How to hone the focus skill?

[poohbear]

Adderal vs ritalin, which is better? I noticed i have a real problem focusing, not sure if its a mild form of ADHD or what, but some people can focus for hours on end & i just can't no matter how hard i try! I'm working on my MA & really need to tackle this problem! I get adderal/rittalin just by asking my doctor?

 

[Crono]

Please don't use pharmaceuticals unless it's something you can't overcome by changing your lifestyle and behavior.

From what I've read, all these stimulants (mostly amphetamines) work for months and up to a few years, but don't work very well in the long term. And in the short term there are potential side effects.

If ADHD is a debilitating disorder for you, by all means, do what works best, but there's way too much abuse of Adderall and other prescription medications.

 

[Anonemous]

Does Adderall make you smarter or something?

It makes you focus supposedly. Doesn't make you smarter just makes you more attentive and be less distracted (which could be good or bad). 60 minutes did a story on this a couple years ago where college kids were using these drugs to boost their grades or to compete for grades. Better grades in college improves the chance for better job opportunities. Even some Harvard professor/lecturer admitted taking these drugs to write his papers.

So basically there are people using these drugs so they can do well in college to land that cushy 6 figure job. They don't care their brain might be fried/behavioral changes as long as they get that reward.

 

[disappoint]

Ritalin. /yes lots of college kids use it

But if you don't want to go that route. Isolate yourself from distractions (phone/internet/computers/etc).

Did you know one of Ritalin's side effects is psychosis? No wonder kids are shooting up their classmates with assault rifles. I'm surprised (but glad) they don't do it more often.

 

[Murloc]

Yes, this is what most college students take to focus.

I study engineering and no one I know in my class takes drugs to help with their studying.
It would be considered weird and abnormal.

OP avoid drugs unless you get diagnosed by a doctor who says you need to take them, otherwise you need to succeed yourself.

Try studying in the school library alone if you're easily distracted.
I have to use the computer to study so I just had to learn to avoid distracting myself. I haven't visited a certain site in a month, deleting the favourite was enough. In exchange, my presence on AT forums has increased vastly, but this forum goes way slower so I can squeeze in enough study time between sessions.

 

[Slammy1]

Take a familiar and comfortable place, like your bedroom or living room. You want no distractions. Take a point in the room, it can be any point but to start try something interesting (my 1st time I did the stairs on a structure in a poster). Breathe evenly and focus on that point. Exclude all distractions and the point becomes you consciousness. It's hard to explain, but if you practice that it should improve your focus.

I used todo the powers of 2 when I woke up to get started (2,4,8,16,...). This was well before Ender did it...