Health Conditions A-Z Mental Health Conditions ADHD ADD Can't Focus? How To Tell When It's Time To Try ADHD Medication Learn more about the causes of your inability to focus and how to treat them. By Dr. Roshini Raj Dr. Roshini Raj Roshini Raj, MD, is Health magazine's medical editor and coauthor of What the Yuck?!. Board-certified in gastroenterology and internal medicine, Dr. Raj is a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at New York University Medical Center, a contributor on the Today show, and a co-founder of the Tula skin care line. health's editorial guidelines Updated on June 9, 2022 Medically reviewed by Kashif J. Piracha, MD Medically reviewed by Kashif J. Piracha, MD Twitter Kashif J. Piracha, MD, FACP, FASN, FNKF, is a practicing physician at Methodist Willowbrook Hospital in Houston, Texas. He is board-certified in both internal medicine and nephrology by the American Board of Internal Medicine with more than 14 years of experience of treating patients in both short- and long-term acute care hospitals as well as rehabilitation facilities. Dr. Piracha is also involved in the teaching and mentoring of medical students as the clerkship director of internal medicine for the Texas A&M College of Medicine at Methodist Willowbrook site. Dr. Piracha received his medical degree from King Edward Medical University in Lahore, Pakistan, and completed his residency at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, Georgia. He later completed a fellowship in nephrology and hypertension from Stony Brook University Hospital in Stony Brook, New York. He is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, the National Kidney Foundation, and the American Society of Nephrology. learn more Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Getty Images If you cannot focus and constantly feel frazzled, you might be wondering whether you have undiagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and need medication. However, before you even think about drugs, you should check whether you have ADHD. Stress, lack of sleep, anxiety, or depression can all cause problems with concentration, and all these things require specific treatments. 10 Things You Should Do If You Have Adult ADHD Causes of Your Inability to Focus To figure out what caused your symptoms, think about when your issues started. If your symptoms only began recently, they are more likely due to increased stress or a lack of sleep. However, you may have depression or an anxiety disorder if you have had difficulty focusing, feel sad or hopeless, have headaches, or have trouble making decisions for one month or more. Meanwhile, ADHD and therefore ADHD symptoms usually begin in childhood. However, symptoms look different in adults. Consider whether you have had a lifelong inability to focus, poor impulse control, restlessness, chronic disorganization, and unstable relationships. Other common symptoms include difficulty focusing on certain tasks, sitting still, and not completing work by the deadline because of an inability to manage your time. Finally, people with ADHD tend to have angry outbursts, find it difficult to wait in line, or feel overwhelmed during minimally stressful situations. Make sure to note if these symptoms sound familiar to you. Treatment Options After noting down your mood symptoms and when they started, speak to a mental health professional. They may be able to identify what is causing your inability to focus and recommend appropriate treatments. If you are diagnosed with ADHD, a psychiatrist may recommend stimulants along with targeted talk therapy. However, it isn't a decision to take lightly. Medications used to treat ADHD can have side effects such as insomnia or irritability. Additionally, it may take some trial and error to come up with the right medication and dosage that helps without causing new problems. Even with drugs, most adults with ADHD still need targeted talk therapy to help them learn to manage time, prioritize tasks, and get organized. If you still cannot figure out why you have difficulty focusing, you can also try some lifestyle or work organization changes. For example, try scheduling breaks into your work schedule and think of big projects as several small tasks. This might help you finish your work and live your life. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit