Reading | ADHD Information

I suggest cultivating an addiction to trashy women's magazines. I have no problem reading those!

It's like all those things, you have to be in the mood for reading or nothing on earth is going to let you get to the end of the page!

At school I used to read 10 hours a day (but never the books for class) and managed to do an English Literature major at university (but never got through every course book) . Somehow along the way I lost all ability to read anything except Cosmopolitan magazine and now I carry a book around for 6 months until it is ruined and I am still on page 28, having incurred a library fine.

I decided I was just too determined to read boring highbrow classics that I never finished. My new tactic is to only read magazines, airport novels or short stories because at least I'm reading!

I propose my new success comes from deciding that if a book is boring, I don't have to finish it, even if it is a must-read classic. If I haven't finished it in 2 months it's not worth reading. I no longer feel guilty that I never finished reading Catch 22, Ulysses or anything by DH Lawrence. Movie adaptations were invented for people like us!

Dammit, why can't I read?

Oh, I can recognise words without difficulty, and I can spell better than anyone I know. But I can't read a book! I bought 'Delivered from Distraction' and 'Lazy, Crazy or Stupid' last week, hoping there would be something helpful within their pages.

I've looked at them both, and yep - I can confirm that they're both full of lots of words... and then things quickly start to go downhill. These words refuse to resolve themselves into anything meaningful no matter how hard I try to concentrate. I HATE THIS! It's so damned frustrating. I ended up hurling my new copy of 'Delivered' at the wall in a fit of pique.

I guess you folks all get this too, but Hell, I needed to rant somewhere..

Mark -

I can only read good, exciting, clever fiction. The story has to get my attention right away, or I'm lost forever. My favourite of the moment is the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. I can get through one of his 700+ page novels in less than a month. Ahem... on a slightly different note, I also have a special fondness for the Harry Potter series... they are the epitome of childhood imagination. LOL.

A friend of mine recently lent me a book by.... oh.... I can't remember her name. It's another series, but I couldn't even get an eigth of the way through the first book. The story seemed like it could be good (good premise, etc), but it was written in the style of a glorified trashy romance novel. I lost all interest rather quickly.

I am still plugging away at my copy of Driven to Distraction. If I can get into a hyperfocus mode, I do okay, but most times it is pretty rough going. There is some great info in thee, but since it is not a highly stimulating, fictitious action/adventure story, I find it very hard to stay focused.

Mark

I can relate ! It IS DAMN FRUSTRATING!

The only time I am able to finish a book, is when I go backpacking for a week. And that is because when it gets dark,,, there is nothing else to do.

I have had a book called "women with ADHD" for about a month now,,, I have read two chapters.

Then there are a whole ton of other unfinished books on the shelves I have to read. Started with great intentions and never finish.

Self help books bore me. I like to read true stories full of adventure, such as "Into thin Air", and "Alive",,, however,,, I can still only finish them if in a tent somewhere at night.

I can't even read magazines! What the hell is it with us?

Are you on meds? do they help at all with that?

Christy

[QUOTE=trail-seeker]

Are you on meds? do they help at all with that?

[/QUOTE]

No, no meds. I'm in the UK and it's very difficult getting meds here - they can only be prescribed under the supervision of an 'expert' in the field of adult ADHD, and the UK health service has about 2 of them. I'll get to try them eventually though.

Mark -

Ever try books on tape? They are great in the car.

Good luck with meds Mark. I hope you do finally get the chance. I have just started meds,,, only 18 mg of concerta,, and it isn't enough to do anything. But I at least I have the chance to try! My doc was very skeptical, and sent me to a specialist to be "diagnosed:, and then put me on the lowest lowball amount he could get. So not everyone here in the US is as hip as the rest.

I do hope for your sake, that the UK changes over time .

Hang in there Mark!

Hey, you can always have someone read to you! Oh but then you probably wouldn't stay in the same room for long enough would you?

"Somehow along the way I lost all ability to read anything except Cosmopolitan magazine and now I carry a book around for 6 months until it is ruined and I am still on page 28"

Haha I love that magazine!!! ....and I too will buy books, start them, and never finish. I have many, many books that have either been un-opened or else I started and never got past the first few pages.

" DANCING AROUND" Im Not Alone .... yippie!!!! lalalalalala

[QUOTE=Taag Man]Mark, I am not sure why you can't read those books... are they to "dry"? I understand the problem, but in my case, it think I could read those books.... because I can relate to the subject in some fashion... and it is interesting, because I think I have ADHD... Is there nothing you can read?[/QUOTE]

I can read some stuff, Terry Pratchett's Discworld books immediately spring to mind. Whether I'm interested in the subject or not seems to be irrelevant - I'm very interested in early English history, but find almost all of the books on this subject impossible to read.

The problem I have seems to be with the way something is written - if it something like a fast paced novel, I read because I want to know what happens next, and attention is maintained. Anything else and my eyes just dance across the page taking in almost nothing of what I'm looking at.

Mark -

[QUOTE=Mark Goode]The problem I have seems to be with the way something is written - if it something like a fast paced novel, I read because I want to know what happens next, and attention is maintained. Anything else and my eyes just dance across the page taking in almost nothing of what I'm looking at.

Mark -[/QUOTE]

Ah, I can relate to this. It have to go fast, in some way, to keep my attention. Perhaps that is why I can read on my Pocket PC... the pages is small, and it takes little time to complete a page. Reading a big book is impossible to me. The pages are so long, it takes several minuts to reach the end of the page, and accomplice something...

And then there is those typical american books, saying so little with so many big words. You can't read those, either? I surely can't hehe...

[QUOTE=Mark Goode]

[QUOTE=Taag Man]And then there is those typical american books, saying so little with so many big words. You can't read those, either? I surely can't hehe...[/QUOTE]

Dunno. I'm English.

Mark -

[/QUOTE]

That was not what I meant. In school we oftent read books wich were written by americans... I do not know why, but most of those books were written in a certain way. Very long scentences, many words, saying little or sometimes the same things. It isn't the language, but the way it is used, that made me loose focus...

[QUOTE=Taag Man]And then there is those typical american books, saying so little with so many big words. You can't read those, either? I surely can't hehe...[/QUOTE]

Dunno. I'm English.

Mark -

When I read - I'm constantly thinking - just get to the point ... If the writing isn't going somewhere or very entertaining - I feel I have to get up or make fun of the author.

I have a number of books on my shelf that I feel I SHOULD read. Some of them have been there for years.

I usually get my books for my PDA/Pocket PC... then I can read them... but it is usually highly filosofical or scientific books i read. It needs to be hard and interesting reading, before I can.... It is the same story over again... you need to focus, and you can only do that if you have a high enough level of neurotransmitters... wich is why it needs to be stimulating...

Mark, I am not sure why you can't read those books... are they to "dry"? I understand the problem, but in my case, it think I could read those books.... because I can relate to the subject in some fashion... and it is interesting, because I think I have ADHD... Is there nothing you can read?

At one time I used to read for pleasure, but cannot seem to the last three years or so. And even if I do start a book, I'll read after I've gotten into bed. I'll read perhaps 3 to 4 pages and fall asleep. Then the next night, I have to re-read the last 2 pages, plus 2 more and fall asleep. So it takes MONTHS to read a book. One step forward, two steps back.

Trail-seeker, I also used to read a lot when camping/hiking. I just don't do much anymore due to lack of reliable transportation.

Also when I finally do manage to get a little further into a book (usually a novel), I keep stopping and going back to look and re-read a certain part because I forget this or that...wishing it was on a computer, so I do could a search for what I'm looking for.

I amaze myself sometimes how I can read these posts and follow so well, even when they're in tiny, teeny fonts.

I know a lot of it is because I'm interested in what you all have to say, but I'm also interested in the books I start. So why can't I read an entire book, or read on a saturday afternoon, or something like that? All I have to do is turn off the computer!!

[QUOTE=jellyfrog]" DANCING AROUND" Im Not Alone .... yippie!!!! lalalalalala [/QUOTE]

Yep, that's just how I felt when I discovered this place.

Welcome.

Mark -

[QUOTE=Mark Goode]

Dammit, why can't I read?

I guess you folks all get this too, but Hell, I needed to rant somewhere..

Mark -

[/QUOTE]

I think I know what you are talking about.

When I read a novel, I need to read very slowly. If I attempt to practice speed reading I lose track of character introductions. I also cannot keep up with plot developments and changes. As a result, when something major happens with a character that was introduced in the first or second chapter, I fail to see what is relevant about the event as it relates to the character (or vise/verse) unless I go back and re-read a lead-in chapter.

Yea, it sucks..... My distraction issues are so bad that it flows into books. It's a good thing movies are only about two hours long or I would have the same problem with them.

[QUOTE=ZORG]

It's not character introductions I lose track of, but words. I read a page of text, and at some point I realise that my eyes are tracking the words, but I don't have a clue about what I've just read! Eyes and brain apparantly became disconnected a paragraph or so back. It's so damned frustrating.

Mark -

Im taking the GED high school equivalent and im having the hardest time but i also took a different test and i scored hi in sciences and tech and art....go figure

!!I read at least a little every night to go to sleep and have been doing so for a long, long time. Rarely read when not in bed for the night, always just 2 to maybe 20 pages so I read books slowly but steadily.
The trick is to read good stuff. Along with crap and boredom there is much truth and beauty to be found. I often read classics - some of these even suck (Moby Dick) but most are classics (about half of William Faulkner) for a good reason.
I'd be VERY interested if anyone here has read Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian. If there ever was a man's book, as in a book for men, this would be it. It has a clipped and non-emotional style, no characters with redeeming values and is one of the blackest nightmares I ever encountered. Fabulous. Different, but truly fabulous.

TR!

For some reason, and I don't know why, everything is easier to read on a computer screen for me.

[QUOTE=GypsyWomyn]
What about Hemmingway or Steinbeck, to mention just two of many GOOD "American" authors? Or in the SciFi category, Heinlein??? I love the detail descriptions, the analogies, the story lines, etc. Hey, can you tell me some Danish author I may be able to find in the library, please. I want to try one, and see if I get as much pleasure. Seriously...something non-fiction. 'k? Thanks.
[/QUOTE]

I was thinking more about school books for sertain things... like programming or system development... i know nothing about normal litterature... I can't read any of those books... not even danish books.... can't help yea...

Perhaps you should read some H.C. Andersen adventures.... storries like the little mermaid are written by him....

I LOVE Han Christian Andersen....who was also on the AD(H)D list!Hehe, I actually thought about writing that he was ADHD... but yes, Hans Christian Andersen was a pioneer in that kind of litterature... :)

I can read most fiction without any problem, provided it's good. I just went on a fantasy binge that ate up 4 800 page books (talk about hyper-focus). But if the topic is non-fiction, dry, and worst of all, not interesting to me, I can't read it to save my life.

I just bought "Delivered from Distraction" and read in the intro that the book is laid out so an ADHD reader can read chapters in no particular order and still gather some useful information. Don't give up hope yet Mark.

[quote=Taag Man]In school we oftent read books wich were written by americans... I do not know why, but most of those books were written in a certain way. Very long scentences, many words, saying little or sometimes the same things. It isn't the language, but the way it is used, that made me loose focus...[/quote]

What about Hemmingway or Steinbeck, to mention just two of many GOOD "American" authors? Or in the SciFi category, Heinlein??? I love the detail descriptions, the analogies, the story lines, etc. Hey, can you tell me some Danish author I may be able to find in the library, please. I want to try one, and see if I get as much pleasure. Seriously...something non-fiction. 'k? Thanks.
I am ADD and I can't read thing I am not interested in.....to take the

boring stuff I have to read it a couple of times and take glossary if I am

suppose to remember it and lurn it. If I reading book for pleasure I read

them for the storyline and the thrill.... like watching a movie I skim

through it and get the pitcure and litterly swallow books (hyperfocus)

have to read straight through or I won't finish it and when I am done

(I become one the book)... I remember some of the book.... but after a

while I read the book again and be none the wiser. Special talent.... read

books I like at least 3 times..... then I see the movie and it ruins

everything because I remember movies. Books that take some processing

to understand i cant hold the beat have to read books that flow well[QUOTE=Mark Goode]It's not character introductions I lose track of, but words. I read a page of text, and at some point I realise that my eyes are tracking the words, but I don't have a clue about what I've just read! Eyes and brain apparantly became disconnected a paragraph or so back. It's so damned frustrating.

Mark -[/QUOTE]

This is precisely what happens to me. I'll get to the bottom of the page only to realize that I had merely been tracking the words, not absorbing them. This can even happen to me when I am reading a good action/adventure story, if I reach a dry part and am not in a "reading" mood.

It always happened when I read a school textbook, even if the subject was something I was interested in. If I want to learn somehting, I would rather see it, or do it, not read about it.

I read only things I am intertested in. I scan thru all other things.

Sometimes I find a great sci-fi book and just can't put it down and will be up till the wee hours of the night reading. On the other hand, I usually battle with what you are talking about Mark. I will be reading these words and suddenly realize I am in the middle of the page and have no idea what I am reading about. Like you said, my eyes read the words but the brain doesn't connect them into anything coherent. Then I have to go back a page or two to find something I remember reading and start again from there. Very frustrating!

This happens almost always when I am reading something I am not particularly interested in, but also sometimes when I am interested in the subject, but I guess it is not written in a way that I can follow. For many subjects one paragraph with a photo is good for me