Goldfish & Chips

This blogpost is not based solely on ADHD but concentrates (sorry:) on deteriorating attention spans and it's influence on your well-being. 

Also, I'm evidently not a qualified psychiatrist, this is just opinions and experience and as no two people are the same, I am quite open to others experiences or different coping mechanisms.

There is an ADHD (attention defecit hyperactivity disorder) epidemic through-out the modernised world. I say modernised because it does not seem to effect the parts of the world with less money, technology and distractions. 

ADHD has been the topic of much debate since it's 'induction' into the psych world. Many believe it's a disease or disorder, others do not. 

ADHD expert claims disorder is 'not a real disease'
 

Firstly, never hang your jacket on anything a scientist says, give them enough time and they will prove themselves wrong. Secondly, regardless of neurological diseases and proving whether ADHD is real or not, our attention spans are done son. We are bombarded with constant distractions via bullshit information, invasive marketing, pictures, moving pictures, notifications, sounds/noise. 

We're not meant to be living the way we are, and evolution definitely has not caught up with the society we live in. Living in an environment of  stale buildings and magnolia walls, the blower's notifying you that someone you haven't seen since your communion day has commented on a photo of yours, but you cannot appreciate that there are animals with some sort of flying technology going over your head, because you're engulfed in this magical rectangle with red notifications popping. We're built to exist in the countryside, in a field with the animals of farthing wood where there is little or nothing to distract us. 

How is it nature is so overwhelming? Our brains are programmed pretty easily, your tummy rumbles when you need to eat, but happiness comes from feeding your senses. Music to your ears... Fuck, way too sidetracked that's another blog. 

You should see me trying to write this, it is absolute torture. I don't proof-read either so I don't know how painful and di sjo in ted this is to read. Here's a cool photo of a Kermode Bear. They climb up trees and wait for you to be walking home from the pub and piss on you.

So yeah, a lot of our attention spans are pretty faded and I kind of barely touched off why but it's important I talk about the knock-on effects.

ADHD or a poor attention span leads to a multitude of things, there's a load here. It ultimately leads to people feeling incompetent (in the wrong environment) and appearing 'stupid', which leads to low self-esteem and eventually culminates into a multitude of other different illnesses.

ADHD symptoms can arise from depression, anxiety or bipolarity and can lead to some being misdiagnosed with ADHD. ADD/ADHD symptoms seen at the tip of this iceberg of problems. There's a fly on the tab part of my screen and as much as a right he has to be on this planet, gwan toot sweet and die pal.

When diagnosed correctly Attention Defecit is usually the ever-proud founding father of this iceberg of problems, sitting at the base with a smug little face like wagwan sexy. This can, and does lead to many mood disorders, eating-disorders, depression, bipolar and substance abuse amongst others.

Attention span is pretty serious ay? It's pretty vital you look after your brain and general well-being or, well.

You don't need to be diagnosed to help your concentration without medication. I've went through some good and bad medication with ADHD to be honest, most of it killed my hairy toes cause I've got ginger soles and creativity goes out the window. As humans we thrive off creating so if something takes your creativity, just nah.

So I taught myself how to concentrate a bit better, and try harness my poor attention span by building environments around me that suits it. There's so much I could delve into here but I'm better off just getting to the free medication. I can't escape the concrete and phones just yet, so i try to make my own distraction free environments. 

These are things I do to help my concentration which in turn can prevent depression or disorders arising. Ideally I'd live in a field but it's not too feasible at the moment.

Phone

The notifications on your phone are coloured red to grab your attention(that worked didn't it). Put your phone on silent/airplane mode (this combined with Attention Defecit will make you even harder to contact) and change the settings on your phone to black & white or greyscale. iPhone users > Settings > General > Accessibility > Greyscale

Time

Don't be consumed by your watch, or pressure to have achieved things by a certain age. I've never seen a cow stressed because he's late.

A Clean Living Or Workspace.

Sounds petty, but it is essential for a clear mind.

Sleep

One of them things you kind of need to survive. 

Most phones and laptop will have a display modifier to match the time of day. At night it will change your display to orange. This will help you sleep, orange you gland you read this blog. For most platforms, Flux is easily accessible free software, Apple have also included their own version in their latest update.

Music

Make love to your ear drums.

Excercise or Sport

It would be condescending if I even mentioned the importance of excercise.

I cannot condone sport enough though. Sport brings both excercise and socialising into one. Treating 2/3 main aspects of your mental well-being(bio/social).

Incense

Lovely 

Lovely

Have passion for something or anything.

Create

This is our main objective in life and it can be through any medium with any result. Paint something, make food, make babies/fires, write, make noise, dance, whatever trevor, the end result does not have to be of any significance but these little creations are a perfect outlet for anything. They can also help release suppressed feelings from the subconscious or unconscious but that's another story. 

Negativity

Any negative thing or person, why would you bother. 

Meditate

Go to mother nature and say 'gizabitada'. Sit there with her, she's pretty beautiful. You don't need to throw mad yoga shapes to impress her but take in what she has to offer and feed all your senses.

Meditate properly through Yoga, Reiki whatever.

Buddhist Binaural Beats on youtube are pretty insanely good for your brain

Buddhists

Have it all pretty sussed

Lao Tzu

Read him

Diet

YES

Cod Liver Oil/Omega 3

Multivitamins

Zinc

Plant based diets and Vegan diets(if you can/could)

BIG FUCKING NO

Aspartame 

Phenylalanine

Colourings and all them are very hard to avoid but they kill your brain cells.

Haven't eaten any body part of an animal or mammal in 4/5 months (are you even vegan/vegetarian if you don't tell everyone) and my concentration feels a bit bettererer. Anyway, thanks for reading, and any feedback would be super appreciated as I feel like I may be talking to myself.