🌿 Herbs & Supplements 🌿 Nootropics for focus, or how to heal attention span

[Jabberwocky]

TL;DR:

What are some nootropics, supplements, or herbs (other than kratom) that can help with attention span or focus? Any other things I can do other than exercise and healthy diet?

...

I have been previously diagnosed with ADD and prescribed adderall several times throughout my life, although frankly I do not believe I have ADD, and certainly not ADHD. One time I was diagnosed with the paradoxical "Overfocused ADD", which means I focused too intently on one thing... although I don't believe this diagnosis exists in the DSM anymore, lol. I believe I was misdiagnosed, and have had depression/anxiety from a young age and I am on the autism spectrum (assburgerz).

Anyways, I've never actually had issues with attention or focus, but sure loved adderall.

Here's the thing, I can't quite remember exactly when it started, several years ago really, but has been progressively getting worse. My attention span is almost zero. It doesn't matter if I'm sober, or high, or anything. I cannot watch a movie or any other non-essential task for more than a few seconds before reaching for my phone and mindlessly scrolling reddit or bluelight. I can't do anything that requires focus for more than a few seconds. It's actually become quite severe, and is really leading to depression, stress, and impacting my life in a very major way.

I think it's an easy assumption to make that this was caused by years of drugs and alcohol.

I'm not that interested in seeking out another adderall script, for a few reasons. So I'm looking for alternatives.

If anyone has any experience in this area, thank you for any tips

 

[AngelsandFairiesarereal]

TL;DR:

What are some nootropics, supplements, or herbs (other than kratom) that can help with attention span or focus? Any other things I can do other than exercise and healthy diet?

...

I have been previously diagnosed with ADD and prescribed adderall several times throughout my life, although frankly I do not believe I have ADD, and certainly not ADHD. One time I was diagnosed with the paradoxical "Overfocused ADD", which means I focused too intently on one thing... although I don't believe this diagnosis exists in the DSM anymore, lol. I believe I was misdiagnosed, and have had depression/anxiety from a young age and I am on the autism spectrum (assburgerz).

Anyways, I've never actually had issues with attention or focus, but sure loved adderall.

Here's the thing, I can't quite remember exactly when it started, several years ago really, but has been progressively getting worse. My attention span is almost zero. It doesn't matter if I'm sober, or high, or anything. I cannot watch a movie or any other non-essential task for more than a few seconds before reaching for my phone and mindlessly scrolling reddit or bluelight. I can't do anything that requires focus for more than a few seconds. It's actually become quite severe, and is really leading to depression, stress, and impacting my life in a very major way.

I think it's an easy assumption to make that this was caused by years of drugs and alcohol.

I'm not that interested in seeking out another adderall script, for a few reasons. So I'm looking for alternatives.

If anyone has any experience in this area, thank you for any tips

I mean I don’t know if I’ll be helpful at all, probably sounds ridiculous but coffee sometimes helps me with being able to pay attention (I have ADHD actually but I’ve always avoided ADHD meds because I already have enough addictions … but once had a psychiatrist tell me I’m self treating my ADHD with coffee)

Anyways bla bla

I have concentration issues too for many reasons, the above ^, ptsd, dissociation stuff, ect. ect. I have trouble watching movies too sometimes for sure. Something I do .. I don’t know if it’ll be a helpful suggestion for you, or drive you insane lol (non substance thing I do) … When I want to watch a movie & keep having the concentration issues, I’ll just kinda have a radical acceptance thing about it. & just rewind parts as much as I need, or pause it & get up & do whatever distraction, looking online, play with my cat, putting a song on & dance around while making a coffee or something & then go back & unpause it. Sometimes after it’s all said & done I’ll realize it took me anywhere from 5 -7 hours to actually finish watching the movie (or sometimes I’ll pause it & go back the next day), but after I’ll be happy that I finished it.

Sorry If my response was of no use to you or loca, I’d understand & just toss it if you want. (I was going to suggest some other things but they are more like drugs/meds & might not be helpful & I think you were more looking for supplements)

Omegas are pretty good for you too, if you like fish

*btw I personally I think the dsm can be helpful but doesn’t include enough or cover the full extent of complexities of the mind. They say that people with ADD or ADHD can pay a lot of attention or stay focused on certain things sometimes if they are extremely interested or find it stimulating. Personally I can do art for hours on end sometimes throughout the night, especially if I have music or a show or something in the background for noise to stimulate my all over the place mind.

Anyways I hope someone can write some good suggestions
Good luck amigo
Abrazos

 

[Jabberwocky]

When I want to watch a movie & keep having the concentration issues, I’ll just kinda have a radical acceptance thing about it. & just rewind parts as much as I need, or pause it & get up & do whatever distraction, looking online, play with my cat, putting a song on & dance around while making a coffee or something & then go back & unpause it. Sometimes after it’s all said & done I’ll realize it took me anywhere from 5 -7 hours to actually finish watching the movie (or sometimes I’ll pause it & go back the next day), but after I’ll be happy that I finished it.

I can totally relate. It often takes me a few days to watch a movie to completion. Constantly rewinding when I realize I haven't payed any attention to the last few minutes, or stopping to do something else.

I'm also very particular about following the plot and noticing all the details, and get frustrated when I feel like I keep forgetting things I just watched. It bothers me a lot if I feel like I may have missed even the tiniest detail in a movie. I'll often watch the same part over and over for the same reason to make sure I haven't missed anything.

Really frustrating because movies used to be relaxing and I could watch in one sitting. Now they seem like an exercise in frustration!

 

[JimBobWho?]

Man, if you like to drink vitamin b1 is a must.... that and vitamin d with magnesium prior to sleep. And b12 in the AMs. Look up chagga ю, if interested get fresh non ground up. Need to simer it in water 160 degrees for 6 hours. Also, kumbucha is really really freaking good for you. Monks from back in my home land use it to treat various health problems with it both physically and mental.

 

[cdin]

sleep, meditation, exercise, kanna, kava, muscimol - baclofen and gabapentin in extreme sparing doses has been real nice for me. I'm kinda shocked how effective even small kanna doses are.