DaisyBelle7

I used to love to read books, but in the last I don’t know how many years (maybe 7-10), I’ve really struggled. My mind wanders and I can’t focus on what I’m reading. Does this eventually come back after quitting drinking? I have some really good books I want to read, but instead I watch mindless TV shows.

Anna

Daisy, I have always loved to read. During the few years I was drinking a lot, I read much less. I really wasn't interested in much of anything. One of the first things I got back to when I stopped drinking was reading. I knew it would be an important part of my recovery.

I think that you will find yourself able to focus better before too long. I hope you get back to loving reading.

fishkiller

I used to read a little. Now I have a hard time staying focused reading a somewhat long post.

Hope you get your joy of reading back.

DaisyBelle7

Anna, thank you. I hope it comes back to me, too.

fishkiller, I can relate, and by the time I’m done reading a long post, I forget what was written and have to go back and re-read.

2ndhandrose

For the first several months after quitting drinking I had a lot of brain fog and it interfered with reading. I was quite distraught about it as I have always been a voracious reader.

But, it eventually cleared and my focus returned

I trust that, with time, your focus will return, too.

DaisyBelle7

2ndhandrose, thank you. It’s good to know that this could eventually come back. There’s only so much TV I can watch.

jr67

[Lol (lol in a way, but believe me, I realize we are talking about a serious issue that I personally take very seriously): Here is a long post by which to test your theory. But maybe it's just a boring post.]

[That was the the lol part.] [I hope.]

Hi Daisy, Anna, fishkiller, and other dear readers.

Short answer: I think your ability to focus and concentrate will improve in the absence of regular substance abuse (go easy on yourself and give it time), but I think in today's world there are many other factors besides substance abuse contributing to a general decline and interest in long-form reading (and in the ability to concentrate).

My longer (boring?) explanation of above:

I read a fair amount, both for work (technical, somewhat tedious text) and for diversion and edification (mostly novels, some nonfiction). Generally, but not always, I can and do focus as called for by whatever it is I'm reading.

In addition to books and my work-related reading, I read newspapers and magazines more, I think, than the average person (based on what I've read in those newspapers and magazines and heard from radio, tv, and regular peeps).

I think everyone is aware of the general decline in the circulation of print media, and the closing of book stores, which I think is a more or less worldwide phenomenon, at least among those of us lucky enough to be residing in the First World. I think the decline in long-form reading, and the decline in attention spans in general, are due to a variety of reasons; for the majority of people the reason is not an addled brain resulting from substance abuse.

Educators, sociologists, and everyday kibitzers (like yours truly) place a lot of the blame on the ubiquity of screens: tv shows, mobile phones, computer games and the like, many, many, many of which are intentionally designed to "hook" in the user. Remember the term "Crackberry" that people used to casually call their "addictive" Blackberry handheld devices when those were the rage, even before "everyone" had a cell phone? (I'm dating myself here.)

But in the case of substance abusers, based on a sample of 1 (myself), I'd say I definitely have more trouble concentrating while I am intoxicated, or hung over, or looking to my next drink. I'd also say, my concentration (and overall mood) have markedly improved over the past 15 days of my sobriety (but my average daily consumption was less than that of many whose stories I have read here).

I also have had trouble concentrating when I have been in various periods of, shall we say "funk," not quite full-on clinical depression, but a debilitating condition nonetheless (diagnosed as dysthymia). Much as I denied it, some of that was probably attributable at least in part to my years of drinking and to a lesser degree my pot smoking. In any event I have experienced benefits from SSRIs in relieving my depression and anxiety symptoms, even if ongoing alcohol use caused or exacerbated the symptoms.*

Still awake? Congratulations, you have made it through a longer post.

Asleep? Congratulations. You probably need the rest. Or you may have learned that you may, in fact, need more sober time.

In either case, Go easy on yourself.

Or you can always blame the writer.

---------------------------------------------

* I don't think in my case my meth use was a factor in my depressed mood or my increased anxiety, because when all is said and done, I quit ice early on, when I anticipated how addictive that stuff could easily become for me. Another reason I quit meth was that I was conflicted (I felt guilty) about contributing to the profits of the drug cartels, whose conduct due to prohibition is so ruinous to whole communities, including users and others, like alcohol prohibition was in the U.S. in during the 18th Amendment era. The drug cartels even threaten the stability of nation-states like Mexico and Colombia.

And all so jr67 can score a few grams and blow a few clouds and a few hundred dollars? No thank you. (At least no thank you for now, but it's one day at a time. And I've taken steps to lessen my susceptibility to succumbing to cravings.)

But that's another (long) story.

Dee74

Hi Daisy

Early recovery is a time of 'woolly headedness' for us all.

Every faculty, talent and skill I feared I'd lost through drinking came back - try not to worry and give it time

D

SoberRican

Hello and I agree with D all them things you like to do but didnt cause you were stuck in the boozemobile. Will come back. Heck I very rarely watch tv. I like to read. Its good for me. Keeps me grounded. And hey no commercials.lol. one day at a time ✌

ShiftHappens

I love reading and yes I couldnt concetrate for awhile, but Im fine now.

Have you tried audible? Im going to sign up for the trial and see if I like it.

thomas11

As someone mentioned above, there is a school of thought that our electronic devices (and our addiction to them) could contribute to lack of long term focus. Just a thought.

DaisyBelle7

jr67, I read your post! I don’t know that I comprehended it all, but I read it. I get what you’re saying, and appreciate the information. I also wonder if my age is contributing to this. Whatever the cause, I sure hope I can get back to reading.

Dee74, thank you. I hope it comes back... along with my waistline and skin!

SoberRican, that’s so good to hear! ... and yay for no commercials. The TV I watch is so incredibly ridiculous. I want to get lost in a book!

ShiftHappens, I haven’t tried Audible, but that’s an excellent suggestion.

thomas11, it’s so scary how electronics are rotting our brains. I deleted all the game apps I had an my iPad, and also deleted Facebook for that reason. It’s too tempting to get sucked into nonsense.

AAPJ

Age, electronic texting devices, TV, and (of course) alcohol will all contribute to one's decline in reading comprehension capacity. We can control all of them except one.

D122y

My brain is permanently damaged from decades of over drinking.

I never really had too much brain fog, but loads of paranoid feelings.

Still do, but nothing like 5 years ago.

The only way I will make it until I die of causes other than current booze related, is to hang around folks like me.

Hope you don't mind too much.

I need you all like air.

Thanks.

jr67

Thanks for reading my post, DB. That's OK, I'm not sure that it's entirely comprehensible either.

I think you can get back to reading books. What kind of books do you enjoy reading when you are reading them? Or what's one of your all time favorites? I like a variety, and I like to mix up the styles of books that I read. Lol I could write a long post about them, but this is your thread, so I'm curious about what you like to read, if you feel like saying. If not, cool.

About how long ago did you give up facecrook (that's what I call it) and the rest? If using those things really does rot people's brains, then I would guess you would need some time to recover from that as well as from whatever aftereffects alcohol may be having.

The fact that you are aware that the tv you're watching is so ridiculous convinces me even more that you can work your way back to reading books. But all these things take time. We have to be patient with ourselves in our early sobriety.

SoberRican

As for books I did read a book called This Naked Mind. Very good

jr67

I think I've read a few posts that recommended that book. It's about recovering sobriety, right? Hey SoberRican, did you experience trouble focusing on reading books when you first got sober?

nez

I found it hard to focus in early recovery, but not really a surprise when I think about it. Both my conscious and unconscious were still occupied with thinking about alcohol, both drinking it and not drinking it. So many thoughts, so little time.

Things returned to normal in time and it was not a long drawn out process either, relatively short, although it may have not seemed like it at the time.

DaisyBelle7

I used to read murder/mysteries. I like page turners that I can’t put down. I recently bought High Achiever, and started reading it yesterday. I still find myself reading a few pages and having to go back to re-read because I let my mind wander.

Facecrook (look the name!) - I gave it up on Christmas Day.

DaisyBelle7

I’ve heard of this one. I think it’s on my list to read (memory is bad, too). I started reading High Achiever yesterday. I figure even if I can’t retain/process like I used to, it can’t hirt trying to re-train my brain.