it supposed to be that hard? It’s like trying to balance on a ball.
As someone with ADHD, this does (at least to me) sound quite a lot like it. I definitely think it’s a possibility, and as the above posters said, a medical examination is the way to go. ADHD is often hard to diagnose, because pretty much all teens procrastinate. But there is just this crippling feeling of having what should be a fairly simple task to complete, but simply not being able to do it.
If you are diagnosed, there are lots of medicines that can help, but most come with not-so-nice side effects. I know people whose ADHD medication has caused weight loss, depression, anxiety, insomnia, etc. It will be up to you to weight the pros and cons.
Either way, wether you have ADHD or not, you need to try to set up a structured study/work regiment. I’m no professional, believe me, but the best thing to do is have a set routine. Always do homework in one place. Listen to music if it helps (but don’t listen to the same music you would if you were working out, your brain will associate the music with the activities you do while listening to it). Always plan out a specific list of things you want to complete (i.e. instead of just say “study for math test,” plan to study a certain set of material for a certain amount of time).
Different things work for different people, but you just have to figure out how you work most efficiently. It’ll take a lot of trial and error and a lot of self-discipline.
Hopefully this helps a bit, and regardless of the outcome of your diagnosis, seek out someone who can help you add structure to how you study.
Good luck!
UPDATE: Oops, just realised this thread was really old… my advice stands though
A less well known ‘you might have ADHD if’: people tell you you talk too fast. Not a requirement, but common enough to mention.
Also, Before I was diagnosed, I started wishing that teachers would point out that I just wasn’t trying, because despite how hard I was trying, I couldn’t get things done, I couldn’t remember to do things, and I had internalized that, and began to wonder if I would be able to succeed if someone pointed out what I saw as a character flaw. So, feeling like you’re lazy, but not being able to stop it is a definite sign.
I was a straight A student in English/social studies classes despite this.
Bringing it up to the parents is always hard, I started dropping hints (cough having anxiety attacks during which I would allude to the possibility cough), and my mom brought it up to me herself. My diagnosis situation is super bizarre though, so don’t expect that.
If you don’t drive, that could be a good Segway. Bring it up to a parent in relation to a clear concern, 'I’m about to start driving, and I space out a lot, which worries me because I want to be safe, so I did a google search, and I realized that I meet a lot of the criteria for ADHD, have I ever been evaluated?"
It’s totally conceiveble that you wouldnt have been identified because many schools use criteria that almost excludes ADHD PI.
