Prayer difficulties with ADD

[Zippety13]

So I've known I've had ADD for a while now but I guess I just never really connected it with the difficulties I have in prayer. I instantly understood why I had such problems paying attention to directions in school, writing papers, reading text books, reading books in general, keeping track of things, being organized, being impulsive, being depressed, etc... the list goes on and on, doesn't it? But I didn't realize until now (almost a year since my tentative diagnosis) that maybe it's not just my lack of faith or love of Christ--I blamed it on myself; that I obviously didn't love God enough to pray. But I've been trying harder and harder and getting more and more stressed about it.

I can't keep a single thought line or keep competing thoughts at bay. I can't stay on track or focused on God at all. It's very frustrating. I'll start to pray and 2 seconds later I'll be spacing out or thinking about something else. And especially when I need to pray the most, I'll have so many thoughts racing through my mind at once that I just get overwhelmed... and almost panic or get upset at myself. Anyone have any tips?

I wish I could be on medication but I feel like it's hard to be taken seriously when you were not diagnosed as a child. Just because they didn't realize it then doesn't mean I'm not ADD or don't need help! I just happened to be bright and female so I couldn't possibly have ADD... just because you aren't having trouble in grade school doesn't mean you won't later on... It's especially hard to be diagnosed or medicated as a college student because they think you just want amphetamines or something...

 

[mikeforjesus]

You dont have to talk long though its better... a prayer is only a prayer when there is feelings of love towards God I think.. you can talk alot maybe with no feelings... or you can stay in His presence without saying a words.. Which do you think is better?

 

[railey]

i know exactly how you feel! i was diagnosed with ADD about two months ago and it's been difficult to keep it under control. the meds i'm on right now don't seem to be helping, and i fear i might have to try several before i find the one that works best. i'm also a college student and i know what you mean about people's misconceptions. i, too, excelled in grade school but my concentration and lack of focus gradually got worse. no one seemed to notice because not only did i make A's and B's, but i'm female and stayed out of trouble. i honestly don't know how i made it through school.

because i'm going through so much right now i've been praying a lot more than i ever did. but like you, it's very difficult for me. not only do i feel like i don't know how to pray, but i feel i'm not doing it right. i'll start to pray and within a minute or two, my mind has wandered and i'm thinking about something totally random. i can't even count the times i've prayed and realized that i never completed the prayer. i don't remember where i left off, but i remember i never said (well, thought) "amen." i've even tried meditation to block all thoughts, turned all the lights off, got down on my knees to pray but that doesn't help. so i understand where you're coming from. i hope someone can post some suggestions because (like you) i find it very frustrating, especially when you're trying to communicate to God and Christ.

i'll pray for the both of us for better concentration and focus on God and Christ. God bless!

 

[SarahB622]

I'm also ADD....and yes praying is ruff for me...but I found that writing it out or typing it out on the computer is easier for me I know it sounds kinda stupid and weird but it works for me....

 

[railey]

no, that doesn't sound stupid at all. it works for you. those are great ideas. i'll have to get me a journal to write my lengthy prayers in. thanks for the suggestions!

 

[pumanator]

This helps me to hear what you're dealing with. Nehamia (someone spell that 4 me) wanted to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem...he was the cup barer to king of asyria (that nation I think) and when we went to ask for permission to do so he uttered the shortest prayer in the Bible..."Lord help Me" (Jesus might have said one shorter I think) and you can bet ppl in times of crisis (war etc) have prayed shorter ones. Pray with out ceasing is what Paul says, so you pray lots of little ones through out the day...I pray Lord help me all the time LOL can you guess why...Yup Adult ADD!
Looking to used PDA on ebay rightnow

One more...reading is excrusiating for me (anything) so I like to listen to teaching in the car...gonna look for bible on CD on ebay too. Find ways to cope...we love ya here...dere's lots of us Unfocused Ones here try here www.joniandfriends.org

 

[Bleeah]

Pray with out ceasing is what Paul says, so you pray lots of little ones through out the day.

My 2 cents:

• When I get a prayer request email, I use the words of the email to pray, and it helps me to stay focused.

• Write down your prayers. We have a conversational prayer thread here at CF, and reading it and contributing to it is very edifying.

• A lot of us are pretty addicted to resentful thinking, partly because it's stimulating and it's focused. When this happens, we've got to pray and we've got to forgive.

 

[kayd1966]

I totally understand...when I went to my Dr, I told her that I knew something was wrong and that I needed help before it started affecting my children and family even more than it already had. She told me that it was good that I was being proactive and got a letter of recommendation for me. She also got me in with a hospital's Psyc unit. I called to confirm the appointment for Sept. and was told there had been a cancellation for the following morning. I took the appointment, went through the testing, spoke to the Psyc and was given medication to start the next day. I've already been back once and will be going back again in October for a follow-up to make sure the medication is ok. Do your research so that you know what you are talking about, then go and see your Dr, also find out if there are specialists in you area and ask for a referral. I spent all of my adult life jumping from job to job and not ever being settled. If you get the help now, (you may need to push for it) maybe it'll be easier on you.

God Bless!

 

[pumanator]

I spent all of my adult life jumping from job to job and not ever being settled. If you get the help now, (you may need to push for it) maybe it'll be easier on you.

God Bless!

This is huge truth for those with adult ADD. Let us now what progess you make, i.e. be accountable to this post if you want to.

 

[Zippety13]

Well, with starting up at a new school (just transferred), I switched insurance plans so it looks like I'm going to be 'forced' to see a new pdoc. This could be good though. They'll re-evaluate me and maybe they can answer my questions. I have my appointment on the 21st so I'll keep you guys updated. You are all amazing and your advice and personal experience stories are so supportive.

Much Love,
Zip

 

[pumanator]

Just keep movin' down the road, shinny side up of course...don't worry, God's in control

 

[kayd1966]

Well, with starting up at a new school (just transferred), I switched insurance plans so it looks like I'm going to be 'forced' to see a new pdoc. This could be good though. They'll re-evaluate me and maybe they can answer my questions. I have my appointment on the 21st so I'll keep you guys updated. You are all amazing and your advice and personal experience stories are so supportive.

Much Love,
Zip

Thank Father for this new school and the new insurance plan that You have provided. May this be the step that Zippety13 needs to get the many questions answered. We acknowledge the You are in control of our lives, and we ask now that You would over see this appointment on the 21st. Give the Dr wisdom to test, diagnose, treat and explain every detail to Zippety13 so that she will understand. We thank You and Praise you for this wonderful step forward. In Jesus Name Amen

 

[GrannySmith]

A good Dr. will understand your symptoms and not judge you. You will discover when you tell your closest friends and family members that you were diagnosed and getting help, they probably will not even be surprised. I was diagnosed after I became a grandma. Meds & counciling has helped me so much, it doesn't matter what other may think. (Most figured it out before I did and were relieved I got help)

 

[roseglass6370]

about praying: I find it really helpful if I pray out loud. You don't have to talk loud, just in a whisper. I just say what comes to my mind, and if your thoughts happen to wander, even just mention this to God and ask that He help you keep them on track. Just talk to God as if you were talking to a friend, out loud. Also don't think of praying as a bother or a chore, and don't worry that you aren't doing it "right" or "good enough", prayer is from the heart, and God knows what's in your heart and that you love him very much

God bless, and I'll be sending out my own prayer for you

 

[JesseRaymondBassett]

I have Aspergers-Autism and it is hard for me to stay focused. Especially during prayer. I need advice too. Praying is tough..

 

[Zippety13]

Well, I saw a new pdoc last week and you know what that means... well, maybe you do maybe you don't... depends how much you've dealt with psychiatrists, haha. But, new pdoc = new medication... or at least that's what seems to be the trend. He seems to agree that my depression seems not to be serotonin-based. So he's switching me from effexor to Wellbutrin (dopamine/norepinephrine). Wellbutrin's supposedly also prescribed sometimes for ADD. Anyone have any experience with it? If after a few weeks I'm not feeling any benefits as far as focus/depression/etc. he wants me to get officially tested for ADD because he thinks I have it but thought we'd try this before testing... testing is expensive...

Could use your prayers though during this switch and pray that we'll find something to help. Effexor supposedly has an awful withdrawal syndrome. Could be fun Anyways... any advice is always appreciated.

P.S. I started a the "One-on-One with God" Bible Study with my mentor. It's really helpful as far as just building time with God into my schedule. I'd recommend it to anyone who has trouble keeping up with reading His word or scripture memory.

 

[flautist]

I know I'm coming in on this a little late, but I wanted to offer my experience.

One thing that helps me a LOT is a multi-vitamin I found. It's actually formulated for people who want to lose weight and are dieting, but the very things that help your metabolism also help ADHD symptoms! It's not one of the ones that curb your appetite, it's just a multi-vitamin with extra vitamin B and trace amounts of caffeine. It has helped my ADHD SOOOOOOOO much!

As for the prayer thing, I find that bible studies help immensly. Just get together with 1-5 friends and have a small group discussion and prayer. Being involved in discussion helps make it easier to focus and makes it more interesting. You are also blessed with new ways to look at things that you may not have thought of before on your own. Also, as has already been mentioned, just pray lots of short prayers. Use your impulsiveness for good here. Don't feel like you have to pray 3 lengthy prayers a day. Just pray lots of little ones. Don't try to put it on any kind of schedule, because that just makes it tedious and mundane. Just take whatever little impulsivities you have on your mind and tell God about them. That's prayer from the heart, my friend.

I hope some of this helps.

 

[training4utopia]

As one who is overcoming ADHD I hope my advice can help. I was on medication all throughout my childhood. Had (and still have some) all the classics, impulse, compulse, racing mind, problems paying attention, imaginations so creative I could get an anxiety attack (even if it wasn't something bad.) The problem almost totally is focus. A problem with focus can lead to many other things, but the root cause is an inability to focus. When we can focus, we can't snap out. Our mind is ours to control. We have to tap into the part of our brain thats weak and exercise it. If you don't want medication, which I don't, reading is essential. We have to catch this problem and contain it. Most of us are on a 5 minute daydream before we can even snap out of it. When we decide to pay attention we'll have a ton of nonsense trying to break down the barrier of paying attention. Believe it or not we have no choice but to focus. Instead of focusing on whats in front of us, or what we're listening too, we get too caught up in our logic, reason and or imagination. This is why we can be near genius even if you don't have much of an education, but yet still appear dumb to those around us. WE'RE INVERTING WHAT IS MEANT TO BE EXTRAVERTED. This can be done, it's hard and takes extreme dedication. It also means to commitment to give up alot of things we like about it. Thats right, you'd be surprised how much of this stuff we like. read the battle field of the mind by Joyce Meyer. I was never the same after reading this book. I had know idea how much I could control this. It took dedication and alot of praying and effort, but the progress I've made is staggering. And it's only been a little over a month, no meds or anything. I have been beating this thing like crazy all with the help of God and commitment. This can be done alot easier than you think. We just need the truth.

 

[LetGo]

Adult ADHD/ADD is becoming rapidly recognized. Now that several of the ADD meds are getting indications for adult treatment, docs are finding it more prevalent. Especially since ADHD is very genetic, and docs are finding that alot of the parents of the children treated for ADHD had it as well. Wellbuterin could help, although doubtful. It is more of an antidepressant, and will not focus as much on the Dopamine/ norepinephire like the ADHD meds will. If you get your ADHD treated, alot of time the depression goes away. ADHD can cause depression and often go hand in hand. If you don't get your ADHD treated, there is no sense in keep treating for depression. You need to go to the source. Its kind of like if you had a gas fireplace burning, and you wanted to put it out. Throwing some water on the fire may calm it down, but turning off the gas knob will turn it off. Treat the ADHD , and the depression might go away. Most docs will treat ADHD first and foremost, and lots of times, the secondary disorders will go away (depression, anxiety, ect....)

 

[drinkingwater]

i have the same problem with praying and after i get off topic and realize i feel like an idiot and apologize to God. i think i'm gonna try typing my prayers as well. thanks for the tip!