#executive functions

[snailscientificsuppositions]

i cant remember where i saw it but the "might as well" adhd hack is life-changing

basically instead of getting up to do the Task (evil), you get up to, say, grab a little snack. And oh, while you're standing right by the sink waiting for the microwave, you might as well wash a couple dishes

or you get up to go pee and oh, while you're in the bathroom you might as well brush your teeth, too. you might as well grab that cup when u walk past and drop it in the sink. you might as well clean the shower too since youve already got all the supplies out

i feel like it's the sort of thought pattern that leads adhd brains to jump from one task to the next so quickly — (oh, while I'm grabbing something from the pantry i might as well fix that broken shelf) or hyperfixate on certain tasks (oh, while I'm down here dusting the baseboards I might as well sand down the splinters and repaint them too). This is the only trick for executive dysfunction I've found that works for me, so hopefully it helps someone else too

[nightmare-from-heaven]

Hey. Your brain needs to de-frag. Literally it needs you to sit there and space out.

If you want your memory or executive function to improve, stare out a window at the skyline or sidewalk or trees or birds on the electrical wires for like 20+ minutes per day. (With no other stimulation like a podcast or TV if you can manage but hey baby steps innit). If you're fortunate enough to have safe outside with any bits of nature, go stare closely at a 1 meter square of grass and trip out on the bugs and shapes of grasses and stuff.

Literally this will make you smarter. Our brains HAVE TO HAVE this zone out time to do important stuff behind the scenes. This does not happen during sleep, it's something else.

That weird pressurized feeling you get sometimes might be your brain on no defrag.

Give your brain a Daily Dose Of De-Frag.

[omegasmileyface]

realizing that sticking to the "do it bad" "do it scared" mentality implies theres also a "do it bored"

[chronicsymptomsyndrome]

yay water

time to drink water woo hoo yay

[breelandwalker]

You have been visited by the Badger of Executive Function!

May this tenacious beastie grant you the strength to break through whatever is holding you back from completing that important task you've been meaning to get to, and the energy and motivation to

Do The Fucking Thing.

[totalcommunication1]

Executive Functions: What is it?

Executive functions are essential cognitive skills that enable individuals to plan, focus, remember instructions, and manage multiple tasks effectively. These skills, including problem-solving, self-regulation, and flexible thinking, play a crucial role in daily life and academic success. Weak executive functions can lead to challenges in organization and time management. At Total Communication, we provide expert support to enhance executive function skills, helping individuals improve attention, impulse control, and decision-making. Strengthening these abilities fosters independence and success in both personal and professional settings. Contact us today to learn more about our tailored programs for executive function development. Call us: +65 9115 8895

[reasonsforhope]

Workbooks to improve executive functioning

Since the post I made last night about improving executive functioning was so popular, I figured I should pull these out of my comments and give them their own post, in case it's helpful for people.

I have worked with the publishers of all of the books linked below and can vouch for their psychology books. The publisher of most of them, New Harbinger, is an extremely credible evidence-based psychology publisher.

Obvious disclaimer that everyone's brain is different and what works for someone else may not work for you.

Is there evidence that executive functioning can be improved? Yes. This book appears to be a very thorough overview of the field, and contains both advocates and detractors of cognitive training, for a balanced perspective. From the table of contents, I would really recommend jumping straight to Part 3: Developmental Perspectives for executive functioning (EF) writ large.

Certain therapy modalities are specifically designed for skill-building in areas like impulsivity, decision-making, emotional regulation, and cognitive flexibility, all of which are EF skills or very dependent on EF skills. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is probably the best field to look at for these - skill-building in those areas is its core goal.

Some DBT workbooks:

The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook: Practical DBT Exercises for Learning Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation, and Distress Tolerance

The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Teens

There are also a lot of workbooks for ADHD that are sometimes more broad but also can help with executive functioning:

The Adult ADHD and Anxiety Workbook: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Skills to Manage Stress, Find Focus, and Reclaim Your Life

The CBT Workbook for Adult ADHD: Evidence-Based Exercises to Improve Your Focus, Productivity, and Wellbeing

The Neurodivergence Skills Workbook for Autism and ADHD

General executive functioning workbooks:

The Executive Functioning Workbook for Teens

Executive Functioning Workbook for Adults: Exercises to Help You Get Organized, Stay Focused, and Achieve Your Goals

Hope these are helpful to someone!!

[cheeseanonioncrisps]

It's a weird fucking feeling realising that you actually have to plan ahead for and schedule in the things you like to do, as well as the things you have to do.

I don't mean the complicated stuff, that's a given.

If I'm going to the cinema, then I accept I'm going to have to look up film times and buy tickets and figure out when I'm going to leave the house. If I'm going to visit a friend who lives in a different county, then I accept that I'm going to probably be looking up travel times and planning activities and where to eat and what time we'll be doing what, for possibly days beforehand.

But its even the fucking lowkey stuff. If I want to watch a tv show, I have to plan time out of my day to do it, and I don't always get round to it. If I have a whole day free for some reason, and I decide I want to watch a film (at home, on the sofa) and I don't lay out a plan for when I'm going to do that and how long I'm going to take, then it just won't happen.

If I want to go for a walk just around my local area before it gets dark, or eat something with a slightly longer cooking time, or write my diary, or read a book I've been looking forward to reading, or even read fucking fanfiction that is longer than about 8000 words, then I have to set some sort of plan beforehand.

Like, I know intellectually that executive dysfunction affects more than just the things you don't enjoy doing. But fuck it doesn't really hit you until you realise that you haven't sat down to watch an episode of that show you like for over a week, even though you can't really name any activities you've been doing or commitments you have that would make it impossible to do so.

Anyway, this is a reminder to people who struggle with that sort of thing: schedule your days off, lest they be swallowed by the Pit before you get the chance to do anything fun with them.

[snailscientificsuppositions]

ADHD — The Rundown

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by executive dysfunction and emotional dysregulation.

Executive dysfunction: impaired cognitive control over goal-oriented behavior. It often presents as difficulty defining goals, initiating tasks, suppressing impulses, regulating attention, using working memory, and multitasking.

Emotional dysregulation: difficulty managing emotions, resulting in intense or sustained emotional reactions

Impacts

ADHD has effects on personal, social, academic, and professional life. Problems with impulse control can lead to addiction and social conflicts, and executive dysfunction as a whole causes problems maintaining schoolwork and professional obligations.

Over ¼ of people living in detention centers meet criteria for ADHD, while ADHD is only present in around 4% of adults in the general population.

ADHD is also associated with a lower life expectancy (by about 13 years).

Around 40% of Americans with ADHD were smokers in 2008 as compared to 20% of the general population in 2009, which is comparable to other psychiatric disorders.

ADHD is also associated with a greater risk for suicidal ideation, behavior, and attempts. Roughly ¼ of suicidal children under 12 have ADHD, and ADHD adolescents are more likely to also have issues with anxiety, major depressive episodes, chronic depression (dysthemia), and addiction. On it's own, ADHD is associated with 1.5× the amount of suicidal ideation in the general population, while ADHD alongside comorbid conditions has 4–12× the amount.

Causes

ADHD is associated with various structural differences in the brain, particularly in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The PFC is responsible for executive functioning, and it is very sensitive to neurochemical imbalances. ADHD is strongly believed to result from lowered dopamine and norepinephrine activity, weakening the PFC and resulting in executive dysfunction. Some studies have also shown that children with ADHD have reduced grey matter in the prefrontal cortex, although I was not able to access this book due to the paywall.

Treatment

The most common and effective treatments for ADHD are stimulant medications, of which there are many types. Some of the most common options involve methylphenidate (branded as Ritalin or Concerta), and amphetamines (used in Adderall, Mydayis, Dexedrine, and Vyvanse).

Methylphenidate acts as a norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI), meaning it slows the reabsorption of those neurochemicals. Amphetamines work by increasing catecholamine activity. Catecholamines are a group of neurotransmitters often associated with the fight or flight response, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and adrenaline. Catecholamines are associated not only with anxiety, restlessness, and fear, but also with focus, awareness, wakefulness, and reflexes, as well as a variety of physical effects.

[give-bucky-his-boyfriend-back]

Average Sam and Dean Team Up:

Dean: Hey let's take on this case which forces us to work through our current emotional problems since we're both too repressed to talk about it

Sam: Hell yes

Average Cas and Dean Team Up:

Cas: So...you're telling me I have to wear this cowboy hat as a disguise

Dean, totally unbiased and not being bisexual about it in any way whatsoever: Yes it's absolutely essential

Average Sam and Cas Team Up:

Sam: So we have to fight this llama that shoots lasers out of it's eyes, what seems like the most logical sollution?

Cas: Oh that's easy, we'll just have to transform you into an even bigger llama that shoots even bigger lasers out of it's eyes. That way you can defeat it.

Sam: Great! I'll look up the spell. Also don't tell Dean

[thebibliosphere]

I'm trapped in ADHD paralysis. I've got stuff to do, but the thing preventing me from moving isn't the thing I need to do; it's what I want to put on in the background while I work. So I'm outsourcing the decision.

I know the poll says 1 day, but whichever show has the higher number of votes after the next 20 minutes wins.

Go, Tumblr. Free me from this prison.

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

Autism and Being Constantly Exhausted

Neurodivergent_lou

[i-cant-swim-actually]

victorian goth jean lacing his corset send post

[secretly-a-trekkie]

cant save everyone

[clever-and-unique-name]

A simplified version of the thing I feel like goes on in my brain.

Blank version under the readmore if you want to be a bit silly+introspective with your own "settings"

[saltywinteradult]

i don't know who needs to hear this but do not listen to the voice in your head telling you you don't need to prepare tomorrow's breakfast or pick out tomorrow's outfit tonight. don't listen when it tells you you'll have time to do that tomorrow morning. that is the voice of the devil talking. do not listen.