Anyone trained/professionals out there? Can't concentrate/can't get anything done. What is this? Many details.

[pocket8s]

I can't concentrate....I can't get anything done. The only time that I ever concentrate....well there are two of them actually.If it's something that I genuinely love, 100% wholeheartedly....then I can concentrate on it just fine. Entirely too well in fact.....hours and hours will go by before I realize that this has happened. The "problem" - I use quotes because it's not a problem in and of itself - is that the things that I love are things like music (listening and reading about, not playing), movies, poker, and football. Otherwise...and unfortunately this covers basically everything in my life.....I cannot concentrate on a mental task at all unless I have a deadline and I will be totally screwed if I miss it. I was like this all the way through school (through a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in engineering), I'm like this with my taxes, with everything. I have no ability to concentrate on something unless I am completely forced to by major consequences.I would like the opinion of psychologists/psychiatrists/therapists or possibly someone who has seen or experienced something similar (mostly only if you've been diagnosed and/or treated for it though)....I'm sure the average person reading this will say "you are just lazy" and "you need to try harder" and stuff like that. That's not the issue.When it comes to exercise and physical labor - 2 separate ways of measuring ones desire, I excel. I can work harder and longer than anyone in the job I've ended up in, a factory job (I've worked 7 days a week and I've worked straight through double shifts before) and when it comes to running I can force myself to run to the point of injuring myself....I actually need to be careful when I start running not to push myself to hard because I want to go out and just force myself to run like 4 miles the first or second time out (which is a lot for me.) The point I guess is that I have the ability to concentrate or force myself to do physical tasks but not anything mental that requires me to maintain mental focus to complete the task. My mind just drifts repeatedly and I catch myself over and over and over again....sometimes after literally hours have passed. It's unbelievably frustrating.Now that I think about it, I think the physical tasks thing - at work and the running - are much easier because my mind can wander freely while I pretty much just do them on autopilot. But it does go to show how much desire I have or "how hard I try"....it just doesn't translate for virtually anything else unless, again, I truly love whatever it is I'm thinking about so that I don't have to try to force myself to think about it. I guess that's the root issue...I can't seem to force myself to concentrate on things that I know I need to do but don't have a genuine personal interest in, unless there is a deadline with some type of real consequences attached to it.So, the obvious question: what am I "suffering" from? (I am suffering in a sense without question but it seems so over-the-top when it's not a serious disease or something of that nature, "suffering".)Also...I realize that I need to see a doctor and possibly even be referred to be properly diagnosed. But I want to do as much research as I can on my own before I begin that process. If you took the time to read and consider my (very long) question, I can't thank you enough! I've had enough living this way...it's time to change.

[KathieJo9816]

Attention Deficit Disorder...a little medication can take care of that, easily. kjl

[achoo7528]

i am not a professional but I have a daughter who sounds just like you. It is not just mental things it is also physical in her case. Everything is tomorrow a little later. Never NOW. She is 17 instead of getting better it is getting worse. She was good with her concentration when she was young with studies. Now it is zero. A to C and D. She is not analizing the problem SHe thinks she is fine. I thought it is the age and will improve with time. I am wrong. I dont think it will. YOU do need to set time limit for yourself. Take a diary and make a not of all the things that you need to do for tomorrow. THis should be done every night before going to bed. The next morning take the diary and do one thing at a time. When you finish the task tick it off. When you finish the task for the day, you can reward yourself with whatever that pleases you. When you have to concentrate mentally you should not have anything that distracts you like if it is music that makes you not concentrate stop playing that. IF you are watching TV multi tasking dont do that. Concentrate on one thing and nothing else. If people distract you go to your own room where there is no one to bother you for a while till you finish the job. Continue to keep the diary and tick off as you go. Keep doing till you get the hang of it. You will realize for yourself when you dont need the diary anymore and you can do it automatically without the help of the diary. If that is the only way you can work and keep up continue to do that. You may not need any outside help. Just cultivating a habit that you never devoloped. Concentrating on one thing is very difficult without the mind wandering to other things is very difficult. Yoga helps to clear the mind. This is like praying. When you go to the church or temple you are supposed to think of god. People have wandering eyes looking at others how they are dressed and what they look like etc. The purpose is totally lost. So remove yourself from distraction by isolation and finish the task for the day before you feel comfortable to join a crowd and socialize. Hope this helps.

[MaryS2375]

Attention Deficit Disorder. I am 33 years old and have had those symptoms all of my life. I finally had the courage to go to a psychiatrist about my symptoms about 6 months go. He immediately diagnosed me with ADD and put me on meds. I have never felt better in my life!! Please go see a professional about this! I regret waiting so long.