Concentration Issues - Tips To Manage Them!

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, concentration deficit disorder, short-term memory loss, forgetfulness, insomnia and so many more terms we would have come across very often. They all seem to have come from a common origin and that is concentration issues. Have you pondered on these questions!! Why can’t it be easy to concentrate? Why can’t it be easy to remember everything? If yes, then read on to know more.

Concentrate! Focus! Pay attention! These are not just words but one huge and complicated process in itself. Many children and as well as adults often develop this issue wherein they find extremely difficult to concentrate.

The science behind concentration issues: When an individual performs a single task; for example reading a book, the image of what he is seeing hits the retina. From the retina, the nerve fibres carry the image to the brain which stimulates the brain cells to fire an action potential. The signal from here moves to the thalamus and proceeds to the visual cortex. This signal activates locus coeruleus which is a brain stimulant. It targets the particular area of the brain becoming the deciding factor as to how one responds to a stimulus, which in this case is an image. When there is deregulation of the locus coeruleus, it is then that a person develops disorders like ADHA, anxiety, depression, insomnia and others.

Factors influencing concentration:
Concentration is a skill that requires you to prioritize your senses while doing any work. It is an ability to block out distractions.

• Dedication to the task
• Interest in the task
• One’s ability to complete the task
• Physical and emotional state
• Conducive environment with few distractions.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and concentration deficit disorder (CDD) 
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and concentration deficit disorder (CDD) are the two predominant concentration issues. The first one is more common among the children while the latter is observed in mostly the adults. Any individual with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or concentration deficit disorder can show abnormalities in their behaviour and social life.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder individuals tend to be forgetful and face problems sticking to one task and may even display excessive fidgeting. Concentration deficit disorder individuals tend to be lethargic, move slowly and have trouble staying alert. Adults may become socially withdrawn and exhibit slow information processing.

Solutions for concentration issues:
Concentration issues require a lot of time to be overcome. You can try to figure out what causes the distractions and avoid them as much as possible by refocusing your mind only on what you are doing. You can give yourself timers which comprise of “distraction time” and “focus time”. This strategy helps if one’s mind is actively processing other things. You may also create subtasks by listing the things you need to do and then ruling out one by one once you accomplish them. Always breathe better and try for long inhalation and exhalation. This helps to bring down your anxiety levels which hinder the concentration.

Though the above-mentioned strategies are just to help you improve your concentration they are not the ultimate cure for any of the issues. Every individual is unique and sometimes accepting oneself can solve many complications as it reduces the need for unnecessary thinking. Always bear positive thoughts in your mind as it will act as a driving source.