# can't stay focus when reading the therapy material



## overcomin (Oct 1, 2012)

hello 

i'm doing 'overcoming social anxiety step by step' therapy, but i have a problem.

this program forces you to read several handouts everyday, but when i'm reading my handouts usually i cannot read them with interest. sometimes my mind fall in the habit of thinking, so that i find my self in the middle of the handout without any focusing, and other times find my self paused the reading.

this is happening a lot, and every time i catch myself do that, i force my self again to read with focus, but after a few seconds, i fall again.

of course, when this happens a lot, this would cause frustration. for example, now! i just canceled today handouts because of that. :blank


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## Dalmat (May 5, 2013)

There is a lot of work in front of you. You will have to read those handouts for months and months. You must be interested if you want to suceed. If you are not interested in content of these handouts, then reading becomes just an obligation, and you cant be focussed and entusiastic if you percieve it as obligation.

*How can you not be interested in something that can change your life?*

I am doing therapy for five or six months and positive changes are really noticeable. I believe I can totally overcome anxiety within year or two.


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## overcomin (Oct 1, 2012)

it's not my false, the thinking robs me from time to time, and every time i go back to reading, it robs me again.

i love most of the therapy material, and i begin to catch the ANTs, sometimes i can make rational statement in my mind. but that problem when reading hold me back.

thanks


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## cloister2 (Sep 2, 2011)

Do what I do. Read for at least an hour a day.


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## Ash101 (Jul 19, 2013)

You should be reading as much as you can handle, and then give a break, go back to it to continue.


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## overcomin (Oct 1, 2012)

it's not about fatigue. i just CAN'T explain what really happens with me. sometimes it feels like a curse even though i do not believe in these things. 

for example, i woke up, my self talk: "okay, today i have nothing to do in the morning, so, i will read some of my handouts. it's the most improtant thing. i should be interested with these rational words to change my thinking habits."

then, i put my workbook on the table and try to begin with a handout that can grap my attention. i began to read paragraph or two, then, self-talk : "i do not feel good like yesterday when i was reading this handout. oh, it doesn't matter. i should continue and everything will be okay. why i have PAUSED the reading? i think that i THINK too much. why this happining to me? which of my friends have these problem, oh, in college for example? oh college, i should be socially better in the next semester because i'm doing therapy now. i'm doing WHAT!!!?? i'm doing ****! i have PAUSED reading my therapy and fall into the habit of over-thinking again, and everytime i'm trying to focus in reading something goes wrong. okay, slow down, i should continue reading and things might be okay." 

then, i read some other lines and unconsciously pause again. (judgment, obssesing thoughts, over-thinking, unwanted self-talk)!

sorry for my english...


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## jonny neurotic (Jan 20, 2011)

I get this when I am reading anything. Does it only happen when you read this particular material? Try reading a physics or sociology text book. Do you find the same thing happens? If so then perhaps you have ADHD. ADHD can be a contributing facto in SA for a variety of reasons. Check out the wiki page on it and have a think. Make sure to pay attention(lol) to the predominantly inattentive subcategory.


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## overcomin (Oct 1, 2012)

i don't think so, i have no problem with reading in itself. sometimes i can read pretty well. but paradoxically, when i say to my self: "it's important for me to focus in these words" then, usually i can't focus. but sometimes i do, i don't know why! but when i can focus it's mostly happening in some handouts especially when it contains NEW material, or some emotional statements.


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