Reading books as a means to cure ADHD

[UnconsciousHuman]

I am thinking under the assumption that ADHD is as follows: a lack of concentration, lack of clarity of thought, poor working memory function, too vivid an imagination, simultaneous perceptions.

If you think about it, the symptoms of ADHD come to life when one is tasked with the basic challenge of reading a book.

To properly digest the information written in a book, one must use concentration as a means of doing that, and since books are not one idea but a collection of ideas that build on top of each other to form a bigger picture, one must persist in digesting idea after idea, page after page in order to get the message of the book.

Reading books trains your ability to focus, your ability to control impulses of doing something else (getting up and leaving), your working memory, and your ability to not feed energy into irrelevant tasks.

Neurofeedback training basically functions on the principle that you can learn to use your brain differently, usually using your concentration circuit, and as a result, get into the habit of using your brain differently in your day to day life, I don't see why using your brain to achieve the task of fully digesting a book in a consistent manner where concentration is the means by which that happens doesn't also put you into the habit of using your concentration circuit. 

I doubt that if you go to a psychiatrist with an ADHD problem that you would be prescribed reading 15 book a month because psychiatrists prescribe things that statistically work, in other words, since people read books so little and being tasked to read a lot of books is very time-consuming most people don't do it and therefore, statistically, prescribing people to read doesn't work.

My father is a Ph.D. doctor in medicine and his first year studying he told me he had great difficulty with reading due to his ADHD problem, but over the months it became effortless he said. Now take in mind that a medical student's life mostly consists of digesting, conceptualizing and memorizing difficult biological models so this is really good training, but I believe the same gain in concentration ability my father developed can be developed by reading tons of books.

 

Has reading books improved your concentration ability? please post me your answer.

[Chumbimba]

It has improved mine a little and I read every. My problem with reading is retaining and understanding what I am reading and applying it to my life practically. I also get monkey mind when I read and think about women a lot 

[Espaim]

Has reading books improved your concentration ability? 

Not sure if I really have ADHD. I do have frequent problems concentrating.

I've been reading daily for 3+ years for 30min on average. Highs and lows happened thoughout this time. When my concentration hits a low point I can't even read one sentence correctly so, I don't think it reading had a huge effect on my general concentration hability. I've gotten better at reading books, though.

What really helps is staying away from the internet and screens in general (I've been doing the opposite since the corona virus outbreak ).

When my concentration is really messed up during the evening is when I got too stimulated during the day.

[Austin Actualizing]

From what I understand and have researched (although could be wrong). Reading wouldn't directly train focus but at least it would get you away from the things that ruin focus such as social media, porn, internet browsing. The book The Shallow by Nicholas G. Carr goes into greater depth on how internet use ruins focus. To directly train focus you would have to do Concentration exercises  @UnconsciousHuman 

Edited April 1, 2020 by Austin Actualizing

[Hansu]

Try becoming interested in the book. Not like "Oh I want to read that because X and X", be excited about the book!

 

[UnconsciousHuman]

@Chumbimba @Hansu @Austin Actualizing @Espaim

Thanks for the input

[UnconsciousHuman]

@Espaim

When you are reading, are you setting the intention to focus or are you reading and whenever you focus, you focus and when you don't, you don't? 

Let's be more specific. When you are reading a sentence where your eyes and thoughts are following the words but your mind is somewhere else, do you just go along with that or do you try and focus your mind and align your attention with what your eyes and thoughts say?

[UnconsciousHuman]

@Hansu

I can understand where you're coming from, but concentration shouldn't only be something that happens when your survival needs are being met or potentially being met (things that peak your interest). The reason for that is that in life Im going to be facing seemingly very mundane things that should require my full attention, and I should have the ability to concentrate independently of how fun the situation is. 

Also have you noticed that concentration is a deeply spiritual thing. It allows for true and clear perception, which is going to play a big role in self-discovery or enlightenment.

[Hansu]

2 hours ago, UnconsciousHuman said:

Also have you noticed that concentration is a deeply spiritual thing. It allows for true and clear perception, which is going to play a big role in self-discovery or enlightenment.

I have found that during my deepest spiritual moments my mind has been calm and focused, but I do not know if that is due to concentration. It could be that I just have concentration during those moments. In fact, those deepest spiritual moments have come to me when I have actively tried NOT to focus on anything during do nothing meditation.

I hope you'll find your way to increase your concentration. Try different things and become aware of how they work. I'd still like to advice you to at least try taking advance of the hyperfocus trait that is typical for people with ADHD

If you have boring tasks to perform that take time and lack motivation, I can recommend trying pomodoro timer. Basically you start the timer, do whatever you planned to do for 25 minutes and then take 5 minute break. That timer worked wonders when I was still doing school work, especially my thesis.

http://doitalktoomuch.com/adhd-time-management-tool-the-pomodoro-timer/

Edited April 1, 2020 by Hansu

[StarStruck]

I think I might have ADD and the pomodoro technique helped me. Use a metronome with a ticking sound to empty your mind. If you have a busy mind a metronome sound is a life saver. 

[StarStruck]

I think I might have ADD and the pomodoro technique helped me. Use a metronome with a ticking sound to empty your mind. If you have a busy mind a metronome sound is a life saver. 

[Espaim]

@UnconsciousHuman Sorry, I got a bit confused by your question . I'll try to answer what I understood.

When I read, I just start reading and let my eyes and brain do the job. Whenever I notice that I was daydreaming, I generally go back to where I started daydreaming and skim the text up to where I noticed I was drifting off.

[TheSomeBody]

doesnt work from experience