Anyone here also struggling with ADD/ADHD?

[coyote]

In working to make improvements in my life, i often have a difficult time addressing the root cause of things because the symptoms overlap so much.

Do i fail to accomplish tasks because I'm distracting myself out of avoidance/anxiety?

or

Do i get side-tracked by ADD and forget about doing stuff because it's just not interesting enough?

and why are there squirrels in my garage? there's no food in there

although i did drop a slice of pizza on the garage floor last week when i was fixing the bike i found lying by the roadside when i went to the grocery store to buy some olive oil to make the hummus that i got the recipe for after i googled nostradamus and

sorry, my coffee is ready

 

[coyote]

i have a thousand things to do, all pulling me in different directions

i don't know where to start

i get overwhelmed and anxious that i'll do the wrong thing - so I avoid doing anything = AvPD

so now i have a thousand and one things to do, all pulling me in different directions

i get overwhelmed and unable to focus on doing one thing at a time, so nothing gets done = ADD

i get anxious and afraid that people will view me as incompetent and stupid for not accomplishing anything, so i avoid talking to them about it and hide the fact that i haven't gotten anything done = Social Anxiety

more things don't get done, so now i have 1,500 things to do - and we're back to square one

i'm afraid to let anyone know how screwed up I am, so i don't ask for help

i've keep putting off filling out the paperwork to get signed up for health insurance, so i can't afford a counselor

and i distract myself with 1,500 things so that i forget what i need to do to take care of myself

the very problems i need to solve are the the things that stand in the way of getting help for them in the first place

which one do i try to address first?

 

[Beatrice]

Sounds just like me. To a T. I knew I had ADD.

Whoa, didn't mean to rhyme there.......

 

[coyote]

Do this one. I has the potential to make the biggest difference.

thank you, phocas

 

[LifeInternal88]

i get overwhelmed and unable to focus on doing one thing at a time, so nothing gets done = ADD

That's me.

With regards to not knowing where to start. Write down all the tasks on pieces of paper. Put them all in a hat. Then draw one out, and start there. There should be nothing else on your desk, except that task.

I've realized that you just need to start. Anywhere. Once you've overcome that initial hump...it gets easier. And you'll feel good that you've completed at least one thing

 

[coyote]

That's me.

With regards to not knowing where to start. Write down all the tasks on pieces of paper. Put them all in a hat. Then draw one out, and start there. There should be nothing else on your desk, except that task.

I've realized that you just need to start. Anywhere. Once you've overcome that initial hump...it gets easier. And you'll feel good that you've completed at least one thing

cool, thanks

Task #1:

buy a hat

 

[Rembrandt Broam]

cool, thanks

Task #1:

buy a hat

Good choice. Hats are cool.

 

[Glitch]

I don't know what it's like to have ADD but I'm the worst with procrastination. I get overwhelmed pretty easily as well so it helps sometimes to just sit down and make an actual list of what I need to do. Order it however you want, most important first or maybe the easiest you feel capable of doing. Because if you complete a few smaller things it might help motivate and give you confidence to take on the bigger tasks. You can break down the steps of each individual task further to make it seem less daunting and to help keep your focus on one thing at a time. Really though, squirrels in your garage? Odd. Giant rats in mine, yeesh.

Edit: Ah it takes ages for me to type a response, Internal beat me to it!

 

[coyote]

ok, second question...

does anyone have trouble making lists?

personally, i'd rather rip my eyeballs out with a fork

but that would just be another task to add to the list

that list i keep meaning to write

someday

unless i can find a clean fork

maybe it's a good thing i haven't washed the dishes

 

[Deus_Ex_Lemur]

I am pretty sure I have ADHD and def. AvPD. I HAVE TROUBLE MAKING LISTS! I use color-coded post-it's per task/to-do... stuck on my dresser next to my bed, so I can't miss them, since I frequently visit my bed... but I also have a dart board and have done that. What task shall I do today... *throw dart*. However I intentionally miss a lot. But then the unaimed arrow never misses...

I've faced facts even writing out to-do's doesn't mean you end up DOING them. I need a someone to crack the whip at me to do them... ughhh.

 

[coyote]

here's where i get stuck:

making the list is IN ITSELF just one more task to try to attend to, avoid, or procrastinate

don't get me wrong - i appreciate the advice, and i understand the concept logically

but, like telepathine said, list-making gets lost in all the rest of the stuff

*sigh*

i'll give it another try

now where's my pen and legal pad?

 

[coyote]

I've faced facts even writing out to-do's doesn't mean you end up DOING them. I need a someone to crack the whip at me to do them... ughhh.

exactly

now that i'm on my own, there's no one around to hold me accountable

as much as i may have resented feeling accountable to someone in the past, the truth is that i was able to take care of my life better

left to my own devices, i tend to let everything fall apart

 

[Glitch]

Hah yeah it is pretty damn hard to make yourself start somewhere.. but usually once I start I follow through and finish everything. It is sort of easier when I'm being held accountable. Eh I think I need someone to push me into action as well.

 

[Deus_Ex_Lemur]

exactly

now that i'm on my own, there's no one around to hold me accountable

as much as i may have resented feeling accountable to someone in the past, the truth is that i was able to take care of my life better

left to my own devices, i tend to let everything fall apart

I feel the same way I've resented such in the past too but really just took care of myself better. Ugh. =D

i'll be your cheerleader. i'll hold you accountable. YOU CAN DO IT. RRRRAAAHHH.

Can you hold me accountable too? I'll even give you the whip to crack!

 

[coyote]

i'll be your cheerleader. i'll hold you accountable. YOU CAN DO IT. RRRRAAAHHH.

will you wear the cheerleader outfit and everything?

Can you hold me accountable too? I'll even give you the whip to crack!

threesome

cool

 

[coyote]

I think this is the key thing. Thinking about the stuff that has to be done causes emotional pain in the form of anxiety/fear - "too much to do; will it take forever?; will I do it right?..." etc - writing a list forces us to start to quit avoiding and face the pain. Remembering that the anxiety is a product of our own (often) wrong thinking, the only way forward is to 'feel the fear and do it anyway'.

very awesome, yes

btw, i bought a book a couple of years ago with that same title

i haven't read it yet

i'll write that on my list

 

[Pacific_Loner]

If you don't mind me resurrecting this thread...
Can anyone explain to me how ADD affect your life exactly?
I'm having trouble at work because of total lack of focus and extra short attention span and I was wondering if it could be related to ADD and if there is a solution to it, or if I just have to accept that I'm dumb and doomed to get fired until the end of my days.