Start Fidgeting and Pay Attention
When I Sit Still My Mind Goes Blank
As a child I constantly heard “Stop fidgeting and pay attention.” As if one cannot pay attention, if they fidget. Where is it written that one must sit perfectly still in order to concentrate? I found that once I forced myself to sit still, my mind went blank or I would find myself daydreaming.
But still because it had been so ingrained in me and I had the misconception that fidgeting distracts one's focus, I insisted my children sit still and pay attention. When attending college, I would write extensive notes while listening. This way I gave the appearance of sitting still and could still pay attention, because my hands were busy.
What a Relief
Coming across this book helps me in knowing that I am not alone, nor is my son who is diagnosed with ADHD. I sincerely believe that I have an attention deficit, as I am constantly distracted. Staying on task can be draining, and I have a habit of taking multi tasking to new heights. On the rare occasion that I sit down and watch a television show, I must find things to occupy my mind simultaneously, such as knitting and mending. This
works fine during the show, but during commercials I am putting away laundry, doing crossword puzzles, running back and forth into the kitchen to wash the dishes, or any number of other tasks. It drives my husband crazy, but if I do not stay occupied, it drives me crazy. I hate going on long trips without a book, crocheting, or a writing tablet, and he feels he must exert his influence to stop my busy work. He says things like “Why can't you just relax and enjoy yourself?” Being busy is enjoyable, and relaxing.
Do You Chew Gum When Taking a Test?
In a book review found at Attitude Magazine I find reassuring words such as:
“Do your kids swear that listening to music helps them focus when working on homework assignments? Do they score higher on tests is they're allowed to chew gum? And how about you? Are you the kind of person who can either sit still or focus, but can't do both at the same time?”
After reading just this one paragraph, I felt immediate relief. So maybe I am not that strange after all. I couldn't wait to inform my husband. Although it made me feel some what guilty for insisting my children sit still and pay attention all throughout their childhood. After all isn't that what I was taught?
Simultaneous Sensory-Motor Activities Improve Concentration
According to the authors of Fidget to Focus, Roland Rotz, PhD, and ADD coach Sarah D. Wright, doing simultaneous sensory-motor activities can be an effective way to improve one's ability to concentrate.
Fidget to Focus helps us find acceptable ways to “fidget”. It gears one away from nail biting, smoking, picking at one's cuticles, and so forth. It advises against socially unacceptable habits that may be annoying to coworkers such as drumming at your desk, and provides a workbook of “Fidget Strategies” in order to assist the reader with acceptable forms of fidgeting.
More Resources
Here is an outstanding site that offers programs, tools, and various sites directed at assisting those with different variations of attention deficits.
Groundbreaking Ideas
This book is full of groundbreaking ideas based on personal stories of hundreds of patients. Research in neuroscience will aid in the way that attention deficits are dealt with and the therapy used to help those with this disorder to stay on task. What a relief to find a treatment that does not merely consist of medication, but on self management.
Substance Abuse of Ritalin
While I in no way endorse self treatment, or ignoring the recommended treatment advise of a qualified professional, there is much to be addressed and examined in the medications prescribed for treatment of various disorders. Ritalin is abused for the stimulant effects it provides including appetite suppression, wakefulness, euphoria, increased focus and attentiveness.
Many cases of drug abuse have been reported with Ritalin being used by those without a prescription; crushed and snorted, swallowed, or dissolved in water and injected. Abuse of this drug may lead to severe psychological or physical dependency.
According to an annual report performed by the University of Michigan, in 1994 it was found that more seniors abused the drug Ritalin than were prescribed the drug.
Addressing the need of improving methods of learning with the learning disabled by therapy and self management should be an alternative that is seriously considered. It just makes sense to use every tool accessible to improve the teaching and learning experience. In the meantime, I fidget discretely and focus more completely.
译文:
不是人人都靠静坐集中注意力 （多动症患者也能专心）
“抓耳挠腮”，也能专心
当我静坐的时候，脑子一片空白
小时候我常常听到这样的数落：“别‘抓耳挠腮’的，专心点！”就好像当我们做小动作的时候就无法专心，而只有捆手绑脚、完完全全静止不动地坐在那里才能集中注意力。有一次我强迫自己静坐的时候发现，我的大脑一片空白，因为如果不然我可以意识到自己在做白日梦。
做小动作一定会分散注意力，这个误区在我心中根深蒂固。我坚持让孩子们静坐，以专心做事。记得上大学的时候，我一边听课一边疯狂地做笔记。这样，给人的印象是一副很专心的样子，而其实我的双手还是在不停地忙碌。
松了一口气！
与这本书邂逅才明白，原来我和像我一样多动的儿子并不孤单。我深信自己有注意力缺陷障碍（多动症），因为我老是心浮气躁。专著于一件事已经很耗精力，而我却有这么一个习惯——我喜欢一心N用，而且不断刷新这个“N”的个人记录。我很少坐下来看电视，但凡看，就必然是边织毛活儿或者边修理小玩意边看。总之我必须找到其他事情和看电视同时进行好占据注意力。这些只在看节目的时候奏效，但是插播广告的时候，我便会忍不住收集一下要洗的衣服啦，做一些纵横字谜呀，在厨房和电视之间来来回回，洗洗碗筷或者做些什么其他的事情。老公特受不了我这样，但如果不找事情填满脑子，我自己又会抓狂。我讨厌长途旅行的时候没有书，没有带钩针或记事本，而老公则极力想让我停下手来。他常常说，“你就不能放松一下，享受享受清闲？”而我认为，忙忙碌碌的充实，才能够使我真正放松。
考试时你爱嚼口香糖吗？
《观点》杂志里刊登了一篇书评，我在其中看到这样几个使我倍感宽慰的问题：
“你的孩子认为在做功课时听音乐确实有利于集中注意力吗？吃口香糖参加考试分数会高一些？你自己如何呢？你是那种可以分别很好地静坐或专心投入，却不能静坐的同时专心的人吗？”
读过这段文字以后，我顿感释然。 或许我的问题并没有那么严重。我等不及把这个消息告诉丈夫，尽管对强迫孩子们从小就专心静坐心存内疚。可是，我们不也是被这么逼出来的吗？
感官-肢体同步性活动可促进专心
罗兰 罗茨博士和多动症辅助教练莎拉 D 莱特在《玩出注意力》这本书中写道，一边用感知器官感觉事物，一边做肢体活动，这是一个有效促进注意力集中的办法。
《玩出注意力》为那些容易引起公众反感的“抓耳挠腮”的小动作找到了让人容易接受的出路。它能让人杜绝咬指甲、抽烟、嘬手背等举动。书中给出了一些建议，帮助我们改掉类似当着同事敲桌子等等恼人的毛病。它还附带一本名叫“小动作战略”的练习册，帮助读者学习以常人能够容忍的形式“抓耳挠腮”。
更多资讯
这里还有一个不错的网站，贴出了一些现成的计划和工具。还有不少其他链接，专门针对性地辅导各种类型的多动症患者。
创新理念
这本书里充满了开创性的理念，这些理念都是根据数以百计患者的个体情况提炼出来的。有一种专门帮助思路混乱的人专心工作的疗法，这种疗法在多动症患者中也被普遍应用。而本书在神经系统学领域所做的研究恰恰起到了“疗法”这样的作用。找到这样一种以自控代替药片的方法，还真是解脱！
滥用利他林（中枢神经兴奋药）
我绝不会擅自进行自我治疗，也不会不遵从专业人员推荐的疗法。但是许多其他的患者已经被开出了药物治疗的处方，而这些处方所给出的药物中，有一大批的疗效和副作用尚未实验通过。就这样，利他林因其刺激作用被滥用于治疗食欲过盛、失眠、欣快症、过度注意和集中。
据报道，人们通过很多形式滥用利他林，而这些都是没有得到医生处方建议的做法。有碾碎药片用鼻子吸服的，有口服的，有水溶后饮用的，还有注射的。滥用这种药品可能会引起严重的心理或生理上的依赖性。
密歇根大学1994年的年度报告中指出，已经发现更多的长期服用人士在使用超出处方规定剂量的利他林。
究竟是选择不断强化的针对治疗学习困难的学习法还是努力自我控制？我们应当慎重考虑，二者择其一。积累教育和学习的经验就是要开发一切可利用的资源。此时此刻的我还是在时不时地搞点小动作，但是我的注意力却能够比从前更加高效地集中起来。