I have always noticed that I get distracted pretty easily. My whole life (since adulthood and "the workforce") I have been a list maker. I don't use my phone; actually having a pad of paper or a notebook is my go to problem solver. The amount of used books, random papers and the never ending need to find a really great pen has been a part of me for a long time.
Growing up after school our Mother would provide us with a list of chores and after we did the chore we would mark it off with a check mark to make a note for her; that it had been accomplished.
Now I use that tool regularly, not to know what chores my children have accomplished; but to keep myself in check as a Mom/Human. This is not only used for bills, appointments, and soccer practices/games... I access my lists for my daily chores, jobs, and weekly/monthly farm projects.
Signs and Symptoms of ADHD
It is normal for children/adults to have trouble focusing and behaving at one time or another. However, children with ADHD do not just grow out of these behaviors. The symptoms continue, can be severe, and can cause difficulty at school, at home, or with friends.
A child/adult with ADHD might:
daydream a lot
forget or lose things a lot
squirm or fidget
talk too much (for others)
make careless mistakes or take unnecessary risks
have a hard time resisting temptation
Types
There are three different ways ADHD presents itself, depending on which types of symptoms are strongest in the individual:
Predominantly Inattentive Presentation: It is hard for the individual to organize or finish a task, to pay attention to details, or to follow instructions or conversations. The person is easily distracted or forgets details of daily routines.
Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation:The person fidgets and talks a lot. It is hard to sit still for long (e.g., for a meal or while doing homework). Smaller children may run, jump or climb constantly. The individual feels restless and has trouble with impulsivity. Someone who is impulsive may interrupt others a lot, grab things from people, or speak at inappropriate times. It is hard for the person to wait their turn or listen to directions. A person with impulsiveness may have more accidents and injuries than others.
Combined Presentation: Symptoms of the above two types are equally present in the person.
Because symptoms can change over time, the presentation may change over time as well.
ADHD in Adults
ADHD can last into adulthood. Some adults have ADHD but have never been diagnosed. The symptoms can cause difficulty at work, at home, or with relationships. Symptoms may look different at older ages, for example, hyperactivity may appear as extreme restlessness. Symptoms can become more severe when the demands of adulthood increase.
I have never actually been diagnosed. The signs are very apparent. I believe I am a "high functioning" version of ADHD due to a nice pinch of OCD.
I know I have a problem concentrating which results in these lists, multiple calendars and reminders...my OCD gets a kick and ends up saving the day because I can not handle moving on to another project unless I know one has gotten to a manageable or complete level.
What is OCD
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a long-lasting disorder in which a person experiences uncontrollable and recurring thoughts (obsessions), engages in repetitive behaviors (compulsions), or both. People with OCD have time-consuming symptoms that can cause significant distress or interfere with daily life. However, treatment is available to help people manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.
When I was in my 20s I had many days that I was late for work. I always left for work early by 20 minutes just to make sure I was on time for my shift. However I would close my garage door, watch it shut, driveway 20 minutes to the expressway and right before the on ramp freak out that the door didn't shut. Keep in mind there was nothing in the garage, the house was not in a bad area, but my brain would not let me continue on to work.
In my home now..not having things where I assigned them in their spot in the cupboard, the classroom or the kitchen gives me high anxiety.
My OCD has me labeling, re organizing, and sorting our cupboards that were well cleaned just months previous.
Knowing that the item I need for the next task on my list( for my ADHD brain) is not accessible makes me just want to stop. It's like trying to drive your car for the day but being on empty in your gas tank. Then I just give up on the task because I have just spent 40 minutes trying to find the scissors, or good writing pen, or laptop cord.
I get on this high for days on end feeling really great and proud of the goals we made reality. Then after days of accomplishing goals or a big farm project that took 3 days...I have a sleepy brain and physical body breakdown day. Im not talking about a mental breakdown. Im saying my brain is so tired from being hyper focused that I literally NEED the break.
I know that sometimes others have days where they just lay in bed all day and zone out the world because it is too much. Sometimes I wish this was my go to just because it seems way more relaxing; but as my teenage daughter has
reminded me...."It's like you literally don't have an off switch or a chill button"
My "break" might come in the form of a day where we just play outside, a binge day of family movies or a day that we leave the house so I don't have to associate with tasks by physically looking at them.
I also get on to "side tasks/quests" quite easily. If I am in the kitchen and making breakfast I might look over and see I need to do dishes, but then the towel I need is dirty, so I go start a load of laundry, then I go back to the kitchen and say to myself..unload and reload so your dishes can start running, then back to the eggs in the pan..wooo thank goodness made it before they over cooked, then serve the kids, then I have to go to the bathroom cupboard to get new towels out because I have none in the kitchen, but that turns into cleaning the bathroom, then oh ya I should pee, then to the soap, the soap is now empty, so now I have to refill that, I leave the room, then circle back to the kitchen to retrace my steps to remind myself as to what I needed..Oh ya the towel, back to the cupboard, ok focus ...then the kids are done eating so I clear their plates and get them started on school and then I finally eat my cold eggs. Forget about coffee..that was reheated multiple times every day for the last 6 years. lol
The above paragraph is a very small section of what my brain goes through multiple times a days. I left it as a run on sentence for days on purpose so you really get a grasp of what it is like.
My Husband and I (already being Man and Woman) think differently. I think it speaks volumes to our understanding relationship that we have realized(over time) we each get turns being"project manager". Sometimes I just give him a project all to himself so my OCD brain doesn't try to micromanage, since I have been through the plan 75 times in my own head. Other times I am in charge for the next few hours because of already running it through so many times in my head that I have found the shortest path or series of events to get the project completed by the deadline we have set out. The OCD is also good for items such as a remodel. Redrawing, planning and making purposeful places for little items makes me be 100 percent sure before we start tearing down or building.
So this is why the lists are so important. On big projects: I do not let myself move on to the next task until the previous one is complete. The goals have been accomplished, the daily goes pretty smoothly with only a few hiccups in the roads. All in all while this can be a troublesome situation every once in a while and can make me feel out of sorts occasionally. I believe that maybe it is a gift... maybe my brain is my super power.
What is your super power? Wilson Wonders
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