How good (or poor) is your focus? How has this impacted your life? Have you tried any medications to improve focus?

My focus is very poor. I have ADHD, but I feel as though my meds have made my attention and concentration significantly worse. I blame Lamictal! (Other meds may be contributing to this problem, though.)

I used to be able to focus somewhat, but now it feels somewhat impossible, especially when I'm depressed.

This has made my work performance fluctuate significantly. And I've tried Adderall before, but it just makes me manic. lol

And you?

I gave up reading because my focus is so good

*sarcastic smile at the book shelf*

if it's something practical (reading, trying to work something out,) only a few minits at a time

TV I can focus on for about 30 minits, music for a lot longer

in general though not very good. I often find myself getting stressed out and asking for help because I can't cope with a task

[Coconutzo]

My focus is awful in depression. I tend to dissociate.I've had two car accidents in a month because of this. I lose my ability to read. I can really just stare.

In mania, I get distracted and confused. I put things back in the wrong places or leave them out, leaving a trail like a tornado. I forget what I'm doing in the middle of it. I get lost when I'm driving. I can't sit still long enough to get things done. When I read I have to take breaks to stand on my head.

Normally I'm very focused and aware

[ComfortablyNumb5]

I'm reading a book right now and I notice I'll be reading and thinking of something totally different at the same time. When I have convos with people I forget the simplest of words. It's embarrassing. So now, my once smart self with scholarships for my writing, can't even hold an intellectual convo. I blame seroquel for that and the tiredness all the next day so I'm going to ask my pdoc to put me back on a stimulant.

[Blue_Bird]

My doctor seems to think I have a hard time focusing in my college classes for some reason, every time I see her she asks if I'm able to focus, plus she said one of the benefits of Wellbutrin is better focus which I'm on now for a few different reasons

[JustJace2u]

My focus and concentration fluctuates with my mood. The more depressed I am, the less I'm able to focus.

[fishin fool]

I have always had problems with concentration and focus.
I do believe the meds I take have made my memory worse.
Still can't focus well these days and it has caused me problems
throughout my life, people looking at me would never believe it
because of the positions I have held.
I don't know how I did it but once I turned fifty it was over it was just
like someone threw a switch and what ever kept me in control all those
years was gone and I have never been the same again.

[scatterbrained04]

Some days it's really good and some days it's terrible. It's so all over the place that I can't tell what's going on.

[Wander]

My ability to focus generally is poor which is why I am on Ritalin. It really helps. Without it I cannot focus enough to read more than short posts here. When manic, mixed or depressed my ability to focus goes downhill too, even with Ritalin. The agitation, impatience and irritability mess up my focus.

My ability to focus is inconsistent at best. Sometimes I can hyper focus on things and sometimes I can't focus no matter what the consequences are. It's the inconsistency I find maddening but at least I have times when I can concentrate so I shouldn't complain.

[Unrigged64072835]

My focus is shot. Even when I'm trying to remember things I can't focus on what I'm memorizing. It's been really hard. About the only time I can focus well is when I'm cooking.

[still_crazy]

not as bad as it was when I was younger. I had the ADD, plus the ADDerall to go with it, lol.

These days, no fun prescriptions :-( . But, on the plus side, the wellbutrin for the low moods helps sufficiently with my focus, even though I take other meds that can kill concentration.

[fairydustgirl]

Ever since the year I was diagnosed I have never been the same as far as focus, I used to be able to read a whole book in one day and now I have books all over the house I can't even seem to pick up and read the first page. I have add too (no H) and my dr won't give me a stimulant, wellbutrin made me manic twice, (two different drs, the first was 2 years prior to my diagnosis, the second was 3 years ago, I asked my dr for something to help with the add). I'm fairly sure it has to do with the medicines I've taken in the last 10 years, especially the antipsychotics. I have been prescribed Namenda but I didn't see a difference.

[Sad Mermaid]

I cannot read a book, but I can read short posts on here. I think if it not focus per se, because I can focus on work, but that I cannot refocus from my own story onto someone else's story - I am wrapped up in my own stuff. That was not true of me in the past - I did read a lot of books back in the day.

I would like to try Wellbutrin for focus and weight loss, but am afraid that it will make me manic, because it is easy to make me manic.