I find even treated for my ADHD there is one problem that still lingers: My brain hates to learn. It avoids it at all cost. Although the medication eliminates the feeling of restlessness (which when treated usually allows people to focus) ;still manages to manifest itself through a more artificial forced distraction, ie: it isn't as apparent when restlessness is pulling my attention. It typically also plays with my reward centre.
It doesn't even have to be in the context of academics either. For example:
I will travel similar routes to known places to avoid learning new ones, even if it's out of the way. If I go a different route, I'll be thinking about how I can merge this new route into my old, and I'll be thinking about how much better the other way was...even if it wasn't.
While I'm trying to learn a new skill: (For example, right now I've taken up the guitar and drawing) Anytime I start drawing, or playing the guitar, if it involves mental effort like learning a new chord, or learning how to read music, my mind will drift onto some other task that it may find to be more rewarding, or even something that just requires less mental effort --like watching a movie.
Here's my internal dialogue:
Me: Ok, so the F A C E is the notes on the open areas, and E G B D F is the lines. OK so what am I looking at right now?
ADHD: I think that's an E. I don't know, lets do it later, lets just do what you already know: E F and G.
Me: I'm good with E F and G, I need to practice B C and D.
ADHD: It's going to be hard; lets go get something to drink.
Me: OK fine, that does sound pretty good.
It's really odd. My medication treats my feelings of restlessness, but it still is incapable of allowing "me" to have full control. I don't feel like I need to keep moving quite as much. I can sit still. But if it requires mental effort, my brain still screams at me.
I would like to believe that catering to the predisposition that conditions need to be ideal to perform that task would actually allow me to do it, but it just creates more excuses and often leads to impulse decisions which also have no affect. (Example: buying a metronome because I think it will allow me to better time my strumming, and allow me to do it easier--I have wasted THOUSANDS of dollars this year alone on similar themes)
There are many skills I would like to learn, but slaying my brain is the hardest part. Anyone have tips they use while trying to focus on improving a skill? Any idea why my distraction no longer seems tied to my restlessness, but still affects my ability to focus? The things I enjoy won't change, but at this pace it will take me an eternity to actually receive any satisfaction for my efforts.
Any dietary changes help? Increased or decreased sleep? Different times of the day you find you're more in control? What's your strategies?
I get plenty of exercise, 7-8 hours sleep a night--even if it's never a night through--, I eat moderately well.
Any feedback would be appreciated.
It doesn't even have to be in the context of academics either. For example:
I will travel similar routes to known places to avoid learning new ones, even if it's out of the way. If I go a different route, I'll be thinking about how I can merge this new route into my old, and I'll be thinking about how much better the other way was...even if it wasn't.
While I'm trying to learn a new skill: (For example, right now I've taken up the guitar and drawing) Anytime I start drawing, or playing the guitar, if it involves mental effort like learning a new chord, or learning how to read music, my mind will drift onto some other task that it may find to be more rewarding, or even something that just requires less mental effort --like watching a movie.
Here's my internal dialogue:
Me: Ok, so the F A C E is the notes on the open areas, and E G B D F is the lines. OK so what am I looking at right now?
ADHD: I think that's an E. I don't know, lets do it later, lets just do what you already know: E F and G.
Me: I'm good with E F and G, I need to practice B C and D.
ADHD: It's going to be hard; lets go get something to drink.
Me: OK fine, that does sound pretty good.
It's really odd. My medication treats my feelings of restlessness, but it still is incapable of allowing "me" to have full control. I don't feel like I need to keep moving quite as much. I can sit still. But if it requires mental effort, my brain still screams at me.
I would like to believe that catering to the predisposition that conditions need to be ideal to perform that task would actually allow me to do it, but it just creates more excuses and often leads to impulse decisions which also have no affect. (Example: buying a metronome because I think it will allow me to better time my strumming, and allow me to do it easier--I have wasted THOUSANDS of dollars this year alone on similar themes)
There are many skills I would like to learn, but slaying my brain is the hardest part. Anyone have tips they use while trying to focus on improving a skill? Any idea why my distraction no longer seems tied to my restlessness, but still affects my ability to focus? The things I enjoy won't change, but at this pace it will take me an eternity to actually receive any satisfaction for my efforts.
Any dietary changes help? Increased or decreased sleep? Different times of the day you find you're more in control? What's your strategies?
I get plenty of exercise, 7-8 hours sleep a night--even if it's never a night through--, I eat moderately well.
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Still, the timing of the exercise may help, e.g. between or even during tasks (like sitting on an exercise ball like they do at Google while working -- which is obviously a very low intensity thing). 
