Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Anyone else have this problem?

Atrum - 12-12-2014 at 14:12

So I'm sitting here trying relax and I can't seem to turn my brain off. I am always thinking about science.

Trying to sleep. Science
Trying to watch tv. Science
At a hockey game. Science
At a movie. Science

Does anyone else have this happen to them?
I am not exactly complaining, but sometimes i need a pause button for my brain.

Random - 12-12-2014 at 14:39

Use mind altering substance like alcohol for example to break out of that. Not that it's healthy but I got profit in the long run. Thinking out of the box and getting creative helps when you get trapped in a routine prison


Edit: only if you are legal drinkin age.. Oh yea and there shouldn't be a turnoff button for the brain we are actually thinking 24/7 using brain at moderate peace. Getting some dopamine from earning some money is using brain too, not just solving difficult math problem

[Edited on 12-12-2014 by Random]

Dany - 12-12-2014 at 14:52

Don't waste your time in science, go and find a girlfriend...

Dany.

Amos - 12-12-2014 at 15:01

Stay in school. Don't do drugs. Girlfriends and boyfriends are overrated. This post is in the wrong forum.

violet sin - 12-12-2014 at 15:38

in regards to sleep, I have the same problem. many a sleepless night has arisen b/c the problem solving core and the creative brainstorming sections try to synergize any time I try to sleep. generally I end up thinking of something specific to go look into on the compy a couple hours after I needed to be sleeping. a pause button would be nice. meditation works for me more often than any other cure( I quit drinking, which was my go-to answer).

side note, while quitting booze, I was up for damn near a week. seemed like the brain had been struggling against the booze for so long, when left unchecked it was unstoppable. not really fun, it was a raging storm of consciousness every time my eyes closed... up till the point of absolute exhaustion. the periods of sleeplessness began diminishing little by little, between the crash out slumbers. took about a month to get to where I was only up for a day and a half at a time... horrible stuff, any physical crutch will develop a tolerance and a back lash when quit. at least for me.

try to physically wear your self out with heavy work, jogging, pacing in circles or household chores. for me it wasn't as good as meditation though. I already work construction, so going jogging after work to sleep is a bit redundant. these days I get to bed about 2ish most nights. now if I didn't have to get up at 6 that wouldn't be too bad, but I do.

good luck with that. if you feed into your curiosity too much when you should be sleeping it can develop into a habit and possibly push to insomnia.

as far as the watching TV, movie or activity portion of it.... TV these days is crap any how, science only improves it :) I wouldn't worry too much about those areas, as I see it a sign of an active and healthy brain doing what it loves
-Violet Sin-

Chemosynthesis - 12-12-2014 at 15:54

Sometimes sleep, but otherwise no. I like to keep a little scientific thought in the background, but if you have hobbies or pets, take a nice hike, exercise, etc. I am of the impression you can start balancing it a bit.
I really like a good hike or even walking a dog with someone close, and maybe a little science.

Edit- now, if you're talking movies... it depends. If something about the science is badly written (or the medicine implausible), or I notice a factual goof (geography), or something mechanical (car/firearm/etc.), it will bother me. I doubt this is what you mean, though.

[Edited on 12-12-2014 by Chemosynthesis]

chemrox - 12-12-2014 at 17:41

Take seconal

subsecret - 12-12-2014 at 17:47

I wish I had more of these problems.

Atrum - 12-12-2014 at 18:29

I'm glad I am not the only one. I appreciate all the suggestions from everyone that replied.

Hopefully when I start my new job in a laboratory that it will help appease my raging curiosity for science.

Also my apologies for posting this in the wrong forum.

Zyklon-A - 12-12-2014 at 19:25

Quote: Originally posted by No Tears Only Dreams Now  
Girlfriends and boyfriends are overrated.

Depends on your age. However, I can tell you life is always better when I'm not single (which luckly is rare) and I'm only 15 (I turn 16 in 14 days).
[EDIT] Oh, and to answer the OP's question: YES I have this problem! Sleeeeep... how I miss you...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


[Edited on 13-12-2014 by Zyklon-A]

WGTR - 12-12-2014 at 20:17

Quote: Originally posted by Atrum  
So I'm sitting here trying relax and I can't seem to turn my brain off. I am always thinking about science.

Trying to sleep. Science
Trying to watch tv. Science
At a hockey game. Science
At a movie. Science

Does anyone else have this happen to them?
I am not exactly complaining, but sometimes i need a pause button for my brain.


I had this problem once.

I was trying to figure out how to create liquid hydrocarbons with a simple, cheap, setup; using only non-toxic,
high-yielding reactions, and requiring only cheap starting materials that other people would throw away. I could
think about nothing else until this problem was solved.

I was up for three days straight in the lab meditating. On the third day, a three-foot tall woodchuck appeared to
me in a vision. He said authoritatively, "Feed the woodchuck", and then I felt his wisdom flow into my mind. I was
at peace. I was able to transcribe pages and pages of answers to chemistry's most difficult questions. I was finally
able to sleep. When I awoke in the morning, I was left with pages and pages of his simple, but beautiful language.
Now I am on a lifelong journey to find someone who can translate it.

Seriously though (not serious before, hint hint), sleep is under-rated. We should probably all get more of it. When I
was a young guy, I could stay up all night, and then stay up all day. Now I can't do that too well anymore.

Some things that help:
1. Don't eat late at night after dinner.
2. No caffeine after 3 or 4.
3. Melatonin helps if your sleep cycle is off.
4. Take a warm shower an hour before bed.
5. Be disciplined. Don't stay up late surfing the web for answers to life's great mysteries.

Personally, I see it as my God-given responsibility to get sleep at night. That means taking the racing thoughts and
shutting them off. Like anything else, it's something that gets easier with practice.

Bert - 12-12-2014 at 21:55

1. Sleep is good- Make time for it. You can't think about science clearly when tired.

2. Screw hockey, unless they're paying you enough for playing it that it can underwrite your science projects. Take up a scientifically validated physical conditioning program, being out of shape will keep you from efficiently carrying out science!

3. Screw 90% of movies, especially USA popular movies that don't accurately deal with science. And 98% of TV, on the same criteria. Spend that time thinking about science, reading, planning and experimenting - far better entertainment and you won't end up with popcorn hulls stuck between your teeth.

The problem is not that you can't stop thinking about science, the problem is all these pointless distractions keeping you from thinking about science 12-14 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year... Ideally, you should be able to cut down to science, sleeping, exercise regime, eating and whatever time it takes to shower, use the toilet, don & doff your Dr. Venture "speed suit".

If you feel the need, find a girl/boyfriend who is interested in the same fields as you... You can take vacations in the lab together! Much better than a cruise vacation, I can tell you. There is very little science to be done on a cruise ship, especially now that they all try to keep me away from the bridge. My experiment on that Greek ship turned out very successfully, is it my fault the Captain was so engrossed with the beauty of my data tables that he clipped that island and sank us?! I barely made it out of there with the hard drive!!!

[Edited on 17-12-2014 by Bert]

aga - 13-12-2014 at 01:38

Stopping drinking was the direct cause of me taking up Chemistry in the first place.

gardul - 13-12-2014 at 02:36

I know it bad. But I smoke. It helps slow the brain down a bit and helps focus the thoughts. 75% of the time I can sleep at the end of the day.

When I was a teenager I went weeks without sleep. No meds helped , thus one of the factors of me doing so poorly in school.

Yes I am a smoker... let the bashing comence.... right.. now..

Zyklon-A - 13-12-2014 at 07:06

Quote: Originally posted by aga  
Stopping drinking was the direct cause of me taking up Chemistry in the first place.

Haha and how's that going for ya aga? I should tell my brother, he could use some advice to stop drinking.
gardul, I doubt anyone's going to bash you for smoking - especially weed, but I think you meant cigs.

[Edited on 13-12-2014 by Zyklon-A]

Random - 13-12-2014 at 10:55

Yeah smoking tobacco helps with focusing on the actual tasks especially if I take real deep breaths and keep it (it feels different than just puffing cigs). Everything feels percfectly clear and I get focused so good I immediatelly get an idea what should I do. Too bad Its so unhealthy

dermolotov - 13-12-2014 at 14:23

Quote: Originally posted by No Tears Only Dreams Now  
Stay in school. Don't do drugs.

Funny... I actually use nicotine for those hard hours. I chew the gum and it provides faster nerve impulses and good ol' GABA to help with memory. The best part is the crash after 2 hours so I can go right to sleep.

During really pensive days, a moderate amount of cocaine really helps with mental cognition. Not enough to get my jumpy but enough to get my nerves stimulated and new ideas to help me think. I rarely use it which is the good part.
Never tried amphetamines, though...


OP: I can't imagine anything to help me not think. Get a significant other? Get another hobby? Start exercising?

Atrum - 14-12-2014 at 08:31

I've actually got a prescription for amphetamines. But because of my add it doesn't do the same thing for me as it would others.

I used to smoke weed and that actually helped alot in terms of helping me turn the never ending science to a dull roar.

dermolotov - 14-12-2014 at 14:37

Quote: Originally posted by Atrum  
I've actually got a prescription for amphetamines. But because of my add it doesn't do the same thing for me as it would others.


What does it do, then? Actually pretty curious on this one...

Bert - 14-12-2014 at 14:54
Quote:
I've actually got a prescription for amphetamines. But because of my add it doesn't do the same thing for me as it would others.


Quote:
What does it do, then? Actually pretty curious on this one...


That depends on which type of ADD he has. Ideally, some focus and a linear thought process. But not THAT much focus-

Apologies for my previous tongue in cheek reply. Talk to your MD- Sounds like "hyper focus".

http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116379

[Edited on 14-12-2014 by Bert]

Atrum - 14-12-2014 at 19:06

Hyper focus sounds like it is exactly what my issue is.

I suppose the other half of that is the inability to switch that focus to other things.

That may explain why weed seems to help.

[Edited on 12-15-2014 by Atrum]

Dr.Bob - 17-12-2014 at 08:09

A girlfriend/wife is a great solution to the problem of:

1) too much sleep (or not enough sleep, if you can get to sleep easily, women are good at making men sleepy in some cases...)
2) too much free time
3) too much extra money laying around. (Unless you marry a wealthy women. Don't laugh, I have known few men (or women) who were unhappy marrying into money. I have known a lot of people who were unhappy marrying into poverty.)

I agree with having a girl friend who can put up with science or even understand some, but relationships of two scientists tend to be tough to keep up. Plus there are not enough good female chemists to provide willing mates for the males. That seems to be slowly changing, much better in biology, which is more female enriched.

forgottenpassword - 17-12-2014 at 08:16

Quote: Originally posted by dermolotov  
Quote: Originally posted by Atrum  
I've actually got a prescription for amphetamines. But because of my add it doesn't do the same thing for me as it would others.


What does it do, then? Actually pretty curious on this one...

It keeps him awake all night thinking about science, and makes him wish that he had a pause button for his brain.

It's all there in the first post!

He only left out the bit about it being caused by amphetamine, which explains it ENTIRELY. Personally I consider his reaction to taking stimulants to be entirely TYPICAL. The only atypical reaction that I can see is that he believes his reaction to be atypical! Something doesn't add up. Maybe he hasn't got the disorder after all. Hyper-focus after taking amphetamine?! No. That's not atypical either! That's why people TAKE amphetamine: to be hyper focussed! You're simply confusing effects for symptoms. If it's becoming a problem for you, so much so that you feel the need to ask if other people have the same problem (which they don't), then maybe you should think about coming off it? I think you're cured! You have entirely normal responses to taking amphetamine. Congratulations!

[Edited on 17-12-2014 by forgottenpassword]

chemrox - 21-12-2014 at 18:56

I don't consider it a problem. Never have. I call it curiosity. Occasionally I wonder why otherwise sensible people go to church or indulge in other superstitions.

Atrum - 22-12-2014 at 11:03

I only consider it a problem when I need to focus on something else. Other wise it is a good thing. That is my issue. Can't shut it off and can't switch when I want to.

As for my amphetamine prescription. It is hit or miss whether it helps or hurts and as a result I take breaks from it once in a while.

I have tried other medications with about the same results.


Little_Ghost_again - 22-12-2014 at 11:37

What else is there to think about? You have two choices......
Girls or Science

Why choose something as hard as girls to work on? Not to mention the experimental cost and total disregard for all normal laws of physics or reasoning. Much better to stick with science and forget all about those odd creatures with the nice bumpy bits from another planet