need to pay attention

[ina_ina_89]

I have a friend who has ADhD and I told her that I have bipolar. She thinks my attention span is worse than hers. My doctor says that I may have trouble paying attention because of my bipolar. What can I do to help myself concentrate? I usually can't concentrate when I am trying to read a book or when I am trying to listen to a lecture in class. I find that I have a hard time retaining anything that I just read as well. What is wrong with me?

[mags22]

You can learn and do cognitive behavioural therapy with a therapist, but you can also very successfully do it on your own.  The Feeling Good Handbook by Dr. David Burns is an excellent tool to go through the process and learn on your own.  You can find out lots about it online as well.

It is a very useful form of therapy

[Alex_X_18]

its really common in bipolar trust me you're not alnoe...I can relate I have the same problem basicly when I'm doing anything regaurdless or weather or not I'm enjoying the activity or not like watching a movie or reading a book, or its flat out boring like a super long lecture.... I don't really know what to say because up unitl this point...If there was something I needed to memorise retain or know I was study or read over it sevral times not just once
and I would do this over a period of days
I would always give myself a few days in advance at least when it came to studying for tests
I haven't found much else to combat the problem.....sometimes energy drinks help me to remeber things better or ask more quuestions when I have class but I only take those when I'm really tired because they make me manic

[Bluetwo]

ADHD and BP have something in common...can't pay attention. It's really hard to concentrate and focus.. I would say both disorders cross a intersection with similar symptoms but once they depart the intersection they are truely different disorders even for adults.

http://psychcentral.com/lib/2007/whats-the-difference-between-bipolar-and-adhd-in-children-and-teens/

[Bluetwo]

I have problems concentrating especially with reading. I taught myself to slow myself down and have a quite place to read. If I can't have quite I will read aloud so I can focus in.

Remember there is no manuals for BP's.
Some things you have to figure out for yourself.

[ILADVOCATE]

No CBT is a specific form of behavioral therapy that helps people to manage and understand symptoms that medication is unable to treat. You could look it up online or someone could also post a response who has been through it. I do know about it though but I've never seen that form of therapist.

[ina_ina_89]

Is cognitive behavorial therapy just seeing a psychologist? or is it something else?

[ina_ina_89]

Is cognitive behavorial therapy just seeing a psychologist? or is it something else?

[kgill78]

My dr told me that a lot of times bipolar and ADD?ADHD run hand in hand or comorbidly or you can have them both at the same time.  She started me on strattera because I have the same problems concentrating as you.  I am going through the process of being tested for ADD/ADHD right now.  So you could have both possibly.  You should talk to your psychiatrist about that.

[ILADVOCATE]

That's really hard to say. I have schizoaffective disorder which I've made a basic full recovery from (read through my posts) and I have the bipolar aspect of it. I honestly couldn't concentrate until I was on a mood stabilizer that worked. Speak to your psychiatrist about that as trouble concentrating and focusing can be part of bipolar. In addition cognitive behavioral therapy can be helpful as well.