Can stress cause an inability to concentrate?

Hi. It’s Jenny at AnxietyBoss.com. Our question today is from Henry in Atlanta, Georgia. Can stress cause an inability to concentrate?

When something is constantly on your mind or your to do list is always tugging on your subconscious, of course it’s going to be hard to concentrate.
When you have so many bills to pay within such a short amount of time and you have a math test coming up next week, you will probably find yourself stressing yourself out about how you’re going to pay your bills as opposed to studying for your math test and paying attention in class.

Stress acts as a very competitive opponent toward your other day-to-day activities as it strives to center itself in the front of your mind at all times. Remember that you are in control of your thought process and are capable of dismissing these distracting and stressful thoughts so that you are able to focus on other important things like school.

Meditation is perfect to overcome this type of stress related confliction. Take time out of your day, even if it’s just a few minutes, to sit somewhere quiet and reflect on the positive parts of your day so that you are able to relieve some stress while relaxing your body.

However, if you find that it’s absolutely impossible to focus even when using self-help techniques, then you may want to speak to your doctor to ensure that there’s no other underlying reason for your lack of concentration.