Any Tips for Concentration problems?

I suffer from one of the hallmarks of eating disorders: poor focus and concentration. I have no trouble spending my day doing unproductive things like surfing the net and playing online games. I struggle with reading books, relevant articles about ED recovery, or doing anything really meaningful with my time. Sometimes I even have trouble watching movies. I am unemployed and I am a homemaker.

It has been this way for more than a year. I used to enjoy reading but now I hardly ever finish reading any book. I get a quarter way through a book then put it away. I just can't concentrate because my mind is filled with thoughts about what I can/should/shouldn't eat, how to compensate for my meals, how to manage my cravings and such food-related thoughts.

My therapist asked me to read a self-help book and write reports on how I feel etc. But I just can't seem to do it. I'm sitting in front of my computer reading up on irrelevant things but I can't bring myself to read the book or write what my therapist asked me to write.

Any tips on overcoming this?

Also, I just started taking fish oil supplements with EPA & DHA to help with brain function. it is causing awful heartburn and making me feel very fussy about food (don't want fruit or vegetables, just junk). Anyone else experience this?

I can really relate to this as my years of behaviors have really messed with my ability to concentrate (my short-term memory is non-existent).

I don't have much advice but maybe try crossword puzzles or mindless fun activities that sort of re-train the brain to focus....good luck.

You have not managed to address your concentration?

Not really, I struggle with focusing on just about everything. But I am still engaged in ED behaviors, if that ever subsides maybe some of the cognitive functioning will return. Until then, I just have to consciously force myself to focus.

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Two major causes of lack of focus and concentration are sensitivities to
wheat and sugar. Both are not essential to have for good health.

We can substitute green vegetables, fruits, seeds, and berries for amino acids missing in grains containing gluten.

Sugar is not a nutritious food; in fact, it weakens the immune system over time.

When i started eating more protein my concentration improved greatly.

Oh that's interesting....

The simplest cause is an unbalanced diet, with deficiencies in major nutrients. Are you eating a balanced diet? Ideally, you should be eating a balanced diet on your own, without supplementing that much, except for vitamin D, Fish oil, potentially calcium if you are a woman and do not get enough from your diet, Folic acid if you are a woman and drink alcohol and/or could become pregnant (you say that you are a homemaker, so you probably have had your children already, but I am just mentioning it for the sake of completeness), bio-available iron if you are a woman and have low hemoglobin, and, if your OD recommends them, supplements for good vision.

It is really easy to get into a place where you do not consume enough essential nutrients when you are battling an ED. And then you reap the "benefits" of it - say, iron deficiency (anemia) very easily causes cognitive problems. So the first step is to evaluate the diet for the most basic things - does it meet the basic requirements?

I have never felt heartburn from fish oil, but I did occasionally get unpleasant taste in the mouth after consuming it. Having it with meals has helped with that, for sure. I think it is even recommended on the bottle that you take it with meals and a lot of fluids.

I know it is expensive and you need to fuss with food prep, but have you tried real fish and, if you have, how is the heartburn after eating real fish? Fatty fish, ideally.

If you cannot finish reading a book, try audiobooks! I have just gotten into it - checked out my first audio book from the public library - and now the time spent driving is no longer a waste - I listen to my audiobook. It is great and no labor expended whatsoever!

+anemia is diagnosed by a blood panel

+ I believe there is a blood test to detemine if you need supplemental calcium

+ even on a more basic level, you might simply be dehydrated. If you spend your time mindlessly surfing the net, you might be forgetting to drink plenty and plenty and plenty of fluids, and that will very easily cancel out all your efforts at concentrating.

Finally, at least use the laptop on the floor or on the couch, not sitting at your desk. Mindlessly surfing the net while sitting down would reduce your lifespan (all prolonged sitting would, mindless or not).

Do things that you can control. It is very hard to control THOUGHTS but it easy to control whether you are SITTING.

Reading articles about ED recovery is a chore for you. Try reading articles about something more interesting, fun, and not related to ED.

You have an ED, but it does not mean that you should feel compelled to read every article about ED recovery. Feeling compelled to do that and then failing to do that bring out feelings of guilt in you, and since you are already brimming with feelings of guilt with regard to the food consumption, you very clearly do not need MORE GUILT FEELINGS.

I do not have trouble with eating fish, though I don't usually eat salmon. I just had cod last night and I sometimes eat tuna. The heartburn from the fish oil has almost disappeared. I am on medication to improve my stomach functioning though.

It makes a difference whether I sit at the couch to use my laptop? That is interesting!

You are right that I cannot control my thoughts but right now I am trying to challenge my thoughts. I have just begun eating something like 2000 calories a day to gain some weight. The challenge is to get the calories without eating too much junk. Currently, I get 1/4 to 1/3 of the calories in high-sugar items. I have read that sugar can rob the body of nutrients. Hopefully the increase in my food intake shows some results in my concentration.

Sitting is bad for you - search for "prolonged sitting" on the web. Basically, a modern plague. You need to use the laptop on your belly. Or, have a an ergonomic standing desk (prohibitevely expensive). Or, better than an ergonomic standing desk, use a low speed treadmill that has a station for a laptop - EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE .

The easiest way to load on non-sugar calories is to eat healthy fats, because fats=high calories. Avocado, olive oil, and the like. I doubt that sugar can "rob" our bodies of nutrients - it sounds like one of the "scares" that portray basic food staples as highly addictive and harmful substances - but it can definitely displace better choices in the diet. The key is not to feel scared by sugar, and not to aim at zero-sugar consumption (the brain needs sugar), which is unrealisic (and failing to reach unrealistic goals leads to despair and guilt, which you do not need), but to gradually replace some of the high-sugar items with better choices. It is also very important to not consume high sugar items alone, but to "mate" them with protein/fat/fiber during one snack/meal.

not sure how true it is but the other day i was told sniffing rosemary oil helps increase concentration.....even if it doesn't its worth trying because it smells delicious!

Speaking of essential oils, citrus oils and peppermint are supposed to help too. Having remembered this, I shall check if I have any citrus oils at home.

By the way, I had a full blood panel done a few months ago and my platelet counts were fine. There were no abnormal results.