15 replies to this topic

[j03]

I know there's a lot of smart and educated people on this site so that's why I'm posting this. I need your help! I'm in school and I'm flunking badly. I just got 30% on my Econ test because I never even opened the text book. I got a 40% on a Chemistry test I never studied for and I got a few essays due this week I put off until now. I've literally done zero course work despite daily resolutions and plans. All I do is browse the same sites over and over all day. I can't force myself to do any work.

I think maybe the 20mg of Methylphenidate I take is increasing my repetitive behaviors and obsessive checking online websites habit, so maybe switch to Adderal is in order? Without a stimulant i have no attention span so stopping one would be even more detrimental to school work.

Otherwise, there's a CBT aspect, yet I can't will myself do do things. It's 3AM and I'm in the library. I've been here since 7PM. I was supposed to do the two assignments but I squandered all this time listening to music and obsessively checking emails/website

Any advice?

[Elus]

I know how you feel. I've been having some major problems with procrastination too (Biochemistry major, sophomore in a research university, i.e., pressure cooker). PM me if you wanna talk...

Edited by Elus, 07 November 2011 - 02:48 PM.

[Introspecta]

You gotta just focus on staying off the internet. Not all school work is on the computer. Get away from the computer. Once your away from the computer and start working its not tempting to check websites. I deal with that issue too. I get sucked in for hours reading and while its not completely unhealthy sometimes there are other things to do. Adderall isn't going to make you not want to go online. I doubt any nootropics will be the major fix you gotta just make it a point to do your work. At first you'll slip get frustrated but once you create a habit it will be much easier. As far as nootropics are concerned piracetam has always gave me the desire to learn as much as possible so that is something you could try. Also Noopept which everyone seems to have positive results with. Start with Piracetam. Theres tons of threads on it in this forum.

[thedevinroy]

Dog, you might need an antidepressant. I wouldn't mess around with stimulants too much if you have compulsive behaviors. Get some Bacopa and/or Gotu Kola so you can calm your nerves down and be less overwhelmed. If the Gotu Kola is too sedating, Ginkgo will balance out the GABA-A receptors. Bacopa can be replaced with Ashwagandha if it is too sedating.

Your local Vitamin Store should have these.

[Athanasios]

There are programs that you can get that only allow a certain amount of time for online activity a day. They may help.

Another possibility is using a timer. Something like 30-45mins studying, 20 minutes break, repeating intervals can work well.

I hope you find something that works for you!

[thedevinroy]

Your school should have almost like a "study hall" program. WPI has what they called M.A.S.H. which was basically a faculty-run study hall for kids who had trouble staying on task. I was much more productive there. Give up your comfort for progress and just grind it out. It sucked, but it worked.

[sam7777]

Lots of good points made here.

DO NOT stay around any distractions. Even sitting in the wrong place in a public setting or library could effect your concentration. Cubicle style studying, closed areas, dimly lit, help for me at least. Removing the computer sometimes also helps, but this is a will power issue.

I always study much better right up to the time of the test. I have to get really desperate so that I will absolutely not think I can get away with doing other things in place of needed actual studying. This is not obviously a good strategy. Perhaps you could look into giving yourself pretests, "mock tests", something you can psych yourself up for, but as a psych out.

If you do not take fish oil for omegas, I recommend massive attack doses of those. Interestingly, people are saying that gotu kola is sedating, and that ashwaganda is less sedating than bacopa. All three could be either sedating or stimulating, but they are helpful. I especially recommend bacopa for memory and learning.

You may want to look into citicoline, Racetams, and GPC.

See if tyrosine helps.

Take 5-htp, see if it is sedating or stimulating. If you can go to sleep after taking it, I recommend taking it prior to bed time, resting by 10 to 11 pm to allow your adrenals to rest, and your body to assimilate and utilize the amino acid to make serotonin. Doing this allows me to wake up very energized and motivated, interestingly. If I do not rest by 11 pm, it will not work, in me at least.

I greatly encourage schizandra, rhodiola, and cordyceps. I cannot tolerate any of the ginsing species, but also they are an option.

Citicoline and tyrosine can be quite potent, but you want to make sure they are not over stimulating.

I also strongly suggest dietary changes. They are critical. I cannot get into the details, but I have made other posts on the matter.

[#1hit]

Dog, you might need an antidepressant. I wouldn't mess around with stimulants too much if you have compulsive behaviors. Get some Bacopa and/or Gotu Kola so you can calm your nerves down and be less overwhelmed. If the Gotu Kola is too sedating, Ginkgo will balance out the GABA-A receptors. Bacopa can be replaced with Ashwagandha if it is too sedating.

Your local Vitamin Store should have these.

Hmm, that's an interesting bit of information about Ginkgo Biloba. do you know any more about how Ginkgo interacts with GABA receptors or what type of effect it has on anxiety? That's one benefit i don't hear touted very often.

[thedevinroy]

Dog, you might need an antidepressant. I wouldn't mess around with stimulants too much if you have compulsive behaviors. Get some Bacopa and/or Gotu Kola so you can calm your nerves down and be less overwhelmed. If the Gotu Kola is too sedating, Ginkgo will balance out the GABA-A receptors. Bacopa can be replaced with Ashwagandha if it is too sedating.

Your local Vitamin Store should have these.

Hmm, that's an interesting bit of information about Ginkgo Biloba. do you know any more about how Ginkgo interacts with GABA receptors or what type of effect it has on anxiety? That's one benefit i don't hear touted very often.

Exactly. I've brought it up so many times. It is the only natural GABA blocker I know of. It is competitive at the allosteric binding site for GABA-A. Basically, it reverses benzodiazipenes. Lowered dopamine levels in the pre-frontal cortex actually cause GABA-A receptors densities to increase, leading to lethargy associated with ADHD. In addition, it is one of the only NRI's found naturally, though that is a different compound in the herb responsible for that (a Ginkgoside). Thus, it has a synergistic effect against ADHD with Gotu Kola.

Need studies for all those claims? They should be pretty easy to find...

[noos]

Have you tried to study with a friend or group?

[hippocampus]

Drugs and supplements won't solve your problem ... they may just help you a little. you just need to stay away off the computer somehow.

[kassem23]

Sounds like you need to question why you are in college in the first place. Is it something you want, or something you're doing because... it's what most people do? Find the motivation inside of yourself, do some soul-searching and find where you are at.

Get your priorities straight. If you don't feel like studying economics or chemistry, no amount of pills will make you want to, except outside the range of euphoriants, etc., but those are not prudent in the long-term. If you have problems with focus and executive function -- which your prescription to ADHD may suggest -- and you err on the ADHD inattentive side, I'd definitely try Adderall, preferably the extended release. It's been shown to improve memory and suistained attention more than Dexedrine, because it has the levo amphetamine isomer. I'd definitely try it if I were you.

[Climactic]

Traverse these supplements in this order: Multivitamin, extra vitamin C 250mg x2-x4, D3 5000 IU, a good B-complex, individual essential minerals, fish oil providing 2-3g of EPA+DHA, whey protein, myo-inositol 6g 1x-3x, NALT 350mg x1-x3, sulbutiamine 200-800mg, citicoline 500-1000mg, racetams - not overlooking phenylpiracetam also.

A nicotine patch can be powerful and also works, but use only in conjunction with vitamin C, taurine, and arginine. Remove immediately when it gets to your head.

There is no substitute to eliminating distractions.

Edited by Climactic, 20 August 2012 - 07:01 AM.

[Baten]

Lithium 5mg every morning. Makes life so much easier.

[xeon]

Dog, you might need an antidepressant. I wouldn't mess around with stimulants too much if you have compulsive behaviors. Get some Bacopa and/or Gotu Kola so you can calm your nerves down and be less overwhelmed. If the Gotu Kola is too sedating, Ginkgo will balance out the GABA-A receptors. Bacopa can be replaced with Ashwagandha if it is too sedating.

Your local Vitamin Store should have these.

Hmm, that's an interesting bit of information about Ginkgo Biloba. do you know any more about how Ginkgo interacts with GABA receptors or what type of effect it has on anxiety? That's one benefit i don't hear touted very often.

Exactly. I've brought it up so many times. It is the only natural GABA blocker I know of. It is competitive at the allosteric binding site for GABA-A. Basically, it reverses benzodiazipenes. Lowered dopamine levels in the pre-frontal cortex actually cause GABA-A receptors densities to increase, leading to lethargy associated with ADHD. In addition, it is one of the only NRI's found naturally, though that is a different compound in the herb responsible for that (a Ginkgoside). Thus, it has a synergistic effect against ADHD with Gotu Kola.

Need studies for all those claims? They should be pretty easy to find...

Would it be safe to take Bacopa + Ginkgo Biloba considering they both have a Serotonergic effect? Would the Ginkgo Biloba reverse the sedative effect that Bacopa has, if it's safe to take them together?

Ginkgo inhibits monoamine oxidase, so people who are taking certain types of antidepressants (such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), as well as pregnant women, may experience side effects. (Source)

Edited by xeon, 09 July 2013 - 08:23 PM.

[3AlarmLampscooter]

A nicotine patch can be powerful and also works, but use only in conjunction with vitamin C, taurine, and arginine. Remove immediately when it gets to your head.

Seconded as far as the nicotine goes, but I don't know if taking arginine at the same time is a great idea. Arginine is an MAOI, and the combination of MAOIs and nicotine in cigarette smoke is the main reason for nicotine addiction.

I take nicotine alone casually from time to time and find it works well as a stimulant, but I don't mix with MAOIs. Granted, I did try cigarettes for about a week and then quit cold turkey, so I may be in the so called 10% of "social smokers".

Nicotine gets a real bum rap from its association with smoking, but in isolation it really is a good stimulant aside from the very low therapeutic index and cardiac effects (which I think Phentolamine may largely counter)