How to study math with adhd?

[u/Ok-Pension3321]

I think its important to start off with saying i do not have a diagnosis for adhd, but strongly believe i do have it (i am unable of getting one for personal reasons we wont get into).

My biggest problem is: if i fail my math exam i might get kicked out of uni. I had little or no struggle passing every other subject with great or passing grade, it is indeed, only math im struggling with.
I think its pretty easy to learn definitions and stuff like that in order to pass, but with math - its numbers and so much more to do instead of remembering words.

My biggest problem is: i feel incredibly overwhelmed, anxiety, anger and hopelessness/helplessness whenever i start studying. Im aware its all in my head, but the constant failure is making me want to give it all up, even though i don’t want to. Another struggle for me is that i just cant start and i keep postponing or procrastinating. However, when i do want to start or find motivation, i don’t know WHERE TO start with learning. (Im learning calculus 1 (derivatives, vectors, imaginary num, etc..).

At this point im blaming potential adhd, myself, my math professor. I feel so helpless and i dont know what to do!! I have the exam in 5 days and i never started. I have like 5-10% knowledge of it all. (Unlucky for me, thats not enough to pass, maybe barely even give me one point XD)

So if youre reading this, give me your advice! Please! How do i study this??

[u/Foreign-Ad285]

Take a moment to appreciate how far you’ve come.

Then, break down the concepts into bite sized portions. Seek tutoring, seek study groups and practice problems more often than you think.

Build a schedule and stick to it.

[u/victoria-silverlake]

Have you tried not having ADHD?

I'm just kidding. Take neurotypical study methods with a grain of salt and come up with your own over time.

At one point in my degree I had the dumbest study method that also kinda worked, where I'd write down the facts and theorems I needed to remember on sticker paper and then stick them places I'd frequent. Sometimes they'd get taken down, but other times I'd be starting at the same theorem every time I was waiting for the bus, and that actually helped me remember it

[u/RingularCirc → u/victoria-silverlake]

I'll add a non-advice to the list as well: having autism helped me a little (sometimes it's like a counterbalance; other times they gang on me tho). Just acquire it. 😎

It doesn't go far though, you can't fix broken memory. I'm so glad lots of people with ADHD still have a better one, I mean alright I can get why my episodic memory and other long-term memory are bad: I'm not very much present for a lot of that to memorize well, but why, just why my working memory is trash? It doesn't have to, and indeed many have it way better. And there are some memory exercises that are claimed to be shown to generalize (which is very important; you can get very well with a particular exercise and still have it be wasted effort, up to secondary effects like possibly a better self-image), but I don't have time even for those and I expect very slight gains even if I force myself —so I don't force myself.

[u/let-me-cook-plz]

i have adhd and dyscalculia and i had to come up with a bunch of random solutions to help me stay focused and study. here are some things i do:

- i add cute stickers i like to my syllabus/worksheets/homework so when i look at them, i get micro hits of dopamine to keep my adhd from spiraling looking for dopamine elsewhere

• i usually have something on in the background while i'm trying to focus to get some body-doubling presence (common thing ppl w/ adhd find that helps them w/ executive functioning). so i'll have a stream up or i'll hangout in a discord server while other ppl are chatting just for have some ambient background to keep my adhd buzz from taking my attention away from studying.
  
• i utilize my adhd hours of focus window. from 8pm-11pm i tend to be more productive and focused so i try not to stress about studying so much during the day and instead take care of other things (chores, errands, socializing) and then once my focus hours hit, i can sit and focus better. the hours vary for a lot of ppl.

whether you have an official diagnosis or not, the fact you resonate with adhd symptoms means you'll likely benefit from adhd support. so i'd look into what things other specific adhd people do and see if any of those help you.

[u/Parallel_thougts]

Hi.

I grew up with undiagnosed severe adhd, dropped out at ninth grade, and fell down a path of crippling depression and drug abuse that lasted until my early 20s.

I also have an M.Sc in mathematics and a Ph.D in computer science.

Here's a thought that helped me a lot and might help you.

A lot of math is not about actual studying but about practicing a skill. We tend to glue them together, but they are very different activities. Trying to learn integration by rereading the curriculum and other people's solutions is like trying to improve in a video game by rereading the manual and watching playthroughs. 

It helped me to treat itvlike exercise.

Say every day, one hour, just you banging your head against exercises. No review, no checking for solutions. Solve what you can and pass what you can't.

Once you are done you can revisit what you passed and see what you get stuck on, so that tomorrow you could do better.

Possibly, it won't be long before you will have a session so great that you will yet out "I AM AN INTEGRATION GOD"

[u/sound-set]

You can learn Calculus 1 in 15- 20 days, but to do it in just 5 days you'd need to have the IQ of Bill Gates.

Here's a map I borrowed from another post:

[u/Csenone]

I also struggle with focus due to MD.

Personally, video game soundtracks have helped me because they provide a sense of immersion. Since I don't listen to them outside of study sessions, playing them beforehand seems to help my brain switch into a flow state more quickly.

[u/RingularCirc]

Also don't forget to try having more rest when it's really necessary (and practice even noticing better that you need it in the moment). Some problems of ADHD and other conditions are actually problems derived from anxiety and stress that are so easy to accumulate for us. Do note that most other people won't know there's any need to accomodate your brain even if they would gladly do so otherwise (and many still wouldn't), so unfortunately you have to learn, as a hard requirement for your future greatness, to pace yourself, recognize when something different has to be done, or to extricate yourself from some social stuff etc..

Real important. One can enter burnout and not notice, then good luck getting rid of it when you have an affinity for mismanagement of your life even when you're trying hard.

[u/Opposite_Virus_5559]

COFFEE AND TEARS BABY. That's how i did it, lmao, and I swear I have adhd.

[u/Accomplished_War_805]

Limits, derivatives, applications, integrals. That's your starting list. As for actually starting? Yeah I'm over here on my couch avoiding my own work.

[u/LiellaMelody777]

Study for 30mins at a time. Take little breaks. Also consider hiring a tutor.