Concentration Problems

@adrian888 We aren’t medical professionals here on Mayo Clinic Connect so we can’t make diagnoses or medical recommendations.

It’s good that you realize that the difficulty in concentration is due to depression. Problem with focus and concentration is a symptom of depression. How long have you had the concentration difficulty? Does this predate the onset of depression? Bupropion is an antidepressant so you can ask your doctor about that. I’ve heard that Bupropion has some stimulant qualities. You probably know that Adderall is a controlled substance for ADHD and isn’t an antidepressant. Also, what is your objective of taking a stimulant for a month?

Have you talked with your primary care provider about medication?

I practice mindfulness. It took quite a while to get the hang of what it feels like but I’ve found that when I focus on breathing and do a mindfulness practice, even for a few minutes, it greatly improves my focus. And here’s the thing. It’s a practice which means the more you practice the better you get at it. What sorts of skills have you learned that help you with focus?

@adrian888 depression, even mild can interfere with concentration. I had major concentration issues after each of three major depression episodes. I found a good psychiatrist and psychologist to help me out of the major depression. The right medication combination completely relieved it. Once the depression was under control I started working on concentration. Each time I found reading children's poetry, then preteen books and finally a novel helped me tremendously. If you aren't a reader, I imagine watching kids programs might be a place to start.
I know this has been a long post so I hope some of it helps.

Thanks Helen for your reply.

The concentration problems are because of my recent depression. How can I start with breathing exercise. Can you give me some tips? I actually don't know any good skills yet to help me with my focus.

Thank you for your reply. This is a good tip!

I'm going to try that this week.

@adrian888 I’m glad to know you’re interested in giving breathing and mindfulness a try. I find it easier to begin these practices with the guidance of a soothing and gentle voice. For this reason, I recommend downloading an app to your phone although I think these are also available online through whatever Internet browser you use. I use the free versions of these. I’m also including a yoga recommendation because yoga is about breathing in and through the yoga positions.

I suggest you experiment a few times with an app until you find one that appeals to you and you feel you can connect to. There are so many apps available and I’m suggesting apps that I’ve personally used and like.

Apps:

Calm

Insight Timer

Find What Feels Good (this one is with Adriene which I’ve also included below)

Yoga with Adriene

— https://yogawithadriene.com/

Will you let me know if any of these work for you? I can make other suggestions but this is a good start.

Thanks for your suggestions Helen. I will try a Yoga App and Insight Timer this week.

@adrian888 I did a session of Yoga with Adriene yesterday. She reminds you to breathe frequently throughout the session. I felt scattered and anxious before the session. After the session ended I noticed that I felt more calm and was moving more slowly throughout the next several hours.

Thanks for your reply. It is nice to hear that. Something happened a few hours ago which made me very stressed and anxious. I started focusing on my inhales and exhales and I immediately started to feel calmer and more relaxed. So it seems it works 🙂

A "sound assist" to breathing rhythm has helped me too... here's one I like, "2 bells" --- free on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4YQG2QjVuE

Forgot to mention, you can also adjust the playback speed to your preference by clicking on settings, the gear shaped thing on the playback control line below the video displayed by YouTube. Find the setting that works best for you!