Ways Of Increasing Concentration

[mjrm]

I was on adderall for almost ten years and have been off of it completely now for about 16 months.

Does anyone have any suggestions outside of coffee which I already consume a fair amount of to increase concentration?

Thanks!

 

[sele]

Methylene blue

 

[ecstatichamster]

thiamine and inosine seem helpful.

 

[Sunny Jack]

Modafinil is sometimes recommended.

 

[Jsaute21]

Does Peat have an opinion on modafanil?

 

[Waynish]

I don't think coffee necessarily increase concentration. The only thing that consistently does - in my opinion - is meditation.

 

[pimpnamedraypeat]

Breathing to a slow rythm. I have a metronome app downloaded that plays even in the background of music or youtube videos and i breathe in and out to the beat.

Controlling your breathing leads to a calmer heartbeat which leads to a calmer brain.

Also you retain carbon dioxide which dexreases cortsol and makes you brain work better

 

[Thoushant]

What Waynish and pimpnamedraypeat said +

Have a look at flow model, and what emotions might be distracting you
The Flow Model: Balancing Challenge and Skills
http://inkwellideas.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/emotionwheel.png

 

[bmoores]

I had mental clarity after using a single dose of naltrexone. During use my brain was fuzzy, but lower doses 1-4mg might avoid that. Next day was awesome. Amantadine is spectacular. Any safe anti-glutamate, anticholinergic, anti-serotonin has potential to increase mental clarity. T3 and 100mg B1. Cascara and Methylene blue. Gelatin for calming. The brain is the prominent metabolic feature so anything that boosts metabolism and lowers stress hormones. Coffee increases CO2.

 

[Dragon]

perhaps guanfacine...esp. with daily 5-min meditation practice. Boosts connectivity within the mPFC and from the mPFC to the amygdala. Possible negative effect on libido if one is marginal, but not as bad as clonidine. Same class (a2 agonist) but much more brain-region specific.

Ritalin always seemed 'mellower' than adderall to me.

Wim Hoff breathing maybe?

Anything that lowers CRF/CRH. Think of ADD not as a 'focus' problem, but as a "continuously in fight/flight mode" problem, and you may get more useful/powerful results from your research/experiments. good luck :)

 

[Diokine]

+1 on the breathing recommendation. Working outside has been helpful for me. A more acute therapy; I also have started taking dust masks and putting several drops of essential oil inside and wearing these while I work. The subtle smells and rebreathing effect are very helpful for me. I really like oregano oil, cinnamon, and rosemary.

 

[mjrm]

perhaps guanfacine...esp. with daily 5-min meditation practice. Boosts connectivity within the mPFC and from the mPFC to the amygdala. Possible negative effect on libido if one is marginal, but not as bad as clonidine. Same class (a2 antagonist) but much more brain-region specific.

Ritalin always seemed 'mellower' than adderall to me.

Wim Hoff breathing maybe?

Anything that lowers CRF/CRH. Think of ADD not as a 'focus' problem, but as a "continuously in fight/flight mode" problem, and you may get more useful/powerful results from your research/experiments. good luck :)

can you please elaborate on this: "but as a "continuously in fight/flight mode" problem" ---i've never heard anyone say this. do you have any references for this idea?

 

[Regina]

perhaps guanfacine...esp. with daily 5-min meditation practice. Boosts connectivity within the mPFC and from the mPFC to the amygdala. Possible negative effect on libido if one is marginal, but not as bad as clonidine. Same class (a2 antagonist) but much more brain-region specific.

Ritalin always seemed 'mellower' than adderall to me.

Wim Hoff breathing maybe?

Anything that lowers CRF/CRH. Think of ADD not as a 'focus' problem, but as a "continuously in fight/flight mode" problem, and you may get more useful/powerful results from your research/experiments. good luck :)

A quick search on clonidine and guanfacine both indicate high blood pressure. I always have quite low blood pressure whenever it's taken (like 105/60's-ish). But have otherwise some ADD and/or flight (not so much fight) symptoms. Do the cortisol lowering substances we talk about here begin all the way at the CRF/CRH level? Or begin at the pituitary? And if at the hypothalmus level, do hey necessarily also lower blood pressure?

 

[Dragon]

can you please elaborate on this: "but as a "continuously in fight/flight mode" problem" ---i've never heard anyone say this. do you have any references for this idea?

Check recent research in the area of childhood trauma causing persistent/permanent long-term and adult neuropsych issues and you'll find things. But it's something I figured out for myself many years ago. When mentioned to ADD people, many will immediately resonate to it..."yeah! that's JUST what it feels like!". Which they don't tend to say when hearing the 'usual' descriptions of ADD.

'ADD' is entirely a typical gov/academia opposite-to-truth naming... It's not a -deficit- of attention...it's a freaking SURFEIT of attention!

One is trying to track sixteen things at once...continuously...endlessly. That's fight/flight. Continuous hyperawareness...continuous fear.

Consider how the lateral amygdala is supposed to have pretty dense interconnect with the mPFC. That's specifically so that the executive can control the emotion...damp the fear....turn off the anxiety. Now consider how that interconnect is so thinned in ADD people. That's a physical manifestation of early chronic stress...i.e. fear-state.

Also common...high trait-anxiety...high cortisol...high CRF, and their concomitant disorders. One could more accurately call it "childhood PTSD" I suppose.

States which are made intense and/or chronic EARLY in development tend to become THE state of being. The daily norm....the default state. I believe the changes in the brain to be both structural and epigenetic. Both of which are quite difficult to change/fix, sad to say.

The other conclusion I've come to after many years of research is that ADD is a cover-all name for many different syndromes of differing etiologies. Much like 'autism' has now become so 'inclusive' that it's almost useless as a reference to cause, or even symptoms.

Frankly, the best thing I've ever tried is Xanax! under the tongue...instant change, relief, concentration. More effective than any "ADD drug" ever made. It's just that one can't -live- that way (xanax every 4 hrs...every day of one's life).

Too bad the CRF-antagonists haven't panned out (so far anyway).

Rico

 

[Dragon]

A quick search on clonidine and guanfacine both indicate high blood pressure. I always have quite low blood pressure whenever it's taken (like 105/60's-ish). But have otherwise some ADD and/or flight (not so much fight) symptoms. Do the cortisol lowering substances we talk about here begin all the way at the CRF/CRH level? Or begin at the pituitary? And if at the hypothalmus level, do hey necessarily also lower blood pressure?

right, clonidine was originally (still) a 'central agent' for hypertension. I'm not sure if guan. was ever approved for that or not...but it's been pushed hard for ADD for many years by Arnsten, the Yaley who has financial interest in it. You can search on her name to get some of the original ADD-relevant papers on guanfacine. All positive of course... :)

note; I originally said 'a2 antagonist' above, but meant agonist...fixed now.

a few quotes for you...

"The ability to regulate affect and desires may underlie thoughtful, more adaptive goal-directed behaviors, including planning, organizational skills, self control, self-monitoring, and decision making which, in turn, are necessary to change behaviors."

"PFC neurochemical needs are opposite to those of sensory cortex and subcortical structures such as the amygdala."

"catecholamines may act as a chemical switch, turning on PFC during normal waking, and turning it off during drowsiness or stress."

"In contrast, high levels of catecholamines may turn on more primitive brain structures such as the amygdala for more automatic control of behavior under conditions of danger."


Note, I did not say it's a "cortisol lowering substance". I only suggested it as a possible aid to 'concentration', as requested by the OP. To answer your question anyway tho...I've come to believe that the problems originate at the CRF/CRH level. Whether there is something (controllable/druggable) behind even that level, nobody seems to 'know' at this stage.

BP- I seem to recall reading that guanfacine has much less effect on BP than clonidine; but check that prior to use of course. ps; I'm like you in this regard...low BP all my life.

Rico

 

[Regina]

right, clonidine was originally (still) a 'central agent' for hypertension. I'm not sure if guan. was ever approved for that or not...but it's been pushed hard for ADD for many years by Arnsten, the Yaley who has financial interest in it. You can search on her name to get some of the original ADD-relevant papers on guanfacine. All positive of course... :)

note; I originally said 'a2 antagonist' above, but meant agonist...fixed now.

a few quotes for you...

"The ability to regulate affect and desires may underlie thoughtful, more adaptive goal-directed behaviors, including planning, organizational skills, self control, self-monitoring, and decision making which, in turn, are necessary to change behaviors."

"PFC neurochemical needs are opposite to those of sensory cortex and subcortical structures such as the amygdala."

"catecholamines may act as a chemical switch, turning on PFC during normal waking, and turning it off during drowsiness or stress."

"In contrast, high levels of catecholamines may turn on more primitive brain structures such as the amygdala for more automatic control of behavior under conditions of danger."


Note, I did not say it's a "cortisol lowering substance". I only suggested it as a possible aid to 'concentration', as requested by the OP. To answer your question anyway tho...I've come to believe that the problems originate at the CRF/CRH level. Whether there is something (controllable/druggable) behind even that leve, nobody seems to 'know' at this stage.

BP- I seem to recall reading that guanfacine has much less effect on BP than clonidine; but check that prior to use of course. ps; I'm like you in this regard...low BP all my life.

Rico

Thanks Dragon. I think the way you describe ADD is spot on!. And I've definitely got it. And the weird catecholamines to show for it.

 

[Dragon]

Thanks Dragon. I think the way you describe ADD is spot on!. And I've definitely got it. And the weird catecholamines to show for it.

"...and the weird bruises to show for it..." fixed that for ya chica...

 

[Regina]

"...and the weird bruises to show for it..." fixed that for ya chica...

 

[Deleted member 5487]

I was on adderall for almost ten years and have been off of it completely now for about 16 months.

Does anyone have any suggestions outside of coffee which I already consume a fair amount of to increase concentration?

Thanks!

Raw Honey, B complex-50 1/2 The capsule, 40mg asprin.

 

[jet9]

Raw Honey, B complex-50 1/2 The capsule, 40mg asprin.

Raw honey improved your concentration? Could you describe effects/dosages please?