Trouble concentrating at work, can't think...

Armueller2001 · #1 11-13-2009, 06:30 AM

So I work as an engineer at a fairly new job, been here for 6 months. The last couple months, I'm having some pretty serious problems concentrating and learning all of the things I need to here to understand our plant operation. It just seems like my thinking process is a bit foggy. I'm 24 years old and just got out of school in May, I'm not really sure what's causing these problems. Never had much trouble paying attention or learning things in school. I get 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night but still feel a little fatigued during the day.

Anyone else have problems concentrating at work? Do things like this just happen, like adult ADD or something?

Thanks for the advice..

Bruce Lindfield · #2 11-13-2009, 06:34 AM

Welcome to the real world!!!

scootron · #3 11-13-2009, 06:34 AM

Physical maladies could cause some of the symptoms you describe. I would strongly consider seeing a doctor for some blood work, etc.

HailCorduroy · #4 11-13-2009, 06:49 AM

Yea, I went through that. I write software and for years, I had trouble concentrating the entire day. I would do 8 hours of work in 3 hours, so I was successful even though I would start an email and get sidetracked on 10 different things and realized 2 hours later that I never finished the email. I got a promotion at my current job that made it so that I HAD to work all day. All the extra work made it even worse. I went to the doctor thinking maybe I was depressed (had just gone through a divorce, which was a happy occasion, but it runs in my family). He diagnosed me w/ ADD. My childhood was a textbook case, but no one knew what it was back then. I always thought it was BS, but after doing some reading on it and taking medication, my mind has been changed. I took adderall fro a while and still have the prescription, but I rarely take it. I've learned how to switch gears properly and catch myself when I start going down the rabbit hole.

Armueller2001 · #5 11-13-2009, 06:55 AM

It's strange, I don't think it's ADD because I'm not getting distracted by different things but I'll sit down and look at a flowsheet trying to learn the plant and I just can't retain any of the information. Feels like I'm getting dumber by the day.

Armueller2001 · #6 11-13-2009, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scootron

Physical maladies could cause some of the symptoms you describe. I would strongly consider seeing a doctor for some blood work, etc.

Any ideas of things that could be the problem? I'm definitely getting bloodwork soon.

klokker · #7 11-13-2009, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HailCorduroy

I've learned how to switch gears properly and catch myself when I start going down the rabbit hole.

Thoughtful and probably right on response.

I had the same thing and it was a depression/anxiety disorder sort of thing. A new job and tons of responsibility could really take it out of you emotionally if you take it all on and have unrealistic expectations of yourself etc.

For me it was the stereotypical "letting things go" thing that helped (or is helping). A little running, a little talking, a little spirituality stuff..............made it better. Do the bloodwork too, of course.

jazzy grille · #8 11-13-2009, 07:06 AM

Yes.

I have been suffering from some pretty bad mental fatigue. I am a 25yo.

I went to a mental health physician and they helped me figure out that I am suffering from mental fatigue. Basically I have been working too hard and I am just mentally burnt out, it just got so bad that I was having trouble speaking and keeping motivated and interested in what I was doing at work everyday. I had serious trouble remembering easy words, I was getting letters and numbers mixed up as well (costly mistake in my line of work). Just felt like I was in a complete mental fog.

I was seriously overworked, we let quite a few people go and I have been wearing like 8 hats.

I have done a few things that have helped me:

1. Get as much sleep as possible.
2. Meditate, or just relax with some chill music. Seriously try to meditate.
3. Took a nice week off and did nothing.
4. Started taking multi vitamins and eating better (fruit a veggies!)
5. Learned to control my breathing, I did not notice, but at certain times I was so stressed and working so hard I was forgetting to breath regularly.

These have really helped me, I don't know if they will for you, but it is worth a try.

animal52 · #9 11-13-2009, 08:42 AM

Is your job boring? I never remember anything unless I like it and it's interesting, and then I remember everything about it. Maybe you're not that into your job (or maybe I'm just talking about myself here

)

5StringDelirium · #10 11-13-2009, 08:52 AM

Take some vitamin B and omega 3 fish oil. Up until A month ago I was having the same problem. I was talking to my father and he suggested those two. Vitamin B for energy so you stay alert and omega 3 for concentration among other things. At first I was skeptical but I have noticed a difference.

Bassman7PM · #11 11-13-2009, 08:58 AM

You may have sleep apnea because everything you're experiencing is symtomatic of it. It wouldn't hurt to have a sleep study done to determine if this is what you're suffering.

MakiSupaStar · #12 11-13-2009, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassman7PM

You may have sleep apnea because everything you're experiencing is symtomatic of it. It wouldn't hurt to have a sleep study done to determine if this is what you're suffering.

+1. I was thinking the same thing. Or some other kind of sleeping problem. You might be sleeping, but the quality is not there which means your brain is not getting the proper rest it needs to focus and concentrate.

finalrequiem · #13 11-13-2009, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armueller2001

It's strange, I don't think it's ADD because I'm not getting distracted by different things but I'll sit down and look at a flowsheet trying to learn the plant and I just can't retain any of the information. Feels like I'm getting dumber by the day.

How much time have you been spending in Off Topic, exactly?

standupright · #14 11-13-2009, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassman7PM

You may have sleep apnea because everything you're experiencing is symtomatic of it. It wouldn't hurt to have a sleep study done to determine if this is what you're suffering.

was thinking the same thing.

jady · #15 11-13-2009, 11:24 AM

I had the exact same issues and it was sleep apnea.

Get a sleep study and some bloodwork. That should narrow it down.

Armueller2001 · #16 11-13-2009, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jady

I had the exact same issues and it was sleep apnea.

Get a sleep study and some bloodwork. That should narrow it down.

Is it possible for me to get sleep apnea at 24 years of age? I'm not overweight at all either... I'll look into it some more. Thanks everyone!

MatticusMania · #17 11-13-2009, 12:33 PM

Maybe youre just really bored at work...

After 6 months of my really boring job I was almost fired. I had gone to a really awesome hotel party on a thursday night. Didnt get home til 3am. Crashed until 6, went to work. I fell asleep at my desk with my myspace page up and almost got fired.

4 years later here I am... same job, slightly more interesting than it was before (which still isnt very much) sneaking around on CL & TB all day...

Ericman197 · #18 11-13-2009, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armueller2001

Is it possible for me to get sleep apnea at 24 years of age? I'm not overweight at all either... I'll look into it some more. Thanks everyone!

Pretty unlikely in this case, but possible.

There are a lot of things that could be causing your problem, though I'd need a lot more information to come up with something definitive. Some very random possible causes of difficulty concentrating are: hypothyroid, ADD, mono, drug related, depression, etc.

You should probably go to the doctor and get checked out, as it may be something treatable. It's really impossible to pinpoint what this is without asking way too many questions, and even then, there's no lab results. Some things you might want to think about before your doctor's appointment, are:

- When exactly did this start? Was it all of a sudden, or gradual?
- When during the day do you feel this way: is it all day long, is it only after lunch, is it at the end of the day, etc.
- Has anything changed in your life in the months prior to your problems concentrating? Think long and hard... did you move, did you change your diet, relationship problems, etc.
- Are there problems at work, or in your personal life?
- Have you noticed any changes in your body? Changes in urination, Hair texture, nails, bowel movements, eating, vision, etc.?
- Has your mood been any different? Feeling sad, happy, disinterested, etc.
- Recent car accidents? (This sounds totally wacky, but some people have a medical problem that affects their driving, and will have multiple accidents without realizing their driving is impaired)
- Increase/decrease in caffeine consumption? Using any other drugs? Herbal, OTC, whatever?
- Chemical exposure?

But most importantly, just try to observe any factors that may make your concentration problem better or worse, find out when exactly it happens, and what exactly happens. Knowing this information ahead of time will be better than having to remember it on the spot at the doctor's office, especially since you have difficulty concentrating in the first place.

In the time being, I order: healthy diet, half an hour of exercise, a multivitamin and 8 solid hours of sleep a night (NO NAPS).

bassrique · #19 11-13-2009, 06:17 PM

Armueller2001, tell us about your diet.

EagleMoon · #20 11-13-2009, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassrique

Armueller2001, tell us about your diet.

Exactly what I was thinking. You might be suffering from low blood sugar. One of the main symptoms is what they call "brain fog", or the inability to think clearly. Fatigue is also another symptom, especially if you get it a couple of hours after you eat.