Thread: Diagnosis required - What is wrong with me ?

I always know exactly what you are saying. But based on what you are saying here, you might have an attention deficit. If you want to improve your ability to articulate what you are thinking, practice goes light years.

Believe it or not, your reply has put a tear in my eye.
I do not know why.

Proper diet may help. Eliminating processed, packaged foods - eating raw, organic vitamin rich fruits and vegetables. Healthy body healthy brain - increase that processing power!

Meditation to increase concentration.

Reading. Not forum posts, but longer articles or better yet novels. This will increase attention span and allow the brain to link concepts together which stretch over multiple paragraphs or chapters. The brain is a muscle, it can be exercised.

Originally Posted by Tranquil Toad

Proper diet may help. Eliminating processed, packaged foods - eating raw, organic vitamin rich fruits and vegetables. Healthy body healthy brain - increase that processing power!

Meditation to increase concentration.

Reading. Not forum posts, but longer articles or better yet novels. This will increase attention span and allow the brain to link concepts together which stretch over multiple paragraphs or chapters. The brain is a muscle, it can be exercised.

Another of those coincidences that occur
All your advice was taken by me - about one month ago.
I have improved my diet, considerably.
I even read a book from cover to cover, only missing out a few pages. Poul Andersons ' BRAINWAVE"
As for meditation, I have been researching the subject for many months now, but there are a bewildering amount of styles out there. Care to suggest one ?

Originally Posted by TiredPhil

When I reply to threads, ideas teem from my head.
So many that I often write in a confusing way.

The ideas are in my head, but getting them into text is quite a task.
I often have to edit my post many times before pushing the "Submit Reply" button.

Writing a paragraph is also a task that is beyond me.

My handwriting is so poor, that I have learned to write in capital letters better than in lower case.

I can not read a book without skipping the boring parts.

Even on here some of the long replies written by the more articulate amongst us, are not read.

Does anyone have a similar problem, or a suggestion that might help.

Thanks in advance,
Phil

yep same here. though i usually reread my post then delete it before hitting "submit reply."

Originally Posted by TiredPhil

Another of those coincidences that occur
All your advice was taken by me - about one month ago.
I have improved my diet, considerably.
I even read a book from cover to cover, only missing out a few pages. Poul Andersons ' BRAINWAVE"
As for meditation, I have been researching the subject for many months now, but there are a bewildering amount of styles out there. Care to suggest one ?

My best advice is to eat nothing that is bleached. That includes sucrose (labeled specifically as "sucrose" or "sugar"), bleached wheat flour (Don't trust any wheat flour that doesn't say "whole" or "unbleached" in the ingredients. That is ingredients, not the front package label, which only tells you some stuff that's in it but not all of it.), and rice that is not natural brown rice. Caffeine and excessive marijuana are really bad too. If you knock all of that out, I bet it works wonders. Also, long bike rides and runs can help a whole lot, especially if you do them on a regular basis. This advice isn't just some stuff that makes things a touch better. It can take you to a whole new level of reality.

I think everyone feels that way to some extent. I also find it very hard to write a paragraph, and I've always suspected that typing out a post takes me about 5x as long as it does most people. But it may be for different reasons. I spend most of my time rearranging my sentences, reading it over, changing things around, etc. I've realized that I usually read my entire post over again after writing a sentence.

And while reading other people's posts, yes, I do feel the need to skip the boring parts. If a post is longer than a couple sentences I'll want to skip it all-together. Like if my own posts were being written by someone else, I may skip them.

But I do read very long posts sometimes. I try to read every word of a post. But there's this feeling like it's a huge task that I need to tackle, and I struggle not to 'skim' it. So perhaps it's just something you need to force yourself to do for a while. Read a post while trying to comprehend it and not to skip any parts. If you've read this entire post, you're already doing it. Maybe with enough practice, you'll eventually stop having to try to not get bored.

Could be ADHD. I have pretty much all of those symptoms, and was recently diagnosed. I always thought ADHD was bullshit until I read a couple of books on it and just thought "oh god, this is me to a T." And, oddly enough, hyperactivity isn't necessarily a symptom. I feel like the way we live nowadays just makes people so horrible at processing and connecting large amounts of information.

It's not just for kids anymore!

I used to have ADHD and couldn't complete a thought in my head. It made my communication with people mumbly at best because my brain was always so cluttered. Mindfulness was my answer. Even though I'm not as mindful as I want to be, I have to remember the differences between me and my former self.

Originally Posted by TiredPhil

Another of those coincidences that occur
All your advice was taken by me - about one month ago.
I have improved my diet, considerably.
I even read a book from cover to cover, only missing out a few pages. Poul Andersons ' BRAINWAVE"
As for meditation, I have been researching the subject for many months now, but there are a bewildering amount of styles out there. Care to suggest one ?

There are indeed many types of meditation, and that is of course both good and bad. Good, because one has many chances to find the really appropriate type for one self. Bad, because going through them all may take a while.

What I would suggest, at least for a start, is Vipassana - often called Mindfulness in English. It is essentially an effort of noticing whatever happens to be there to notice - without passing judgement on it at all.

In other words, sit still, notice something, and keep noticing it - and nothing else - without thinking about it. Simply pay attention to it.

The stuff you notice can be anything, the sound of blood rushing past your ears, or any other sound, the feel of a twitch on your nose, or the way it feels, where your upper and lower lips touch, or simply the feel of your breathing; the air going in, and out, in an endless cycle. If you begin to think (which you will), then you could start noticing your thoughts, or your emotions. But whenever you catch yourself blaming yourself, you should stop doing so, and instead return to noticing something - for example how the self-blame feels.

You shouldn't jump from one object to another in quick succession, but stay with it for a while (which will be as little as a few seconds, if it is a one-time sound, or as much as hours or more, if it is your breathing).

In the beginning you will probably struggle to maintain focus on just one thing for more than a fraction of a second, but with perseverance comes the ability to maintain focus unbroken for several seconds, and even minutes. And every second spent in this kind of meditation pays off in the long run.

Originally Posted by TiredPhil

As for meditation, I have been researching the subject for many months now, but there are a bewildering amount of styles out there. Care to suggest one ?

I meditate frequently, but have never researched or tried any specific technique. I simply sit with eyes closed, turn inward and observe my thoughts in a passive non-judgmental way. You are distinguishing between awareness and what awareness is viewing - the thoughts/emotions.

This has many benefits, but will specifically help your concentration problem. Concentration fades because thoughts arise which grab one's attention and distracts them. The less you are distracted by random thoughts the more alert and present you will be.

Originally Posted by tropicalbreeze

yep same here. though i usually reread my post then delete it before hitting "submit reply."

I do that a lot, I'd probably have over 1,000 posts if I didn't. I almost deleted this reply because it's stupid.

BTW, why is this in extended discussion?

I have just started a very simple exercise in becoming more aware. - Probably an established technique that someone has modified.
It sounds similar to "Mindfull Meditation" but has a different approach.

It involves trying to wake up, when you are already awake. - Sounds daft, I know.
Basically, you imagine you are sleeping, and this is a dream world. Then look around, as if you are in a lucid dream.
Pay attention to every little detail of sound or sensation. Look at everything as if it were new to you.
The next thing to do is try to wake up, as if in real dream.
So far the exercise has produced some unusual results. Many events in my life that were mundane, are now facinating.
Taking a bike ride, eating, or even taking a shower.
Everything seems different somehow. Like it is the first time I have experienced them.
With no extra effort on my part, even real dream recall has become easier. But this might indicate that I am dreaming more.
Dream characters are also talking to me more, and even leaving me with thought provoking ideas.

Does anyone out there have similar results with their meditation practices?

Here is a link that may be useful,,, http://www.dreamviews.com/dream-yoga...-dreaming.html

Originally Posted by TiredPhil

I have just started a very simple exercise in becoming more aware. - Probably an established technique that someone has modified.
It sounds similar to "Mindfull Meditation" but has a different approach.

It involves trying to wake up, when you are already awake. - Sounds daft, I know.
Basically, you imagine you are sleeping, and this is a dream world. Then look around, as if you are in a lucid dream.
Pay attention to every little detail of sound or sensation. Look at everything as if it were new to you.
The next thing to do is try to wake up, as if in real dream.
So far the exercise has produced some unusual results. Many events in my life that were mundane, are now facinating.
Taking a bike ride, eating, or even taking a shower.
Everything seems different somehow. Like it is the first time I have experienced them.
With no extra effort on my part, even real dream recall has become easier. But this might indicate that I am dreaming more.
Dream characters are also talking to me more, and even leaving me with thought provoking ideas.

Does anyone out there have similar results with their meditation practices?

I experience that when I move beyond my mind's label/symbol system. The technique you used is a creative way of doing so which works well for you; I would advise continuing that while sitting in one place without distractions.

There is a great well of power and life which dwells beneath our waking minds, giving rise to and feeding the mind and body. It is very exciting to tap into that potential.

If you're truly concerned, go to a doctor, and I promise you that that's the only advice that will ever help you here.

Originally Posted by Jesus of Suburbia

If you're truly concerned, go to a doctor, and I promise you that that's the only advice that will ever help you here.

I disagree. The advice I gave him is much more likely to help him than what a doctor will tell him. Doctors are under the spell of big pharma. They are always thinking, "Hmmm, what pills should I prescribe for this?"

That is not to say that pills are not sometimes needed. Sometimes they are. So is surgery. But conditions like what Phil has are usually best handled through nutrition, exercise, and/or meditation. If the problem persists, he should see a doctor. I just don't want him to be given a false fixation by way of an ADD medication like that cocaine in a pill called Adderall.

Originally Posted by Universal Mind

cocaine in a pill called Adderall.

The fact that you're mixing up the connections between cocaine and Ritalin with a connection between cocaine and Adderall shows me that you definitely aren't in any place to be giving medical advice. Not to mention that you told him caffeine was a problem when it's been shown to help significantly in focus. I also personally believe that sativa (not indica) marijuana can do wonders for focus, but let's not argue about that until it's completely legal and its effects can be freely tested upon with little to no stigma.

And no matter how vehemently I'll argue over what advice is good or what advice isn't, the fact is that I'm not a valid source either. The only person OP needs to talk to right now is the guy who dedicated a hefty portion of his life to helping sick people.

Originally Posted by Jesus of Suburbia

The fact that you're mixing up the connections between cocaine and Ritalin with a connection between cocaine and Adderall shows me that you definitely aren't in any place to be giving medical advice. Not to mention that you told him caffeine was a problem when it's been shown to help significantly in focus. I also personally believe that sativa (not indica) marijuana can do wonders for focus, but let's not argue about that until it's completely legal and its effects can be freely tested upon with little to no stigma.

And no matter how vehemently I'll argue over what advice is good or what advice isn't, the fact is that I'm not a valid source either. The only person OP needs to talk to right now is the guy who dedicated a hefty portion of his life to helping sick people.

I used a metaphor. Addrall's effects are very much like that of cocaine. Of course adderall isn't literally composed of cocaine. I assumed you would understand that. Caffeine has a temporary fix aspect, but it is horrible for blood sugar and nerves, and the come down and after effects can really be bad for attention. Marijuana is the worst stuff on Earth for attention, for most people. It depends on the person, though. Abusing pot on a daily basis will leave most people in much more of a fog. I know it affects me and a lot of people I know that way. I dedicated a hefty portion of my life to trying to resolve my personal biological issues, and I learned that nutritional matters are very often not the territory of doctors. The advice I gave will most likely have a major effect. A doctor who gives the same advice is a rare organism.

Originally Posted by Universal Mind

I used a metaphor. Addrall's effects are very much like that of cocaine. Of course adderall isn't literally composed of cocaine. I assumed you would understand that. Caffeine has a temporary fix aspect, but it is horrible for blood sugar and nerves, and the come down and after effects can really be bad for attention. Marijuana is the worst stuff on Earth for attention, for most people. It depends on the person, though. Abusing pot on a daily basis will leave most people in much more of a fog. I know it affects me and a lot of people I know that way. I dedicated a hefty portion of my life to trying to resolve my personal biological issues, and I learned that nutritional matters are very often not the territory of doctors. The advice I gave will most likely have a major effect. A doctor who gives the same advice is a rare organism.

The effects of Adderall have never been linked to cocaine, while Ritalin's have. The fact that you've immediately lumped the two together in your mind tells me a lot.

Like I said, I'm not going to argue about marijuana, it was my opinion.

If a post is boring then I lose interest fast - even if it's short. Like with anything, it depends on the ability of the writer (filmmaker, speaker, what have you) to make it interesting. A long movie can feel short, or a short one can feel like a brutal marathon.

One of the problems with the internet age is that everybody now has a public voice, but not many people really deserve it or know what to do with it.

Originally Posted by Jesus of Suburbia

The effects of Adderall have never been linked to cocaine, while Ritalin's have. The fact that you've immediately lumped the two together in your mind tells me a lot.

What do you mean by "never been linked?" They are in the same category, which is called "stimulants." Are you saying their effects are not similar? They in fact are. I told you I used a metaphor. Do you know what a metaphor is? Your willingness to be personally insulting over this topic while ignorant about the topic tells me a lot. Here, learn something...

Drugs Similar To Adderall | LIVESTRONG.COM

Perhaps the most infamous drug that shares some similarity to Adderall, cocaine is a powerful stimulant. Although it is not a member of the amphetamine family, cocaine's stimulant effects are similar to those of amphetamines, reports the DEA--although these arise more quickly and do not last as long as those of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine.

Adderall abuse treatment and rehab | Challenges Program 1-888-755-3334

Adderall abuse can have very serious side effects, similar to manic behavior exhibited by meth or cocaine users, including increased heart rate and high blood pressure. Other side effects include:

Reduced desire for food
Insomnia
Abdominal cramping
Dehydration
Depression
Symptoms of anxiety
Dangerous weight loss

Stimulants | NIDA for Teens

http://www.justice.gov/dea/druginfo/...Stimulants.pdf

Just because they're both stimulants doesn't make them the same.

But whether either of us is right or wrong doesn't matter. Once again, what OP needs is a doctor, not someone on a forum.

Their effects are very similar, as I showed, so my metaphor was legitimate. Even if I had been wrong, the way you came out of nowhere acting like a 12 year old brat would have still been stupid.

The advice I gave works, no matter who gives it. He can try it himself and not have to worry about any appeals to authority.