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Verdandi
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07 Dec 2012, 1:42 am

EstherJ wrote:
It took me forever to grasp the concept that I was not "lazy," or "stupid" or "hypocritical" (things I was called or thought about myself when I struggled with executive dysfunction as a kid) and realize that I actually had a problem that was not my fault.

Doesn't help that I can't remember to eat, brush my teeth, change clothes, or clean my room without a written schedule, and every semester I have to revamp my WHOLE system for EVERYTHING from health to how to do my school to finding time to do my hobbies like play my guitar or draw.

It's a heck of a lot of work.

IF something goes off....I lose it....COMPLETELY.


Same to all of this, although I don't have to write my schedule down. I do need it established in some way - one thing I used to set up my current routine was an alarm/post it note-type thing on my computer.



lady_katie
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07 Dec 2012, 10:42 am

I guess I don't really have the best executive functioning. I need to have a very rigid routine or else I'll forget to do basic things like eat. Either that, or I'll lose track of time and become very overwhelmed by things that need to be done within a certain time frame.

My husband (also AS) also has major issues with this, and only recently has he discovered the wonder of a routine. We've both learned the hard way that trying to add more than one or two things to the routine at a time is far too overwhelming and we just end up abandoning them.

So, I guess I've kind of known about "executive functioning" all along, I just didn't really have a name for it. Especially before I even knew about autism and I thought that I just "liked routines" or that I was "a planner". I don't think that I ever truly liked routines all that much, but I dislike not having one even more.



Forester
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24 Jul 2016, 4:00 am

Never realized before now that this was executive functioning.


Hygiene: showering, brushing my teeth. Unless I am forced to a routine or have a significant external motivation I suck at doing this. Doesn't help that the idea of getting anything more than my hands wet makes my skin crawl.

Eating. Unless I am reminded I don't eat until I get very hungry and even then I often get distracted and forget. Again my wife is a life saver.

Paying bills on time. Big fail here. Fortunately my wife handles the household stuff but I am always struggling with the business related things which causes a lot of problems.

I could list a ton of other examples. I have been feeling like I was irresponsible or lazy for a long time because of this stuff. Now I know its not my fault, which has its own challenge for me: an easy temptation to excuse and stop trying to improve these things.



Nascaireacht
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24 Jul 2016, 8:14 am

A person I know has been helped lately by a simple system of task initiation. It sounds simplistic, but there has been a major shift in his general effectiveness.

First, you stop what you're doing completely, especially if what you're doing is daydreaming about somethings else.
Then you think about what you need to do next.
Then you think of a detailed list of steps in order to do it. That might start with 'take hands from pocket' or 'put hands on desk and pick up pen' or 'focus eyes on job instead of the far distance', etc. - really simple, detailed steps. Then you start to follow those steps and initiate the task.

Many people find that first step is the hardest, and they have momentum once they start. But they have problems starting. This has worked well to get him to start things.



MentalIllnessObsessed
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24 Jul 2016, 11:45 am

Greetings. Here is the definition of executive functioning from Wikipedia:
Executive functions (also known as cognitive control and supervisory attentional system) are a set of cognitive processes – including attentional control, inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility, as well as reasoning, problem solving, and planning – that are necessary for the cognitive control of behavior: selecting and successfully monitoring behaviors that facilitate the attainment of chosen goals

The list for executive functions is long. For me, I have deficits in executive functioning with working memory, cognitive flexibility (only if items are abstract), and self-monitoring. These are my problems in terms of executive functions. I think this is part of working memory, but for me, sometimes, I'll forget the process or formula I'm doing even though I have used it several times in the last few minutes. I have executive functioning problems.


_________________
Your neurodiverse (Aspie) score: 148 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 60 of 200
You are very likely neurodiverse (Aspie)

Dx Autism Spectrum Disorder - Level 1, learning disability - memory and fine motor skills, generalized and social anxiety disorder
Unsure if diagnosed with OCD and/or depression, but were talked about with my old/former pdoc and doctor.

Criteria for my learning disability is found at this link:
http://www.ldao.ca/wp-content/uploads/LDAO-Recommended-Practices-for-Assessment-Diagnosis-Documentation-of-LDs1.pdf


PhosphorusDecree
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25 Jul 2016, 1:30 pm

This blogger, http://chaoticidealism.livejournal.com/ has some interesting things to say about her problems with "executive dysfunction." She has major issues with the organisation of daily life, but is also fearsomely intelligent. It rang a lot of bells for me, but I haven't been able to find out much more- even the people who diagnosed me didn't seem too familiar with the concept.


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