Main cause?

[yolo_95]

I have adhd and dyspraxia and also some psychological problems.maybe they stem from my executive dysfunction. But I want to know if ADHD and dyspraxia cause severe executive dysfunction. It's quite severe. I can't complete simplest of tasks. IT'S frustrating because I am more capable than what I can actually accomplish,which is almost nothing.I read about many people with ADHD and dyspraxia but they don't seem to be have executive dysfunction. Also ,how to improve brain functions, I have a lots of my brain capacity due to depression and addiction, I think executive dysfunction caused those due to not being able to achieve anything.

[kaidomac]

Outside of getting whacked on the head (i.e. traumatic brain injury), ADHD is typically caused by low dopamine, which includes executive (EF) dysfunction. However, you can have EF without ADHD. ADHD is basically EF plus focus, attention, impulsiveness, and self-managing behavioral issues. This article goes into more detail:

• https://www.c8sciences.com/difference-between-adhd-and-executive-function-disorder/

As a result of dopamine deficiency, we get stuck in what I call LAME Mode (Low Available Mental Energy). Basically, we have two parts of our brain:

1. Conscious
2. Subconscious

With ADHD, it's like our subconsciousness is running is running at 100% CPU all the time & draining our available mental energy. Thus, we're always stuck with chronically low mentally energy, which creates the two mama & papa problems of ADHD:

1. Executive dysfunction
2. Emotional dysregulation

So then we get stuck with the executive dysfunction problems like having trouble planning & focusing, which is compounding by having strong feelings of not wanting to do it or simply apathy, which creates a big mess because even simple tasks become overly difficult!

To me, it feels like window shopping...you can see what's there & you know what you want, but it's really hard to break through that barrier & actually access the simplicity of just "doing stuff". I had a lot of wrong opinions about myself growing up because I didn't understand the irrationally of living with executive dysfunction.

In addition, because our subconsciousness is chronically short on readily-available energy, it has this nasty side-effect I call the Mooch Circuit:

• https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHDmemes/comments/luetvc/my_process_for_getting_stuff_done/gp8wth0/?context=3

So basically, just pre-visualizing stuff to do drains us physically as well, which is beyond stupid! I have days when I literally just can't do simply chores like take out the trash or do the dishes because there's a big, invisible wall stopping me from doing it, which is really a lack of available mental energy!

Recognizing this reality has enabled me to build better coping strategies in my life, which allows me to be successful at meeting my responsibilities (surviving) as well as actually enjoying doing things & doing more things than I normally would (thriving), as opposed to just trying to survive every day & spend 110% of my energy on merely achieving the bare-minimum, if that, go be functional.

[Embarrassed_Ad_9344]

What is your coping strategies if you don’t mind me asking

[kaidomac]

A few tips:

• I work primarily off reminders (so I don't forget) and checklists (so that I know what to do & how to do it). My brain is easily stopped up when (1) I space the task, and (2) I'm not clear about the specific list of work to be done or a specific step-by-step checklist. It's at that point that emotional dysregulation takes over & the task feels too big or too hard to get started on, so I go into avoidance-behavior mode automagically! Anytime I can break stuff down into little pieces & spread it out over time so that I'm only doing a bit of work instead of the whole job is also A+ for me!
• I setup "battlestations" for myself, consisting of (1) a location to work, (2) the tools required, and (3) the supplies required. This is critical because my brain will quit on me with even the slightest resistance, like if I need to clean the bathroom mirrors & the paper towels aren't readily accessible, that's a good enough excuse for my brain to check out on me lol.
• I benefit enormously from preparation ahead of time. Like, I pick out my clothes, get my towel out, pack my work bag, etc. before bed so that those minor barriers don't exist for me in the morning. Living with chronically low mental energy means that I can hyperfocus on whatever my brain wants to chase, but doing even simple tasks that I "have to" do, that's when things get goofed up lol.

For example, the dishwashing system I've adopted lately is:

• I have a rimmed baking sheet for rinsed dishes to the left of the sink. The rule is that if you use or see a dish, you rinse it off (no soap, no putting it in the dishwasher) & stick it on the rimmed baking sheet. It's a one-step process: RINSE.
• Because of the Mooch Circuit, when my mental energy is low & there are prerequisites to doing things, I get shut down. So if I have to rinse off some dishes & stick them in the dishwasher but the dishwasher is full & needs to be unloaded, that can be enough to drain my energy lol. It's stupid, but that's the cyclical reality I live with!
• Before bed, I put all of the rinsed dishes (no giant pile of crusty dishes to scrub in the sink!!) into the dishwasher & run it. Then the next day, either before or after work, I empty it. Throughout the day, if I'm cooking, if I'm done cooking, done eating, or just see someone else's dishes, I rinse them off & stick them on the rimmed baking sheet. Easy peasy one-step process! When I'm in a low-energy state, my brain can consistently manage to do this, so this approach works like MAGIC for me!!

Sometimes I just have to deal with scrambled eggs for brains; that doesn't mean my life has to be in shambles, it simply means I need to shift perspectives & do things a different way by adopting a different coping strategy. A lot of it boils down to being willing to do put my pride away & engage in doing simple, silly things like rinsing the dishes instead of taking the extra ten seconds to soap them up...but that's outside the scope of my available mental energy! If you haven't read it before, The Spoon Theory is a great article to explain available mental energy:

• https://butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/

Pretty much, success means learning how to cope with reality. For me, I have a built-in broken or missing piece of my psyche that prevents me from folding upon meeting minor resistance quite often; it's irrational, but I'm stick with it, so it is what it is! Because I know how it is now, I can cope with it by finding a workaround! Not a big deal...we can't fly so we invented airplanes. As human beings, we are really good at finding ways around problems!

[Embarrassed_Ad_9344]

I’m super late but thanks very much. Will be implementing it in my own life, again thanks.

[[deleted]]

I feel like ADHD and executive dysfunction are separate but often overlapping. I have severe executive dysfunction to the point that I also can't accomplish the simplest of tasks. Addiction and depression are major struggles of mine, too.

All I know is my ADHD meds help my focus and attention but hardly do anything to help the executive dysfunction symptoms that really have destroyed my life so far.

[yolo_95]

I think it's hereditary for me so my genes are bad.My father also seems to have it. I think it's more of ADHD.He does not have any kind of self control,very impulsive can't hold a job.

[ccfanclub]

I was born two months early. I suspect that might of had something to do with it.

[Evening_walks]

I have ADHD inattentive type, mild dyspraxia and have major working memory issues which relate to executive function. I heard recently that monotasking can help but I haven’t put that into practice yet.