Brief Answer: Explained below. Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX Welcome to Healthcare Magic! I have a few tips that will help you become a good conversationalist. The best conversationalists are those who are good listeners. Make it a habit to let the other person talk and encourage him/her by smiling and appearing interested. Once you feel that the conversation has sagged and you have run out of thoughts, think about what would interest the other person and ask for their opinion. For example, if you are talking to someone elderly, their health would be a topic that they would definitely be willing to talk about and you will notice that you are very much appreciated for listening to them. If you are talking to a young man, ask for their opinion on latest movies, sports events, new gadgets and so on. Simply explained, take a moment to assess what the other person would be interested in talking about. Then raise the topic and allow them to talk, giving your comments intermittently to encourage them to go on. You will soon become very popular without having to talk all the time. You will also gain in confidence once you notice how easy it is to influence people and ensure that they feel good in your company. Hope this helps you. Please feel free to ask if you need any clarifications. Best wishes. Dr Preeti Parakh MD Psychiatry

---

Brief Answer: As below. Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX If you get distracted during a conversation, it is not your fault. It simply means that the other person's conversation is not interesting enough to hold your attention. Do not blame yourself for other people's deficiencies. It is impossible for our brains to be attentive for long when the matter is of no interest. Even so, there are things you can do to improve your concentration. 1) Practicing meditation regularly will minimize your tendency to get distracted easily. 2) Avoid conversing with people when you are tired. Fatigue lowers concentration. 3) Keep changing topics to sustain your attention. 4) "Be here now" technique - When you notice that your thoughts are wandering astray, say to yourself "Be here now" and gently bring your attention back to where you want it. It will make a big difference with regular practice. 5) Keep contributing to the conversation intermittently rather than letting the other person talk and talk. This will ensure that you pay attention. I hope you do not have problems in concentration at other times. The reason for asking is that there are some disorders where people are unable to concentrate and get unwanted thoughts that make no sense at all. If there are any such issues, then you will benefit if they can be taken care of. Best wishes. Dr Preeti Parakh MD Psychiatry

---

Brief Answer: As below. Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX Since this is interfering with your work, it should be well evaluated. If you have always been like this, with having problems in concentration since childhood, then you should be assessed for Adult ADHD. Some children with attention deficit and/or hyperactivity related problems continue to have similar issues even in adult life. This can be treated with medications. However, if these problems have started only recently, then we need to assess if these are due to depression, anxiety or simply stress. Obsessions are another reason why one can have unwanted thoughts interfering with one's work. Please give a thought to this and let me know if it seems relevant to your symptoms. Best wishes. Dr Preeti Parakh MD Psychiatry

---

Brief Answer: Explained below. Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX In that case, it appears that you may be suffering from Adult ADHD/ADD. Please talk to your parents and ask them how you were when at 5 to 7 years of age. If you used to find it difficult to wait in queues at school or if there were frequent complaints from teachers that you were distracted during classes, then it would be a point in favor of the diagnosis of Adult ADHD. There is a lot of information available online about ADHD symptoms and you can also go through that. If the diagnosis is confirmed, medicines like bupropion and atomoxetine give a good response. If there were no problems at that age, but started as you reached adolescence, then your problems may have something to do with your personality. In that case, medicines may not be of much help. If you need me again, I can be contacted at WWW.WWWW.WW Best wishes. Dr Preeti Parakh MD Psychiatry

---

Brief Answer: Explained below. Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX If you have been having problems in concentration since early childhood, then Adult ADHD is a strong possibility. I am listing below some symptoms of Adult ADHD. Go through them and see if your symptoms match. • Carelessness and lack of attention to detail. • Continually starting new tasks before finishing old ones. • Poor organisational skills. • Inability to focus, or prioritise. • Continually losing, or misplacing, things. • Forgetfulness. • Restlessness and edginess. • Difficulty keeping quiet, and speaking out of turn. • Blurting responses, and poor social timing when talking to others. • Often interrupting others. • Mood swings. • Irritability and a quick temper. • Inability to deal with stress. • Extreme impatience. • Taking risks in activities, often with little, or no, regard for personal safety, or safety of others. This will give you some idea about what people with adult ADHD face. Please also download and print a scale used for screening people for this disorder. The link is WWW.WWWW.WW This has a few questions on page 2 and answer them. The interpretation is given on the first page. If both the screening test and the description of symptoms make you feel that it is adult ADHD that is the cause of your problems, then you should consider treatment for the same. Ideally it would have been best if you could have seen a psychiatrist locally as nothing can replace a detailed history taken face to face from both you and your parents. However, many psychiatrists are not very much aware of adult ADHD and so, the diagnosis is often missed. But since you yourself are now aware of the symptoms and their implications, it perhaps will make it easier for both you and your doctor. For treatment, I would recommend either bupropion or atomoxetine. Bupropion is better if you use tobacco, as it has the added advantage of reducing craving for tobacco. Best wishes. Dr Preeti Parakh MD Psychiatry

---

Brief Answer: Explained below. Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX Unfortunately I do not personally know any psychiatrist in Mumbai who has some expertise in adult ADHD. There are many well known psychiatrists in Mumbai but I really do not know how much time they give to patients and how knowledgeable they are. You can first try seeing the psychiatrist located nearest to you. When you meet the doctor, tell him/her that you feel you might be suffering from adult ADHD. Then let the doctor assess you and give his/her opinion about the diagnosis. Both bupropion and atomoxetine would suit you. Any of the two can be tried. Both the names are that of the salt. The commonly available brands are Bupron XL (Sun Pharma) for bupropion, and Axepta (Intas pharma) and Attentrol (Sun Pharma) for atomoxetine. Bupron XL can be taken once a day in the morning. The usual starting dose is 150 mg per day. Axepta/Attentrol is also taken once a day in the morning. The usual starting dose is 10 mg per day. The doses have to be hiked gradually. It will take more than a month for the response to become manifest. Best wishes. Dr Preeti Parakh MD Psychiatry

---

Brief Answer: As below. Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX It will be better to see a psychiatrist before starting the treatment. I have never seen you and what I suggested was based on a small piece of communication between us. The psychiatry departments at the medical colleges in Mumbai are good. The doctors there are usually up to date and you won't have to pay for the consultation. But you will need to spend some time and may have to take leave from the office. Try visiting the nearest medical college. Best wishes. Dr Preeti Parakh MD Psychiatry

---

Brief Answer: Links given below. Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX You can get details about the medical colleges in Mumbai at this link. The first five colleges are good ones. You can check the website of each college for more details. WWW.WWWW.WW There is also a list of psychiatrists in Mumbai at the link WWW.WWWW.WW You can choose a few as per your location and then do a google search on them, which will give you a basic idea. Best wishes. Dr Preeti Parakh MD Psychiatry

---

Brief Answer: You are welcome! Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX Do keep me posted. I'll let you know if I can find some psychiatrist in Mumbai with expertise in adult ADHD. Please visit one to medical colleges. This will be far cheaper than going to a private psychiatrist, as you'll need to continue the treatment for some time. Best wishes. Dr Preeti Parakh MD Psychiatry

---