[lozza89]

Hi,

so ummm after high school I got straight into uni and started my degree in social community welfare and counselling straight away. To start with I was doing OK both managing my mental health and study. But then I was put on seroquel and things just went down hill from there...

I found concentrating on my studies incredibly hard to the extent that opening up my books just brought on so much anxiety as I was starting to fall behind and was beginning to fail. And so started me dropping subjects in the hope that if I took a semester off and started the subject the following semester then I'd be in a better head space and would be able to pass. A few years of me dropping the same subject and re starting them though I was made to leave uni completely.

Now though.. many years on and my GP is wanting me to start a course of some kind (something in animal studies he was thinking) but I am once again back on seroquel and on a high dose so I don't know if I should even try to study again

is anyone on any psych meds and feel that you can't study on them or even concentrate? I have been trying to get back into reading novels (use to read a hell of a lot) but I even find that challenging and find it really difficult to remember just what it is I am reading

any advice anyone?

Thanks for reading!

[Miswimmy1]

Have you spoken to your pdoc about this? Why does he keep putting you on Seroquel if it makes it so difficult for you to focus on your studies? Surely you aren't the first student to come into his office.

[DesigningWoman]

I'm not on seroquel. But I have this issue pretty seriously. I just finished reading my first novel in years. I try and read but it is so difficult to stay focused and not get disappointed in myself. I used to read Shakespeare plays for fun. Now I struggle with a mass market paperback. I find the words don't stay in place on the page like they should.

[lozza89]

Originally Posted by Miswimmy1

Have you spoken to your pdoc about this? Why does he keep putting you on Seroquel if it makes it so difficult for you to focus on your studies? Surely you aren't the first student to come into his office.

because unfortunately it's the only thing that helps me with my insomnia (I came off seroquel for a while and was tried on other things but nothing helped for long hence being put back on it) and I guess if I have to weigh up meds and sleep but not being able to study vs not sleeping I will choose meds but surely there must be a cocktail that would work well for me and will make study easier?

at the moment I'm on:
200mg anafranil (it's one of the older AD's)
1500mg epilim
300mg seroquel
1mg benztrop (I get a bad and rare side effect from the seroquel)
10mg valium PRN.

and for the first time in a long time I feel this cocktail is working, well minus the lack/ poor concentration..

it just makes me feel even more depressed because I feel like I can't achieve anything and I cant even work due to my anxiety being so bad and well the no concentration too..

Originally Posted by DesigningWoman

I'm not on seroquel. But I have this issue pretty seriously. I just finished reading my first novel in years. I try and read but it is so difficult to stay focused and not get disappointed in myself. I used to read Shakespeare plays for fun. Now I struggle with a mass market paperback. I find the words don't stay in place on the page like they should.

I'm sorry you are having this trouble too

I see my pdoc again in 2 days but I don't even know if I should mention this to him cuz what if he changes meds again and it makes me worse off? I feel like I am stable some what with what I'm currently on..

I just don't know what to do I just feel hopeless and like I am still losing cuz I can't even do the things I use to enjoy like reading! I don't see the point of living cuz it's not like I can do anything worthwhile anymore.

[spacee]

have had same issues as you - reading one page of a novel for an hour or so. And even then, I had no idea what it was about - my focus just wasnt there.

I tried with https://liftmode.com/calming/l-theanine.html and coffee and it helped a lot - the focus was there and generally my mood went up