This is uncannily similar to my own personal experience with ADHD. Instead of words appearing scrambled, though, my focus during reading is drawn to random words within a text. I might skip to a new sentence or jump down a few paragraphs; it's entirely arbitrary. This process usually continues forward and back, resetting every few seconds. The longer I read something, the worse the effect becomes. It takes a lot of effort to get through things sometimes.
Whatever this effect is, it is somewhat lessened by adequate sleep, a low-sugar diet, and prescribed medication. It never completely goes away, though. I have good days and bad days; even at my best, though, working through long texts, papers, or technical literature will eventually cause my mind to wander. Whatever this is (I blame ADHD), it's prevented me from ever being able to enjoy reading literature or long-form journalism. It's a pity, too, because I enjoy the content. The task itself is just too mentally stressful. Reading is, sadly, a form of labor.
It's weird, because skimming comes easily. Visual forms of information are also incredibly easy to digest.
Do others with ADHD have a similar problem with this?
Wow, that sounds very familiar. I find that when I try to dive into long texts, even (especially?) those that I find very interesting and which I'm intent on finishing, my mind wanders off onto wild tangents within a few paragraphs. When I find something interesting that sparks another thought, I'll trail off on that thought instead of filing it away for later. I'll continue to read the words without even realizing that I'm not absorbing any of the content, which means that I'll sometimes need to re-read a passage three or four times. It's incredibly frustrating. You're right that skimming is surprisingly easier, though. I find that if I try to blaze through a passage and read only some of the words, my recall is often better than if I'd tried to read at my normal pace. Less chance to focus on something else.
I used to love reading books as a kid, but I started with the above somewhere around high school. I think that the steady stream of novel (and thus exciting) information available on the internet has had an detrimental impact, but of course that can't be all of it. Still, I've lately been trying to limit the quantity of information that I attempt to take in by, say, opening only one or two news articles or HN links (instead of every one that looks interesting), and I've felt more clear-headed since.
May I ask when you put a name to the problem and started with medication?
Exactly the same problem here as both you and GP comment: my eyes jump around paragraphs quickly scanning for keywords/phrases to hook into. And if it's an interesting passage, I can't get very far without my mind drifting off on my own tangent, and I end up having to re-read a few times like you.
I also find reading tiring even though I can read quite fast, because I want to read each sentence properly, so I keep going over the text. It's a little obsessive-compulsive I guess.
Wow, my experience exactly matches you and the GP too. I've never been diagnosed with ADHD but I'm pretty sure I have moderate ADHD.
The more interesting some text is, the more difficult it is to get through it, because I'm distracted by thinking along those tangents, and then I have to reread the next sentence 5 times to absorb it, and more times I have to reread, the worse the jumping around.
Same here (bugmenot account). I think its the nature of hypertext itself what catalyses an inherent condition. Somehow like the immediate feedback of slot machines contributes to gamble addiction. Has anyone tried nootropics or any other substance, to help keep focused on one thing? At least for as long enough to not be considered "binge learning"...
I can recognize the part about getting lost in reading, but it's mostly under control. And it happens to me when I read stuff I kind of don't give a shit about. It's like I get lost scanning for something to care about, and it can absolutely take forever before I notice that I'm off the rails. Luckily, I mostly get by reading interesting stuff I can hyperfocus on, thanks to my job.
I do have another, comparable problem with getting lost in text. Only it's with writing. I'm should be non-dyslexic because I generally don't recognize any of the symptoms. But I have diagnosis for the uh, lovely mix of ADHD/Aspergers.
I'm in my late twenties, so through my years in school we mostly wrote on paper. I never had any problems with writing - other than getting started with assignments in my own time, which is another story entirely.
It's when I'm typing work stuff in any kind of editor that it gets... interesting.
I have a job in what you'd call content marketing and I'm lucky in that I get to write about a lot of things I care about. I write in English, which is is a second language to me, covering IT, infosec, culture, movies, politics, history... I should be super happy!
But the more interesting something I'm trying to write about is, the more I fail at spelling and grammar. I change the structures of sentences mid way and get lost even more in thoughts that force me to write long rants that I painfully edit down, if it's paid work. This is especially evident when I'm trying to process material from several sources.
I sometimes let my ranting run free in that I allow myself to be something of a village idiot by dropping in to interesting discussions on FB and other forums. I assume no-one reads that crap, but I really like writing it.
It's absolutely more easy for me to write mundane copy on any random things than being focused and concise on the stuff I'm really passionate about.
Combined with my problems getting started, writing can really be a time consuming burden sometimes, which means I sit and stare at a screen too damn much. It's a shame because I really love writing.
I have ADHD PI and I definitely struggle with this. The worst is when I skip to a random word and completely forget what I was doing in the first place.
Out of interest, would using your finger to trace along the line you are reading help you to maintain your reading position? This is a well known speed reading technique, so I imagine many people would have this skipping issue when reading above a certain pace.
Whatever this effect is, it is somewhat lessened by adequate sleep, a low-sugar diet, and prescribed medication. It never completely goes away, though. I have good days and bad days; even at my best, though, working through long texts, papers, or technical literature will eventually cause my mind to wander. Whatever this is (I blame ADHD), it's prevented me from ever being able to enjoy reading literature or long-form journalism. It's a pity, too, because I enjoy the content. The task itself is just too mentally stressful. Reading is, sadly, a form of labor.
It's weird, because skimming comes easily. Visual forms of information are also incredibly easy to digest.
Do others with ADHD have a similar problem with this?