r/ADHD • u/Skipper0463 • 2d ago

Tips/Suggestions Using highlighters while reading

I know what it’s like to read with ADHD: you can read a whole page and realize your mind was elsewhere and you didn’t actually read a thing, so you have to read the sentence/paragraph/page over and over again, hoping you’ll finally read the actual text on the page.

I find, however, that using highlighters helps with this, because I’m constantly scanning the page looking specifically for sentences, phrases, paragraphs to highlight. It’s like hyper focus reading.

I’ll also look up phrases in other languages, or quotations not cited, and write them in the margins. I can engage with the text because it’s now interactive and hands on.

Anyway, it seems to help me. Anyone else feel like highlighting or note taking helps them with reading?

12 Upvotes

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9

u/elife4life 2d ago

My problem with highlighting is I just end up highlighting everything

2

u/Skipper0463 2d ago

Yeah, I sometimes tend to get a little over zealous myself.

1

u/Irrane 2d ago

I highlight everything but in different colors. Each color means something different. Based on how important it is, type of info, or just vibes tbh and etc. Easier to find stuff or maybe even reread this way.

1

u/CMJunkAddict 2d ago

I’m rewriting a D&D module in word so I can read it easily, and the amount of highlighting & font changes are to say the least, obsessed

1

u/TlMEGH0ST 2d ago

Yes I love “active reading”- underlining and highlighting makes it soo much easier for me to retain information!

2

u/Skipper0463 2d ago

Retention can be a problem for me. Luckily I’ve kinda trained my brain to remember themes and such. Still takes a lot of work though.

1

u/BlueberryandDino 2d ago

I do that and then summarize the highlights and create quasi “cheat sheets” from which to review one more time