Do you have executive disfunction?
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- Опубліковано 13 чер 2024
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Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:46 What is executive disfunction?
04:52 What are executive funtions?
09:25 Types of executive function
11:04 What does executive disfunction feel like?
13:02 Examples of executive disfunction
14:23 What causes executive disfunction?
16:17 How are the disorders diagnosed?
17:53 How to manage executive funtion disorders?
19:33 Tips to deal with executive disfunction
24:15 When should you go to the doctor?
24:39 PEP TALK!
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I appreciate the video, but *BetterHelp is a dangerously unethical company and you should break ties with them immediately,* Jessica.
According to the FTC, BetterHelp has disclosed the private healthcare information of prospective patients to major advertising platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, and Pinterest. The company claims to keep your information private but then sells it to advertisers. Furthermore, BH datamines therapist information to inflate their own numbers and draw in clients, despite those therapists never agreeing to use BH's service. Clients are subsequently referred to BH-contracted therapists they didn't agree to get treatment from.
Providing a professional service like psychotherapy demands careful ethics and high clinical standards, and BetterHelp has all the integrity of your average crypto scam.
for real, I can't believe that so many youtubers still work with this terrible company 😕
Exactly, thank you!
@@kagaminek I just don’t think they all know yet. I mean I didn’t even know about this and I asked my teacher and the other students- they said they didn’t know either.
Problem is though, as a disabled person you don’t always have the luxury of being able to break ties with a company like this one. Are they unethical? Absolutely. Is data mining really ik? Yes.
However, if you’re in need of therapy, you’re disabled and can’t always get out of bed let alone the house, but you still seriously need that therapy and the only place to get that is better help, what do you do?
@@your_loss2357 yeah I hope that's the reason
I am a teacher with ADHD. I often 'narrate' my strategies out loud, so students see what I'm doing and why. I then use this as a model when I'm asking them what strategies they could use in a situation. I like to think it helps the students see that adults work through the same problems, and that strategies can work!
Great idea for working with your class. ✔️
Tip for you and your students from an NPf person check out how to adhd on youtube as well as Jessica.
I use narration as well. It helps the unencumbered see how my brain is working (whether they want to or not.🤭🤭)
I was just thinking this video would be useful PD for those teachers who don't understand why their students struggle.
I love this so much. Every child in your class is benefiting from learning these strategies whether they're neurotypical, been diagnosed, or "fly under the clinical radar" until they're an adult and start noticeably struggling. I transitioned to a new job about a year ago that is extremely taxing on my EF and I feel exhausted trying to keep all the balls in the air, awful that I drop some, and worse that I forget some exist until they pop in my face. I wasn't diagnosed LD-NOS until 1/2 way through college, and ASD until after college, so I wish I had grown up seeing and learning any strategies that could help now.
More tips (I'm autistic):
- When faced with a large task, do the mental work on another day than the actual task. For example: I made a step by step plan of how to clean my bathroom. I didn't make it on the day I was going to clean the bathroom, because making the plan drained my energy. Now, I just have to follow every step, and my bathroom will be clean. For things like this, making the plan once is enough! ☺
- I have a google calander, but I also have a physical, paper bullet journal/planner. It makes a major difference for me to write down something vs typing it.
- When I finish a task I will take time to evaluate how long it took me. Both at work and at home, I am generally unable to estimate how long a task will take. Instead I consciously build up an inventory of types of tasks. I then know that cleaning the bathroom takes about two hours and I will be tired and sweaty afterwards, so I can be prepared for that situation. At work I apply this too. "This task is similar to x task in the past. That took me 4 half work days. That means I have to block off at least that amount of time for this task."
- Make a simple action plan for recurring "stuck" situations. I sometimes get stuck, especially during a decision making process. This strongly ties in to mental health issues as well. My easiest plan is for when I am putting off self care. This can be not eating or not moving from the same position for hours. The plan always start with: 1. Drink a glass of water. 2. Eat something. Anything. This can be a piece of fruit, a biscuit, a jar of applesauce, leftover rice with hot sauce, anything. 3. Go outside. Walking a turn around my building is enough, or taking the book I'm reading and sitting on a bench across the street to read. These steps usually help me out of being stuck. After these 3 steps, I identify the reason for being stuck, and decide on a solution.
Those are very good tips. Will work well for people with ME as well.
I didn't consciously think of it as a plan but I do the same thing - often water or coffee and a snack can help me finally eat breakfast. Though, it doesn't always work and I can just be intermittently eating (at best) olives and charcuterie all day instead of an actual meal. (Going outside is sadly a lot more difficult due to physical disabilities! Yay fun overlap 🙃)
@@kaitlyn__L Maybe a combination of opening a window and having some movement indoors can reach the same goal? I don't know what your physical limitations are, but something like light stretches, or some dancing to favorite music can also kick me out of being stuck. I also saw a video about giving your body new sensory input by changing your clothes for example. I haven't tried that yet
@@AnanasAbanaan unfortunately it’s chronic fatigue with it’s ups and downs - on the good days I can go out in my wheelchair (or those other things) easily. (And a covid infection made the bad days worse, even nearing a year past it.) Thanks though.
@@kaitlyn__L 😕 that sounds though
My working memory is so unbelievably badly impaired. I tested in the top 5% of UK adults my age for verbal and non verbal reasoning, but my working memory tested in the bottom 20%. That discrepancy makes it hard to get people to believe my difficulties- I seem articulate and competent, until I don’t write something down and forget to do it and let them down. And the more stressed I am, the worse it gets! Yay!!
I dealt with that so much when it came to my dyslexia in school, apparently someone can't be smart and articulate and still need help. I also have horrible recall when put on this spot so depending on how test were written I would seem like I haven't studied. If all you want is names and dates I'm going to fail. If You want an explanation with exquisite detail of exactly why something happened or how different politics interacted or whatever I would do fine. I am so glad to be adult and not have to deal with that on a daily basis anymore.
@@KatjeKat86 I'm sorry you shared this experience too, but I'm glad you have found a path in adult life which doesn't involve these tricky situations for you.
I've ended up in job roles which include loads of project management. You can imagine how that goes...
I relate to this so hard. I have a lot of time getting even *loved ones, my family* to remember/realize that I have difficulties because I am book-smart, have a large vocabulary, and otherwise seem - like you said - articulate and competent. However my ADHD and TBI do not care how articulate I can be - they cause impairments all the same. All that adds up to feeling incredibly self-conscious about how my brain doesn't work (and if it's 'visible' to others/what others will think of me because of it), so much so that I can't feel good about the ways it does work well.
And like Katje, I can give you in-depth explanations and examples of the Why of something, but I might not remember the name of the scientist who came up with it nor the date, or when exactly a certain event happened. So I feel you both and I'm sorry you've had similar/same experiences. Sending hugs!
@@Tiarys I'm sorry that this resonates for you too. I'm really lucky with my family for the moat part because my dad (although undiagnosed) has a similar brain to me but even more to extremes (because his IQ is actually genius high, I'm just sorta good at academic tests) and my mom has been intellectually disabled by a Stroke since I was 5 so I grew up with the biggest pressures being the ones I placed on myself. And as an adult my partner is Dyslexic and all my closest friends have slowly turned out to be in some way neurodivergent or mentally ill (or as so often happens both). That support is so invaluable.
I hope you find some folks to be on team Tiarys
I’m similar! 90th percentile for verbal and nonverbal reasoning, 5th percentile for working memory 😅
I was told I was lazy A LOT when I was a child/teen and it hurt so much when I couldn't articulate what was wrong.
Now I'm 38 and have all my doctors saying I have adhd and my life makes so much more sense.
I wish I could go back and give that stressed and confused little girl a hug and tell her she's okay.
❤
I had a therapist recommend the book “You Mean I’m not Lazy, Crazy, or Stupid?” It’s aimed at adults w/ ADHD to help unlearn the criticisms thrown at them in childhood.
Same!🤘 I was told I'm not trying hard enough.
My mom used to eat my food if it was left in eye sight, and she was always late picking me up from school. Learning about her executive dysfunction has really improved our relationship, as I now know that she is trying and these things aren't in her control.
I have an executive function. He’s my husband. Without him I’m inactive blob.
I so get this lol!!
Me too 😂😂😂😂😂
@@KatieM786 😂😂😂
How does one acquire a husband? /joke
Oh no! Not Better Help!!😩 and right on the most relevant video, too, as someone with chronic illness and ADHD.
I do understand more than most the importance of telehealth mental health services. But BetterHelp is so horribly problematic- it doesn’t take much digging.
Sorry I will add I adore Jessica and her content. No reflection on her excellent content.
ADHDer here! Executive dysfunction solidarity!!
Autistic! I join the solidarity.
ADHD and executive dysfunction are two different things. Executive dysfunction is damage to the white matter of the brain such as an injury (brain damage).
🥰❤💪
Autistic sibling here!
@@elliemiller25 have you watched the video? Executive dysfunction can have many different causes, and ADHD definitely is one of them
"Insist on people writing things down." THIS!
This is one of the reasons text messages and emails are superior to phone calls! If it's written, I can check it million times to make sure I got it right, go back to it in the future, copy&paste the relevant info. When the same (regardless how simple) information is given verbally (either in person or over the phone), the chances are close to none that I'll be able to recall any of it.
AuDHD people enter the chat.
🙌🙌🙌
Yep right here
I watched half the video then stopped to go play with my cat only to return 20 minutes later to find the coffee I had also forgotten about
Nah fr
Watching this while hungry and needing to get dinner but why not watch UA-cam instead
I had a brain abscess in my frontal lobe - which has resulted in frontal lobe syndrome (main symptom - executive dysfunction!) and epilepsy. I can totally relate to having words fly out your mouth before you even had a chance to consider them and determine if they're appropriate or not. I also interrupt people a lot due to this. My partner has ADD and his executive dysfunction manifests differently from mine, thankfully.
I do not have an executive dysfunction, but my wife does. I can’t wait to show this video to her. Your personal examples were so very relatable. I just know she is going to be telling me “See!! It is not just me.” the whole video.
(Your pep talk at the end was very good.)
"You are not lazy!" Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!! ❤ I was called lazy all through my childhood until I was 24 and got diagnosed with a very serious mental health conditition. Just as you said in a different video: "people struggle before and after their diagnosis!"
I was diagnosed with “moderate to severe” ADHD in November 2021 when I was 37. My psychologist thinks it’s amazing that I managed to get 2 undergrad degrees and 1 graduate degree. When I went for my second undergrad degree (after my graduate degree) everyone was using computers to take notes and boy did that take away the tiny amount of focus I had! That degree was a struggle. This year, the company I work for started offering FREE coaching through our mental health service and I’m taking full advantage. I’m in the US and coaching isn’t cheap, but with this benefit I’m able to meet with my coach an unlimited number of times! It’s been amazing and learning to time block has to be the biggest game changer for me so far.
Since my diagnosis of ADHD, reparenting my self I think was the key. Thinking what would I do to help my little self if I saw her struggling has work wonders, doesn't always worked, cus sometimes depression and anxiety win the hand. But, as with a toddler, patience is the 🗝️😊
Every time my family is extremely annoyed/disappointed with me, or doesn't understand what's happening, I just ask if they really think that I like living like this.
I don't know how anybody could think that I love this about myself, that I love living in constant chaos, anxiety and dysfunction, that I miss important appointments on purpose or that I like that my kitchen/whole house starts looking like crap every time I don't feel great - that I have to gather all my motivation to get up in the mornings sometimes, and that's the only productive thing I can do that day.
I understand that it is hard living with or around a person that has those problems, but I'm clearly not like this for fun, it stresses me out to no end, and I constantly apologize and feel useless.
It's hard to understand for most people - I really like this video, it explains a lot of the stuff we're going through that is hard to put into words sometimes.
I assign every item a spot where it’s supposed to stay and that helps me keep track of my stuff. When it’s not in its designated spot, it’s easier to remember the last place I left it.
When I didn’t assign everything a spot, my life was chaos, I’d destroy my room looking for one thing. 😅
I say "it lives there". 😂 It really does help.
I'm autistic and maybe ADHD, I'm sending this to my mom because she keeps telling me it's just about discipline whenever I tell her about my struggles with executive dysfunction. You explain it so well that I'm sure she'll understand :-)
stop trying to explain it to her, she's your mother, she shouldn't have to be sent a video to allow space for your point of view. her comments are toxic, if it won't be this, then you won't be good enough in another area. you have nothing to prove to her.
@@ileanaprofeanu7626 thank you that actually means a lot! I have a hard time recognizing when my parents are being toxic and I tend to think I have nothing to complain about and they're the best parents in the world just because they're not obviously abusive. I've realised lately that they've kind of gaslighted me into thinking that and it's really hard to discover all the ways they've abused me over the years and taught me that it was normal. So thank you for saying that, it's nice to feel validated in how I feel! I hope you have a great day :-)
@@kaisoep I was very much the same, and they (my "parents") went as far as to make me believe I was the monster, that deserved punishment constantly, from them and myself. It's both liberating and resentment inducing to realise how much emotional and psychological abuse can truly mess you up.
Just remember, you are their child, and you are your own person as well. You do not have the responsibility of making them see their shortcomings, just as they should know better than to berate you for yours. It is/was their responsibility to take as best care of you as they possibly could.
I used to tell my birth giver that she did the best she could with what she knew. Little did she know, I was insulting her (she's not the brightest and doesn't pick up on the nuances of my words in the slightest). I could have said she did the best she could with what she had available, instead of what she knew, because one circumstance would have been out of her control if the available resources were few, and the other, her acquisition of knowledge or choice of ignorance, was completely within her control. But I digress.
It is always up to parents to raise their children with love and dignity, not hate and chastity. The parents like ours deep down are terribly sad and wish to project that upon their offspring because they see no other way of being that does not involve people inflicting pain against another. They do not see how there could be alternatives to pain and suffering, resolved through making a conscious effort to be kind and learned.
Older, as I'm sure you've learnt by your parents, does not necessarily mean wiser. And discipline is not corporal or confiscation punishment. It is practicing and modelling the principles of routine, accountability, consistency, responsibility, self-compassion and focus.
@@kaisoep I have had the same struggles as you with my family and I found a channel called The School of Life on here and it changed me deeply. I cried a lot at all of the realizations the videos gave me. My life has truly been changed. You're already here so give it a try
@@audreydoyle5268 thank you for your kind words! It means a lot to me. I've been realizing and understanding my parents and their quiet abuse for the last year since I started living apart from them except for the weekends. That distance really helped me to understand how they twist things and put everything on me when I'm still a child and I want them to care for me. I want my parents to be attentive towards me but at this point, I'm not sure if they'll ever come to insight on how they treated me all my life. They are convinced that they can do no wrong, and that means that they will never own up to their mistakes and will never apologize for their abuse. They think I'm the reason that I struggle so much with my mental health, but it's them and it always has been. I don't want to, but I feel like one day I'll have to stop calling them my parents and live completely separate from them. They know that I feel that way, but they don't realize they're pushing me away.
Thank you for what you shared and for your advice, I hope you have a great day!
After developing fibromyalgia, my executive functioned tanked. It is hard knowing what I used to be able to do (run a successfully early childhood private school) and what I can't even manage to do now (read a book...one of my favorite past times). Learning to be ok with it is quite the journey.
Same. I have fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis, both of which cause brain fog. Of all the various cognitive problems that entails, lack of executive function is the most difficult to live with. Any sort of "business" type thing feels like climbing Everest. It has to be a very good day. Anything that requires following directions, or doing things sequentially. No multitasking whatsoever, even playing music while doing something.
I couldn't read a book for several years, but now I can manage audiobooks, as long as the plot is fairly simple and straightforward (mostly cozy mysteries). As a life-long bibliophile, that is HUGE to me.
It's hard not to blame myself when I screw something up, miss someone's birthday, etc. I used to be very good at organizing things; now, nada. I end up telling myself, "It'll be alright," several times a day.
Our poor brains, like our bodies, are struggling, doing the best they can. I tell people, my brain doesn't work right, but I don't think they understood how hard it is to function, how much effort it requires. And how demoralizing it is to have to ask for help.
I definitely really needed that pep talk. I find that the most frustrating aspect of my autism is the executive dysfunction I experience. Makes life and university tremendously difficult. I feel rather horrid when I compare myself to peers with average executive functioning, as much as I try not to do that.
I feel this
I feel this too! I'm currently studying for a statistics exam that will take place in three days. I'm about to give up because my brain fog was so bad today and I realised how little I know, even though I have managed to go to the library regularly, if not even daily during the past weeks and did study for it as well as I can with my poor planning skills and horrible memory for things I am not in the slightest interested in. Sorry, just feel I needed to vent this. I'm so afraid now that it completely paralysed me. I know I shouldn't give up because usually I can manage to do quite a lot of things in a short amount of time but to be honest it is so frustrating, knowing, I put in so much work and when I do too much I get brain fog
I started asking every company I have an appointment with to email me a confirmation of the appointment. It was a life changing moment.
I use sectograph to visualize my Google calendar. It takes up more than half of my phone screen on the home screen. It makes it so much easier, and I can visualize what my next 6 hours look like in one glance. 10/10 recommend
"and your half-finished messages to everyone"
I feel incredibly called out
Awesome job! As a mental health professional I can say you did an excellent job explaining something that is very easy to get wrong as a non professional. I thought from previous videos that you were a good researcher but now that you have wandered into my specialty I know for sure just how hard you work. Very impressive, love your videos ❤
I call my executive function issues my “inertia problem.” Can’t get going, can’t change course without intense effort, can’t stop easily once I start
Seems your specific mix of executive function issues has to do with monotropism. These are characteristic of autism.
I am currently writiing my master's thesis (on lesbian mermaid fiction because I am a that person), and being granted a spot at what is essentially a cross between an office and a study hall has been god-sent. Getting up an out of the door is still challenging, but by adding it to the end of my morning routine (or mid-day routine, I usually leave around noon), I can manage to get out most days. Once I'm there, I can't really do much other than work. Yeah, sure, I could watch youtube or play videogames or whatever, but sitting upright by an office desk isn't exactly relaxing.
I also make sure to take days off. Because of my disabilities (autism and anxiety) I have an additional month to write my essay, so throughout the entire process, I've made sure to not just take the weekends off, but also take wednesdays off for a mid-week break. And when I take the day off, I take it /off/. No worrying about my thesis, not beating myself up about not working on it, etc. This is a planned day off, it is accounted for in my writing schedule.
I get really tired very easily, so on days where I work, I don't have energy for cooking, or showering, or doing the dishes, or generally cleaning once I get home, so depending on my energy levels, I use my days off either fully to recharge, not leaving my couch, or to get some of the practical stuff out of the way.
For now, I am very lucky that I have the flexibility of setting my own schedule, because it has been a huge help for me to simply accept that there will be days where nothing is going to happen, and that those days happen because my body and brain needs a break.
Obviously it doesn't make the executive dysfunction go way or help your force through it, but it does lessen the suffering, knowing it will be easier to do the thing tomorrow (and if it isn't, well then we are going to have use stronger means)
Essentially what I am trying to say is that the patience goes both ways. I need people to be patient with me, yes, but I also need to be patient with myself
That pep talk at the end actually made me tear up a little. It's one thing to know intellectually that these things aren't my fault or things I'm choosing to do, but it's another thing to know that on an emotional level, and I struggle with a lot of guilt and shame. It doesn't help that my grandmother who I live with really doesn't understand, and keeps trying to put pressure on me to help with chores around the house, which I already feel bad about not doing. I've tried to explain to her countless times that I have enough trouble managing just basic self-care things like showering regularly, and I just simply can't do what she thinks I ought to do. She keeps repeating things like that she thinks people living in s household should help maintain it, and I feel bad, because I see where she's coming from and I hate that my being here makes more work for my already-overworked relatives, but it's not a matter of what I want to do and she won't listen.
Eesh, I got off on rather a rant there. I just needed to vent some. It's tough, but I'm also lucky enough to have a certain optimism in my heart that keeps me going. What I'm trying to say is, kind words would be much appreciated, but please don't worry about me too much; I'll be okay, and I do have people around me who care about me and understand.
❤
Thank you so much for doing a video on this topic.
Something I only learned recently is that another major executive function is regulation, not just regulation of attention/focus but also, of emotions and sensory processing. Especially the emotions part. I think a lot of people tend to think of executive function as cognitive things, but it's important to remember that, too.
They sort of understand the sensory thing because being distracted and not being able to focus on one element is usually understood to be a problem. But definitely if people have a lot of emotional elements to their condition that is something that is not understood. I'm really grateful that's not one of the elements I struggle with. Though I get sensory overload a lot as I cannot tune out anything ever.
i learned more in this video than i did in literal executive function counseling. i didn't realize how profound my executive dysfunction is compared to my fiancé. we're both AuDHDers but my autism didn't give me the self-control, time management, organizational skills, etc. that he got from his. it kinda feels like the only thing that holds back my executive dysfunction is my social anxiety, and that only goes so far (i don't usually say things impulsively or stuff like that, but i still often show up late to things or miss deadlines). the most frustrating thing i have ever experienced is being an intelligent person with very little executive functioning skills. it's infuriating to be able to understand and discuss topics like philosophy and politics at an advanced level and still not be able to force myself to call the doctor's office or decide on what i want to make for dinner or even complete a task as simple as washing my face without listening to or watching some kind of music or video or tv show at the same time.
Anyone else being read to filth by this video? 💀
Thank you for discussing this topic so succinctly and clearly. The "motivating yourself feels like moving through treacle" is so true 😂
P.s. Jessica, if you can use an alternative sponser to BetterHelp, that would be great. I nearly signed up to them after watching one of your videos and then discovered that they share patient data, list therapists without their consent, and theres been so many horror stories about people in need of help getting traumatised by using their services.
I have a metabolic disorder (MELAS is the umbrella term) and this is SO HELPFUL, I sent it to my genetic counselor because they have to use catch-all terms terms like "mental fatigue" when naming symptoms. All my life, I've been called "scatter-brained", "lazy", or my mother's favorite: a "flibbertigibbet" (oh boomers...). It was so painful that I tried to deny it until settling down with my husband, developed other symptoms, and had to get treatment.
I'm finally getting treatment that works but your videos help me understand my symptoms and process my emotions about them so much!! Thank you, thank you, you!
Thank you for talking about executive functioning disorders in general, not just ADHD. I have MCAS, and one of the symptoms it gives me when it flares is executive dysfunction. While MCAS can vary a lot from patient-to-patient (it can affect any number of body systems), I personally get a lot of cognitive symptoms. I have friends with ADHD and they keep telling me they think i have ADHD because of my MCAS symptoms. I keep telling them that if it was ADHD, then allergy meds wouldn't treat my symptoms. They can't seem to wrap their minds around it no matter how much I explain it.
I've got ADHD (among other things) and exploring a diagnosis for MCAS, and I noticed I seemed to have my shit together a lot more when I started a daily very-strong antihistimine - but I definitely do still have ADHD, I'm just not having a constant reaction to moving my body around. So though it's purely anecdotal from a sample size of one, I can confirm it doesn't go away with allergy meds if you do have ADHD! 🤣
As someone with adhd and as a big perfectionist, I deeply relate. I have terrible anxiety around a lot of my executive functioning problems, so I’ve found setting a “soft” schedule for myself, that’s flexible and that is in tune with what I tend to do anyway can be really helpful, especially if you struggle with routine like me! Try not to beat yourself up! Take it one step at a time! ❤️
Just got my daughter on ADHD meds, which are helping a lot, but we've been using lists and reminders and visual aids for her for years. I'm very excited to see what the two sets of tools together can achieve, and what other tools we can use to help her. She's so bright and generous and funny, I'm really happy that this sort of thing is talked about some more so that I know the terms, and other people know them too. My wife has some executive dysfunction too, and she was always called stupid or lazy in school. It's a huge relief to know my daughter isn't in the same boat.
I can relate to “If I can’t see it, it doesn’t exist.”🤣❤
It is common for us on the autism spectrum too, even when we don't have ADHD.
Yes, difficulty motivating yourself. There are things I want done, but I cannot make myself do them. Procrastination is the result.
I managed an undergraduate degree -- even an honours year. Couldn't manage a masters/PhD -- so knowing about executive dysfunction consoles me with that failure. I can't organise myself.
Yes, hi, I also am autistic but not ADHD. Executive dysfunction is one of my most disabling issues. Never been able to work in my life, high school dropout
@@liquidteal_ same, also a high school drop out, and 2 time course (cert 3) failed. On my third attempt. And still not diagnosed. So, this is gonna be interesting
Take autism, and add medication that speeds up the sympatic nerve system to give the wanted effect (on asthma). I think you can guess the resulting side effect...
I'm only 3 minutes in and I'm learning something informative. Thank you for educating people Jessica.
My ADHDA, dyslexia, and autism understands this SO WELL. I tend to speak out what I am going to do so I remember. It works! But it sucks because people look at you oddly when you talk outloud....
I really need to study that subject, cause it seems to have a lot of overlap with ADHD and autism. And since 1/2 people who are neurodivergent also are hypermobile, I really want to understand how all of this work together, it's so interesting.
I didn't know the 1:2 correlation of ND and hyper mobility.
@Charity Yeah it's a big thing. It's slightly more common in autistic individuals but since I have both I lost that lottery 😅
I've got some hypermobility issues and ADHD. I'd love to read what you have been! :)
woww, that makes total sense. I've always thought it had something to do with the brain stem; neuronal shearing, or with hyper mobility neuronal shearing and/or impingement of the nerves/spinal fluid. I had a workplace brain (concussion) and upper cervical injury (that caused cervical cranial instability), and I have severe cognitive fatigue as well as executive dysfunction and sensory issues (Aka post concussion syndrome). This issue can so negatively impact ones life, yet it's invisible, and shows only on functional scans (which are only in research not public med), so most in mainstream med invalidate and deny the clients experience. To everyone struggling with this, I see you!
Yep! Lots of people I know who are hypermobile are neurodivergent. And I myself have the adhd/hEDS/autism combo. Life is complicated 🫠
Oh wow, there's actually a word for all the strange things my brain does (or doesn't) do...I had depression from my mid-teens to my mid-20s and though I'm treated and feeling better now, it's been years and the executive dysfunction part is just something I've learned to live with. I use some of your tips already but I'm excited to try the others. And now I have a word for it so I know what to search for to find more! Thank you so much, Jessica! You're an absolute star and I wish you a lovely day ❤🏴
I have ADHD and executive function issues make it so hard to do so many everyday basic tasks and it is so incredibly frustrating and hard to explain to other people why I can't simply just do something or be on time or start a project or know how much time something is going to take. I end up often being labeled lazy or unmotivated because of it and I take it extremely personally despite trying my best not to. Thank you for making this video Jessica!!
Im sending this to my parents. I’ve been struggling (consciously) with my mental health for 4 years, tho I’ve been anxious my whole life (turning 21 soon) and this has been one of the things that I struggle the most with cause it affects EVERYTHING. I meant to watch this video when it went out but I finally did the task!! Im at work but it’s fine I did it yk. My parents don’t understand this at all, even if I try to explain the best I can, my father is still convinced I’m being lazy (a quote from him: the brain just tends to choose the easy way out). So yeah, thank you for being so kind and gentle and putting things so clearly, cause I think my parents and close ones might finally understand my struggles with this video!
This nearly made me cry. I have ADHD and I'm constantly getting in fights with my partner for just... Not being able to do things on time. I'm definitely gonna take your tips. Thank you, thank you THANK YOU for this!
I've learnt to ask things written on a paper. But I immediately forget about the paper, forget it in a bag or where I put it and never remember there was a paper where there was something important to remember.
It's kinda like with calendars. You have to remember to have one with you, to have a pen, remember to write down things, remember to read the calendar, you have to not loose the calendar somewhere. Calendars on phones help a bit.
@11:04 OMG, this I find is one of the most frustrating aspects. I cannot get certain people in my life to understand that as annoying as my executive functioning might be to you, it is far, far, far more frustrating to me. I am not unaware of my problem, I am just not in control of it.
If "just writing it down/setting a reminder/making a list/planning my day/etc" was the answer I would not have been diagnosed with a literally neurological disorder and have been given access to controlled substances to combat it.
I've been told my whole life that I'm lazy, that I need someone bossing me around or that I don't care about things when I really do. I thought it was depression and that now I was justifying myself saying that I could have ADHD. I never thought seizures could be a variable with this and it changes completely my perspective on this. I had seizures when I was a baby due to fever. Doctors told my mom that I could have brain damage and troubles in my developement but as I never had problems at school, in fact I was a top student until middle school and my learning process was fine, so we forgot about that. A lot of things happened that made my symptoms worse through the years, cause they're always been there, I just thought it was my personality.
I know I can't make a self diagnosis, It may be dumb, but this helped me so much to understand that it could be something going on in my head, It's not just me making excuses.
I suspect I have ADHD, I researched about the many sympthoms I have and I'm already looking for experts where I live. Thank you so much for explaining this.
As someone with adhd one of my biggest problems with executive dysfunction is task initiation, though it took years for me to understand it as dysfunction rather than a lack of motivation - despite how much I want to do something, it can be so hard to do the thing.
21:21 "Plan for transition times and shifts in activities" That is a new piece of advice I had not seen yet. Sounds similar to time management: except all time management lets me do is let me estimate how late I will be hours ahead of time.
I found you when you only had 9k followers. I cant believe how much I've learned and how much you've grown. Congratulations 🎉! Also, fellow executive dysfunction-er here as well. 👋
Autistic here and I was thinking "hey' that's me!" for most of your examples. The control thing is something I am very aware of because I often feel the urge to touch the scalding hot kettle or take something off the oven with bare hands and I have to consciously tell myself to put the oven gloves, or not to put my hand on the kettle.
I have ADHD and some learning issues that we thought were just part but I'm looking into discovering if they are their own separate conditions. I always loved to explain executive disfunction with metaphors like "my brain was programmed wrong" or "this part in my brain is built slightly different that it should be", and let me tell, my mother gets really upset. I told her it isn't her fault, it's just how I was born, but she takes to heart when I say that as if I'm accusing her of "making me" wrongly. just a curiosity tho. loved the video
I hope your mother is able to unlearn that toxic attitude.
I understand you did not mention autism, but this is regarding distractibility, and how that can affect executive functioning. I wonder if this will help explain different neurotypes, as simply different. I also mention the article in "Psy Post" by Beth Ellwood about higher connectivity in the right anterior section of the brain, the sensory processing section, being found to happen for people who have autistic traits. Now that we understand that there are overlapping traits of ADHD and Autism, can sometimes be dual diagnoses, instead of either/ or, as well as this evidence of how brains can be distracted and be designed to prioritize certain information. There are pros and cons about this, and that's why acceptance and appreciation of neurodiversity leads to more overall boons for humanity when perspectives are shared. I don't know if ADHD has the same connectivity, so I just speculated after having a long conversation with my cardiologist as an adult after I have struggled with focus, etc. my whole life. He explained how commonly congenital heart patients also have ADHD and/ or autism. I don't know if the circulation affects neurodevelopment. For instance, I have dextrocardia in the mix, which might've directed more blood to the right anterior section. -Just a guess.
Mistakes happen in biology all the time. Take me, for example, I was born blind in one eye. Did my birth giver "make me wrong"? Well she did touch cat poo without gloves while pregnant... However, being an ADHDer doesn't mean your brain's condition was by fault of your mother's actions intentionally.
Tell her: you did the best you could with what you knew and could do, what's done is done, and all *we* can do is learn to work with what we've got now; each other and a plethora of information available to us on the internet and at libraries.
And who knows, maybe your mother has ADHD too. (I know my birth giver also has ADHD and Autism, it's where I got it from).
And tell yourself: my brain is wired differently, not wrong. The world is based off the abilities of neuro-functional people (from their perspective). Be kind and give yourself grace, as the right routine and self management comes eventually, with or without help. And it is better to do with than without help. The emotional distance helps to see your strengths and limitations with greater clarity.
@@lizhyink5636 there's also a more than 50% prevalence of hEDS and neurodivergence. It seems it's not only our brains that are wired differently and to our detriment in this cruel world.
@@audreydoyle5268 Hi, thanks for both messages here. Yes, you mean Ehler's Danlos Syndrome, right? A while back an article by Judy Tsafrir MD in "Psychology Today", ( 11/16/22), highlighted psychiatric symptoms due to medical misunderstandings, dysautonomia, and how sleep issues from chronic pain can also contribute to focus and mood. ( I share this not to negate known connections, but acknowledge the expanding understanding of factors and combinations for people. Although I don't live with the same cause of chronic pain and sleep disruption, I know that can feel overwhelming, sometimes. I agree with your direct response to the original post here, too. Yes: We can learn how to work with what we have. Compassion also helps. Thank you.)
Love how you got to the part where you were detailing what the different symptoms and practical consequences are and I went "wait I wasn't listening I got stuck staring at this thing in my hand" and had to go back like a minute
Watching you explain my life with my partner through this video is amazing. I'm autistic and he has adhd and another neurological condition. It's amazing if we start and/or finish anything LOL. I'm implementing "stuff baskets" for every room ASAP ❤
Thanks for the pep talk! I feel like we give it to each other every time we have a bad brain day. It gets frustrating when people assume we procrastinate when like, no, actually, we kind of can't procrastinate because our disabilities give us enough trouble already so we have to be ultra on top of everything. We just struggle.
Considering my self h---- was hitting my head against the wall/floor when I just could not deal with the explosion of emotions..... this explains so much.... plus I fell and hit my head as a baby too....
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Jessica and Claudia, and stinking cute snickle britches, l wish there were a way to express what you have done for me emotionally and mentally. I am a white, heterosexual female, with several physical and mental challenges. The three of you make me smile and laugh, and l learn soo much from you also! Thank you for all your posts❤
My executive function disorder resulted from ME/cfs. It's not usually specifically mentioned as a symtom, but is lumped under the umbrella of "cognitive impairment" or brain fog. It's one of the most difficult symptoms to live with.
I suspect Long Covid will soon be added to the list of diseases which can cause executive function disorder.
My best tip is don't blame yourself. You wouldn't blame yourself for finding some things difficult to manage if you were missing a hand. Just because the part of your body which is damaged doesn't show, doesn't mean the struggle is any less real. It's not your fault. You didn't ask for this. So be gentle and kind to yourself. Do not call yourself mean names. You are doing your best to function with a broken brain.
Not surprisingly, the pep talk at the end was my favorite part. I needed to hear that.
I have CPTSD, and executive dysfunction rules my life! It's actually affecting my ability to focus on the video and write this comment (I keep trying to think clearly, but I either get distracted by my thoughts or the overwhelmed feeling I'm current experiencing). I'm definitely going to have to come back and rewatch all of this and take notes, because I think it affects me more than I realised!
Thanks for giving me the words to explain why I talk nonstop in my daily life but the doctor in my adhd assessment almost didn’t believe I do because I was responding to all his questions with like 5 minutes of silent, chaotic thinking followed by “I don’t know”
I do basically all of these tips 😂 the way I explained it to my therapist is that it's like a wall when I try to do tasks. Often the only way that works is what I call "sneaking around the wall" 😆 so for example, telling myself I can do only a bit of a task or only do it for 10 minutes, and then I often end up finishing. Or tricking my brain by doing a fun thing at the same time, like listening to a podcast. Or playing a bit of a game every time I've done a certain amount of writing. Sometimes these tactics still fail but if I can do it then having done a little always feels a bit better than doing nothing.
I'm 35 and was diagnosed with ADHD just last year. I took effective medication for the first time this week and it was my most productive work day in ages. It greatly diminished my executive dysfunction.
The number of times I’ve had to pause and rewind this video… I’m 9 minutes in and have been ‘watching’ for like 20 minutes 😅😅
I struggle with executive dysfunction a lot. I have it as a result of ADHD. This video is cool, more people should know about executive dysfunction and its impact. Even some medical professionals look at me like I’m making up words when I mention it as one of my main struggles.
Jessica, I SO LOVE YOU for making this video!!!! I feel so seen. I have known for a while that you shared and understood my experience of ADHD, I just didn't fully realise why you do. My bad. I could cry. We are not lazy or careless!!
I wish that supervisor would stop looking at me condescendingly and ask "Don't you remember...?" Look just tell me the thing I need to know!!! Save us both some time and grief.
Omg I thought you were going to say, when you stand next to someone and you absolutely hate them and don’t push them off a cliff, that’s inhibition control😂
TBH, I watch Jessica for the fun of it, and to be a better ally, never expected to hear her describe the way my own nd brain works. 😊
I have bipolar 2 disorder, and you just explained a core part of my experience better than any doctor or therapist. This helped me so much, especially today when I am hypomanic with extreme creativity and trying to do ten things at once (yet also unmotivated at the same time??? UGH) Thank you so much for your videos and for being the lovely human that you are.
25:13 how I like to describe this is: I'm not in a room full of order making chaos, I'm in a room full of chaos trying my darn best to create some sort of order.
I developed executive dysfunction as a result of depression. The second half of last year was just my brain shutting down. I'm trying to restore my brain, but its taking a long time.
Aquired neurodivergence like CPTSD also comes with significant executive dysfunction, and things like body doubling helps me get shit done.
I feel everything in this video so much. While I CAN get my shit together and do things on time, organized, etc, I have to pick which area of my life gets this higher level of focus and effort. Too often, this means I'm very put together in my work life--I really HAVE to be--while my personal life is often a chaotic, disorganized mess. It's actually one of the most frustrating aspects of my mental illness because it never goes away. It's gotten better as I've gotten treatment, but it still takes so much extra work to perform good executive function.
I'm in a FUNK right now and this video has really helped
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The moment you mentioned banana bread as an example, I was like nope! All bets are off, I am eating that fresh baked banana bread ❤
I have MS and I struggle with many of the aspects of executive disfunction. One of the worse for me has to do with lack of flexibility. Many times, I'm doing something and I'm fully aware that I'm doing it wrong. I just can't stop myself from doing it like that. Lost my last job because of that.
I am so happy you made this.
Lovely video ❤. It can also be caused by burnout, trauma and PTSD. But in that case it's more like the brain can't focus cuz it's too strained due to hypervigilance and the fatigue that it causes. PTSD in particular can also lead to coping mechanisms that disturb the executive function. Like instead of doing the thing the person first must do their calming down ritual to feel ready to do the thing. And this might need doing several times etc.
I love this channel so damn much. Im in the process of understanding my physical disability and still juggling my mental disorders. Its not been fun. Watching this channel is very comforting!! 💗😖✨
Thank you for all your videos!!
oh i loved this video! totally relate to lack of motivation and feeling like im trying to wade through sludge to make myself do the things i need to do! while that might be part of executive function i also think it might be linked to overall depression in my case & i do go to therapy but suppose i might seek out more options to help myself now that i know more ways of talking about what im feeling! ❤️
I already know I will need to rewatch this several times based off my current mentals, and I am thoroughly looking forward to it.🖤😆
"I exclusively watch 2 hour long video essays...or shorts." I FEEL SEEN!
thank you so much for making this video. I'm currently on the journey of learning who I *really* am and that includes learning a hell of a lot of stuff about neurodiversity. It's a complete perspective shift for basically my entire life, and I have learned so much from watching youtubers like you. Thank you!
P.S. I'll make sure to learn more about montessori now
This was a fabulous description of executive disfunction, thank you!
This is so relatable thank you for making this 😭😭
Somewhat ironically, I found this video hard to focus on because I knew a lot of the information already. Thank you for making it! This is probably the thing that's making my life the hardest at the moment because it absolutely has all those negative impacts.
Wow this video was absolutely perfectly timed
Thanks for another great video! Will definitely share 🙌
As always, fantastic video! Very informative.
Young woman, your videos are simply superb! You are funny, you have a very calming voice, and I watch you as often as possible. Sending you much love from Texas, USA.
Thanks so much for this informative video! I’ve been struggling with executive disfunction and I’ll try to apply your tips.
Pro tip - the app/website notion has made a huge change in my ability to function. It has many functions - calenders, lists, tables, general notes pages... It's AMAZING. 10/10
Amazing video! I am recently ADHD diagnosed as a masters student. Executive disfunction is my main thing I struggle with when it come to university. Especially motivating myself or making the same mistakes over and over because why would I think that today I don't have to apply what I have come to learn about myself. O well, if anyone has tips for motivation I welcome those :)
I've struggled with a lot of things for a lot of years. Recently, I heard about someone with ADHD who also had bladder issues (gotta love hanging out waiting to see if you're actually done peeing) who mentioned that getting on a new med helped him with that. So I talked to my doctor. Took a couple of months to get my first dose after he prescribed it (the pharmacy claimed a shortage of the medication). It helped with SO MUCH more than I anticipated. However, I was only able to get two months worth. The prescription was not covered by my insurance and it was over $70/mo. So I've asked for a change (it's only the extended release version that's not covered, the other versions are. Insurance is dumb.) Now I'm waiting for my prescription again, and I can really tell the difference. I was diagnosed ADHD in grade school in the 80s, but my father made sure I never got a refill, so here I am nearly 40 years later discovering that the meds really, actually, do help.
I think the fact that I've avoided watching this since adding it to my watch later as soon as it came out really says quite a lot 😅
Hi,
Autistic and OCDER here (which btw, both are neurodivergences) who heavily struggles with executive dysfunction. I know it wasn’t mentioned in your video, but us autistics struggle a lot with executive dysfunction. Specifically, planning months takes a lot of energy out of me, I have need to get it “just right”, my understanding of money not being the best, I get easily distracted by thoughts, I need to listen to music or multitask, I hyperfocus, I am attracted to stuff, I am attracted special interest and sometimes am indecisive and don’t trust my decisions (among other things). I have a lot of goals in mind, one of them living that is not with my parent, going on flights/trips myself and learning how to drive. I have graduated college now, and this is my next step into adulting.
So, thank you so much for posting this video, your at home tips were especially helpful. 😊
Autistic with OCD here as well! Just wanted to send a handshake 😅
I have health issues and a learning disability but functioned relatively well until teen years. I, and others, could not understand when I totally forgot a major class project. With you giving a name and description of this now helps. I have been going through some personal loss and know my depression has increased, not to mention health issues returning. Also, how long can I use menopause as an added cause for memory blips? People are learning that that can cause mental misfunction. Then I can switch to it's just old age.
Thank you for this video. I know that this is truly a thing and even has a medical name for it. With your tips to help you have encouraged me to go back to list making, charts for my treatment, and asking for help. These are my plans and I will get to them when able. I promise. 🥰💜
I just love you. ❤ Thanks, sis!!
Autistic and ADHD here (diagnosed when I was 42!), my whole life people thought I was super organised because I HAD to be to be able to function! I write EVERYTHING down, I have multiple digital and physical calendars and organisers and I still forget things! Digital helps for when I'm not at home, but I MUST transfer that information to a physical calendar/planner because if it's out of sight I forget about it!
I love when something pulls your attention by calling you out in that moment. Pulled up a phone game, while watching this then got a text, started thinking about that, hadn't been paying attention for like 10 minutes... "Examples of executive dysfunction, not paying attention to things when you should be."
Ok I guess it's time to rewind and pay more attention.😂
Great video, super informative and helpful - I feel so much better about myself❤️🙏😊 thank you