I just can't FOCUS!

[bummerboy]

During a dose, I just cannot, cannot keep a thought from distracting me. No matter how hard I try, there is something that comes in and throws me off of the sounds. And these aren't just expectations of the dose or complaints that they aren't working, but other thoughts as well come in. And this isn't something that is only a problem when I try a dose, but it is also something that affects my sleep (there has been many a night that I sit awake because I can't stop thinking).

I've tried counting from 100, counting from a random number, counting my breaths, and some other things like when counting from a random number, try and count it with the beat.

I need some more advice: how can I just get these thoughts out of my head?

[snowman]

weirrdd i was just about to post a thread exactly just like yours (even the part with the staying up late thinking) but i too just can concetrate and have tried i-doser about 10 times. i have tried counting from 100 and a random number but after a while i cant keep counting and my mind drifts off totally oblivious that i am even listening to something.

but to help... i was able to get i-doser to work once with theta. the whole 30 minutes i repeated "concentrate" in my mind. this allowed me to concentrate on the sounds and feel the effects. you could try repeating the word concentrate, it worked for me once.

and i have one quick question (sorry for tagging along on your thread) but to anyone who knows, am i supposed to listen to the "beeps", the static in the background or absorb them both?

[UnknownFear]

and i have one quick question (sorry for tagging along on your thread) but to anyone who knows, am i supposed to listen to the "beeps", the static in the background or absorb them both?

Absorb them both. I have had problems focusing aswell, so I will try your "concentrate" method and see if that will work.

[bummerboy]

I tried something last night that helped me get a little bit (but not a full) effect of vico. It is a relaxation technique I learned a while ago that puts you into your subconcious if you need to solve a problem without thought distractions or maybe you just need help falling asleep.

This can be done sitting or laying down, they recommend sitting so you don't fall asleep but for I-doser it would be better to lay down. You have to get yourself comfortable and lay still, eyes closed. You then feel the tension in each part of your body, imagine seeing it, and pretend like you watch it float away. Do this starting at your feet, your lower legs, your thighs, your waist, and so on until you really can't feel any tension in your body. Now you should be quite relaxed, and you must try and work all thoughts out of your mind. Once you have emptied your mind, you can imagine yourself walking down a staircase in great detail, or count down from 10, imagining each number in great detail. Once you reach 1, you should have slipped into your subconcious and be very relaxed. Then you can start the dose.

If you try this, you will need to have your volume already set, be in a comfortable position, and you will will probably need someone to start the dose for you unless you are using a CD player or ipod or something that requires minimal movement.

[imagineperfect33]

did that work drummerboy?

and yeah, try and do "RESET" before a does too, i hear that helps

i have the same exact problem
but thankfully I-Doser is coming out with a thing called QuickHits, and they are only 10 minutes and they have the same effect as the long dose
cant wait!

[Magdalena]

Try to listen to the beats within the beats. I had your same problem, until I noticed all of the small, low beats that are in between the bigger, louder beats and "static". You'll stop having other ideas pop into your head, because your mind is concentrated on finding beats within the beats. This allows you to gain in two ways. 1.) You aren't concentrating on other 'ideas'. and 2.) You are now concentrating on the dose at the same time.

Good Luck!

[UnknownFear]

I'll try your method, Magdalena. Also, I'll try using a Reset dose before trying a dose.

[shadowdragon6680]

You guys are focusing too hard
that was my problem.. i was focusing on the wrong things.
i tried many different methos, such as making the beats like waves, focusing on the static, ignoring the static, centering the beats into one sound inbetween the tones, etc.

what i found finally worked though, was i just completely relaxed, and listened,and pictured the sounds as being around me in the room, or around my head..
i knew it was working once i got a tingly feeling in my ears

[tmcdonut]

i agree with shadowdragon with the focusing too hard i usually try to visualize
the beats in my head and focus on that. for the most part it works but its just how i do it it might not work some others

[N1c3]

Yep, I agree, I will admit that when I first did the doses, I had a hard time getting any effects from them, but then I decided to stop focusing on the doses, and let the doses just "flow" through my head so to speak.
It seems to work better that way, plus it also seems to support this theory I had when I first discovered the program, which was that the doses probably work best when they hit the subconcious part of your brain, since the brain will sort of adjust to the frequencies better, automatically, without you doing anything, which means less time focusing, and more time feeling effects!

[Cryptopsy]

This is a very excellent discussion here. I think you guys might definitely be on to something that disprooves the theory of the dark room with the eyes closed and concentrating technique that is so popular on the forums. I know that when I try to lie in my bed and concentrate with my eyes closed, I usually fall asleep and miss most of the dose. Recently, I have tried just sitting on the floor and listening while starring at stuff with the lights on. While I haven't gotten effects yet (using only AcidQH), I find that I can concentrate much better, and I would have a better time experiencing effects in a more conscious state than I would lying in a bed in the dark.

[N1c3]

Thats why like I said, I always thought that I-doser would work better in your subconcious mind, instead of when you lay there, concentrating on the dose with your concious mind (which won't be affected by the dose, its your subconcious mind that will be affected by the dose...)

For example, I am going to use a music comparison.
Lets say you are playing some Thrash Metal, now if you were to play W.T.Y.D and lay there in the friggin dark trying to concentrate on the song, then you aren't going to "feel" the metal since you will just be laying there, concentrating with your concious mind, trying to focus on individual parts of the song (like the guitars) and the music wont do anything for you. But if you were to just play the song, and then do your daily activities, then your subconcious mind will pick up on the song you are playing, as a whole, and then your going to feel pumped up, crazy, energized, moshing, destroying sht, etc..
Just a theory of mine, thats all...
Maybe though, thats why some people who suffer from ADHD or ADD, are able to actually get some (or all) of the doses working for them, while others who suffer the same condition, sit there focusing to much (which they have a problem with in the first place) hence they feel nothing...?

[Cryptopsy]

That makes a lot of sense, except that I can't agree with your metal comparison. I think that any form of fast extreme metal is best felt by headbanging or some kind of bodily motion that aligns one with the tempo of the music. Atleast that's what works best for me. If I lie in the dark, I don't ever feel the energy rush, and ignoring the music doesn't usually help either, but listening and feeling the music is what gets one to the thrashing state. This can be enhanced by headbanging, moshing, air guitar, etc.

[N1c3]

That makes a lot of sense, except that I can't agree with your metal comparison. I think that any form of fast extreme metal is best felt by headbanging or some kind of bodily motion that aligns one with the tempo of the music. Atleast that's what works best for me. If I lie in the dark, I don't ever feel the energy rush, and ignoring the music doesn't usually help either, but listening and feeling the music is what gets one to the thrashing state. This can be enhanced by headbanging, moshing, air guitar, etc.

Well yeah, thats what I meant, if you lay there it isn't going to make you feel anything, but if you just listen to it and let it flow, it is going to make you feel the way I described, then you are going to mosh, headbang, fight, stagedive, whatever, thus you'll feel the effects even more!

[Cryptopsy]

Alright, that makes sense then. I guess I got confused by your first post, and I thought you were suggesting to listen ambiently.