I set out to do some research to find out why so many young people are given drugs for attention deficit disorder. It also helped with the bewilderment over the reasoning behind a fixed time period for giving a presentation or the number of words to be written in a document. In observing young people in public who very openly confess that their parents or doctor are giving them medications for ADD (attention deficit disorder) or ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder), many of them seem very intelligent and able to focus on whatever they are doing at the time. The journey began with many articles on research into these disorders. Various entities are blamed for shorter attention spans. The infamous “TV” takes the blame more times than not. Computers, video games and even hypoglycemia have taken the hit. After several hours reviewing documentation on the subject, there was no definitive cause for problems associated with attention span. The problem seems to be the person’s willingness or ability to focus on what needs to be done.

Focusing in, I began to wonder what the source of this lack of focus would be. There have been all kinds of studies done on ADD, ADHD and attention span. The conclusion, the majority of the time, was that an adult has an attention span of 20 minutes, plus or minus 5 minutes. Children increase in ability to stay on task as they increase in age. This consensus does not appear to have changed over the past 30 years. The search for the actual source of lack of attention led me to such things as:

• mental status tests
• clinical effects of illegal drugs
• lack of stimulation
• lack of thiamin, fatty acids and amino acids or protein
• lack of exercise
• a need for simplified activities
• and on and on…

Unfortunately, there was no definitive reference giving the exact cause for lack of attention span. There were many recommendations for drug therapy. AdhdNew.com at http://www.adhdnews.com/adhd-drug-side-effects.htm provides the side effects for various ADHD drug therapies. Sleepiness as one side effect doesn’t seem to be a good alternative to a lack of attention. Palpitations, nervousness and headaches don’t really excite one either!

Next on the list was to find recommendations for enhancing one’s ability to focus. The first 3 pages of query on the internet resulted in groups and religious organizations with “focus” in their name. Then, there were recommendations for learning meditation, playing cards or games, setting a timer and sticking to the time allotted, Ancient Greeks would recite long poems, Abraham Lincoln read lengthy speeches, or playing a sport that interests you. There are innocuous remedies for a lack of focus or to keep the attention. All of the remedies take commitment to overcoming the difficulties at hand. None of the remedies is a quick fix.

Finding the source for the lack of ability to focus is the hoped for cure. Consider things such as:

• faulty eyesight or the inability to hear effectively – literally, cannot focus
• insufficient nutrition - hunger makes a person irritable and unable to sit still
• loneliness - acting out to get attention
• boredom - lack of challenging activities
• disinterest – not involved in things that interest them
• a broken heart

Whatever the cause of attention deficit, having caring and loving people all around will help a person overcome their lack of attention regardless of the course of action taken. As with most things in life, it will take some time and commitment.

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