Help Methods You Use to Focus?

[Unsure and Useless]

This question most likely doesn't belong here, but I ultimately decided to write it here anyways because I'm open to methods that include SH

I don't want to waste anyone's time, so I'll be brief: how do you guys force yourself to focus?

It's impossible for me to focus on something, even if I like it, and it's genuinely ruining my life. The most obvious solution is to get medicated, but I don't have the kind of money to spend on obtaining a prescription and regularly pay for medication. I don't have a support system that can help me (if I did I wouldn't be here haha), and my family thinks this is a non-issue that can be solved with prayer

Right now, I'm taking L-tyrosine pills, but they're going to lose effectiveness the longer I take them regularly, making it an unsustainable solution. So I just need a way to force myself to focus that isn't "stare at something for hours in hopes of something happening" in order to take a break from taking L-tyrosine until they're effective again, and hopefully, if it works, I can rotate between taking L-tyrosine and doing the second method

I'm aware that there's a chance that more people on this site struggle with this and don't have solutions themselves since depression causes cognitive impairment, but I just wanted to try asking

 

[Cathy Ames]

Nicotine patches and caffeine pills with a side of L-theanine to take the edge off. You probably don't want to do like I do, though.

 

[orpheus_]

Caffeine sometimes works on me. Shit loads of it. Probably not the best idea if you struggle with anxiety, though, and also not very sustainable in the long run because it looses effectiveness overtime. Other than that, not much, just medication which you mentioned is not an option for you. Maybe all the "usual advice" like get enough sleep, take a walk outside, drink water, all the other cliches.. they don't change much, honestly. But maybe a bit, sometimes.

 

[-nobodyknows-]

Caffeine

 

[playalistic]

Caffeine, l-theanine, b-vitamins, nootropics.

I consume anywhere from 150-400mg of caffeine a day, (potentially more on days I do not have good sleep) primarily through energy drinks. I am extremely hydrated and drink a lot of water to the point where I piss like a racehorse so I think I've eliminated any risk of developing kidney stones. I probably have some form of ADHD, I've tried stimulants/adderall before but for me all ADHD meds did was give me a 1 hour buzz and then I would just feel jittery/anxious for the rest of the day. I use caffeine as a de facto treatment for ADHD

I also take l-theanine at a 2:1 ratio dosage to caffeine. L-theanine is a compound that is naturally found in green tea. I like to describe L-theanine in short as a compound that "boosts the positive effects of caffeine & decreases the negative effects of caffeine". It's naturally found in green tea, it essentially makes caffeine not as "tweaky/jittery", reduces anxiety & eliminates caffeine jitters, and promotes a calm feeling. It changes caffeine's buzz from that of a "tweaky high" to a focus-heavy one, and can increase the mentally stimulating/focus enhancing properties of caffeine. I used to get bad caffeine jitters and as soon as I started taking l-theanine they were eliminated. I wouldn't start with the 2:1 ratio though because if you don't have a theanine tolerance you will feel too sluggish/sedated. I would start with 1:1 and ramp your way up

Also, if you struggle with focus start working on repairing your attention span, we live in a content consumption society. Delete short-form social media apps, (ig & tiktok) they are genuine poison for your brain, are specifically designed to be addictive & reduce attention span. I will play a game or watch something every once in a while but I limit myself; reduce the amount of time you consume video games & movies, don't spiral on the internet, etc

Also exercise. Consistently exercising did wonders for my mental health

 

[CumbriaCTB]

Probably not the reply you're looking for but: cutting.

No, really. It's like crack cocaine for me. I find that it just clears a lot of the white noise out of my head and makes it far easier to make, and commit to, beneficial decisions. It also works as a general mood-booster.

Sincerely,
CumbriaCTB

 

[Unsure and Useless]

Probably not the reply you're looking for but: cutting.

I'm still trying to overcome the hurdle of my cowardly instincts being against SH, but I'll definitely keep on working hard at it. Thank you for this

 

[CumbriaCTB]

I'm still trying to overcome the hurdle of my cowardly instincts being against SH, but I'll definitely keep on working hard at it. Thank you for this

If it makes you feel any better, I'm like that with alcohol. I struggle to bring myself to down a single shot of vodka (spirits are the only type that can be reliably used medicinally; beer or even wine lacks the alch% to allow you to ingest sufficient quantities of ethanol to turn your emotions off - and they also make for worse hangovers) because vodka's taste, even the smell to be honest, makes me wince so bad that I just can't do it.

Yes, I kid you not, tearing into my own flesh with a blade is easier than doing shots. We're all cowards in our own way, I guess.

Sincerely,
CumbriaCTB

 

[Forveleth]

I am a big smell person. I use essential oils. I do not even put them in a diffuser, but open the bottle and take a whiff. I found spearmint snaps me back pretty well.

I usually discouraged associate when I am very stressed about something so I take a few minutes and breathe. I allow myself to do something I enjoy to get the dopamine going which brings me back. Usually watching a short video or listening to music for a bit.

Also, also realizing that my mind is straying for something I to not want to do I remind myself that getting the thing dine will be rewarding and will feel good. That gives me a bit of motivation.

 

[lamy's sacred sleep]

bump

 

[popping_candy]

My focus and memory is terrible so when I really need to not lose track of what I'm doing I write it on a $10 LCD tablet (a whiteboard would work the same). The rule is that only one task goes on it at a time in big letters. Having a list just makes it easy to filter out and ignore.

This takes away the risk of not doing something important because I got distracted by something else. There's other reasons to not focus on something of course, but at least this eliminates one of them.

 

[kopebaldy]

I have this song I always hum inside my head, all the time, 24/7.

I have to manually focus on keeping the song going which prevents my head from wandering, then let other tasks piggyback on that "focus". If that makes any sense.

Works most of the time, just not all the time.

Well that and an ungodly amount of caffeine, heart attack will probably get me before the noose does lol