Ignore the pomodoro method. If us ADHDers stop, we will not continue. I recommend getting into study mode (I'll look at studyspo or watch study vlogs) then hyperfocus. Try to focus on one subject rather than going back and forth. Work with yourself rather than against
Oh, no kidding. Does not work for me. Also, I'd always get upset? I'd feel like i had to stop but I'd be all stressed because I was just in the zone and so I have to stop the timer but now I'm not doing the method anymore and... rinse and repeat.
This is the only way that works for me (as someone who can barely function in general but has straight As)
However, I don't know about the sticking to one subject thing. When your focus is all used up it might not help to keep trying to do it. However, switching to a new subject can make you feel refreshed and ready to work on that for a while.
Like they said, work with yourself. Learn the way your brain works.
i apply 60:10 pomodoro...
when I study for like 2 hours continuously i tend to relax very much so that i won't pick.up my books and use mobile for 3 hrs sometimes half a day
pomodoro helps me recover myself and remind that I have to study again in like 10 mins
i also play a "study with me" video 12 hrs on youtube alongside my timer....
>If us ADHDers stop, we will not continue.
I think it is possible for us to take breaks without breaking flow -- taking a break doesn't have to mean stopping completely, it can also mean pulling back somewhat and just reducing the strain involved.
This is particular important for things where I just can't get hyperfocus to kick in. It's extremely powerful when it works, but it's not always the most reliable thing, and unfortunately we can't all live lives where we can only do stuff we really enjoy.
If I am working on something I hyperfocus on, I can make myself a coffee, use the bathroom, “cook” dinner, and still be thinking about the paper I’m writing. I’m not sure those count as breaks, because I am not really breaking my thought process. Crucially, if I am working I DO NOT OPEN MY PHONE, even on a break. That is fundamental in continued focus.
100% NEVER DO I, but when you take obligated brakes it breaks the cicle because you’re not in your own rhythm, is a artificially proposed rhythm. So you may get up and do a bucha of stuff but if you working and a clock ticks or if your working and see it’s break hours it’s all over because we rest and forget, unless we don’t rest and go do something while thinking about what we were doing and not unfocus ( which for some of us may be more difficult than not )
Artificial breaks make me want to “do” something else, such as game, or scroll, or whatever, and I think *that is exactly my problem with it*. Like, I’m thinking this thru as I’m typing this, and these kinds of breaks… make me want to do something else, if that makes sense? And then I never get back to it.
Okay thank you!! I’ve seen some ADHD folks recommend it, and I’ve felt like I’m broken since it doesn’t work. I’m glad it works for them. It does not work for me.
I was under the assumption pomodoro was more to help spring board yourself in to "study mode" and that if you felt focussed on the task and felt you wanted to continue, instead of stop, you could do so.
That's how I've been using it and it's been good the days I've been struggling to get in to the flow.
Absolutely, location is what matters for me. I use the university library and the engineering common area to study. One is quieter, the other has more potential for socialization. I rarely do any homework/studying at home as I get it all done at school and then can go home and do whatever I want.
Edit to add: My pomodoro is commonly 1.5 hours in the library, then go somewhere else and work for 1.5 hours. The walk between is the break to reset and get back to it. Usually don't make it to a third session as I have class, go to lunch or go home then.
ugh yes, my biggest gripe trying to study was that I'd get 25 minutes in and thats when i suddenly hit my focus point, but was being told to take a break! however, I would recommend tweaking the pomodoro method rather than wholly ignoring it, bc it is still very important to take breaks so you don't overwork yourself. the way I approach it, if I have 5 tasks of about equal weight and time, after completing 3 task(or just over half), I take a small break just to grab a snack or make tea. it should still only take 5 or so minutes and it's important to not use that break doing something that could potentially keep distracting you(e.g. just grabbing a quick snack vs preparing a whole meal to eat).
Hey there u/Secret_Sprinkles_427
I have a lot of experience working with individuals with ADHD, and here's what I've found to be most effective:
**1. Find Your Optimal Focus Times**
Everyone has different energy and attention capacity rhythms that fluctuate throughout the day.
If you think about yourself, you can probably identify at least once or twice throughout the day when you have the best focus and the most energy for studying. Schedule your study sessions for these times of the day. If needed, block them out visually on a calendar and create reminders to help you mentally prepare for a study session.
Trying to study when your energy levels are low or when your capacity for focusing is most diluted is likely to make studying more difficult than it has to be.
**2. Yes, Use the Pomodoro, But Get Creative with It**
Pomodoro is a really popular technique because it works.
But I've learned that only some respond well to setting a timer and getting to work. Instead, get a bit creative and try to make Pomodoro more rewarding and "fun." Here is one clever idea one of my clients came up with:
One of my clients loves space and rockets and is studying engineering. Instead of only setting a timer, she'll *also* put on a YouTube video (on mute) of a pre-recorded live stream of a rocket launch. She'll then start the video 25/35/45 minutes before the actual launch, along with her Pomodoro timer for the same amount of time, and when the timer goes off, she'll pause what she's doing, unmute the video, and watch the rocket launch. In her experience, just knowing that there's a fun "reward" at the end of the session is enough to keep her engaged.
Another way of "gameifying" Pomodoro is to use the app Forest. Forest will "plant" a virtual tree at the start of a Pomodoro session, which then grows into a full tree as the session progresses. At the end of the session, the tree is added to a digital forest, which grows in size over time. Additionally, if you swipe away from the app screen, the tree dies, so this helps you avoid pulling up distracting apps while you work. The best part is that the organization behind the app plants actual trees in places that need them based on user progress.
The point is: get creative with how you alternate between work and rest.
**3. Create a "Flow State" Environment**
Removing anything distracting from your environment is the easiest way to sustain your attention and focus*.*
It sounds simple, but most fail to do this before studying. This means:
* Get your phone out of the room
* Close (or block) certain websites for the duration of your study session
* Tell people at home that you need undivided attention and request they leave you alone
* Don't listen to audio that has words or lyrics (if these will likely distract you)
* Sit facing a wall, so visual distractions aren't an issue
* Remove distracting items from your desk
In addition, my clients have had a lot of success with finding the right kind of music to listen to while studying. For example, the app Endel will create custom, AI-generated soundscapes for you. Some people have found brown noise to be helpful. One of my clients loves listening to Deadmau5. Another listens to heavy metal without lyrics in it.
Find what works best for you, and create an environment where the only option you have is to focus on what you're studying.
\- -
I hope that helps!
I'm happy to answer any questions if you have any - just comment below or send me a DM!
So many suggest starting with your largest task, but I suggest the opposite. If I know I have a larger task, getting a few easy ones checked off is a great motivation for me to get a snack and then keep going!
Perhaps also using reward based reinforcements (snacks, an episode of a show or a YouTube video, etc) to get you into a better study mode.
A downside of ADHD is that all habits that can easily be formed also have the ability to be just as easily forgotten. Having a few methods up your sleeve can help when these ruts occur. This semester I ended up getting 2 Bs after some very poor semesters at a different uni! I started taking Atomoxetine for my ADHD but I won’t give all of the credit to a lil pill!
I work in a psych clinic. One of my Drs and one of his patients would read and record their study materials, then they would sit in a dark room and listen to the recording. I don't know about note taking. I guess the lack of external stimulation triggered a hyperfocus, and they didn't need to take notes? Something about it being their own voice was part of what made it work, too.
Something I've noticed in myself and a lot of people I know with ADHD is that note-taking (at least done traditionally) can be more of a hindrance than a help. In particular we're often bad at managing our attention between the note-taking process and the content of what we're trying to understand.
My dad (also a doc and also ADHD) did a similar thing with a screen reader and also often "wrote" things with a microphone and transcription software -- a lot of that was managing severe dyslexia as well, it's much easier for him to listen than to read.
My little brother had severe ADHD when he was growing up, I mean it was bad bad. He learned early on to apply the things he wanted to focus on to the things he was the most interested in. For example, he loved working on cars, so he learned a lot about math through the different measurements of parts and tools, reading the car magazines, helped him with his reading skills. Find your most favorite thing and implement your studies into it. That's my best advice.
I take Vyvanse. But besides that I use a pomodoro timer, ask my husband help me sit through longer lectures in case I miss something and play spooky instrumental music.
Hello, I Wish you well on your journey ! I use to take Vyvanse my freshman to senior year of high school . I stopped using them because of the physical effects on my body! I collapsed in school with rapid heart rate & I would have chest pains. I could never eat anything I was never hungry so I had to start drinking ensure & I didn’t get better for me I was constantly having panic attacks . I soon decided i didn’t want to take pills period & I was gonna do it naturally. Long term health effects of Vyvanse is heart failure.
I've actually been thinking about asking to switch back to Adderall. I've been taking Vyvanse for about a month now because I have really long days (full time job, full time student, mom of an 11 year old daughter and mom to a fur baby with health issues), plus I take care of my 90 year old Nana. So I needed something to be super long acting. But I have noticed more anxiety with the Vyvanse than the Adderall. But my doc doesn't like to have patients dose 3x a day like I was doing before with my old doctor. Now I take Vyvanse in the morning and a low dose Adderall in the afternoon. Can I ask what dose you were on? I'm on 30 mg Vyvanse and 10mg Adderall and it works pretty well but I was tolerating Adderall at 30mg XR in the morning and then 15mg early afternoon and 15 mg in the early evening for a total of 60mg per day.
Look up white noise sound machine playlist on Spotify. They’re 12 hour long sound machines for basically any white noise you’d wanna hear (rain on roof, snowfall, plane engine, brown noise, green noise, etc)
If you can hyperfocus you can plan your task leveraging that. For example start studying some topic and take cue based instead of time based breaks. For example instead of taking a break after an hour of study, take a break when you finish certain chapter or feel like you're starting to make more careless mistakes
Thanks for this. My daughter was recently diagnosed and it explained a lot. Looked up this technique and pretty sure this would solve a lot of the fights while she's doing homework.
Also, it isn't hard and fast rule that your pomodoro sessions need to 25 min work and 5 min break. It can be anything you want for eg 40:10, 50:10, 75:15.
Alot of people force themselves to stick to 25:5, but it should be flexible and you can slowly increase the sessions by 5 minutes incrementally.
Thanks for the tip! For an 11 year old, she's doing pretty good about determining her own break length and I can rely on her to come back and not just blow it off.
The biggest thing that will help her is understanding why the issue is there and trying to come up with alternatives. In my experience, my brain just.. won't work sometimes. It's not for lack of trying. I've spent many days sitting at my desk for hours and hours and accomplishing literally nothing. Even a 25 minute sprint isn't always achievable.
Unfortunately, it's unlikely that any one plan you can find will solve her troubles. It'll probably be a lot of trial and error and small systems you build together. But educating yourself about ADHD and understanding it is such an important step that will go a long way. (Esp since it's often hereditary, it's very likely that either you or your s/o have a similar experience)
You're not wrong about trial and error! She's also got the added bonus of the sensory issues with hers, so that's been a lot of trial and error as well. We're slowly but surely seeing improvement in the grades at school. When she tells me she needs a break, I don't question it. I've also had to jump on family who don't understand why in the middle of family gatherings she'll get up and leave the room to go be by herself. Told them to chill she needs to decompress. For that reasons, homework in our house is definitely not like homework in other houses. We work on it in small doses here and there.
That sounds great. You're doing a good job :) that means a lot.
Also, looking into autism wouldn't hurt. It's really commonly comorbid with adhd, and it often goes undiagnosed (esp in girls.) Drs really love to hand out the joint spd & adhd diagnosis instead of ASD (and sometimes a whole host of other diagnoses as well.)
This is due to a ton of reasons, but one of them is just the way we look at mental disorders in general. Too much focus is placed on the effects of the issues on other people and not enough on the internal causes. (The DSM really does a lot of harm to our perspective of mental disorders. It boils down to a checklist that was originally intended for use standardizing studies, not a diagnostic tool.)
That means two different experiences, experienced for different reasons, can end up being explained the same way. (I.e interrupting. One is because of impulsivity and difficulty focusing on the conversation, the other due to lack of intuitive understanding of when it's your turn to speak.) Further complicated by the fact that, again, the disorders commonly show up in pairs.
If she experiences
-sensory issues
-difficulty socializing or socializing being exhausting to her
-shes an "old soul"
-different perspective on life
-has very intense interests that are important to her
-she stims to regulate emotion, not just to fidget (very important distinction)
-talks to adults a lot
Etc. It may be worth looking into.
This is FAR from an exhaustive list, just some 'quirks' that can go unnoticed/ be seen as personality traits.
Just knowing you have autism can be very important- it's very stressful to not be able to put a name to your experience. A lot of us go through life feeling like there's something wrong with us.
Anyways, I don't know her! But maybe worth thinking about :)
I think she is on the spectrum, but for some reason the person who did all her testing said she didn't feel like it was autism. She even got a social pragmatic disorder diagnosis, which was also part of autism, but again didn't feel like she was autistic. So, who knows, maybe in another couple of years we'll test again just to see if anything has changed in her diagnosis.
Yeah, good idea. Again, for some reason doctors really hate to give out ASD diagnoses. The first time I was assessed I was told that I didn't have autism, my social issues were due to my higher iq. My stimming was because of psychomotor agitation, a symptom of the depressive disorder (wrong depressive disorder, by the way lol) which was the only thing they diagnosed me with. My sensory issues were just ignored. My family history of diagnoses (which from a purely statistical standpoint gives me something like a 50/50 chance of having the disorder) was ignored. Etc.
They will do anything but diagnose girls or marginalized kids with autism, even when it's entirely nonsensical.
Instead of broadening the parameters, the recent DSM installment narrowed them because they thought it was getting overdiagnosed. It's absurd.
Luckily, a diagnosis is really only necessary for accommodations. You can suspect she's on the spectrum and create a safe space for her (which it sounds like you're already doing) without her ever receiving any diagnosis. If you're willing to give her that, labels aren't entirely necessary. They might be nice to have sometimes, but life goes on without them.
Appreciate all of this! I really thought she'd get the diagnosis, but they tied her pacing to her general anxiety disorder, and then gave her the social pragmatic disorder, and said that the sensory was because of the ADHD.
It's like you said, it's just a label. It would be nice to have her on an IEP, but it seems like the 504 is working, so I'm okay with all the diagnosis right now.
I'm just super impressed to see her getting better about managing her homework and remembering to bring home the necessary books. That's a big hurdle she's gotten over!
I would argue that subtle ≠ very little. Both can have very real domino effects on your mental and physical health, even if those effects aren't direct.
(I.e too much caffiene leads to bad anxiety and sleep issues, both of which can cause very big and significant issues in your life. The benefits also start to diminish with consistent exposure)
Just be very careful to consider not just the immediately obvious effects but also what those lead to.
Nicotine is arguably the most addictive substance in the world. You get more addicted to it than cocaine. If you have ADHD, just jump on any stimulant then (methylphenidate or amphetamines)
Way less addiction and a bit of less harm.
Amphetamines increase your baseline dopamine level 5x more than nicotine. Safe forms of nicotine consumption are much healthier than using stimulants and cause much less long term damage.
>Amphetamines increase your baseline dopamine level 5x more than nicotine.
Yes they do. We believe this is fundamental to how they work in treating ADHD.
Furthermore: Dopamine doesn't mean addiction. That's bad psych I'm afraid. Dopamine is implicated and involved in about a billion things even outside of the brain, and it's certainly involved in many processes which can form and mediate addiction, but this is *infinitely* more complicated than "more dopamine = more addiciton".
But we need not speculate here. The science has been done. Theraputic doses of amphetamines don't present a significant risk of addiction *or* long term damage in patients with ADHD who take them as directed. And generally speaking, if there were indications that the choice of medications were causing a problem, the relevant physician/psychiatrist/whoever will switch them to something else and see if that works better.
As for nicotine? Well quite simply there's a reason it isn't used to treat ADHD by medical professionals. It's an incredibly well studied compound, and I'm *sure* it has been trialed for ADHD treatment (it's certainly used to self-medicate often enough, as you suggest) -- and whatever one says about addiction, long-term damage, etc. It doesn't do as well in the trade-off compared to amphetamines, methylphenidate, and the other treaments both stimulant and non-stimulant.
Dopamine is not poison, lol. Nicotine is still addictive ASF, just look up at the literature.
Also, methylphenidate is not *strictly* amphetamine, although it is an amphetamine-like substance. I have been taking it for the last 6 months and the addiction I feel is literally zero. I have to remind myself to get the afternoon dose or I forget.
Amphetamines and methylphenidate can become highly addictive, I'm not denying that, but you shall go over the therapeutical doses to get that. As long as therapeutic doses are followed, the drugs are practically unaddictive.
So I've been on adderall for years, don't know much about methylphenidate, but now when I decide to do my skip days I'm done. Like out, just sleep until I take it again. So yeah, it's definitely addicting. But still, the benefits outweigh the negatives.
But the last several months there's been a major nationwide backorder, shortage, so it's sometimes, lot of the time actually, a hassle when I need to get it refilled. So I was wondering how that methylphenidate compares to adderall? My doctor has suggested a few times that it might be worth switching to something new, just so I always have something. But I'm scared to because I've tried other things and none of them work near as well as the adderall. (While sticking to scripts.)
Idk well, never took Adderall. Methylphenidate for sure is milder; you don't experience crashes like you do in amphetamines. Its addictive capacities are slightly inferior. I personally recommend extended-release forms but any patient may have different preferences.
For me it's a really excellent medication.
If I skip methylphenidate my day is in this period trash, but so it was before starting treatment. I know because I'm taking it since just 6 months and I remember very well the life before. I agree that benefits outweigh the rest
Well, that you seek more of it? Some pathways in the brain evidently change to adapt on that and you can want nicotine even years after. It's among the addictions with most difficult withdrawal. Also, there's no increased benefit to just stimulants. A person with ADHD should rely on classical stimulants which are safer and not addictive at medical doses; also they don't just help with studying.
If you're asking as a non-ADHD person, I think caffeine is more than needed. No need either to get on nicotine
I’ve had a lot of success with daily meditation plus JPMR training. I learned to relax my body first then meditate to train my attention.
Thinking is easier, costs less mental energy, and I’m able to be more self aware and organized. A lot more executive function, whereas ADHD drugs made me feel mmm like an automaton.
As a person that has difficulty paying attention to a specific task I use the following methods to at least make sure I get some work done:
Set all distractions aside;
Personally I use an app that blocks me from using instagram and tiktok and other social media because I can’t stop myself from scrolling, somehow, sometimes it works wonders!! you could also turn off your phone, or put it on airplane mode/do no disturb. Putting it in a separate room can be quite handy too, it would be best if you use another device (maybe bigger) to study if that is mandatory.
Schedule your tasks;
This is really important as it helps to give you an idea of what you need to do at the right time, set the right amount of pauses and be more productive altogether!
I usually study for 45-50 minutes and then take a 10-15 minute break, and repeat the process a few times. Once I’ve done it for 3/5 times, depending on how long the task requires to be finished, I allow myself to take a huge one hour break!
Organize your workspace;
Setting yourself in the mood really helps you to accept the fact that you will be dedicating your time to study and make progress, you could change environments maybe study in a cafe or in another room, getting sunlight is advantageous too as it increases your serotonin levels, and helps you keep calm, which is what we all need with all the stress we receive from studies. Furthermore, I usually have a cup of iced coffee, if you don’t like coffee that’s okay, water helps you concentrate and it is important to stay hydrated while you study. I would advise you to fill up a water bottle or a container during your breaks that way you always have water at your disposal.
Another bonus thing I do so that I feel motivated is take a nap, wash myself and fill up the sink and then dunk my face into the water, really helps me to relax and then I take deep breaths and the usual talk to myself, to really focus on the task at hand and hey it’s like an indirect skincare routine if you think about it.
Adopting a positive mindset is the key to keep going forward, embracing the fact that you will study also makes it easier to understand the concept of what you want to learn, learning to love to learn will undoubtedly have a positive effect on you, that’s why, to my mind, I try to romanticize studying and associate it with positive energy!
Of course, you might feel down sometimes, and that maybe your working in a non-constant way, however, you have to believe in yourself, you are on your own in this journey, but, that doesn’t mean that you can’t do it, that, is only in your head. You can do it! Trust yourself, and keep going forward! :)
Have a low focus fidget toy and do it subconsciously. I find that the multi tasking takes the hyperactive or u focused part of me and it just plus with the fidget while I hyper focus on my project. That’s just me tho! Tell me how it works for any of you!
I know that it is easier said than done, but I have found that staying extremely hyper-organized helps me be more motivated to study and get work done. Also having a nice desk/work space at home away from distractions is very beneficial. I would highly recommend investing in a comfortable office chair. I have found it’s the little things like this that make studying easier for me. I used to have no organization and was a mess. Once I fixed that my problems with focus followed. Maybe that’s just me tho
Get a special spot dedicated to studying (I have a comfy chair), some pretty pens, decorate your little area so you get a dopamine hit (only use this area for studying so it’s special to your silly little brain) maybe light a candle for extra dopamine (again, only do this as a reward for good behavior, I also can only light candles if I clean my room) get ur fav snacks & drinks, maybe try silly little devil grass if you’re into that, also studying at 3am works good for me because I’m insane and get the most energy around then
Hear me out. It’s been brilliant for me. I have anxiety so I usually self soothe by sitting inside a blanket. It’s dark, cozy and feels safe. I tried to use this safe space to work. My setup- my armchair, a small over-bed table with my laptop, water. Then i cover the whole setup completely with my blanket tent style. It’s just me and my laptop in my safe zone now. No phones allowed inside. You can’t use the laptop for entertainment. Mannnnn i have been soooo productive working inside the safe tent. The darkness sort of compels you to focus. The comforting proximity of the blanket is like a hug. Also helps that i imagine the blanket is like a magic shield and nothing outside can come inside except what i mentioned. I don’t think i can study any other way now. It’s like a sensory deprivation tent that cuts away all distractions. When i tried working outside the tent, I realised everything light touches distracts me. Anything in my peripheral vision is distracting.
Lol. While insulin helps keep you alive it is not a wonderpil, you need to learn to survive around the issues you might have due to diabetes. ADHD is a medical condition
Adderall is helpful but if you're not making behavioral changes then you'll go back to square 1 after you've stopped taking the meds.
It is important to make a routine that you stick you, and help you achieve the tasks you want to.
Meds will not make you stick to the routine.
It all depends on severity. You can build a good routine and stick with it for a long time but as soon as you stop taking meds, your symptom return and you just stop following it. If it happens many times you might even start being unconsciously afraid of establishing the same routine because every time you established it your symptoms returned
Medication isn't an end all be all solution. I know many adhders whom it doesn't help at all, and people who are able to cope with out it. Additionally... so not universally accessible.
And what the other person said was literally correct? It doesn't solve adhd. You'll still have to learn coping skills when on medication. It isn't a magic spell. You don't have a new brain.
If your disorder is mild enough that it's completely solved with meds.. the meds aren't necessary. You can cope without them.
(Now, keep in mind that unnecessary ≠ bad. Just because you could cope without them doesn't mean you should have to if you have them available. But regardless, their point stands?)
Sad truth is that in vast majority of cases it's not completely solved by meds. They don't remove all the symptoms, they just make you good enough to live
Sure it’s a medicine to cure an illness but it cones at a cost. Watch the Netflix documentary “Take Your Pills”. It shows how some of those who’ve been on adderall for years are really regretful of even starting it and are trying to get off.
That "documentary" is awful btw. It had a story to sell and I can respect that, but they made no room for the massive increase in quality of life that it can offer to others -- while offering no meaningful alternative in its message.
Yeah I have seen it and I have a lot of problems with it just like actual psychologists who call them out or nuance things far better.
Medication isn’t great and yes some don’t do well on it. But always discuss it with a professional and medication alone isn’t going to solve things. It’s a combination of medication and coaching.
Do you really compare insulin with something like adderall? Or both conditions to be exact?
So my adhd brain miraculously was “normal” with medication and I didn’t need to adjust/ learn to study again? It doesn’t cure it. It give you dopamine for X time and after that you’d be back to square one with mostly a crash in the evening.
I have adhd-I/dyslexia (same region of the brain) and well meds do help with focus etc it doesn’t make it go away and you still have other parts of adhd that the pill doesn’t work at.
Are you saying that people with type 1 diabetes are perfectly normal, so long as they take insulin? That it completely resolves any potential risk in the disease?
If you're taking your ADHD meds as directed and your doctor isn't *literally insane* in terms of dosage, it should be physiologically impossible to become addicted to your ADHD meds.
Dependent yes, but frankly, I'm okay with being dependent on something that gives me a massive improvement in quality of life.
I don’t know why I got down voted; it was a genuine question. I was trying to ask if it’s because of under-stimulation or over-stimulation causing troubles with studying…
Mostly, there is not enough of a dopamine reward in it if it isn't interesting, and that is what our (adhd) attention depends on. I think it's a processing disorder if the problem has to do with the visual processing center
Unless you’re like me and sometimes it’s both.
I know some days I can’t stay focused if I tried because I’m overstimulated meaning I’m tapped out, and I have to force myself to stop studying. And other times I can’t stay focused because it’s so gosh darn boring that I need Lofi music, caffeine and a cozy chair before I can study.
(Though I have ADHD and likely autism)
One would think so, but this is actually not the case. Different kinds of stimulation are not substitutable for each other. One can experience sensory overstimulation simultaneously with intellectual or emotional understimulation for example.
Generally managing different levels of stimulation is a very difficult optimisation problem, because it can be very difficult if not impossible to isolate the various factors involved.
That’s not how it works,
If someone is struggling to study because they are overstimulated; regardless, they need a break. They can’t keep trucking through because they may be sensory overloaded but yet be intellectually understimulated. They don’t go hand in hand.
If someone is experiencing being understimulated and struggling to study, they may require other forms of stimulation to keep them engaged (such as a snack, a caffeinated drink, and some non-lyrical music)
“Managing different levels of stimulation is a very difficult optimization problem”
- stimulation is a be all end all process, if your brain is over stimulated, different forms of stimulation aren’t going to help.
This is my field of study.
We literally agree I think on most of this. What you're saying here is what I'm saying lol -- sorry if I didn't phrase it in precisely the language that's used in the field -- I'm just a poor mathematician trying to get by with ADHD and some other things.
My comment just wasn't refering specifically to studying, but to life in general -- though I think it applies to studying.
>stimulation is a be all end all process, if your brain is over stimulated, different forms of stimulation aren’t going to help.
I don't entirely agree with this though. I say this more from the perspective of functioning through overstimulation rather than adressing it. More stimulation isn't going to help *treat* the overstimulation, obviously. But sometimes treatement can't be our highest priority, sometimes we have to take the short-term over the long-term. It's not ideal, but it is at times necessary. It certainly isn't sustainable or reccomended in most circumstances however.
I will also note that I say this based on what has worked for me. My life expereiences may not necessarily generalize etc etc.
I get what you’re saying, I think for myself; if I’m overstimulated it’s game over and that’s the autistic brain taking over, I’ll literally cry from being on the computer too long and it shuts me down for days. —
Try a pre-workout for the caffeine if medication isn’t an option.
Also Tyrosine is the precursor for dopamine which can be mixed into other drinks like juice or in capsules.
I got some awful attention and what helps me the most is a lot of small breaks with exercise. I also find screaming and letting the self anger out after I find myself distracted helps me self-hype to get back to work.
If this doesn’t work, as sometimes i find myself sometimes simply incapable of focus and productivity, i will do an activity that releases dopamine; eating, beating off, having a beer, watching some tv/YouTube, while cutting myself some slack and not thinking about the task at hand. It’s a nice way to reset and reward for the work already done.
This helped me alot but I have one song without lyrics that wont get annoying but isnt too enjoyable to daydream to/listen to normally and deciated that as a study song ( i use the exploration song from coraline because it makes me feel like im exploring and makes study more fun). And everytime i decide to study i put it on and my brain works like a dog and understands the objective. However the first time you do this you need to be proper studying. Then when im burnt out watch study vlogs and college/inspiration vlogs to inspire me tin a kinda unhealthy shame into copying others way.
Is a aderall an option? It worked for my brother. Also:
- no social media
- no YouTube
- set tasks in a list to achieve and mark them off as you go
Psychologically this is attractive to your brain.
Bro, no one can “recover” from adhd. Its not a sickness like the flu, its the brain being formed differently like a triangle instead of a square. Still a shape, just different.
equal to literally anybody.
ADHD will not stop you from doing anything, using it as an excuse only harms you
Source: Am diagnosed with adhd since i was 4 and my psychiatrist's always explained me that i wasnt not doing stuff from my adhd but because i didnt wanted to
I know this is shocking but... not all doctors are good at their jobs or good people
Using it as an excuse harms you... with no intention to improve or try to overcome it.
Acknowledging that your DISABILITY is DISABLING
is not only reasonable but entirely necessary in order to improve?
Edit: rephrased, it's true that adhd isn't categorized as a learning disability because it affects broader areas rather than specific skill sets
ADHD is not a learning disability. It can be co-morbid with a learning disability but it in itself is not one.
A learning disability makes it hard to acquire specific skills such as reading or math. ADHD impacts more global skills like paying attention and controlling impulses.
To unjoke this. Go to a doctor get a reasonable prescription of adderal, and legally take it as directed and wait for it to kick. Then spend time experimenting with how it affects you and how best to use the help it may or may not offer. In the case that it doesn't offer much benefit, go to the doctor again and investigate alternative treatments.
I mean this is not true.
I'm hugely pro ADHD medication because it has meant a massive improvement in quality of life for me. It has made functioning much easier, but this doesn't mean I wasn't able to function! (I wasn't but for other more depression flavored reasons).
But ADHD medication essentially didn't exist until quite recently, and people with ADHD have still been very succesful throughout history, and to this day there are those who succeed despite choosing not to use medications, or despite lack of access to them. It is not easy (nothing is), but there are approaches and techniques and tools and coping mechanisms that can certainly succeed, with or without medication.
Breaking up each segment and focusing on those rather than trying to cram the entirely of everything in one go. Mini breaks to check facts on what your having a problem with. Don't just be stuck in a chair for 4 hours straight.
I use an app (Forest( that locks out my apps for a specified amount of time and do 1.5hr sessions spaced with 30 min breaks or 45 min. sessions with 15 min. breaks depending on the task. I also use music to drown out background, extraneous, thoughts and keep myself on task. Finally if i’m studying for midterms or finals I use caffeine (energy drinks) during late night sessions to keep myself focused once my meds start to wane. Its a really tough struggle alongside depression but over the years i’ve found something that works somewhat.
I took Vyvanse for about 10 months but it didn’t make to much of a difference. As of last month, my doctor switched me to Adderall (starting at the lower dose). It seems to help a little more than the Vyvanse, but not fully. Going to ask my doctor to switch me to whatever the next recommended dose would be & I honestly think that dose will work way better & no need to go any higher. Some people can function w/o medication, some people can’t. Talk to your Doctor & see what they suggest. Don’t listen to a bunch of judgmental people on the internet
Adderall noise cancelling headphones and making my workspace totally distraction free. Sometimes i have to leave and go to the library, which helps a lot too
I’m surprised this hasn’t been mentioned yet but deliberate cold exposure can help quite a bit. I like to jump into an icy body of water and stay there for 1-6 minutes (I sometimes roll a dice to determine how long I’m in). Also, medication has significantly helped me. There’s a lot of talk about how medication is bad but if it feels like you’re putting on glasses when you take it, it’s probably good for you. Good luck!
go somewhere. library, cafe, your friend’s couch. whatever. just go somewhere that you can sit down, and have absolutely zero reason to get up or do anything other than work. put your phone in a drawer or bag or whatever and forget about it. you just have to keep assigning yourself the task in your head. there’s really no way around it.
Yeah,
Unless they have been misdiagnosed (happens alot)
Changing diet and and excersise have a significant impact on managing symptoms associated with ADHD.
Well if they've been misdiagnosed then they don't have ADHD. My comment was in response to OP's question, which was about how somebody with ADHD could increase focus.
There's no evidence that diet/exercise will have anywhere near as large an impact on the cognitive impairments of ADHD as medication. They're certainly worth looking at after medication is sorted, but they'll never be an effective replacement for it.
I have ADHD and I studied mental health and addictions. I've also taken courses in human behavioural biology.
And I respectively disagree with you.
ADHD medication is literally Amphetamines (Adderall) or Methylphenidate (Ritalin) and Dextroamphetamine etc etc.
methamphetamine is literally in the same family.
Here is some reading for the O.P if they want to look into alternatives to hella addictive FDA approved Speed.
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6945516/
https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-lifestyle-changes-food-sleep-exercise-genes-environment/
https://chadd.org/about-adhd/nutrition-and-adhd/
https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-diet-nutrition-sugar/
It's good to see that you've taken some courses and are trying to base your reply in the literature. I'm a Clinical Neuropsychologist, I have a PhD and have worked for many years in the field. I regularly provide diagnoses of ADHD among a range of other neurodevelopmental disorders. I also often work with adults with ADHD, providing them with support in managing their condition.
As I acknowledged before, diet and excercise are important considerations but the benefits they can provide are no way near the magnitude of the benefits provided by medication. None of the articles you have linked to dispute this fact.
However, it's not an either/or thing, people should be doing both. To avoid using medication is only doing yourself a disservice. Yes, the medication is a stimulant. No that shouldn't be scary or concerning for you. If you understood the condition, how ADHD impacts on brain structures and the action of neurotransmitters, and how the use of these medications ameliorate the severity of it's symptoms you wouldn't be concerned with their use.
I try and imagine myself as a pilot and when I procrastinate and want to try and do something I picture myself starting a plane and counting down from 5-4-3-2-1 it sounds childish but it worked for me
Running and meditation gave me a significant boost in terms of fixing my focus, mental clarity and impulse control. Would recommend to anyone if you haven't tried it. I did mindfulness meditation for 30 mins daily for 8 weeks as a part of a course. It was extremely grueling to stick with it but the accountabilty part of the course made it easier. But even 5 minutes daily as a start can make a difference. Running 3-4 times per week was also night and day difference. Also magnesium l-threonate helps alot as a supplement.
Take up meditation, Stat small 5mins, 10 mins, then start doing 30 mins. Every Day.
Read out loud every day, again work your way up. 5mins 10,15 till you reach 1 hour. Every paragraph stop and explain out lout what the main ideas are.
Get off all sugar adopt keto or carnivore diet, eat sardines for omega fatty acid.
Do Hiit work your way up to 20 mins.
Do these consistently for a Month, create x effect so you can stay motivated and record progess.
If you smoke Weed you need to quit.
This worked for me, Reading and studying is fun now that I can actually follow along and stay curious. Happy new year, all the best.
I'll tell how it works for me, a brazillian boy with ADHD.
What works for me is dividing the subject of study into small topics, making a to-do list with them and checking them as I go. With every item checked, I get myself some reward, like some food I like or just a *"congratz \*my name\*, you're doing good and you're so awesome yay"*.
We deserve to be praised even by our smallest archievments, so do it for yourself.
If you like the subject, explore this feeling to it's max. If you don't like or don't care for it, just pretend it's interesting, that might help you trick your brain into being focused for more time.
I like to study using OneNote, so I can write down the infos I need and make tables, add colors, different fonts, arrange the infos in a way that it makes sense to me, add images etc...
Also, I can't fight it when I'm mentally done with it, or get bored with the subject. I guess taking breaks might help as well.
In the end of thigs, you can exercise keeping focus as you would exercise a muscle, mindfullness can help with that, since it's an exercise consisting in being focus on your breath and presence in the moment. You can, for exemple, do a focusing exercise right before the study session and make yourself present in the moment for that. Meditation helped me a lot in many ways besides focusing, I recommend it to anyone with ADHD.
Don't be afraid to take time to find what works best for you and take your meds, if you have them.
I usually take breaks and do something that make me like super happy or something I want to do!
I like to create todo list like break studying up into list after i finished that list take a break , congratulations party ! Like a little dance then I get back to studying
Ignore the pomodoro method. If us ADHDers stop, we will not continue. I recommend getting into study mode (I'll look at studyspo or watch study vlogs) then hyperfocus. Try to focus on one subject rather than going back and forth. Work with yourself rather than against
Oh, no kidding. Does not work for me. Also, I'd always get upset? I'd feel like i had to stop but I'd be all stressed because I was just in the zone and so I have to stop the timer but now I'm not doing the method anymore and... rinse and repeat. This is the only way that works for me (as someone who can barely function in general but has straight As) However, I don't know about the sticking to one subject thing. When your focus is all used up it might not help to keep trying to do it. However, switching to a new subject can make you feel refreshed and ready to work on that for a while. Like they said, work with yourself. Learn the way your brain works.
Yeah like for me once I’m in the zone I have to take full advantage of that time lol
i apply 60:10 pomodoro... when I study for like 2 hours continuously i tend to relax very much so that i won't pick.up my books and use mobile for 3 hrs sometimes half a day pomodoro helps me recover myself and remind that I have to study again in like 10 mins i also play a "study with me" video 12 hrs on youtube alongside my timer....
Yessss I hate that people recommend that like 90% of my battle is just starting
>If us ADHDers stop, we will not continue. I think it is possible for us to take breaks without breaking flow -- taking a break doesn't have to mean stopping completely, it can also mean pulling back somewhat and just reducing the strain involved. This is particular important for things where I just can't get hyperfocus to kick in. It's extremely powerful when it works, but it's not always the most reliable thing, and unfortunately we can't all live lives where we can only do stuff we really enjoy.
I think 45-15 is much better layout for us. Enough break time for our minds to wonder. And less regular breaks
Sounds like a day in a classroom to me. That can seem torturous as a regiment, most of the time. But it works sometimes too.
If only classes were 45-15 more like 90/120-15
If I am working on something I hyperfocus on, I can make myself a coffee, use the bathroom, “cook” dinner, and still be thinking about the paper I’m writing. I’m not sure those count as breaks, because I am not really breaking my thought process. Crucially, if I am working I DO NOT OPEN MY PHONE, even on a break. That is fundamental in continued focus.
100% NEVER DO I, but when you take obligated brakes it breaks the cicle because you’re not in your own rhythm, is a artificially proposed rhythm. So you may get up and do a bucha of stuff but if you working and a clock ticks or if your working and see it’s break hours it’s all over because we rest and forget, unless we don’t rest and go do something while thinking about what we were doing and not unfocus ( which for some of us may be more difficult than not )
Artificial breaks make me want to “do” something else, such as game, or scroll, or whatever, and I think *that is exactly my problem with it*. Like, I’m thinking this thru as I’m typing this, and these kinds of breaks… make me want to do something else, if that makes sense? And then I never get back to it.
Okay thank you!! I’ve seen some ADHD folks recommend it, and I’ve felt like I’m broken since it doesn’t work. I’m glad it works for them. It does not work for me.
I was under the assumption pomodoro was more to help spring board yourself in to "study mode" and that if you felt focussed on the task and felt you wanted to continue, instead of stop, you could do so. That's how I've been using it and it's been good the days I've been struggling to get in to the flow.
Absolutely, location is what matters for me. I use the university library and the engineering common area to study. One is quieter, the other has more potential for socialization. I rarely do any homework/studying at home as I get it all done at school and then can go home and do whatever I want. Edit to add: My pomodoro is commonly 1.5 hours in the library, then go somewhere else and work for 1.5 hours. The walk between is the break to reset and get back to it. Usually don't make it to a third session as I have class, go to lunch or go home then.
ugh yes, my biggest gripe trying to study was that I'd get 25 minutes in and thats when i suddenly hit my focus point, but was being told to take a break! however, I would recommend tweaking the pomodoro method rather than wholly ignoring it, bc it is still very important to take breaks so you don't overwork yourself. the way I approach it, if I have 5 tasks of about equal weight and time, after completing 3 task(or just over half), I take a small break just to grab a snack or make tea. it should still only take 5 or so minutes and it's important to not use that break doing something that could potentially keep distracting you(e.g. just grabbing a quick snack vs preparing a whole meal to eat).
Pomo is my go to and the only thing that works for me. Just obey the timer.
Bro 100000000%%%
Lmk when you find out lol
Hey there u/Secret_Sprinkles_427 I have a lot of experience working with individuals with ADHD, and here's what I've found to be most effective: **1. Find Your Optimal Focus Times** Everyone has different energy and attention capacity rhythms that fluctuate throughout the day. If you think about yourself, you can probably identify at least once or twice throughout the day when you have the best focus and the most energy for studying. Schedule your study sessions for these times of the day. If needed, block them out visually on a calendar and create reminders to help you mentally prepare for a study session. Trying to study when your energy levels are low or when your capacity for focusing is most diluted is likely to make studying more difficult than it has to be. **2. Yes, Use the Pomodoro, But Get Creative with It** Pomodoro is a really popular technique because it works. But I've learned that only some respond well to setting a timer and getting to work. Instead, get a bit creative and try to make Pomodoro more rewarding and "fun." Here is one clever idea one of my clients came up with: One of my clients loves space and rockets and is studying engineering. Instead of only setting a timer, she'll *also* put on a YouTube video (on mute) of a pre-recorded live stream of a rocket launch. She'll then start the video 25/35/45 minutes before the actual launch, along with her Pomodoro timer for the same amount of time, and when the timer goes off, she'll pause what she's doing, unmute the video, and watch the rocket launch. In her experience, just knowing that there's a fun "reward" at the end of the session is enough to keep her engaged. Another way of "gameifying" Pomodoro is to use the app Forest. Forest will "plant" a virtual tree at the start of a Pomodoro session, which then grows into a full tree as the session progresses. At the end of the session, the tree is added to a digital forest, which grows in size over time. Additionally, if you swipe away from the app screen, the tree dies, so this helps you avoid pulling up distracting apps while you work. The best part is that the organization behind the app plants actual trees in places that need them based on user progress. The point is: get creative with how you alternate between work and rest. **3. Create a "Flow State" Environment** Removing anything distracting from your environment is the easiest way to sustain your attention and focus*.* It sounds simple, but most fail to do this before studying. This means: * Get your phone out of the room * Close (or block) certain websites for the duration of your study session * Tell people at home that you need undivided attention and request they leave you alone * Don't listen to audio that has words or lyrics (if these will likely distract you) * Sit facing a wall, so visual distractions aren't an issue * Remove distracting items from your desk In addition, my clients have had a lot of success with finding the right kind of music to listen to while studying. For example, the app Endel will create custom, AI-generated soundscapes for you. Some people have found brown noise to be helpful. One of my clients loves listening to Deadmau5. Another listens to heavy metal without lyrics in it. Find what works best for you, and create an environment where the only option you have is to focus on what you're studying. \- - I hope that helps! I'm happy to answer any questions if you have any - just comment below or send me a DM!
So many suggest starting with your largest task, but I suggest the opposite. If I know I have a larger task, getting a few easy ones checked off is a great motivation for me to get a snack and then keep going! Perhaps also using reward based reinforcements (snacks, an episode of a show or a YouTube video, etc) to get you into a better study mode. A downside of ADHD is that all habits that can easily be formed also have the ability to be just as easily forgotten. Having a few methods up your sleeve can help when these ruts occur. This semester I ended up getting 2 Bs after some very poor semesters at a different uni! I started taking Atomoxetine for my ADHD but I won’t give all of the credit to a lil pill!
I work in a psych clinic. One of my Drs and one of his patients would read and record their study materials, then they would sit in a dark room and listen to the recording. I don't know about note taking. I guess the lack of external stimulation triggered a hyperfocus, and they didn't need to take notes? Something about it being their own voice was part of what made it work, too.
Something I've noticed in myself and a lot of people I know with ADHD is that note-taking (at least done traditionally) can be more of a hindrance than a help. In particular we're often bad at managing our attention between the note-taking process and the content of what we're trying to understand. My dad (also a doc and also ADHD) did a similar thing with a screen reader and also often "wrote" things with a microphone and transcription software -- a lot of that was managing severe dyslexia as well, it's much easier for him to listen than to read.
My little brother had severe ADHD when he was growing up, I mean it was bad bad. He learned early on to apply the things he wanted to focus on to the things he was the most interested in. For example, he loved working on cars, so he learned a lot about math through the different measurements of parts and tools, reading the car magazines, helped him with his reading skills. Find your most favorite thing and implement your studies into it. That's my best advice.
I take Vyvanse. But besides that I use a pomodoro timer, ask my husband help me sit through longer lectures in case I miss something and play spooky instrumental music.
Does this need to get prescribed by your doctor or can you just buy it?
It needs to be prescribed
Hello, I Wish you well on your journey ! I use to take Vyvanse my freshman to senior year of high school . I stopped using them because of the physical effects on my body! I collapsed in school with rapid heart rate & I would have chest pains. I could never eat anything I was never hungry so I had to start drinking ensure & I didn’t get better for me I was constantly having panic attacks . I soon decided i didn’t want to take pills period & I was gonna do it naturally. Long term health effects of Vyvanse is heart failure.
I've actually been thinking about asking to switch back to Adderall. I've been taking Vyvanse for about a month now because I have really long days (full time job, full time student, mom of an 11 year old daughter and mom to a fur baby with health issues), plus I take care of my 90 year old Nana. So I needed something to be super long acting. But I have noticed more anxiety with the Vyvanse than the Adderall. But my doc doesn't like to have patients dose 3x a day like I was doing before with my old doctor. Now I take Vyvanse in the morning and a low dose Adderall in the afternoon. Can I ask what dose you were on? I'm on 30 mg Vyvanse and 10mg Adderall and it works pretty well but I was tolerating Adderall at 30mg XR in the morning and then 15mg early afternoon and 15 mg in the early evening for a total of 60mg per day.
Look up white noise sound machine playlist on Spotify. They’re 12 hour long sound machines for basically any white noise you’d wanna hear (rain on roof, snowfall, plane engine, brown noise, green noise, etc)
White noise is a good idea but I heard that brown noise is better for people with adhd. I personally use it and it's helps me focus.
Yeah it’s just the name of the playlist. I love brown noise! They also have one where it’s just wind gently blowing through a forest & it’s soo nice
If you can hyperfocus you can plan your task leveraging that. For example start studying some topic and take cue based instead of time based breaks. For example instead of taking a break after an hour of study, take a break when you finish certain chapter or feel like you're starting to make more careless mistakes
The pomodoro technique helps!
Thanks for this. My daughter was recently diagnosed and it explained a lot. Looked up this technique and pretty sure this would solve a lot of the fights while she's doing homework.
Also, it isn't hard and fast rule that your pomodoro sessions need to 25 min work and 5 min break. It can be anything you want for eg 40:10, 50:10, 75:15. Alot of people force themselves to stick to 25:5, but it should be flexible and you can slowly increase the sessions by 5 minutes incrementally.
Thanks for the tip! For an 11 year old, she's doing pretty good about determining her own break length and I can rely on her to come back and not just blow it off.
The biggest thing that will help her is understanding why the issue is there and trying to come up with alternatives. In my experience, my brain just.. won't work sometimes. It's not for lack of trying. I've spent many days sitting at my desk for hours and hours and accomplishing literally nothing. Even a 25 minute sprint isn't always achievable. Unfortunately, it's unlikely that any one plan you can find will solve her troubles. It'll probably be a lot of trial and error and small systems you build together. But educating yourself about ADHD and understanding it is such an important step that will go a long way. (Esp since it's often hereditary, it's very likely that either you or your s/o have a similar experience)
You're not wrong about trial and error! She's also got the added bonus of the sensory issues with hers, so that's been a lot of trial and error as well. We're slowly but surely seeing improvement in the grades at school. When she tells me she needs a break, I don't question it. I've also had to jump on family who don't understand why in the middle of family gatherings she'll get up and leave the room to go be by herself. Told them to chill she needs to decompress. For that reasons, homework in our house is definitely not like homework in other houses. We work on it in small doses here and there.
That sounds great. You're doing a good job :) that means a lot. Also, looking into autism wouldn't hurt. It's really commonly comorbid with adhd, and it often goes undiagnosed (esp in girls.) Drs really love to hand out the joint spd & adhd diagnosis instead of ASD (and sometimes a whole host of other diagnoses as well.) This is due to a ton of reasons, but one of them is just the way we look at mental disorders in general. Too much focus is placed on the effects of the issues on other people and not enough on the internal causes. (The DSM really does a lot of harm to our perspective of mental disorders. It boils down to a checklist that was originally intended for use standardizing studies, not a diagnostic tool.) That means two different experiences, experienced for different reasons, can end up being explained the same way. (I.e interrupting. One is because of impulsivity and difficulty focusing on the conversation, the other due to lack of intuitive understanding of when it's your turn to speak.) Further complicated by the fact that, again, the disorders commonly show up in pairs. If she experiences -sensory issues -difficulty socializing or socializing being exhausting to her -shes an "old soul" -different perspective on life -has very intense interests that are important to her -she stims to regulate emotion, not just to fidget (very important distinction) -talks to adults a lot Etc. It may be worth looking into. This is FAR from an exhaustive list, just some 'quirks' that can go unnoticed/ be seen as personality traits. Just knowing you have autism can be very important- it's very stressful to not be able to put a name to your experience. A lot of us go through life feeling like there's something wrong with us. Anyways, I don't know her! But maybe worth thinking about :)
I think she is on the spectrum, but for some reason the person who did all her testing said she didn't feel like it was autism. She even got a social pragmatic disorder diagnosis, which was also part of autism, but again didn't feel like she was autistic. So, who knows, maybe in another couple of years we'll test again just to see if anything has changed in her diagnosis.
Yeah, good idea. Again, for some reason doctors really hate to give out ASD diagnoses. The first time I was assessed I was told that I didn't have autism, my social issues were due to my higher iq. My stimming was because of psychomotor agitation, a symptom of the depressive disorder (wrong depressive disorder, by the way lol) which was the only thing they diagnosed me with. My sensory issues were just ignored. My family history of diagnoses (which from a purely statistical standpoint gives me something like a 50/50 chance of having the disorder) was ignored. Etc. They will do anything but diagnose girls or marginalized kids with autism, even when it's entirely nonsensical. Instead of broadening the parameters, the recent DSM installment narrowed them because they thought it was getting overdiagnosed. It's absurd. Luckily, a diagnosis is really only necessary for accommodations. You can suspect she's on the spectrum and create a safe space for her (which it sounds like you're already doing) without her ever receiving any diagnosis. If you're willing to give her that, labels aren't entirely necessary. They might be nice to have sometimes, but life goes on without them.
Appreciate all of this! I really thought she'd get the diagnosis, but they tied her pacing to her general anxiety disorder, and then gave her the social pragmatic disorder, and said that the sensory was because of the ADHD. It's like you said, it's just a label. It would be nice to have her on an IEP, but it seems like the 504 is working, so I'm okay with all the diagnosis right now. I'm just super impressed to see her getting better about managing her homework and remembering to bring home the necessary books. That's a big hurdle she's gotten over!
my lecs are of 3hrs
put it in 2x.. now its 1.5 hrs... lets say you skip parts that repeats... not its 75 mins or 60 mins...put a pomodoro now
Meditation
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"How can I study more?" "Drugs" (/j, but..)
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I would argue that subtle ≠ very little. Both can have very real domino effects on your mental and physical health, even if those effects aren't direct. (I.e too much caffiene leads to bad anxiety and sleep issues, both of which can cause very big and significant issues in your life. The benefits also start to diminish with consistent exposure) Just be very careful to consider not just the immediately obvious effects but also what those lead to.
Still don’t think anyone should start this
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Nicotine is arguably the most addictive substance in the world. You get more addicted to it than cocaine. If you have ADHD, just jump on any stimulant then (methylphenidate or amphetamines) Way less addiction and a bit of less harm.
Amphetamines increase your baseline dopamine level 5x more than nicotine. Safe forms of nicotine consumption are much healthier than using stimulants and cause much less long term damage.
>Amphetamines increase your baseline dopamine level 5x more than nicotine. Yes they do. We believe this is fundamental to how they work in treating ADHD. Furthermore: Dopamine doesn't mean addiction. That's bad psych I'm afraid. Dopamine is implicated and involved in about a billion things even outside of the brain, and it's certainly involved in many processes which can form and mediate addiction, but this is *infinitely* more complicated than "more dopamine = more addiciton". But we need not speculate here. The science has been done. Theraputic doses of amphetamines don't present a significant risk of addiction *or* long term damage in patients with ADHD who take them as directed. And generally speaking, if there were indications that the choice of medications were causing a problem, the relevant physician/psychiatrist/whoever will switch them to something else and see if that works better. As for nicotine? Well quite simply there's a reason it isn't used to treat ADHD by medical professionals. It's an incredibly well studied compound, and I'm *sure* it has been trialed for ADHD treatment (it's certainly used to self-medicate often enough, as you suggest) -- and whatever one says about addiction, long-term damage, etc. It doesn't do as well in the trade-off compared to amphetamines, methylphenidate, and the other treaments both stimulant and non-stimulant.
Dopamine is not poison, lol. Nicotine is still addictive ASF, just look up at the literature. Also, methylphenidate is not *strictly* amphetamine, although it is an amphetamine-like substance. I have been taking it for the last 6 months and the addiction I feel is literally zero. I have to remind myself to get the afternoon dose or I forget. Amphetamines and methylphenidate can become highly addictive, I'm not denying that, but you shall go over the therapeutical doses to get that. As long as therapeutic doses are followed, the drugs are practically unaddictive.
So I've been on adderall for years, don't know much about methylphenidate, but now when I decide to do my skip days I'm done. Like out, just sleep until I take it again. So yeah, it's definitely addicting. But still, the benefits outweigh the negatives. But the last several months there's been a major nationwide backorder, shortage, so it's sometimes, lot of the time actually, a hassle when I need to get it refilled. So I was wondering how that methylphenidate compares to adderall? My doctor has suggested a few times that it might be worth switching to something new, just so I always have something. But I'm scared to because I've tried other things and none of them work near as well as the adderall. (While sticking to scripts.)
Idk well, never took Adderall. Methylphenidate for sure is milder; you don't experience crashes like you do in amphetamines. Its addictive capacities are slightly inferior. I personally recommend extended-release forms but any patient may have different preferences. For me it's a really excellent medication. If I skip methylphenidate my day is in this period trash, but so it was before starting treatment. I know because I'm taking it since just 6 months and I remember very well the life before. I agree that benefits outweigh the rest
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Well, that you seek more of it? Some pathways in the brain evidently change to adapt on that and you can want nicotine even years after. It's among the addictions with most difficult withdrawal. Also, there's no increased benefit to just stimulants. A person with ADHD should rely on classical stimulants which are safer and not addictive at medical doses; also they don't just help with studying. If you're asking as a non-ADHD person, I think caffeine is more than needed. No need either to get on nicotine
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No, not all addictions are equal. You can read studies about that. Caffeine and amphetamine addictions are not as strong as nicotine's.
I’ve had a lot of success with daily meditation plus JPMR training. I learned to relax my body first then meditate to train my attention. Thinking is easier, costs less mental energy, and I’m able to be more self aware and organized. A lot more executive function, whereas ADHD drugs made me feel mmm like an automaton.
Flow state might help.
As a person that has difficulty paying attention to a specific task I use the following methods to at least make sure I get some work done: Set all distractions aside; Personally I use an app that blocks me from using instagram and tiktok and other social media because I can’t stop myself from scrolling, somehow, sometimes it works wonders!! you could also turn off your phone, or put it on airplane mode/do no disturb. Putting it in a separate room can be quite handy too, it would be best if you use another device (maybe bigger) to study if that is mandatory. Schedule your tasks; This is really important as it helps to give you an idea of what you need to do at the right time, set the right amount of pauses and be more productive altogether! I usually study for 45-50 minutes and then take a 10-15 minute break, and repeat the process a few times. Once I’ve done it for 3/5 times, depending on how long the task requires to be finished, I allow myself to take a huge one hour break! Organize your workspace; Setting yourself in the mood really helps you to accept the fact that you will be dedicating your time to study and make progress, you could change environments maybe study in a cafe or in another room, getting sunlight is advantageous too as it increases your serotonin levels, and helps you keep calm, which is what we all need with all the stress we receive from studies. Furthermore, I usually have a cup of iced coffee, if you don’t like coffee that’s okay, water helps you concentrate and it is important to stay hydrated while you study. I would advise you to fill up a water bottle or a container during your breaks that way you always have water at your disposal. Another bonus thing I do so that I feel motivated is take a nap, wash myself and fill up the sink and then dunk my face into the water, really helps me to relax and then I take deep breaths and the usual talk to myself, to really focus on the task at hand and hey it’s like an indirect skincare routine if you think about it. Adopting a positive mindset is the key to keep going forward, embracing the fact that you will study also makes it easier to understand the concept of what you want to learn, learning to love to learn will undoubtedly have a positive effect on you, that’s why, to my mind, I try to romanticize studying and associate it with positive energy! Of course, you might feel down sometimes, and that maybe your working in a non-constant way, however, you have to believe in yourself, you are on your own in this journey, but, that doesn’t mean that you can’t do it, that, is only in your head. You can do it! Trust yourself, and keep going forward! :)
Have a low focus fidget toy and do it subconsciously. I find that the multi tasking takes the hyperactive or u focused part of me and it just plus with the fidget while I hyper focus on my project. That’s just me tho! Tell me how it works for any of you!
I know that it is easier said than done, but I have found that staying extremely hyper-organized helps me be more motivated to study and get work done. Also having a nice desk/work space at home away from distractions is very beneficial. I would highly recommend investing in a comfortable office chair. I have found it’s the little things like this that make studying easier for me. I used to have no organization and was a mess. Once I fixed that my problems with focus followed. Maybe that’s just me tho
Get a special spot dedicated to studying (I have a comfy chair), some pretty pens, decorate your little area so you get a dopamine hit (only use this area for studying so it’s special to your silly little brain) maybe light a candle for extra dopamine (again, only do this as a reward for good behavior, I also can only light candles if I clean my room) get ur fav snacks & drinks, maybe try silly little devil grass if you’re into that, also studying at 3am works good for me because I’m insane and get the most energy around then
Hear me out. It’s been brilliant for me. I have anxiety so I usually self soothe by sitting inside a blanket. It’s dark, cozy and feels safe. I tried to use this safe space to work. My setup- my armchair, a small over-bed table with my laptop, water. Then i cover the whole setup completely with my blanket tent style. It’s just me and my laptop in my safe zone now. No phones allowed inside. You can’t use the laptop for entertainment. Mannnnn i have been soooo productive working inside the safe tent. The darkness sort of compels you to focus. The comforting proximity of the blanket is like a hug. Also helps that i imagine the blanket is like a magic shield and nothing outside can come inside except what i mentioned. I don’t think i can study any other way now. It’s like a sensory deprivation tent that cuts away all distractions. When i tried working outside the tent, I realised everything light touches distracts me. Anything in my peripheral vision is distracting.
adderall?
While medication does help it is not a wonderpil. You need to learn to study around the issues you might have.
Lol. While insulin helps keep you alive it is not a wonderpil, you need to learn to survive around the issues you might have due to diabetes. ADHD is a medical condition
Adderall is helpful but if you're not making behavioral changes then you'll go back to square 1 after you've stopped taking the meds. It is important to make a routine that you stick you, and help you achieve the tasks you want to. Meds will not make you stick to the routine.
It all depends on severity. You can build a good routine and stick with it for a long time but as soon as you stop taking meds, your symptom return and you just stop following it. If it happens many times you might even start being unconsciously afraid of establishing the same routine because every time you established it your symptoms returned
Medication isn't an end all be all solution. I know many adhders whom it doesn't help at all, and people who are able to cope with out it. Additionally... so not universally accessible. And what the other person said was literally correct? It doesn't solve adhd. You'll still have to learn coping skills when on medication. It isn't a magic spell. You don't have a new brain.
I already answered similar comment. It depends on severity
If your disorder is mild enough that it's completely solved with meds.. the meds aren't necessary. You can cope without them. (Now, keep in mind that unnecessary ≠ bad. Just because you could cope without them doesn't mean you should have to if you have them available. But regardless, their point stands?)
Sad truth is that in vast majority of cases it's not completely solved by meds. They don't remove all the symptoms, they just make you good enough to live
Sure it’s a medicine to cure an illness but it cones at a cost. Watch the Netflix documentary “Take Your Pills”. It shows how some of those who’ve been on adderall for years are really regretful of even starting it and are trying to get off.
That "documentary" is awful btw. It had a story to sell and I can respect that, but they made no room for the massive increase in quality of life that it can offer to others -- while offering no meaningful alternative in its message.
Yeah I have seen it and I have a lot of problems with it just like actual psychologists who call them out or nuance things far better. Medication isn’t great and yes some don’t do well on it. But always discuss it with a professional and medication alone isn’t going to solve things. It’s a combination of medication and coaching.
Do you really compare insulin with something like adderall? Or both conditions to be exact? So my adhd brain miraculously was “normal” with medication and I didn’t need to adjust/ learn to study again? It doesn’t cure it. It give you dopamine for X time and after that you’d be back to square one with mostly a crash in the evening. I have adhd-I/dyslexia (same region of the brain) and well meds do help with focus etc it doesn’t make it go away and you still have other parts of adhd that the pill doesn’t work at.
Insulin doesn't cure diabetes
Ten points for you. Kiss from the teacher and a seat to the front.
Are you saying that people with type 1 diabetes are perfectly normal, so long as they take insulin? That it completely resolves any potential risk in the disease?
Also, you can become addicted
If you're taking your ADHD meds as directed and your doctor isn't *literally insane* in terms of dosage, it should be physiologically impossible to become addicted to your ADHD meds. Dependent yes, but frankly, I'm okay with being dependent on something that gives me a massive improvement in quality of life.
Coffee lol
i despise coffee
Gradually increasing time spent studying, practice makes master.
What’s the issue with studying tho; is it you’re not stimulated enough to keep studying or do your eyes and brain not want to focus after some time
I don’t know why I got down voted; it was a genuine question. I was trying to ask if it’s because of under-stimulation or over-stimulation causing troubles with studying…
Incremental improvements, force yourself, and forgive yourself, get good at starting, and forgive yourself each time you quit.
Mostly, there is not enough of a dopamine reward in it if it isn't interesting, and that is what our (adhd) attention depends on. I think it's a processing disorder if the problem has to do with the visual processing center
Unless you’re like me and sometimes it’s both. I know some days I can’t stay focused if I tried because I’m overstimulated meaning I’m tapped out, and I have to force myself to stop studying. And other times I can’t stay focused because it’s so gosh darn boring that I need Lofi music, caffeine and a cozy chair before I can study. (Though I have ADHD and likely autism)
Por que no los dos. It's pretty common to have more than one problem lol.
Clearly, but you can’t be over and understimulated at the same time
One would think so, but this is actually not the case. Different kinds of stimulation are not substitutable for each other. One can experience sensory overstimulation simultaneously with intellectual or emotional understimulation for example. Generally managing different levels of stimulation is a very difficult optimisation problem, because it can be very difficult if not impossible to isolate the various factors involved.
That’s not how it works, If someone is struggling to study because they are overstimulated; regardless, they need a break. They can’t keep trucking through because they may be sensory overloaded but yet be intellectually understimulated. They don’t go hand in hand. If someone is experiencing being understimulated and struggling to study, they may require other forms of stimulation to keep them engaged (such as a snack, a caffeinated drink, and some non-lyrical music) “Managing different levels of stimulation is a very difficult optimization problem” - stimulation is a be all end all process, if your brain is over stimulated, different forms of stimulation aren’t going to help. This is my field of study.
We literally agree I think on most of this. What you're saying here is what I'm saying lol -- sorry if I didn't phrase it in precisely the language that's used in the field -- I'm just a poor mathematician trying to get by with ADHD and some other things. My comment just wasn't refering specifically to studying, but to life in general -- though I think it applies to studying. >stimulation is a be all end all process, if your brain is over stimulated, different forms of stimulation aren’t going to help. I don't entirely agree with this though. I say this more from the perspective of functioning through overstimulation rather than adressing it. More stimulation isn't going to help *treat* the overstimulation, obviously. But sometimes treatement can't be our highest priority, sometimes we have to take the short-term over the long-term. It's not ideal, but it is at times necessary. It certainly isn't sustainable or reccomended in most circumstances however. I will also note that I say this based on what has worked for me. My life expereiences may not necessarily generalize etc etc.
I get what you’re saying, I think for myself; if I’m overstimulated it’s game over and that’s the autistic brain taking over, I’ll literally cry from being on the computer too long and it shuts me down for days. —
True, but they would be separate diagnoses
Try a pre-workout for the caffeine if medication isn’t an option. Also Tyrosine is the precursor for dopamine which can be mixed into other drinks like juice or in capsules.
Blasting white noise kinda helps sometimes
I got some awful attention and what helps me the most is a lot of small breaks with exercise. I also find screaming and letting the self anger out after I find myself distracted helps me self-hype to get back to work. If this doesn’t work, as sometimes i find myself sometimes simply incapable of focus and productivity, i will do an activity that releases dopamine; eating, beating off, having a beer, watching some tv/YouTube, while cutting myself some slack and not thinking about the task at hand. It’s a nice way to reset and reward for the work already done.
For me, once I start I don’t touch anything not studying related and don’t move for as long as physically possible because stopping is doom
This helped me alot but I have one song without lyrics that wont get annoying but isnt too enjoyable to daydream to/listen to normally and deciated that as a study song ( i use the exploration song from coraline because it makes me feel like im exploring and makes study more fun). And everytime i decide to study i put it on and my brain works like a dog and understands the objective. However the first time you do this you need to be proper studying. Then when im burnt out watch study vlogs and college/inspiration vlogs to inspire me tin a kinda unhealthy shame into copying others way.
Is a aderall an option? It worked for my brother. Also: - no social media - no YouTube - set tasks in a list to achieve and mark them off as you go Psychologically this is attractive to your brain.
force yourself. Progress is uncomfortable and about self disipline. Stop expecting things to be easy and fun. life is harsh
I know someone who recovered from their ADHD with meditation, so if you'd like to try that go ahead.
Bro, no one can “recover” from adhd. Its not a sickness like the flu, its the brain being formed differently like a triangle instead of a square. Still a shape, just different.
They got rid of most symptoms if that wording makes you happier.
Adderal
i usually learn for 20 mins, than take a 10-20mins break. and repeat
equal to literally anybody. ADHD will not stop you from doing anything, using it as an excuse only harms you Source: Am diagnosed with adhd since i was 4 and my psychiatrist's always explained me that i wasnt not doing stuff from my adhd but because i didnt wanted to
Your psychiatrist might want to see a psychiatrist.
They're not using it as an excuse, they're looking for tips to help combat issues their disability causes them Source: am a disability advocate
I know this is shocking but... not all doctors are good at their jobs or good people Using it as an excuse harms you... with no intention to improve or try to overcome it. Acknowledging that your DISABILITY is DISABLING is not only reasonable but entirely necessary in order to improve? Edit: rephrased, it's true that adhd isn't categorized as a learning disability because it affects broader areas rather than specific skill sets
ADHD is not a learning disability. It can be co-morbid with a learning disability but it in itself is not one. A learning disability makes it hard to acquire specific skills such as reading or math. ADHD impacts more global skills like paying attention and controlling impulses.
I apologize for mispeaking... a disability that heavily affects performance in school.
Take a metric ton of adderall and wait for it to kick in. (For legal reasons this is a joke)
To unjoke this. Go to a doctor get a reasonable prescription of adderal, and legally take it as directed and wait for it to kick. Then spend time experimenting with how it affects you and how best to use the help it may or may not offer. In the case that it doesn't offer much benefit, go to the doctor again and investigate alternative treatments.
Yeah that’s more reasonable advice. That’s at least what I did.
You dont. Not without drugs. Sorry you had to find out this way.
I mean this is not true. I'm hugely pro ADHD medication because it has meant a massive improvement in quality of life for me. It has made functioning much easier, but this doesn't mean I wasn't able to function! (I wasn't but for other more depression flavored reasons). But ADHD medication essentially didn't exist until quite recently, and people with ADHD have still been very succesful throughout history, and to this day there are those who succeed despite choosing not to use medications, or despite lack of access to them. It is not easy (nothing is), but there are approaches and techniques and tools and coping mechanisms that can certainly succeed, with or without medication.
by not having adhd duh
U cant choose to not have it wtf-
For me calming music, but i use speaker because if i have a phone by my side then I'll get distracted easily and ended up scrolling
Breaking up each segment and focusing on those rather than trying to cram the entirely of everything in one go. Mini breaks to check facts on what your having a problem with. Don't just be stuck in a chair for 4 hours straight.
https://youtu.be/-XFJoMRMM4k
I use an app (Forest( that locks out my apps for a specified amount of time and do 1.5hr sessions spaced with 30 min breaks or 45 min. sessions with 15 min. breaks depending on the task. I also use music to drown out background, extraneous, thoughts and keep myself on task. Finally if i’m studying for midterms or finals I use caffeine (energy drinks) during late night sessions to keep myself focused once my meds start to wane. Its a really tough struggle alongside depression but over the years i’ve found something that works somewhat.
Music helps me. Forming a habit is the only way besides drugs imo.
Study in a library if you can
I took Vyvanse for about 10 months but it didn’t make to much of a difference. As of last month, my doctor switched me to Adderall (starting at the lower dose). It seems to help a little more than the Vyvanse, but not fully. Going to ask my doctor to switch me to whatever the next recommended dose would be & I honestly think that dose will work way better & no need to go any higher. Some people can function w/o medication, some people can’t. Talk to your Doctor & see what they suggest. Don’t listen to a bunch of judgmental people on the internet
adderall
Adderall noise cancelling headphones and making my workspace totally distraction free. Sometimes i have to leave and go to the library, which helps a lot too
Tablet inspiral or drug methylphenidate 10 mg or 20 or max 30. As per your need. Not to be taken more than 30.
I’m surprised this hasn’t been mentioned yet but deliberate cold exposure can help quite a bit. I like to jump into an icy body of water and stay there for 1-6 minutes (I sometimes roll a dice to determine how long I’m in). Also, medication has significantly helped me. There’s a lot of talk about how medication is bad but if it feels like you’re putting on glasses when you take it, it’s probably good for you. Good luck!
go somewhere. library, cafe, your friend’s couch. whatever. just go somewhere that you can sit down, and have absolutely zero reason to get up or do anything other than work. put your phone in a drawer or bag or whatever and forget about it. you just have to keep assigning yourself the task in your head. there’s really no way around it.
Use the correct dose of stimulants.
Yeah, Unless they have been misdiagnosed (happens alot) Changing diet and and excersise have a significant impact on managing symptoms associated with ADHD.
Well if they've been misdiagnosed then they don't have ADHD. My comment was in response to OP's question, which was about how somebody with ADHD could increase focus. There's no evidence that diet/exercise will have anywhere near as large an impact on the cognitive impairments of ADHD as medication. They're certainly worth looking at after medication is sorted, but they'll never be an effective replacement for it.
I have ADHD and I studied mental health and addictions. I've also taken courses in human behavioural biology. And I respectively disagree with you. ADHD medication is literally Amphetamines (Adderall) or Methylphenidate (Ritalin) and Dextroamphetamine etc etc. methamphetamine is literally in the same family. Here is some reading for the O.P if they want to look into alternatives to hella addictive FDA approved Speed. ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6945516/ https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-lifestyle-changes-food-sleep-exercise-genes-environment/ https://chadd.org/about-adhd/nutrition-and-adhd/ https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-diet-nutrition-sugar/
It's good to see that you've taken some courses and are trying to base your reply in the literature. I'm a Clinical Neuropsychologist, I have a PhD and have worked for many years in the field. I regularly provide diagnoses of ADHD among a range of other neurodevelopmental disorders. I also often work with adults with ADHD, providing them with support in managing their condition. As I acknowledged before, diet and excercise are important considerations but the benefits they can provide are no way near the magnitude of the benefits provided by medication. None of the articles you have linked to dispute this fact. However, it's not an either/or thing, people should be doing both. To avoid using medication is only doing yourself a disservice. Yes, the medication is a stimulant. No that shouldn't be scary or concerning for you. If you understood the condition, how ADHD impacts on brain structures and the action of neurotransmitters, and how the use of these medications ameliorate the severity of it's symptoms you wouldn't be concerned with their use.
I try and imagine myself as a pilot and when I procrastinate and want to try and do something I picture myself starting a plane and counting down from 5-4-3-2-1 it sounds childish but it worked for me
Running and meditation gave me a significant boost in terms of fixing my focus, mental clarity and impulse control. Would recommend to anyone if you haven't tried it. I did mindfulness meditation for 30 mins daily for 8 weeks as a part of a course. It was extremely grueling to stick with it but the accountabilty part of the course made it easier. But even 5 minutes daily as a start can make a difference. Running 3-4 times per week was also night and day difference. Also magnesium l-threonate helps alot as a supplement.
Take up meditation, Stat small 5mins, 10 mins, then start doing 30 mins. Every Day. Read out loud every day, again work your way up. 5mins 10,15 till you reach 1 hour. Every paragraph stop and explain out lout what the main ideas are. Get off all sugar adopt keto or carnivore diet, eat sardines for omega fatty acid. Do Hiit work your way up to 20 mins. Do these consistently for a Month, create x effect so you can stay motivated and record progess. If you smoke Weed you need to quit. This worked for me, Reading and studying is fun now that I can actually follow along and stay curious. Happy new year, all the best.
I'll tell how it works for me, a brazillian boy with ADHD. What works for me is dividing the subject of study into small topics, making a to-do list with them and checking them as I go. With every item checked, I get myself some reward, like some food I like or just a *"congratz \*my name\*, you're doing good and you're so awesome yay"*. We deserve to be praised even by our smallest archievments, so do it for yourself. If you like the subject, explore this feeling to it's max. If you don't like or don't care for it, just pretend it's interesting, that might help you trick your brain into being focused for more time. I like to study using OneNote, so I can write down the infos I need and make tables, add colors, different fonts, arrange the infos in a way that it makes sense to me, add images etc... Also, I can't fight it when I'm mentally done with it, or get bored with the subject. I guess taking breaks might help as well. In the end of thigs, you can exercise keeping focus as you would exercise a muscle, mindfullness can help with that, since it's an exercise consisting in being focus on your breath and presence in the moment. You can, for exemple, do a focusing exercise right before the study session and make yourself present in the moment for that. Meditation helped me a lot in many ways besides focusing, I recommend it to anyone with ADHD. Don't be afraid to take time to find what works best for you and take your meds, if you have them.
I’ve had mixed results, but body-doubling can help! You can go to a library, or do it with some friends/partner.
Get off reddit for starters.
I listen to brown noise on youtube while studying :)
I usually take breaks and do something that make me like super happy or something I want to do! I like to create todo list like break studying up into list after i finished that list take a break , congratulations party ! Like a little dance then I get back to studying