Learning to Focus…

Learning to Focus…

PROBLEMS WITH CONCENTRATION

Problems with concentration can be a symptom of a wide variety of disorders. Read this article to learn more.

Problems with concentration

Problems with concentration can be a symptom of a wide variety of disorders. It is often first noted in school, but easily escape attention. Often, people are unfairly labeled as impulsive, lazy, disorganized, irritable, inconsistent, or flaky. Attention Deficit Disorder, also known as ADHD, is one of the most common disorders associated with problems in concentration. It is a highly treatable condition that is usually associated with children and adolescents, however symptoms of ADHD can go undiagnosed and persist into adulthood where numerous problems in life functioning can occur. Typical symptoms of ADHD include, but are not limited to, chronic difficulties with initiating tasks, easy distractibility, poor organizational skills and time management, forgetfulness, and difficulties listening attentively. Some individuals also experience symptoms of hyperactivity and a tendency to make decisions and engage in behaviors without clearly thinking through consequences.

When untreated, Attention Deficit Disorders (ADD/ADHD) can alienate friends and loved ones – disorganization and poor concentration creates an impression of being unreliable or disinterested. In adults, financial management is sometimes complicated by impulsive spending and an inability to pay bills on a timely fashion. Work may be marred by tardiness, difficulty in meeting deadlines, careless mistakes or problems in meetings. Studies show that ADHD lead to increase rates of teenage pregnancy, school dropouts, job loss, divorce, and motor vehicle accidents.

For those that suffer from ADD/ADHD, recognition and treatment of the disorder is invaluable to restoring a sense of mastery and balance in their personal lives. Treatment is a collaborative effort between clinician and patient, usually involving medication to address the biological aspects of the disorder, psychotherapy to foster effective coping skills and improve self-esteem, and, when necessary, involvement of family members or significant others to learn about and more productively manage the interpersonal aspects of the condition.

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