i need help with my attention!

[stephwellman 131]

Hello all I was banded 8/12/13 I'm down 45lbs as of this morning. I am currently in school I go to class at night and I work during the day. When I'm at work having all my extra energy is great I get lots of stuff done in half the time I did pre-band. But at night when I'm in class which the teacher talksand I just listen for 3 hours literally I have trouble staying tuned in if you know what I mean...I can look at the teacher throughout the entire class and not even absorb 1/3 of what he's saying because my mind is on 30 different other topics. When I need to sit down and do homework or study the house can be completely quiet but my mind is focused on a trillion different things and when my mind does "settle down " enough where I can half way focus could i can't sit still for long. So needless to say I'm not doing too hot in school:(....Am I crazy!?....please tell me someone else has this issue. What can I do?

[mrsto 2,925]

Do you see my hand raised??? Yes, I have the same issue. Sometimes it's worse that others, but I have a hard time being in the moment. Many times, when my husband and I watch TV in the evening, I'll be "watching" the TV, and have absolutely no clue what's going on. He'll comment on the story, and I'll ask him to rewind so I can get up to speed. I think I have adult ADD!! My mind is ALL over the place; everywhere except where it needs to be in that given moment.

Are you under a lot of pressure, or do you have an unusual amount of stress right now? When I'm having a lot of anxiety about "whatever", that's when I notice it being really bad. Otherwise, I'm not quite SO all over the map

[stephwellman 131]

Finally someone that relates! I'm always under stress but I have noticed the more stress I have the worse it gets. Who can diagnosed ADD I don't want to be labeled something that isn't accurate but I do want to know what exactly I can do about it like different exercises or yoga....vitamins, different foods something!

[mrsto 2,925]

The best one to diagnose ADD is a psychologist or a psychiatrist. I'm sure there are things OTHER than medications that can help, but I haven't tried any of them. I do notice that when I cut out caffeine and sugar, I'm much better.

BTW, I've never been diagnosed with ADD, but I do have flair ups of GAD "generalized anxiety disorder". I don't walk around like a nervous wreck every day, but I do tend to obsess about things, especially if I'm dealing with some stressful situation.

Steph - if this is becoming a big problem for you, try not to get too hung up on labels. In our society, I would venture to say that more people than not, live their lives with some sort of "disorder". Hey, just take a look at all of us here on LBT. I'd say that a good portion of us have/had an eating disorder. And for many, that is accompanied by emotional issues, many of which the medical world has a diagnosis for. Just do what you have to do, to find out what's going on with you, and then do whatever you have to do, to get help to improve it. By no means am I able to say what's going on with you, just that I share the things you mention. For you, if it's getting in the way of you getting through school, it's worth it for you to find out what the problem might be.

[mrsto 2,925]

OH......and congrats on the 45 pounds weight loss! That is GREAT progress

[stephwellman 131]

Thank you for your help I'm going to make an appointment monday with my psychiatrist.

[tym4me 206]

I too am in school an understand the tuning in aspect. Later in the day we get physically and mentally tired. One quick fix record your lecture. Then start increasing your Protein and Water maybe you just need the increased energy because you have so much going on.