Lack of Executive Functioning

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Quite simply, sometimes I feel that I have none.

I may be misapplying terms here and I'm sure this has been discussed many times before so forgive me, but I think it comes down to my frontal lobe. There's nothing there.

Sure, I'll concede this is probably hyperbole, but that's what it feels like. Scattered brain to the extreme. There is very little language up front, activity seems to be in the left and right and back and every which way but the front door. My brain is scrambling in real-time to find appropriate neuro-pathways to communicate language. Others seem to have a lot of this already stored up front, ready to go. On Auto-pilot. No problem. But not me. As soon as I start to talk, oftentimes I have no idea what I'm even saying. Blah blah blah blah blah. And I probably have no idea what you are saying either. blah blah blah blah blah. I have a very very hard time processing info through my ears. Well, through my eyes as well in terms of picking up on subtext, but that's another issue.

Is the RAM analogy too trite? Oh, I've got 256 MB RAM in my frontal lobe, so compared to someone with 4 GB RAM (or roughly 8 times more), it's not such a shocker that there may be some problems processing information, sensory inputs, groups, etc, in real time.

Do you relate to what I say? Is this a flawed way of describing it?

I have clinical executive dysfunction. You can get yourself tested for this ask you doctor to refer you to a nueropsychologist to do an assessment.

The RAM analogy is about right, however they disagree on the actual mechanism. Often it isn't language that is impaired though, but it sound more like a speech issue with you, as you have good command of language.

Thank you for the reply, that's very interesting. Is clinical executive dysfunction a separate issue and diagnosis from ASD's or are they one in the same would you say?

A friend recommended a book called "Smart But Scattered" about how to help with executive function problems. I've read the beginning of it...don't know if I can yet recommend it but it contains practical strategies for this problem.

Just to post a standard forum message, but yet still true: "I know about this all too well."

i loook into that book i have horrible executive functioning

well that term is a bit vague. e.f. encompasses everything from motor control to emotions to memory to abstract thought to sustained attention and planning. it is possible to struggle with one but be fine with the others. i do not think that verbal comprehension or expressive language is related to that.

mine is the pits ..i take ad der all for it,,,only helps a bit..

It is really hard to say what all I can blame on executive functioning...I have trouble with so much stuff....I need to study up on it...

Executive function isn't really related to language. Its all about the ability to plan and carry out complex actions, like planning, organizing and putting on a party. Executive dysfunction is a common part of the 'syndrome' in Asperger Syndrome. But I think pretty much all of our dysfunction is frontal-lobe related.

It can cause problems with simple actions too...
I have all kinds of fine sequencing problems...

I'll get away from the functioning in everyday life aspect of this such as language for a second. Maybe this isn't related to this but my apartment is a mess. And not in the casual sense. Not to gross anyone out, but trash, mostly fast food, littered EVERYWHERE, in the extreme sense, mountains upon mountains. You really can't walk around in here anywhere, it's bad.

I'm not trying to make excuses for bad habits and slovenly lifestyle. This probably isn't an asperger's or ASD thing since I'm sure many people here are neat and tidy and all that. It's just that, I have no idea. None. There are times like right now when I think about it and say, "hmmmm this isn't right." But then it's just completely overwhelming whenever I think about doing something about it. Would this be an executive functioning concern? Or is this not a medical thing, and just a wow, this guy is absurd thing. Has anyone else encountered this sort of thing with themselves or others? I might start another thread on it later but does anyone have any general first impressions on what to make of something like this? I'd be happy to further describe what I'm talking about if it's not coming out right.

I am sooooooo bad at those things. I don't know if I have AS (lately I think probably not), but I absolutely have executive dysfunction, and I have phases were it gets really bad.

The funny thing is that when I signed up for the Air Force many years ago, because I had no clue what else grown-ups were supposed to do, they stuck me in a job called, "Maintenance Scheduling Specialist". My career field was based around planning and organizing various maintenance actions on aircraft and equipment. I mostly got stuck in support positions, because it was clear that I couldn't plan a trip to the other side of the room. Of course, I was just called "lazy with attitude problems."

your description of your apartment does not really sound like an asd thing. i think the worst kind of dysfunction with asd people comes from not processing any external stimuli especially the "weak central coherence" thing. disconnection and being in one's "own little world" can be mistaken for e.d.f.

it is possible that your description of not being able to express yourself can be e.d.f. if you cannot retreive words that you already know.

The apartment thing can very much be an autism thing. Autistic people are often lacking in daily living skills including those required to keep a clean apartment. I need cleanliness to function but left to my own devices there was worse than just trash sitting around. This was due to a combination of perceptual problems and inability to get from thought to action on purpose, all very very much wrapped up in how autism works for me. Just because it's not like that for everyone doesn't mean it's not autism related. Some of us really do have severe trouble with basic tasks and I'm one of them. (Affects everything though not just my apartment. And this is why I qualify for services, in part.)

well it seems as if all of us have non-existent working memory, which ruins the ability to think coherently and to carry out multiple steps, yet talking to oneself out loud or writing everything down in detail or drawing helps with this. this way nothing has to be visualized and words and sentences can pass through the sieve. has anyone tried this? it also helps to make sense out of emotions.



same here. this is why i love the internet.

I need to take Ritalin/Concerta or I am simply unable to multitask at all. If I have to stop what I am doing it often totally completely forget about it.