I cant get through an entire page without being distracted by my own thoughts. Random thoughts just pass through my head and I cant make them stop! I get totally disconnected from what I just read and have to start from the begining. I remember very little after I have finally finished what I wanted to read.
I just starting taking Concerta 27mg/day. It helps a little bit. Usually, I am distracted within 5 min of reading. Now, while on the concerta, I get distracted after 12-15 min.

Does anyone else experience this? What techniques do you use to keep you focus while reading ?

I would appreciate any positive feeback.

I get like that too. I start reading and just the thought of reading makes me destracted. I don't like reading but I make sure to do it for my classes at college. I try to read in the kitchen with mom around. This way when I'm not focusing mom will let me know and tell me to keep reading. This is how I got 3 chapters read in one day. (56 pages)

That seems to be a very common occurance in ADHD! Pleasure reading is easier, but I remember in school, I would loose it right a way, and wander way off the page, turn the page, and realize I didn't kow what I'd read. I have found that eye-tracking exercises have made it better. Before, I used to run a bookmark under each sentence, and that helped me to pay attention. I still want to fall asleep while reading though, no matter WHAT! :faint:

That seems to be a very common occurance in ADHD! Pleasure reading is easier, but I remember in school, I would loose it right a way, and wander way off the page, turn the page, and realize I didn't kow what I'd read. I have found that eye-tracking exercises have made it better. Before, I used to run a bookmark under each sentence, and that helped me to pay attention. I still want to fall asleep while reading though, no matter WHAT! :faint:
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Strattera helped me. I used to read for hours when I was a kid. I could block anything out and plow through books (now I think it was hyperfocus). Once I had more responsbilities though, I'd have thoughts buzzing through my head just like you described. I still loved books but I couldn't read them! (It was a trick getting through my masters degree with little reading of books-- and it didn't make me feel very proud about my diploma.)

On Strattera I can concentrate on books as much as I want. I haven't tried stims, but my doc did offer to give me a combo of stims and strattera so I know it can be done. If nothing else works, ask about adding strattera to your concerta. When you're taking both you can go to a very low dose of Concerta too.

Sometimes people find making it more interactive helps.
e.g.
-making margin notes,
-underlining,
-asking yourself questions & arguing it out with yourself
-(then writing your final thoughts down) as you go along....

I did this a lot in the academic reading I needed to do for schoolwork and essays.

-Having someone at the table to discuss it with helps too.
e.g. Getting 1-1 Tutoring or a Study Buddy is the #1 thing ADDers can do to enable better learning. I got my best marks when I took a correspondence course and worked 1-1 each week (over coffee) with a fellow student. Small Group Work is also an ADDers best study aid.

The MOSt important thing, though, is that you be reading material that you are super-interested in ... to enable that Hyperfocus mode. <G>

Ah yes, I feel your pain.

I write for a living and reading is a huge part of it. Nothing more difficult that having to read something and find it miserably boring. Even with meds (Concerta) I often drift off to my happy place.

That said, I have a method that works quite well:

I load up the iPod with classical or jazz, turn the volume down to 'background' level, and then jump in. This closes out enviromental distractions and helps a great deal.

YMMV.

Ah yes, I feel your pain.

I write for a living and reading is a huge part of it. Nothing more difficult that having to read something and find it miserably boring. Even with meds (Concerta) I often drift off to my happy place.

That said, I have a method that works quite well:

I load up the iPod with classical or jazz, turn the volume down to 'background' level, and then jump in. This closes out enviromental distractions and helps a great deal.

YMMV.
Yes I agree, playing music helps me focus when reading. I always use my ipod when trying to concentrate on something, eg: cleaning, reading etc...

In HS I used to play music while studying, it helped. but throw in outside distractions, and my focus was gone.

The same thing happens to me... I love books, but I just can't finish them. I usually read the first 1/3 to 1/2, then skim to the ending... instant gratification I guess.

I really don't know what to say except that yeah it happens a lot... its unfortunate. Some people like speed reading because it doesn't take so long to read, have you ever thought about learning that?

I take notes when I'm reading (except when I read for fun). I remember and understand the information better.

I often space out for entire chapters, while still reading the words but just not getting it. I do this because there are things more important that captivate my attention. It tends to happen less with non fiction material -- stuff I'm actually interested in reading. Fiction? Forget about it.

well i was just dx a couple of weeks ago and go to texas tech, so i know exactly what you mean when you are studying.

I wouldn't read becouse like you said five minutes of attention tops, so i would skim the book for defanitions, main points, people, or what ever i thought was important. When i noticed those things i would list them on a piece of paper, then put them on flash cards. study at the libray, i could always find a distracion at home.

If you were like me you would not want to go to class because of the thought, if i can't pay attention fo more than five minutes and get lost then whats the point of going to class and then not go, don't do that.

As for when you study, if you take concerta i expect that dr. has you taking it once a day? it might not last long enough. I started on ratalin lr 20mg suposed to last long 8-10 hrs, if i'm lucky i get 5. So now i take 3 a day. Helps a bunch but not great on all symptoms. i noticed if i was reading when it wore off my reading rate would dramaticly reduce, and i would get a headache from tring to concentrate to hard. so try studing if possible when you know the medacine is in your system, like an hour or two after you take. Hopefully that will help. just thought i would share what little i learned about meds.

Long post but hope it helps

I have found that underlining, highlighting, or taking notes while I read helps me. I used to think that doing those things would take longer but in reality if I have to read a page 8 times then adding those things makes it faster.

Sometimes I listen to music while reading. I prefer instrumental music or vocals in a language I don't understand so I don't start listening to the text. It's an outer distraction that distracts the thoughts that distract me + I can move to the rythm; I get to be in motion.

Also; if you usually get distracted after 12-15 minutes maybe you could aim at studying for so long and then take a break and then study 12-15 minutes again, etc.

Sometimes when I'm studying and things are going great; I feel so energetic yet calm and focused, suddenly I can feel how all that dies so to speak and I get really, really tired.

These are all great suggestions. I have also found it helps to have questions to direct my reading for information. Meds have really helped with non-fiction reading, but it has always been easy for me to hyperfocus on a good novel.

I love to read but I do have a problem with (what I will call for want of a better term) becoming hypnotised. I can feel myself becoming sleepier and sleepier, very calm but finding it harder and harder to stay awake. It doesn't seem to be affected by what I'm reading or when, and it doesn't happen all the time. Anybody else?

peridot I am the same way. and it effect my school work if I cant read all the material for college. I wish I had some suggestion for this problem.

Last semester my professor made us read critically and think of an argument for what the author is saying. We then had to write a summary of what we read and then argue or support the thesis. It forced me to pay attention to what I was reading because I needed to understand the main point. I think it's important to read critically and remain objective while reading. Keeping in mind that what you are reading are someone elses words. They are not just generated by a machine. You are entitled to have an opinion about them. With that said I'm on to my J.S. Mill book on Utilitarianism.

Has anyone else here ever tried Kurzweil? It's one of those comp programs that reads to you, and it supposedly engineered for people with ADHD or LDs. You can scan an entire text book into it and have it read back to you. It also highlights the word being read so you can do the whole follow along thing. You can change the voices and speed. You can also highlight sections, so when you go back to that page later, have the option of only reading the parts you selected.

Of course, it does have its downfalls. First it's insanely expensive, so overpriced, but some University nearly give it away for free to students with ADHD. Also you have to actually scan each individual page.

Some people love it apparently. I got a thirty day trial and am not too crazy about it, most of the voices get on my nerves. And then I always keep getting up and doing other stuff while sort of half listening. But hey, might be your magic.