Attention span for movies

[tamivi]

How do you improve attention span? I really struggle with it. For example movies. I cannot watch a whole movie, I have to stop to do something else and then I return. I want to improve my focus.

 

[Ethereal Knight]

here are some of my ideas (this is just brainstorming):

you could try figuring out with a psychiatrist if you have ADD or not. if you do have, there's medication for that.

less tik tok videos, instagram stories, and phone in general.

doing a "detox" from smartphone from time to time. you could try having a "dumbphone" instead of a smartphone for some time.

meditation (I think this one is huge!)

zero cocaine, opioids or pornography.

nofap / semen retention.

breathing exercises and breathing education (nasal breath).

sleeping well.

drinking a little bit of coffee or tea if your body tolerates caffeine.

regular intense physical exercise.

taking breaks every 50 minutes.

checking for vitamin deficiencies with your nutritionist.

bright light therapy.

 

[Julgran]

How do you improve attention span? I really struggle with it. For example movies. I cannot watch a whole movie, I have to stop to do something else and then I return. I want to improve my focus.

I'm sorry that you can't keep your attention when watching movies, either. I relate in so far as to not remembering how movies ended, a few days later, so I only know what the movies were about, but not their ending scenes.

@Ethereal Knight had some good advice, which may help.

 

[timf]

Some of the problem may be the poor quality of many modern movies. A good "whodoneit" might help hold your interest till the end. There are also some good older movies like "It happened one Night" or "my Man Godfrey".

 

[☆AwaitingEntropy☆]

I also have a lot of difficulties with retaining my attention. I haven't been able to watch movies for years, and even starting shorter tv shows is an effort. I buy video games that I genuinely do want to play, but I can never focus enough to actually play them. It's quite the hassle, aha.
I hope you can find a good method that helps you focus on the things you enjoy!

 

[waitingforrest]

Not sure if it applies to you, but I find that movies so bad it's funny keeps my interest. Really sh*tty classics like Birdemic. Or one of my favorites, The VelociPastor (2018).

 

[Janeツ]

Is it just while watching a movie or do you experience this attention-span-issue also in other parts of you daily life? Has this issue been around for forever or did it just occur lately?

Back then I never had an issue with watching movies/series for days but lately my mind is full and I feel so restless that I cannot watch anything anymore, cause it feels like a waste of time. Ich feel most of the time just like shit. For me reading books turned out to be better way to distract myself. I am also trying this phone detox thing but so far, I cannot really tell if I benefit from it.

 

[cooldude420]

Meditation and exercise are your best bets for increasing focus. Long form reading is another method that helps.


For free meditation instruction:

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[Passersby]

I can relate and know how you feel. I can hardly get through a movie either anymore. It needs to be really good and the type of movie that I am really into plus on drugs ideally or something to calm. Occasionally I'll get through it. one of the problems is that most of them aren't any good. Sometimes I'll have to quit shortly into it and just come back to the forum.

As far as treating it basically everything that @Ethereal Knight night said is great. Also depends on the things your suffering from. Good luck hope something works out.

 

[Gniook]

I can relate. I used to watch like 2 movies a day without losing interest. That was like 8 months ago. Now i can barely get past 11 minute episodes of a tv show. One of the reasons is that I most likely ran out of ,,good,, movies to watch.

However I was able to get through an entire movie yesterday! It was just like @timf said a "whodoneit" movie was able to hold my interest. The movie was The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, highly recommend!

 

[Gordy99]

I used to have a hard time watching TV and movies when I started taking medication several years ago. I was so tired and exhausted that I just couldn't focus. As of 6 or so months ago I can focus again to watch TV and movies. I have watched a lot of good movies and TV shows that I started years ago but never finished.