I think I have ADD :/ :/

Ok Ok a bit of context first - I have found concentration on anything unenjoyable (no matter HOW benificial I convince myself it is) or lengthy is very very weak. I was trying to work on my graphics work a few hours ago, and caught myself fiddling with something else literrally once every 10-20 seconds (seriously). Every single holiday, I say to myself "Right Keith, this is the chance to catch up on all my work". EVERY single holiday, I leave it till the last day, like what I'm doing now, and I regularly have to work through sleepless nights just to get work done for the deadline. I checked the Wikipedia entry on ADD a short while ago, (the attention disorder, for people who don't know) and I'm kinda worried now.

I'm a genuinely hard worker in college sometimes, I dont know whats up. I'm not a stupid guy either, every SAT's back in the day, I got above average in every single one. And I was lucky enough to get into one of the top 30 ranked 6th Forms/Colleges in the whole of the UK. But I can't work anymore, and its getting worse. I just got kicked out of computing apparently (speaking to teachers tomorrow) because I missed the final computing deadline, and truth is, I was far behind in the first place.

This is slowly a problem thats getting worse and worse, and god forbid, even my passion of music making is suffering as I can't be asked to make music sometimes anymore - instead I waste time on blogs, games, and general internet browsing and timewasting around the house. It really gets me depressed and to the thought of sometimes dangerously depressed, if you know what I mean...

What should I do?! :undecided :( :(

*thanks in advance*

Turn the Internet off. It sounds like the root of your problem.

yeap, get rid of the internet.. get a 6200 and forget about gaming.. works for me during varsity, was a 2:2 student.. graduated 1st, and finished my doctorate last year..

Lock the front door and throw it out to ur mates.. pull out the tele cord, leave only your walkman (then..) or MP3 (now).. start getting the work done. If you cant live with a 6200, just uninstall everything except your work stuff. Just to be safe, chuck the ADSL router to your gf and ask her to look after it till you're done with your work.

Well I hope I am just being paranoid or something. I've already chucked out all my games, and gave my Steam account to a mate (I had my xfire installed on my downstairs comp hence the CSS hours until I gave it away). I will take one of my 4-way power leads out (so my TV and other novelties can't be turned on, I cba to take them out). Looks like I will be lending my graphics card to my dad for the meanwhile then, getting his trusty old Riva TNT2 :D

Internet is basically non existent in my room now, the wireless router has three brick walls to fight through and I rarely get signal in my room.

Thanks for the advice then guys, maybe just a hard slap in the face by my own hand might do the trick (...lol not literally..) :D

I think I'm getting that too...

Can't focus in my Advanced Higher Maths...Used to be top in maths last year in my schl but hell...my head just went blank facing those maths stuff now.

In the end I think I need to cut myself off from internet. New generation of addiction huh?

Hell yeah, I got a few mates with the same problem as me too so I guess its shamefully down to a lack of self discipline really :( Intarweb is teh evil?

Any free hard/software would go down a treat here so dibbs on yer gfx card ;)

Then we could help each other :P

You're art work is fantabuloso anyway, I had a quick flick through before I registered and account. Keep up the good work mate. :)

Try having net off for a few days. Also writing your tasks down on paper and hang it on wall... that might help you stay focussed.

Sounds like you just have a short attention span, its not exactly un-common amongst young men.

I have the same problem. Wallpapering to do, clothes to wash, dog to walk... and I'lljump on Dead or Alive or Burnout for a few hours and get nothing done.

No depression or anything, I'm just a lazy person, but its getting to be an illness. :D

Also, the other day I poured milk into the kettle. Went for a cuppa, put a cup down by the kettle, tea bag in cup, then got the milk out and just started to pour it into the kettle when I realised what I was doing.

Bad news man. Hope I'm not going simple at 25. :)

Looking at the internet and diagnosing yourself as having problems is a really bad idea. I bet 90% of people fit the DSM-IV description of Bipolar Disorder for example. It's easy to use excuses like ADD and Dyslexia when all you really need is to put some effort in.

Live your life, focus on what you want for your future and good luck to you. :D

You might well have ADD, but I doubt you'll find an NHS shrink willing to diagnose you. I'm exactly the same, although there's never been much progression for me, I just did progressively worse during my academic career as the work got harder and more boring. Eventually I flunked out of university because I could do about a quarter of my course work very well and the rest hardly at all.

It started to affect my work a while ago too, I'd get distracted and fall behind. In the end I managed to keep my job by writing a to-do list every morning and uninstalling IE from my work computer, but in the end I realised I was always going to hate a job that doesn't provide me with enough stimulation, and I took voluntary redundancy when they offered it to me. I'm becoming a bus driver now- I simply don't have the option to switch off and lose concentration doing that:).

Anyway- there's no harm in going to your doctor and asking for a referral, you only stand to lose a couple of hours of your time that you probably would have wasted anyway:p. A friend of mine got himself diagnosed with ADHD privately, and went on ritalin, the change in him was quite remarkable; he went from being far worse than me to having impeccable concentration. The consultation was 400 quid, and the tablets are something like £50 a month, so sadly that's not an option for most people (including me:().

A bus driver with ADD. All above the Rave bus everybody!

*Inside Raves Mind*

Busy junction coming up, I better keep my eye on this... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... isn't electricity amazing? Its blue sometimes, and it makes things work... ... ... yep, it sure is amazing stuff... ... ... ... ... Should text the missus I suppose, see how things are... ... ... ... ... whats the capital of Norway then? I'll throw it open to the passengers.

"Ok people, nice and quick; capital of Norway? Anyone?"

"I don't know mate! Sh*t that was close! Oslo?! Arrrggh! Keep your eyes on the ro..."

:)

Seriously though, problem with these syndromes is they make everything sound like its a... well, a syndrome. Some people have short attention spans, or struggle to get motivated, or aren't happy at work and so don't put the effort in. Not all these people have ADD. As someone already said, don't read a few links from Google and take it as read that you have ADD. I'm sure if you went to the Doctor with these symptoms a million other much more likely and common causes would be considered before ADD.

Ahh thanks for all the comments through the strange hours of the morning guys :D Thanks for the compliment prop4g4nd4

Well, I don't think its lack of effort, because I'm really scared of my own grades because I really need to give in this work, yet I keep talking myself into doing something else, like checking my email, getting something to drink, or even wash my hands or tidy my room a bit. And I get so cross at myself I literally smash my keys down LOL :cool: :(

@ Rave, damn, if it costs that much I will forget about it and just try to deal with it by myself. Good luck with your Bus Driver thing though, I find jobs like that, which can occupy me in a different way are far more different than something like an office job and I can easily concentrate on what I'm doing (almost like a video game). Well I'm thinking about retaking my A-Level year during my gap year (going to have to discuss things with my head of year) so hopefully the stress eases up a bit. I really hope it all goes well, as I've always been a person to set my targets high, and before I worked hard to acheive them - I hope I can get that attitude back sometime.

LOL @ Stewart
Yeah you are probably right, I shouldn't diagnose myself upon little facts. But my lack of attention has just been almost alarming over the past 8 months, and I literally said to my mate its like a disease or condition or something, and he said 'What, ADD?'.. and then I looked into more detail upon it. But I hope I'm being overparanoid about it all, as I am scared of what something like that would have effect over job placements etc in my future.

Also could a mod take the Help Me! bit off the title please? I didn't really realise what it looks like on the forum page, it's like I've got a missing foot or I accidently murdered someone or something :P

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procrastination

Hmm that seems to be a lot like me too, my mum even said I'm such a perfectionist, and I always seem to bully myself these days about my lack of work. I guess it can directly link to ADD though

Quote:

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Severe procrastination and/or ADD can cross over into internet addiction or computer addiction.

Procrastination is commonly noticed in the academic setting, where students are required to meet deadlines for assignments and tests in an environment which is full of events and activities which compete for the students' time and attention.

Some students struggle with procrastination due to a lack of time management or study skills, stress, or feeling overwhelmed with their work. Students can also struggle with procrastination for medical reasons such as ADD/ADHD or a learning disorder such as dyslexia.

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I wonder if there are any other Hexus browsers that can relate to that

You will more than likely get anything you need on the NHS if your not working. People who have to pay usually go private or are working. It just does sound as if distractions are getting in the way of your work, and lets be frank, school/6th form/college.. isnt the most stimulating environment.. its downright boring and a archaic system that is rapidly becoming obsolete. People simply dont learn well that way anymore.. hell its been proven that home work actually has a detrimental effect on pupils since they cant relax, add on top of the time to do that, travel time etc, and people barely have any time to themselves anymore.. I remember staying up till like 3am, or doing a round robin simply to get things done.. that certainly isnt good.
Good luck to you, sounds like your on the right track (removing outside stimulation etc).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by unreal

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procrastination

Hmm that seems to be a lot like me too, my mum even said I'm such a perfectionist, and I always seem to bully myself these days about my lack of work. I guess it can directly link to ADD though



I wonder if there are any other Hexus browsers that can relate to that

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Here!

I can have a list of things to do that stretches off the desk, down the front and half away across the floor, yet I'll still end up just browsing the internet. I do have a mild form of ADD though (Diagnosed) Which doesn't help...

Just a thought:

People who have a list of things to do but instead find themselves surfing the net, are doing so not because they have ADD, ADHD, HD-DVD or anything else, but because given the choice between doing something you like and doing something you don't, most people will drift into doing what they like.

Sit down in front of the monitor with a cuppa and some biccies and surf HEXUS or finish your essay about the history of Cornish tree bark usage in chair making? Exactly.

Its not ADD, its human nature. Everyone puts things off. Everyone does things last minute. Everyone can't be arsed at some point or another. Everyone surfs or watches TV or goes out when they should be working.

When exactly does this perfectly normal behaviour become ADD?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stewart

Just a thought:

Its not ADD, its human nature. Everyone puts things off. Everyone does things last minute. Everyone can't be arsed at some point or another. Everyone surfs or watches TV or goes out when they should be working.

When exactly does this perfectly normal behaviour become ADD?

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It doesn't, usually you have it as a child and symptoms change as you get older, Unreal ask your Mum about your childhod, see whether she had any concerns, bet she didn't.

Why the need to label yourself so easily, if your that worried go see a doctor because your not going to get a diagnosis or sympathy posting about it on a forum

Would anybody be mortally offended if I suggested trying a change of diet?

I lose concentration very fast if:

I've eaten too much fatty foods
Not eaten enough of anything
Have had a McDonalds (no kidding, though the fatty foods things is obviously linked)
Get dehydrated

DO me a favour will you:

Drink a glass of water, Then get your (perhaps not so) lazy ass to the local shop and buy:

Bag of carrots
Bag of Apples
Loaf of BROWN BREAD (whole meal or whole grain)
Mayo (I know...fatty...but not DIRE)
Lettuce
and the expensive bit...a couple of chicken breasts.
Grill the chicken breasts, and leave to cool

While you're waiting, eat a couple of carrots.

Slice the chcken breats thinly, slice some lettuce, use mayo on a couple of slices, make a really nice chicken, lettuce and mayo salad sarnie.

Eat ONE...dont over do it. Pt rerst of food in fridge

Sit for 15 minutes, maybe clear the kitchen, and then go study. Take apples with you, and glass of water.

Repeat in a few hours time ;)

Please...just try it :)
(PS: If you have a local heath food shop, stop blushing and walk in ;) anbd buy a bag of sunflower seeds. When you're studying, pour a huge load of them into a coffee mug, and while you're stdying, literally swig a mouthfull out and chew away. They are AWESOME :) )

It's hard for anyone to concentrate on boring tasks. I had to read a book about the Scopes trial. It took me 2 weeks to read the book because it was terrible. I can usually plow a 400 page book in an evening if it's well written. With this book, I kept turning on the TV, exercising, looking at web pages, anything that was not reading that book. I read it a few paragraphs at a time.

I should of being revising all the easter holidays, only started yesterday and I only did 30 minutes of maths, got my book open at the moment and have barely looked at it since I opened it hours ago. I REALLY need to concentrate, I think it's some sort of highly contageous disease... Lazy V2 or something.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zak33

Would anybody be mortally offended if I suggested trying a change of diet?

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Zak's nailed one of the main issues on the head that I found myself.

The others:

-Scared of failure. NLP reminded me failure is a feedback device, not be all end all.
-Having no passion for what I was doing. You'd be suprised how much it makes a difference.
-Overall negative outlook on everything. Far more positive these days.
-No clear goals.

Edit : clear goals make a big difference too. Knowing what your working for in my case always helps, and in my case I'd find myself subconciously and conciously guiding myself into that direction.

My son was diagnosed as having ADD some years ago and various members of my family including my mother and myself have noticed that we share the same symptoms.
Ritalin and similar drugs such as Equisym (sp?) are very effective and I have found that when I really need to concentrate on something stealing a couple of my son's tablets give me access to levels of concentration I never thought possible.

If you would like to discuss it further please don't hesitate to pm me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stewart

A bus driver with ADD. All above the Rave bus everybody!

*Inside Raves Mind*

Busy junction coming up, I better keep my eye on this... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... isn't electricity amazing? Its blue sometimes, and it makes things work... ... ... yep, it sure is amazing stuff... ... ... ... ... Should text the missus I suppose, see how things are... ... ... ... ... whats the capital of Norway then? I'll throw it open to the passengers.

"Ok people, nice and quick; capital of Norway? Anyone?"

"I don't know mate! Sh*t that was close! Oslo?! Arrrggh! Keep your eyes on the ro..."

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Then don't forget that he'll get the PSP out and play GTA London while driving ;)

Maybe you've just "overdone" it ? Can you not have a day off from using the brain as it does like to rest.

Get out, go for a walk - start an activity... but break the monotiny of doing the same old, same old and maybe this would help :)

Got to admit the one thing I can really focus on is Driving, I could do that for 12-14 hours a day probobly, just something about being behind the wheel makes me feel better.

It's my fault I'm lazy, I have been all my life, Very few people know about my ADD because I don't like to use it as an excuse (Although I was an absolute D**kh**d till about Y10 at school, which is why I got diagnosed with it). All I can say is try to lighten up whatever you're working on, that will make it easier.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stewart

ADD, ADHD, HD-DVD

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Don't know about the first two, but I want the last one :D

Work is punsihment for not being able to procrastinate effectivly.

Where can you get these ADD drugs from? What are the side effects like?

P.S. Unreal - go look up hypochondria
I vaguely remember other threads by you about this kind of thing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zak33

Would anybody be mortally offended if I suggested trying a change of diet?

I lose concentration very fast if:

I've eaten too much fatty foods
Not eaten enough of anything
Have had a McDonalds (no kidding, though the fatty foods things is obviously linked)
Get dehydrated

DO me a favour will you:

Drink a glass of water, Then get your (perhaps not so) lazy ass to the local shop and buy:

Bag of carrots
Bag of Apples
Loaf of BROWN BREAD (whole meal or whole grain)
Mayo (I know...fatty...but not DIRE)
Lettuce
and the expensive bit...a couple of chicken breasts.
Grill the chicken breasts, and leave to cool

While you're waiting, eat a couple of carrots.

Slice the chcken breats thinly, slice some lettuce, use mayo on a couple of slices, make a really nice chicken, lettuce and mayo salad sarnie.

Eat ONE...dont over do it. Pt rerst of food in fridge

Sit for 15 minutes, maybe clear the kitchen, and then go study. Take apples with you, and glass of water.

Repeat in a few hours time ;)

Please...just try it :)
(PS: If you have a local heath food shop, stop blushing and walk in ;) anbd buy a bag of sunflower seeds. When you're studying, pour a huge load of them into a coffee mug, and while you're stdying, literally swig a mouthfull out and chew away. They are AWESOME :) )

---

Is there any way to do that without the carrots and lettuce bit? :D

Be really careful self diagnosing anything over the net.

A few friends who are doctors say their hearts sink whenever someone comes into the surgery and says " I was just reading this thing on the internet last night..."

Go see a doc FIRST and if they suggest anything THEN you can go and research that on the net.

As suggested, drink plenty of water, get some healthy food in you, get some exercise. Healthy body, healthy mind and all that.

My girlfriend always nagged me about my diet and more to shut her up than expectation of anything happening I changed it. HUGE difference. I'll second the sunflower seeds ! They've relaced Pringles as my snack of choice :surprised:

If you're still struggling, don't give in to it. An easy thing to do would just be to accept that you're not gonna do your best because you have a "condition". I'm NOT in any way saying this is what you are doing but it's what I did !

Don't be too hard on yourself, just try your best and good luck with your studies.

yep, diet is paramount. unfortunately peeps in the UK tend to have a crappy diet, overall, so you could do worse than has been suggested.

my brother is semi-hypoglycemic - not officially diagnosed as such - and all the foods that he should stay away from have an extremely negative effect on his concentration / focus, his ability to think clearly etc. I know that's not what you're on about, but diet is certainly worth examining.

also, how is your narcotic intake? IF you're smoking dope, you should turn that off at the wall. absolutely.

Ah ok thanks for the help then peeps :D I think I was just being a bit of a hypocondraic and because I had 2 deadlines on the same day and was awake for nearly 48 hours, I had 2manystress4u! I still do think though that I may be leaning towards Procrastination or something, which although is not serious somewhat, I have realised this core problem about myself and tackling it by taking my computer out of my room as a whole, and just gave it to my dad lol. It's amazing, I now have more space in my room, and I am already working and staying concentrated :D I didn't unplug the TV, as it stops my room from becoming a prison cell, and I like working with the TV on in the background anyway, since a long time ago

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stewart

A bus driver with ADD. All above the Rave bus everybody!

*Inside Raves Mind*

Busy junction coming up, I better keep my eye on this... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... isn't electricity amazing? Its blue sometimes, and it makes things work... ... ... yep, it sure is amazing stuff... ... ... ... ... Should text the missus I suppose, see how things are... ... ... ... ... whats the capital of Norway then? I'll throw it open to the passengers.

"Ok people, nice and quick; capital of Norway? Anyone?"

"I don't know mate! Sh*t that was close! Oslo?! Arrrggh! Keep your eyes on the ro..."

---

Yeah but....no. The rest of the time, absolutely- my mind goes so fast I can barely keep up. I run everywhere not because I'm late (although I often am) but because walking is so slow it bores me. Behind the wheel however I am absolutely hyperfocused. I can predict what other motorists are going to do before they even know it themselves. On the motorway I'll often move over a lane because I can see that another motorist will need to move out to overtake- before they even realise that they're fast moving up on another car and need to pull out, I've already made space for them. In 9 years of driving I've caused one accident, which was at 2mph and caused no damage to the other car.

Quote:

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Seriously though, problem with these syndromes is they make everything sound like its a... well, a syndrome. Some people have short attention spans, or struggle to get motivated, or aren't happy at work and so don't put the effort in. Not all these people have ADD.

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No- but equally some of them might. I'd flunked out of university a long time before I even considered that I might have a concentration problem- up until that point I'd just put it down to my own failings, with a consequent serious loss of self esteem. Seeing my best friend go on Ritalin and turn his life around was what made me think that I might have similar problems.

Quote:

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People who have a list of things to do but instead find themselves surfing the net, are doing so not because they have ADD, ADHD, HD-DVD or anything else, but because given the choice between doing something you like and doing something you don't, most people will drift into doing what they like.

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Yeah, but equally, most people, faced with the choice of doing what they like, or keeping their jobs/completing their studies will do the latter because they can see the end game. If I'd flunked out of uni because I spent my time getting drunk and chatting up women I'd put it down to experience....but I can't even claim that. Instead I spent hours at my desk tearing my hair out and having a thoroughly crappy time. I can't even claim that I had a good time at uni- the whole thing was a waste of two precious years of my life, because I couldn't concentrate.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zak33

Would anybody be mortally offended if I suggested trying a change of diet?

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I'm certainly not going to be offended, but I've run the full gamut of Mum's Healthy Cooking, to student amateur catering, to booze 'n kebabs, and back to pretty decent married eating without any appreciable change in my mindset at all. Looking back on my experience, there's simply no correlation. I eat pretty well now FWIW.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Betty_Swallocks

My son was diagnosed as having ADD some years ago and various members of my family including my mother and myself have noticed that we share the same symptoms.
Ritalin and similar drugs such as Equisym (sp?) are very effective and I have found that when I really need to concentrate on something stealing a couple of my son's tablets give me access to levels of concentration I never thought possible.

If you would like to discuss it further please don't hesitate to pm me.

---

Oh dear Betty, and there was me thinking that we'd never agree on anything:lol:. The legitimate question is whether Ritalin and similar drugs have a similar effect on everyone, or whetther they affect people with ADD unduly.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by badass[/QUOTE

Where can you get these ADD drugs from? What are the side effects like?

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If you want Ritalin or it's family of similar drugs you can persuade your NHS doctor that you have ADHD or, if you prefer an easy ride, you can persuade Dr Kewley.

Otherwise, they're all amphetamine derivatives, so find your local speed dealer. In that case though, be sure you know what you're doing.

The side effects are pretty much the same whichever route you take.

I have a similar problem, i'm 17, in 6th form, got DT coursework due in 2 weeks and ICT coursework in about 4 weeks. Try working at school, its much easier. Go to the library and work, theres no distraction in the library, if you want to keep your self amused or whatever take an mp3 player

Also, i find that if i need to do something then its normally done. For example about 40% of my DT coursework will probably be done next week because i've got the pressure i need to do it. However if theres something that i kinda enjoy doing then i'm also fine. I went about 9 hours solid doing a CAD drawing a week or so ago.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BenW

Also, i find that if i need to do something then its normally done.

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Then you probably don't have ADD. I sometimes have something that I absolutely have to get done by a certain time but it's like there's a physical wall between me and the task.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rave

Oh dear Betty, and there was me thinking that we'd never agree on anything.

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Comes as a surprise to me too. :D

all i have to say is this....I'm all for understanding yourself and the world around you, and i'm all for campaigns to bring problems to the forefront, however a lot has to be said for self diagnosis and paranoia, things are overhyped and people start to give themselves things they never had to start with

A little knowledge can be a bad thing

Ah don't worry mate, I have exactly the same thing. Starting off as a top grade student who managed to do absolutely no work and get straight 1's, it's gone down hill. The realisation you can't do the same year upon year really sucks :D Discipline really is the key; but it is difficult to master.

I feel your pain.

Perhaps it's just a lack of discipline Rave. I'm in my 3rd year and have done exactly as has been mentioned above.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RDL

Ah don't worry mate, I have exactly the same thing. Starting off as a top grade student who managed to do absolutely no work and get straight 1's, it's gone down hill. The realisation you can't do the same year upon year really sucks :D Discipline really is the key; but it is difficult to master.

I feel your pain.

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Thats exactly what happened to me, was great at doing my work until about the begining of 5th year (Year 11). Did LOADS of revision for my mock GCSEs but not that much for the real ones. Same for my first module of AS but that showed, 2*Es in maths (Got A at GCSE) a D in physics, C in computing and no exam in design technology

Some subjects like design technology i can just do, its just natural but the others need revision and i cant get started on it