I am so grateful to find people talking about this. Growing up I felt like I was drowning. School was the Titanic, low student classes were my lifeboat. My mom never thought I had ADHD because of PTSD and trauma. Yet when I got diagnosed after 20 years she finally understood. She always wondered why I was good at things I loved yet never good at basic things. So happy education has come a long way.
I am so happy my partner found you. She is always looking for information to help me. I am an older adult that was diagnosed with ADHD in 2022. I’m 63 yo. It took a psychologist and psychiatrist to pinpoint the issue and it took some time. Now I search for information and my partner found you. I thank you so much for bringing information, knowledge, and skills to the table. You are excellent.
This is also a big problem for older people. I’m 76 and skills that were well-honed and automatic during my career are now almost insurmountable. Dealing with financial matters is one of the most challenging!
I'm autistic and executive dysfunction is a big part of that as well (a bit sad it wasn't mentioned). Personally i really struggle with making any sort of decisions, or starting anything without knowing exactly what to do step by step from the beginning. Essays and assignments in school is always difficult, not so much bc of time blindness or prioritizing, but because I can't start without knowing exactly what I have to do/write.
This sounds so incredibly familiar. This video is also helpful for people in the autistic spectrum. I had to do exactly what you described to help my autistic son to cook a meal. I hope this gave him confidence. So good that you know how to describe what you need. That will help the people around you to assist you in your process of growing in the skills of executive functioning. I applaud you. You are on the right track 🎉
Thank you so much for this! I’ve struggled with this literally my whole life. It started in grade school when I wouldn’t do my homework until the morning it was due, while on the bus, and then life got more and complicated as the years went on. I could never find a word for this condition, and it’s so hard to describe other than to appear lazy or stupid (my perception of myself). I liked his analogy of waves constantly crashing, but the one I use: it’s like swimming in the ocean with a weight tied to me. It’s so hard to stay afloat.
Thank you so much for this video. It is so helpful to be able to put a name on a problem and thus find possibile solutions. In Switzerland where I live, ADHS ist still considered a disease concerning only children. So I am very greatful for your work.
I knew I had really bad problems with executive dysfunction but this video really helped me see that it's actually the source of a lot of my anxiety. I know I have ADHD but I guess I didn't realize just how much it was affecting me.
Great Video👍. There is another thing that has stopped me down: fear of not being able to complete the task. So what I do now: when I feel my stomach is in a knot I stop what I am doing and really deliberately notice the feeling in my stomach. I explore it like I would if it were a work of art and That is all it takes: I begin to understand that this is fear and it feels like a hot iron in my middle and I feel it because when I start with the task ahead I might be faced with stuff I don’t like: so if it’s my tax declaration I might be forced to acknowledge that I am not earning enough which makes me feel bad. I look into that feeling too. The whole thing takes maybe 5 minutes of really feeling what is going on inside me and then its over. No bad feelings, no body sensations, just the realisation that I work really hard and yes, it hasn’t payed off yet. That’s ok. I still love what I am doing. Feelings want to be acknowledged and then they can leave. And voila: no executive disfunction anymore.
The number 1 thing that helped me was learning programming. You learn to break down tasks, notice and feel a bit of punishment for rushing, and being annoyed by rushing you start learning ways you tend to rush and you leave notes to remind yourself before the compiler crashes because you've seen it over and over again. Programming is all about prioritizing because you can always refactor code to be more eloquent, more perfect, but it rarely needs to be. Little graphical coding challenges with javascript and HTML lets you play with animations and invent challenges based on techniques you want to practise. It's amazingly useful in daily life too, from business owners making custom calculators to automating your accounting or images with a script. It's so, so free and so, so helpful over a lifetime.
Thank you. I want to share this with my students to help them. Listening to this video filled me with such joy because I thought this is a way I could help students not feel broken.
I can sometimes just block on doing anything, almost like a dissociative response. I know I have things to do, but it feels as if my brain is literally telling me, "Nope, I'm not doing anything right now. Sorry." At times like this, it feels impossible to focus on anything, and I genuinely experience the feeling of not caring that I am just sitting and staring at my screen without doing anything. It feels like burnout or perhaps overwhelm, and I've always suspected it is related to executive dysfunction, but I'm not really sure. It could also be anxiety presenting in a different way that is just generating a ton of cortisol, which I think can manifest as an inability to focus or take action.
I've been in therapy about this lately, and my best strategy for it so far has been a dopamine menu - go look it up real quick. Basically you're in a dopamine deficient state when you get in that headspace, so you reach for a coping mechanism (screens, youtube, sm etc) but it's only a temporary fix. The skill is to notice those times, and then have a menu of things that you know make you feel better, ready to go. It's taking me a while to get better at noticing, and then following through with the menu so don't get discouraged! But slowly you see that it works and it starts to feel good to deflect and give yourself something that you actually want or need. Hope this helps!
What if you genuinely can’t identify anything that makes you feel better? I have severe reward deficiency, so the only thing I get is relief when I get a task done, but pleasurable activities just don’t feel pleasurable really ever.
Thank you for this.I was told 5 years ago that I have executive.Functioning Deficits and it's taken a long time to find actual skills I can develop. I know 2 areas where I need.Help are focusing on my goals in real-time.I'm a teacher and there are certain very basic skills that I need to practice everyday.And I always forget to practice them while i'm teaching. Another issue for me may be related to time.Blindness.Is that when I'm working hard?I always always drastically overestimate how much I can get done. I think I just go down too many rabbit holes when I'm lesson planning. I think my executive functioning issues harm my relationships too. I seem to argue about things that are not that important to me. But they seem that important in the moment. Yet I manage to alienate people with what seems like a harmless conversation. I'm not sure what i'm doing wrong.
Oh Em Goodness!!!!! Where is the double like button?! The triple like??!! I needed this so much. I've heard about this in the background for years, but never actually stopped to consider how it applied to me (I was diagnosed with ADHD in my late 30s, but I have only learned a bit about this aspect of the condition). Thank you!
Absolutely!!! I realized this aswell. I would procrastinate because I was worried about criticism, judgement, and failure... even the smallest tasks.... I would internalize the consequences before I even began. Every tasks gave me anxiety and psychological paralysis
@@asleep6312 I’m currently stuck at this point. It’s slowly getting better, but yes, I put so much pressure on every tiny decision, even ones that don’t really matter, because of how much I’ve messed up much bigger ones in the past and the absolute grief I got over it. It’s a slow recovery, but I’m with people who are healthy and support me and who I can truly be myself with, and that has helped sooooo much.
i can relate with EVERY WORD YOU SAID HERE. i live with a TBI, damaging my frontal lobes, for the past 50+ years. some of my more obvious issues are: weird organizational skills (inside containers of any kind from bins to cabinets and drawers) but not visual areas like counters and shelves. short term memory loss, very easily distracted, easily exhausted, no 'filters' in speech, slow thought processing, and inability to communicate with others. i have always been in counseling. got all the diagnosis' , ADHD, ODD, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, OCD, AND MORE. no one EVER mentioned 'executive functioning skills'....no one.... life is almost impossible....
I found this video so helpful and it’s certainly given me some hope. I’ve felt broken for so long but I know I don’t fit the diagnostic labels like ADHD or autism. I also don’t have depression or anxiety currently though I have in the past and I’m pretty much constantly stressed (likely due to my executive functioning difficulties). Time blindness is probably the biggest one for me but I relate to several of the other difficulties mentioned too.
Just curious, but why did you leave autism out of your executive dysfunction discussion? Autistics have many co-occuring disorders (like AuDHD) and executive dysfunction is one of the main challenges.
I recognized many Neurodivergent characteristics in me as the topic started to hit mainstream in Social Media. But also. I have to say that it's more recently, just as I was going through many very stressful situations and big changes in my life. At this point I do not look for a diagnosis but for skills to manage my life and go toward the direction I want. Executive disfunction and disassociation were really bad for the last 2 years, now I' practicing Aikido, and I stared being more mindful about conditions that make it worst. I'm about to find a good match therapist in better help. I hope it works out 💌💌
I sustained a severe TBI last year and a neuropsychiatric noted I have executive functioning dysfunction as a result of my TBI. This video is so helpful. Looking forward into the dysfunction video.
Same! Post Concussion Syndrome since Sept 2022. Before my crash I depended on stimulants and they stopped working after my crash. No alertness or real focus along with hypersensitivity and tinnitus. ✌️🖖
Same here! I'm 68 and have had this TBI since February of '23. Somewhat better now but still struggling with so many things. An instant life changer, for sure. 😢
Almost 60 F. Dx asd almost 2 yrs. Cannot believe it was missed for so so long. Please tell me not too late. I try and look back and see my lack and inabilities and lack of support and help 😫💔😪
When me and my husband would hang out with my best friend and her husband, my friend and husband would bond talking about how I just took forever to do things, didn't have focus and would say I just take the "scenic route" in life. My friend would just say I need to try harder. I felt so broken 😢
I have executive dysfunction issues .. but, I'm just trying to separate my reality from the conditioning from parents and society. So many things have been weaponized. What advice is actually *for* me? Because some personalities resonate well with 'goals, progress, needing to get stuff done,' type things when all I want is peace about it all. We're not robots. We're not machines. And I wish life could be looked at differently. We can't just go and and go and go all the time. The fact that resting is shamed is a gross issue. I don't see the problem of needing to clean every day and many will run to the opposite assumption and go, 'then you live in filth,' which is a blatant lie. I prefer to do things when I feel like doing them; when I'm at peace with myself, when it's calming and not feeling like a struggle or a hassle. Some things just don't need to be done all the time or even every day. If one needs to rest, then fine - but so many beat themselves up about it because of OTHERS shaming them over it. I know there's a difference between what I'm talking about and extreme cases. If it's extreme, then yes, it's an issue that should be addressed and get help for. But I'm talking about those that have controlling personalities and demand how and when things get done. I'm not a compulsive cleaner and even if my nervous system wasn't out of whack, I would still feel that way! ... I experienced my first burn out for a couple months around cooking and it was a little concerning. I'm still struggling to get out of it. Though yesterday was better. :(
This stated it starts from learning what your baseline is and how tools can help you improve. In situations where there is a major change in the baseline, like burning out, implementing tools to regain function may exacerbate the issue if not balanced with recovery time!
If my first therapist have told me all these I wouldn’t have wasted 20 years of my life… don’t make the same mistake and listen yourself first and try different strategies, more than one at a time even if you know you’ll abandon it, also try them again even if you have abandoned them a thousand times, different strategies work at different stages of the day, month or year…
I have what was commonly referred to as "lead ass" as a kid because I had a really hard time even initiating doing the work because I knew how challenging and impossible-feeling it was was to complete the task and it was never good enough when ever I did. I still battle with this at times but I'm very lucky in the fact that my husband also understands the workings of my brain and he can see when I'm struggling with myself.
THIS ☝️☝️☝️ I always say I feel like lead, like I'm manning a lead body that is just too heavy, unwieldy, and cumbersome. Going to work on a task, most any task, is like pushing back against a force that is pushing against you, physically, mentally or both. Like trying to head forth in hurricane winds or trudging through quicksand that make you So.Slow. And the meds that are supposed to help make it even harder because they make me so chronically tired in an already exhausted lead body.
Love having autism, ADHD, depression, and bipolar. The forbidden four that make executive dysfunction really bad. But thank you so much for uploading these videos, no joke they've saved my life
Side note, a lot of this impacts drug or alcohol addiction. I didn't even know where to start with my alcoholism until I learned about executive dysfunction. If anyone needs a sign to keep going, it's worth it
This is great. I will worry less about my diagnosis or etiology and just focus on the end result, executive function. One question, what about 'completing' tasks, its not part of the POSITIVE acronym. Also, how is this impacted by Dopamine and how can I get manage this. The only thing that motivates me is FEAR or ANGER or INTEREST IN SOME NEW DISTRACTION. Thanks.
I love your videos! I'm watching them all. Could I ask you which are the best books to read to find strategies useful to improve our executive functions? I really need some help
As someone who suffers with extreme severe anxiety I can totally relate to her. I would stop eating for days at a time as a punishment. I worry a lot about my life, everyone around me and pleasing everyone. It's absolutely crippling, so glad she got the help she needed, lovely young lady it's so sad that society has 1 in 3 people suffering mental health issues. I hope everyone seeks help
Can you help with the reliable source I would really appreciate it. Many people talk about how mushrooms and psychedelics treats anxiety, but nobody talks about where to get them. Very hard to get a reliable source here in Australia. Really need!
Yes, Doctor Greg Mushrooms he is a great man of God who has the great insight on psychedelic and mushroom. He will guide you on how to use mushrooms to get good trip.
I am in a long term relationship with someone with Executive Dysfunction, and they affect my own executive function through toxic and mindless speech, behavior, illogic and impulsive attention seeking. On top of this, they expertly mask their symptoms and gaslight me. They are uniquely ego-syntonic, and they often utilize narcissistic defense mechanisms including splitting, projection, dismissal and minimization. I have delayed nervous system recovery issues which affect my own executive functioning. For me, the relationship has become trauma bonded. I know, it's a lot. Too old to move on, except suffer or sainthood. Any suggestions besides counseling? Nothing I say matters and nothing changes; except when we are apart, I can eventually regain equilibrium. I've been told professionally, they won't change, but also that the relationship is good for me, which it often is, despite all of the issues. TY for the video, good stuff, an issue little addressed!
my executive function can be good, but to keep it that way i cannot procrastinate with a single thing because then my function drops. like if i have an exam week and i manage to start studying, i can't stop for the whole week or else i really struggle with it
Pretty sure I’ve got a lesion on my frontal lobe. Plus menopause happened. But always had difficulty! Used to scream into the void, “I want to outsource my executive function!”
Executive dysfunction is part of ADHD, but as much as it might look like the executive dysfunction you see with depression and anxiety, they are not the same thing. That which is rooted in a neurodevelopmental disorder is qualitatively different to that rooted in states arrived at in later life. This is why the DSM is so strict about the symptoms having to be traceable back into childhood and having caused problems. As soon as you start questioning people’s diagnoses you’re on dangerous ground. Not least because it’s massively unprofessional and can cause significant distress to people. All you needed to say was, “if you’ve been diagnosed with ADHD and you’re still struggling to get a handle on your executive function, this might help you to improve”. Further, conflating the numbers of people being diagnosed with ADHD with the numbers being diagnosed with depression and anxiety is potentially highly misleading (however unintentionally done). Society is very toxic, the wealthy are out of control, the banks are out of control, Governments aren't paying a blind bit of attention to their people or anyone telling them the truth, there is a sense of decline and fear, with little to look forward to - so, of course loads of people are being diagnosed with depression and anxiety - these are healthy responses to a profoundly unhealthy situation. This has absolutely nothing to do with ADHD numbers. First mention of ADHD in medical literature, is the late 1700's.
I feel like my issue is a combination of this & high functioning depression. Ughh. 🙄 I already know I have ptsd from different life experiences and 10ys in the military with 4 deployments overseas.
All this is true from observation point of view. And good research and addressing topics. It’s just that current science methods are clueless or ignorant of holistic understanding of mind. Maybe such a big crime was done upon me by society of your kind of people and of gurus and what not. So as to being about this info to the world in simple terms to start off. And more proactive rather than your and our science based reactive approach Once again - my words may sound harsh to your and our science. As something so insiduous was done upon me since very long by society of gurus
Imagine that you were diagnosed with ADHD, PTSD, Depression, and Anxiety in your late 60’s. As a result you have had poor life habits engrained in your conscience for over 60 years. Because of this you have only an income of Social Security and are forced to live in your RV. Many of the solutions found and the most common aid of coaching along with paid apps etc. are out of reach financially. One of the common difficulties seen in ADHD is financial difficulties. Hearing many of the solutions requiring financial resources is quite discouraging. I can’t wait to find a video specifically for the under-served financially strapped persons to help them get out of their deep hole without having to come up with money that they don’t have.
As a ex oreschool teacher i tried to never kable childre. Until the chikd has a chance to o be tested . Its difficult to exo3ct others to understand without cilhiming in in ur diagnosis
What if you don’t want to face a new wave each day? I’m always looking for the *last* wave so I can be done with that goal and cross it off my to do list permanently. I’m assuming that the waves don’t actually stop as long as you live. That is one of the things I find challenging-the never-ending factor. P.S. I know life is not all bad, and I am grateful for a lot, but just feeling drained at the moment.
I got distracted so many times through this video. XD well, my weaknesses are mainly short term memory. I also get distracted easily, because I am unable to automatically prioritise different stimuli. I've developed a ton of strategies to help with various difficulties. The world really seems to want to trip me up though, I mean all the adverts, popups, notifications, etc. among other things, it's a freaking nightmare and they keep pushing more and more. Just yesterday I was raging at samsung because they decided to start sending adverts through my phone notifications and hid the option to block them.
I need your help. I'm so overwhelmed. I can't even start. I'm 58. I have adhd. I used to be ok. A series of events and now having fibromylagia has stopped me from doing nearly everything.
I was wondering is this something that can be fluid in nature as well. I was diagnosed with bi polar 2 and it seems when I'm in a more manic state I have a stronger ability to use these types if skills then when I'm in a more depressed state when I feel a kind if brain fog and struggle to maintain habits, systems and focus.
what about medication? I have been trying with willpowr, organization and developing skills... biut its just not enough. I just dont follow them and lose controsl constantly.
I had a 37 yrs in healthcare in an Extremely Stressful profession when I came down with Epstein Barr virus, then the ensuing ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Then 20 yrs later a severe COVID pneumonia and now Long COVID. Prior to CFS, I was a fast reader, excellent speller, very motivated. Now I have a kind of dyslexia , ADD. The fatigue is Crushing, Unrelenting!
Speech therapist here-yes, those all can affect executive functioning. I’ve worked with patients who’ve had strokes/TBIs on executive functioning skills, and witnessed first hand how repeated seizures can reduce these skills as well. I know it might be surprising, but even speech therapists work on executive functioning and critical thinking skills.
I am so grateful to find people talking about this. Growing up I felt like I was drowning. School was the Titanic, low student classes were my lifeboat. My mom never thought I had ADHD because of PTSD and trauma. Yet when I got diagnosed after 20 years she finally understood. She always wondered why I was good at things I loved yet never good at basic things. So happy education has come a long way.
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It's bittersweet for me. I've lost SO much 😞😥
I am so happy my partner found you. She is always looking for information to help me. I am an older adult that was diagnosed with ADHD in 2022. I’m 63 yo. It took a psychologist and psychiatrist to pinpoint the issue and it took some time. Now I search for information and my partner found you. I thank you so much for bringing information, knowledge, and skills to the table. You are excellent.
Thanks for amazing Inspiring Lesson ❤🎉
Hi! 66yr old diagnosed in my late 40s... interesting journey we are on!
This is also a big problem for older people. I’m 76 and skills that were well-honed and automatic during my career are now almost insurmountable. Dealing with financial matters is one of the most challenging!
mine is "I don't know to start with anything, so instead I watch UA-cam videos on executive dysfunction (or just about everything else)".
Thanks for address this topic! I do absolutely feel like I’m drowning all the time even though my life has relatively few demands 🌊🤯
I'm autistic and executive dysfunction is a big part of that as well (a bit sad it wasn't mentioned). Personally i really struggle with making any sort of decisions, or starting anything without knowing exactly what to do step by step from the beginning. Essays and assignments in school is always difficult, not so much bc of time blindness or prioritizing, but because I can't start without knowing exactly what I have to do/write.
This sounds so incredibly familiar. This video is also helpful for people in the autistic spectrum. I had to do exactly what you described to help my autistic son to cook a meal. I hope this gave him confidence. So good that you know how to describe what you need. That will help the people around you to assist you in your process of growing in the skills of executive functioning. I applaud you. You are on the right track 🎉
I resonate so much with this. Also autistic, late diagnosed at 47. "high functioning" - yeah right...
She clearly mentions “other neurodiversity”.
Make an outline and then fill in the blanks.
Carnivore Diet.
Dr Ken Berry
Dr Anthony Chaffee
Carnivore Diet really helped me with ADHD ED ASD
Thank you so much for this! I’ve struggled with this literally my whole life. It started in grade school when I wouldn’t do my homework until the morning it was due, while on the bus, and then life got more and complicated as the years went on. I could never find a word for this condition, and it’s so hard to describe other than to appear lazy or stupid (my perception of myself). I liked his analogy of waves constantly crashing, but the one I use: it’s like swimming in the ocean with a weight tied to me. It’s so hard to stay afloat.
That is so cool! My grandma worked for Rockwell International in the 60's!
Thank you so much for this video. It is so helpful to be able to put a name on a problem and thus find possibile solutions. In Switzerland where I live, ADHS ist still considered a disease concerning only children. So I am very greatful for your work.
Timing is insane, Thanks for talking about this!
I knew I had really bad problems with executive dysfunction but this video really helped me see that it's actually the source of a lot of my anxiety. I know I have ADHD but I guess I didn't realize just how much it was affecting me.
Great Video👍. There is another thing that has stopped me down: fear of not being able to complete the task. So what I do now: when I feel my stomach is in a knot I stop what I am doing and really deliberately notice the feeling in my stomach. I explore it like I would if it were a work of art and That is all it takes: I begin to understand that this is fear and it feels like a hot iron in my middle and I feel it because when I start with the task ahead I might be faced with stuff I don’t like: so if it’s my tax declaration I might be forced to acknowledge that I am not earning enough which makes me feel bad. I look into that feeling too. The whole thing takes maybe 5 minutes of really feeling what is going on inside me and then its over. No bad feelings, no body sensations, just the realisation that I work really hard and yes, it hasn’t payed off yet. That’s ok. I still love what I am doing. Feelings want to be acknowledged and then they can leave. And voila: no executive disfunction anymore.
The number 1 thing that helped me was learning programming. You learn to break down tasks, notice and feel a bit of punishment for rushing, and being annoyed by rushing you start learning ways you tend to rush and you leave notes to remind yourself before the compiler crashes because you've seen it over and over again. Programming is all about prioritizing because you can always refactor code to be more eloquent, more perfect, but it rarely needs to be.
Little graphical coding challenges with javascript and HTML lets you play with animations and invent challenges based on techniques you want to practise. It's amazingly useful in daily life too, from business owners making custom calculators to automating your accounting or images with a script. It's so, so free and so, so helpful over a lifetime.
This video just changed my life for the better. I’m on the autism spectrum. I’ve been sharing this with my relatives.
Thank you. I want to share this with my students to help them. Listening to this video filled me with such joy because I thought this is a way I could help students not feel broken.
I can sometimes just block on doing anything, almost like a dissociative response. I know I have things to do, but it feels as if my brain is literally telling me, "Nope, I'm not doing anything right now. Sorry." At times like this, it feels impossible to focus on anything, and I genuinely experience the feeling of not caring that I am just sitting and staring at my screen without doing anything. It feels like burnout or perhaps overwhelm, and I've always suspected it is related to executive dysfunction, but I'm not really sure. It could also be anxiety presenting in a different way that is just generating a ton of cortisol, which I think can manifest as an inability to focus or take action.
I've been in therapy about this lately, and my best strategy for it so far has been a dopamine menu - go look it up real quick. Basically you're in a dopamine deficient state when you get in that headspace, so you reach for a coping mechanism (screens, youtube, sm etc) but it's only a temporary fix. The skill is to notice those times, and then have a menu of things that you know make you feel better, ready to go. It's taking me a while to get better at noticing, and then following through with the menu so don't get discouraged! But slowly you see that it works and it starts to feel good to deflect and give yourself something that you actually want or need. Hope this helps!
It helps me!
Thank you.
I get the exact same way, a lot.
What if you genuinely can’t identify anything that makes you feel better? I have severe reward deficiency, so the only thing I get is relief when I get a task done, but pleasurable activities just don’t feel pleasurable really ever.
ADHD is associated with neurological dysregulation, it can be as much a State as a Trait
Living w adhd i tell people its like living the movie "ground hog day" or pushing through mud. Ty for discussing these topics. ❤
Thank you for this.I was told 5 years ago that I have executive.Functioning Deficits and it's taken a long time to find actual skills I can develop. I know 2 areas where I need.Help are focusing on my goals in real-time.I'm a teacher and there are certain very basic skills that I need to practice everyday.And I always forget to practice them while i'm teaching. Another issue for me may be related to time.Blindness.Is that when I'm working hard?I always always drastically overestimate how much I can get done. I think I just go down too many rabbit holes when I'm lesson planning.
I think my executive functioning issues harm my relationships too. I seem to argue about things that are not that important to me. But they seem that important in the moment. Yet I manage to alienate people with what seems like a harmless conversation. I'm not sure what i'm doing wrong.
I just started reading atomic habits a couple of weeks ago and it's been a great read.
Oh Em Goodness!!!!! Where is the double like button?! The triple like??!! I needed this so much. I've heard about this in the background for years, but never actually stopped to consider how it applied to me (I was diagnosed with ADHD in my late 30s, but I have only learned a bit about this aspect of the condition). Thank you!
Executive function makes me realize it has gotten worse when I was in survival mode in moments of my past, many failures, and worsening self image.
Absolutely!!! I realized this aswell. I would procrastinate because I was worried about criticism, judgement, and failure... even the smallest tasks.... I would internalize the consequences before I even began. Every tasks gave me anxiety and psychological paralysis
@@asleep6312 I’m currently stuck at this point. It’s slowly getting better, but yes, I put so much pressure on every tiny decision, even ones that don’t really matter, because of how much I’ve messed up much bigger ones in the past and the absolute grief I got over it. It’s a slow recovery, but I’m with people who are healthy and support me and who I can truly be myself with, and that has helped sooooo much.
i can relate with EVERY WORD YOU SAID HERE. i live with a TBI, damaging my frontal lobes, for the past 50+ years. some of my more obvious issues are: weird organizational skills (inside containers of any kind from bins to cabinets and drawers) but not visual areas like counters and shelves. short term memory loss, very easily distracted, easily exhausted, no 'filters' in speech, slow thought processing, and inability to communicate with others. i have always been in counseling. got all the diagnosis' , ADHD, ODD, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, OCD, AND MORE. no one EVER mentioned 'executive functioning skills'....no one.... life is almost impossible....
I found this video so helpful and it’s certainly given me some hope. I’ve felt broken for so long but I know I don’t fit the diagnostic labels like ADHD or autism. I also don’t have depression or anxiety currently though I have in the past and I’m pretty much constantly stressed (likely due to my executive functioning difficulties). Time blindness is probably the biggest one for me but I relate to several of the other difficulties mentioned too.
Just curious, but why did you leave autism out of your executive dysfunction discussion? Autistics have many co-occuring disorders (like AuDHD) and executive dysfunction is one of the main challenges.
I recognized many Neurodivergent characteristics in me as the topic started to hit mainstream in Social Media. But also. I have to say that it's more recently, just as I was going through many very stressful situations and big changes in my life. At this point I do not look for a diagnosis but for skills to manage my life and go toward the direction I want. Executive disfunction and disassociation were really bad for the last 2 years, now I' practicing Aikido, and I stared being more mindful about conditions that make it worst. I'm about to find a good match therapist in better help. I hope it works out 💌💌
I sustained a severe TBI last year and a neuropsychiatric noted I have executive functioning dysfunction as a result of my TBI. This video is so helpful. Looking forward into the dysfunction video.
I have been struggling since my TBI as well. I’m so grateful for the new research and resources we have these days.
Same! Post Concussion Syndrome since Sept 2022. Before my crash I depended on stimulants and they stopped working after my crash. No alertness or real focus along with hypersensitivity and tinnitus. ✌️🖖
Same here! I'm 68 and have had this TBI since February of '23. Somewhat better now but still struggling with so many things. An instant life changer, for sure. 😢
@@lonabrown3011 We're going to figure this out. ❤️🩹
Thank you.. I think you explain everything perfectly and you show no judgement whatsoever and you are vulnerable and are absolutely amazing
Almost 60 F. Dx asd almost 2 yrs. Cannot believe it was missed for so so long. Please tell me not too late. I try and look back and see my lack and inabilities and lack of support and help 😫💔😪
When me and my husband would hang out with my best friend and her husband, my friend and husband would bond talking about how I just took forever to do things, didn't have focus and would say I just take the "scenic route" in life. My friend would just say I need to try harder. I felt so broken 😢
I have executive dysfunction issues .. but, I'm just trying to separate my reality from the conditioning from parents and society. So many things have been weaponized. What advice is actually *for* me? Because some personalities resonate well with 'goals, progress, needing to get stuff done,' type things when all I want is peace about it all. We're not robots. We're not machines. And I wish life could be looked at differently. We can't just go and and go and go all the time. The fact that resting is shamed is a gross issue. I don't see the problem of needing to clean every day and many will run to the opposite assumption and go, 'then you live in filth,' which is a blatant lie. I prefer to do things when I feel like doing them; when I'm at peace with myself, when it's calming and not feeling like a struggle or a hassle. Some things just don't need to be done all the time or even every day. If one needs to rest, then fine - but so many beat themselves up about it because of OTHERS shaming them over it. I know there's a difference between what I'm talking about and extreme cases. If it's extreme, then yes, it's an issue that should be addressed and get help for. But I'm talking about those that have controlling personalities and demand how and when things get done. I'm not a compulsive cleaner and even if my nervous system wasn't out of whack, I would still feel that way! ... I experienced my first burn out for a couple months around cooking and it was a little concerning. I'm still struggling to get out of it. Though yesterday was better. :(
Terrific! Names to 'issues'. Helps know what to research and work on next. Thank you
This stated it starts from learning what your baseline is and how tools can help you improve. In situations where there is a major change in the baseline, like burning out, implementing tools to regain function may exacerbate the issue if not balanced with recovery time!
If my first therapist have told me all these I wouldn’t have wasted 20 years of my life… don’t make the same mistake and listen yourself first and try different strategies, more than one at a time even if you know you’ll abandon it, also try them again even if you have abandoned them a thousand times, different strategies work at different stages of the day, month or year…
I have what was commonly referred to as "lead ass" as a kid because I had a really hard time even initiating doing the work because I knew how challenging and impossible-feeling it was was to complete the task and it was never good enough when ever I did.
I still battle with this at times but I'm very lucky in the fact that my husband also understands the workings of my brain and he can see when I'm struggling with myself.
❤️🙏🏼🙏🏼
THIS ☝️☝️☝️
I always say I feel like lead, like I'm manning a lead body that is just too heavy, unwieldy, and cumbersome. Going to work on a task, most any task, is like pushing back against a force that is pushing against you, physically, mentally or both. Like trying to head forth in hurricane winds or trudging through quicksand that make you So.Slow. And the meds that are supposed to help make it even harder because they make me so chronically tired in an already exhausted lead body.
Your channel has been so helpful to me, thank you for sharing your knowledge and wisdom. ❤
Love having autism, ADHD, depression, and bipolar. The forbidden four that make executive dysfunction really bad. But thank you so much for uploading these videos, no joke they've saved my life
Side note, a lot of this impacts drug or alcohol addiction. I didn't even know where to start with my alcoholism until I learned about executive dysfunction. If anyone needs a sign to keep going, it's worth it
@@duskwillneverend5881are you saying alcohol helped? I mean I guess you are, but what do you mean really?
@@dianeibsen5994 lol it absolutely didn't. But a lot of neurodiverse folks get into drugs and alcohol and different addictions, but thanks
@@dianeibsen5994They're saying they were alcoholic till they realised how exec dysfunction was causing it.
Theyre not reccomending alcohol 😅
@@Mel-qr5ob thank you, lol
I'm so glad you're expanding on this topic!
This is great. I will worry less about my diagnosis or etiology and just focus on the end result, executive function. One question, what about 'completing' tasks, its not part of the POSITIVE acronym. Also, how is this impacted by Dopamine and how can I get manage this. The only thing that motivates me is FEAR or ANGER or INTEREST IN SOME NEW DISTRACTION. Thanks.
More videos on this please
Im excited for that executive function list because I'm trying to make one and fill in the gaps. Thank you!
Wow, I needed this, thank you so much!
This is a great guide. Thanks! I'm going to get more familiar with the executive function skills.
yeah its like adding more tasks to an already overworked mindset, which adds to the already overwhelming mountain of shit we have to do.
I can only afford medication right now and not also a therapist so this information is so helpful for me
Get to it!
I love your videos! I'm watching them all. Could I ask you which are the best books to read to find strategies useful to improve our executive functions? I really need some help
As someone who suffers with extreme severe anxiety I can totally relate to her. I would stop eating for days at a time as a punishment. I worry a lot about my life, everyone around me and pleasing everyone. It's absolutely crippling, so glad she got the help she needed, lovely young lady it's so sad that society has 1 in 3 people suffering mental health issues. I hope everyone seeks help
People need to realise that people with anxiety disorders have oversensitised nerves, it's not a simple case of manning up and getting over it.
Can you help with the reliable source I would really appreciate it. Many people talk about how mushrooms and psychedelics treats anxiety, but nobody talks about where to get them. Very hard to get a reliable source here in Australia. Really need!
Yes, Doctor Greg Mushrooms he is a great man of God who has the great insight on psychedelic and mushroom. He will guide you on how to use mushrooms to get good trip.
Please, how do I reach doctor Greg?
He’s on the internet
Thanks so much Richard, It really helped! ❤
Thank you! Really looking forward to your related videos.
I am in a long term relationship with someone with Executive Dysfunction, and they affect my own executive function through toxic and mindless speech, behavior, illogic and impulsive attention seeking. On top of this, they expertly mask their symptoms and gaslight me. They are uniquely ego-syntonic, and they often utilize narcissistic defense mechanisms including splitting, projection, dismissal and minimization.
I have delayed nervous system recovery issues which affect my own executive functioning. For me, the relationship has become trauma bonded. I know, it's a lot.
Too old to move on, except suffer or sainthood.
Any suggestions besides counseling? Nothing I say matters and nothing changes; except when we are apart, I can eventually regain equilibrium.
I've been told professionally, they won't change, but also that the relationship is good for me, which it often is, despite all of the issues.
TY for the video, good stuff, an issue little addressed!
Eye opening. Thank you !
my executive function can be good, but to keep it that way i cannot procrastinate with a single thing because then my function drops. like if i have an exam week and i manage to start studying, i can't stop for the whole week or else i really struggle with it
Pretty sure I’ve got a lesion on my frontal lobe. Plus menopause happened. But always had difficulty! Used to scream into the void, “I want to outsource my executive function!”
Executive functioning or lack there of killed my career and I couldn’t overcome it. Wish I had this video earlier.
Yeah, I had a confusing career shift aged 50 that I might have managed better through the lens of executive dysfunction
Executive dysfunction is part of ADHD, but as much as it might look like the executive dysfunction you see with depression and anxiety, they are not the same thing. That which is rooted in a neurodevelopmental disorder is qualitatively different to that rooted in states arrived at in later life.
This is why the DSM is so strict about the symptoms having to be traceable back into childhood and having caused problems.
As soon as you start questioning people’s diagnoses you’re on dangerous ground. Not least because it’s massively unprofessional and can cause significant distress to people.
All you needed to say was, “if you’ve been diagnosed with ADHD and you’re still struggling to get a handle on your executive function, this might help you to improve”.
Further, conflating the numbers of people being diagnosed with ADHD with the numbers being diagnosed with depression and anxiety is potentially highly misleading (however unintentionally done).
Society is very toxic, the wealthy are out of control, the banks are out of control, Governments aren't paying a blind bit of attention to their people or anyone telling them the truth, there is a sense of decline and fear, with little to look forward to - so, of course loads of people are being diagnosed with depression and anxiety - these are healthy responses to a profoundly unhealthy situation.
This has absolutely nothing to do with ADHD numbers. First mention of ADHD in medical literature, is the late 1700's.
I always told people that it's like driving a car on a road that has oil on it and no one understood me.😢
Hi Emma - TY, So helpful.
Unfort I can’t find the link or info regarding your guest speaker…
Thanks for articulating the topic so well. Very clear and concise! 👍
this was intetrestinh but overwhelming.
I feel like my issue is a combination of this & high functioning depression. Ughh. 🙄 I already know I have ptsd from different life experiences and 10ys in the military with 4 deployments overseas.
Awesome insights!
Very informative! Thank you!
All this is true from observation point of view. And good research and addressing topics. It’s just that current science methods are clueless or ignorant of holistic understanding of mind. Maybe such a big crime was done upon me by society of your kind of people and of gurus and what not. So as to being about this info to the world in simple terms to start off. And more proactive rather than your and our science based reactive approach Once again - my words may sound harsh to your and our science. As something so insiduous was done upon me since very long by society of gurus
You videos and Tracy are the best
Thank you for this.
My EF issues were caused by a TBI due to a car accident. Sometimes diagnosed as ADHD.
How do you share this information with someone who struggles with executive dysfunction without making them feel offended?
@5:01 Weather adjustment Vapors! I mean chemtrails
I am apparently the king of executive dysfunction.. awesome. 😢
ok, so the keys on the hook thing did work for me, too. Also, wallet goes on the table by the door.
No, my PTSD is PTSD. My executive functions are fine. I like getting things done. What I don't like is people getting in my way.
Well Said Mam.
What if you have Orbital Cortex damage. How does that affect your ability to fix frontal cortex ,executive functioning.
Imagine that you were diagnosed with ADHD, PTSD, Depression, and Anxiety in your late 60’s. As a result you have had poor life habits engrained in your conscience for over 60 years. Because of this you have only an income of Social Security and are forced to live in your RV. Many of the solutions found and the most common aid of coaching along with paid apps etc. are out of reach financially. One of the common difficulties seen in ADHD is financial difficulties. Hearing many of the solutions requiring financial resources is quite discouraging. I can’t wait to find a video specifically for the under-served financially strapped persons to help them get out of their deep hole without having to come up with money that they don’t have.
As a ex oreschool teacher i tried to never kable childre. Until the chikd has a chance to o be tested . Its difficult to exo3ct others to understand without cilhiming in in ur diagnosis
The main reason I know this is my challenge? I couldn’t follow, nor stop thinking about, what I saw as the cumbersome mnemonic device in the video. 😅
What if you don’t want to face a new wave each day? I’m always looking for the *last* wave so I can be done with that goal and cross it off my to do list permanently. I’m assuming that the waves don’t actually stop as long as you live. That is one of the things I find challenging-the never-ending factor.
P.S. I know life is not all bad, and I am grateful for a lot, but just feeling drained at the moment.
Sometimes we need a pool with steady water. Rest yourself, feel tired, float on your back. A person who can't see land won't enjoy the sea.
Thank you!
Great video!
This is so incredibly helpful. Thank you for sharing this.
I got distracted so many times through this video. XD
well, my weaknesses are mainly short term memory. I also get distracted easily, because I am unable to automatically prioritise different stimuli. I've developed a ton of strategies to help with various difficulties. The world really seems to want to trip me up though, I mean all the adverts, popups, notifications, etc. among other things, it's a freaking nightmare and they keep pushing more and more. Just yesterday I was raging at samsung because they decided to start sending adverts through my phone notifications and hid the option to block them.
I’m with you on that. The adverts. ☹️
I really want to listen to this but I can’t focus on it for more than 20 seconds 💀
Unrelated question out of the blue. Did you ever work at Questacon in Australia ?
I need your help. I'm so overwhelmed. I can't even start. I'm 58. I have adhd. I used to be ok. A series of events and now having fibromylagia has stopped me from doing nearly everything.
I have a tbi and this is me.
I was wondering is this something that can be fluid in nature as well. I was diagnosed with bi polar 2 and it seems when I'm in a more manic state I have a stronger ability to use these types if skills then when I'm in a more depressed state when I feel a kind if brain fog and struggle to maintain habits, systems and focus.
Id love to do body double for accountability, motivation , but no one i know understands and they are at work or busy with Their lives .
I bet you could find someone in the ADHD forums on Reddit
Why didn't you include OCD on the list of things you mentioned?
My kids both struggle with this.
so helpful!
i cant wait for part 2 and part 3!
That’s exactly how it feels. Crashed in the waves. Unable to make progress.
My wife of 35 years died of cancer and my house is upside down this may be why.
what about medication?
I have been trying with willpowr, organization and developing skills... biut its just not enough. I just dont follow them and lose controsl constantly.
I had a 37 yrs in healthcare in an Extremely Stressful profession when I came down with Epstein Barr virus, then the ensuing ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Then 20 yrs later a severe COVID pneumonia and now Long COVID. Prior to CFS, I was a fast reader, excellent speller, very motivated. Now I have a kind of dyslexia , ADD. The fatigue is Crushing, Unrelenting!
Does it also mean you don't make goals?
Emma, do you know if seizures, brain injuries, and/or strokes affect executive functioning?
Speech therapist here-yes, those all can affect executive functioning. I’ve worked with patients who’ve had strokes/TBIs on executive functioning skills, and witnessed first hand how repeated seizures can reduce these skills as well. I know it might be surprising, but even speech therapists work on executive functioning and critical thinking skills.
@@mariecarie1 thank you. I've had all three and noticed my executive functions have gotten a lot worse since. I thought it was just a PTSD thing.
Sounds like developing habits through repetition.
Thank you so much for sharing this information!!!🥰🙏🏼
Ugh! Stop calling them "skills"! "Skills" are learned! ...not hard wired. It makes us sound stupid!