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What Is The Cause And Treatment For Poor Concentration?
Question: Hello. I'm 19, and in my first semester of college. I've been having a lot of troubles with concentration, and getting distracted by wanting to move around or zoning out. Work that takes the other students in my classes a half hour ends up taking me an hour and a half; especially in things like Latin. And sometimes, particularly during longer lectures, I'll find myself zoning out and missing large amounts of what has been said. I try really hard to pay attention, but I just can't seem to focus for a significant amount of time. I had troubles with this before college too, but it was less noticable because the work was easier and less detail-oriented.
I thought that maybe I have become depressed or something, but I haven't had any other symptoms that I would usually have. Usually when I'm depressed I feel unmotivated and emotionally numb, but right now I do feel motivated and generally content... it just takes me forever to finish things.
Thanks
I thought that maybe I have become depressed or something, but I haven't had any other symptoms that I would usually have. Usually when I'm depressed I feel unmotivated and emotionally numb, but right now I do feel motivated and generally content... it just takes me forever to finish things.
Thanks
Brief Answer:
Clarifications
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for using health care magic for posting your query.
I have gone through your question in detail and I can understand what you are going through.
However I would require a couple of more details to help you in answering your query in a better justified way.
1) When you think of your childhood, do you think you were inattentive or dis tractable? Or this is a recent onset?
2) Any use of drugs?
3) Since how long are you having these symptoms? Does it involve all the spheres?
Hope to hear from you at your earliest convenience.
Regards and wish you good health,
Dr. Srikanth Reddy MD
Clarifications
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for using health care magic for posting your query.
I have gone through your question in detail and I can understand what you are going through.
However I would require a couple of more details to help you in answering your query in a better justified way.
1) When you think of your childhood, do you think you were inattentive or dis tractable? Or this is a recent onset?
2) Any use of drugs?
3) Since how long are you having these symptoms? Does it involve all the spheres?
Hope to hear from you at your earliest convenience.
Regards and wish you good health,
Dr. Srikanth Reddy MD
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for your response.
1) When you think of your childhood, do you think you were inattentive or dis tractable? Or this is a recent onset?
I was always prone to daydreaming about things. I would get distracted from my homework or chores easily, and I still do. It would take me several days to clean my room as a child, because I would get distracted by my toys. Or I would start focusing really hard on an insignificant detail of what I was doing, and I'd forget about the other things that had to be done.
2) Any use of drugs?
I have never used any drugs (other than coffee and a bit of alcohol) that were not prescribed to me.
3) Since how long are you having these symptoms? Does it involve all the spheres?
They've become more to the forefront of my attention since I've started university, because starting school again has made my issues with staying focused more obvious... But looking back through my life, I think I've had concentration problems all throughout school. The coursework was just a lot easier before I started university.
It also seems to affect my home life, because my room always looks like a tornado just ran through it. I just can't be bothered to start properly cleaning half the time.
1) When you think of your childhood, do you think you were inattentive or dis tractable? Or this is a recent onset?
I was always prone to daydreaming about things. I would get distracted from my homework or chores easily, and I still do. It would take me several days to clean my room as a child, because I would get distracted by my toys. Or I would start focusing really hard on an insignificant detail of what I was doing, and I'd forget about the other things that had to be done.
2) Any use of drugs?
I have never used any drugs (other than coffee and a bit of alcohol) that were not prescribed to me.
3) Since how long are you having these symptoms? Does it involve all the spheres?
They've become more to the forefront of my attention since I've started university, because starting school again has made my issues with staying focused more obvious... But looking back through my life, I think I've had concentration problems all throughout school. The coursework was just a lot easier before I started university.
It also seems to affect my home life, because my room always looks like a tornado just ran through it. I just can't be bothered to start properly cleaning half the time.
Brief Answer:
ADHD
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for your clarifications.
From the details that you have given, although it is difficult to pin point but it seems that you are having a predominantly attention deficit , attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The illness mostly starts during childhood when hyperactivity and distractability are more common but as the age grows inattention becomes a noticeable problem.
You will benefit with the use of drug. Atomoxetine or methylphenidate are the drugs that are going to be useful for you. I generally presribe my adult patients with 18 mg of methyphenidate and further increase the dose as required. Now both these medicines are restricted medicines and are available with the psychiatrists prescription from the local country. As health care magic is an online forum, legally we are not supposed to prescribe medications without physically examining you. Such regulation are primarily meant for the safety of the patients as well as the Doctor. Further any prescription given in E-mail will not be honored by the pharmacy in your country. Sincere apologies for the same.
Hope I am able to answer your concerns.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you may close the discussion and if possible you may rate the answer for me, so that I get a good feedback.
In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
bit.ly/dr-srikanth-reddy
Wish you good health,
Kind regards
Dr. Srikanth Reddy M.D.
ADHD
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for your clarifications.
From the details that you have given, although it is difficult to pin point but it seems that you are having a predominantly attention deficit , attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The illness mostly starts during childhood when hyperactivity and distractability are more common but as the age grows inattention becomes a noticeable problem.
You will benefit with the use of drug. Atomoxetine or methylphenidate are the drugs that are going to be useful for you. I generally presribe my adult patients with 18 mg of methyphenidate and further increase the dose as required. Now both these medicines are restricted medicines and are available with the psychiatrists prescription from the local country. As health care magic is an online forum, legally we are not supposed to prescribe medications without physically examining you. Such regulation are primarily meant for the safety of the patients as well as the Doctor. Further any prescription given in E-mail will not be honored by the pharmacy in your country. Sincere apologies for the same.
Hope I am able to answer your concerns.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you may close the discussion and if possible you may rate the answer for me, so that I get a good feedback.
In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
bit.ly/dr-srikanth-reddy
Wish you good health,
Kind regards
Dr. Srikanth Reddy M.D.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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