Supplements for improving executive functioning

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mr_bigmouth_502
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10 Jun 2014, 8:15 pm

My executive functioning stinks, and aside from my sensory issues, it's probably the one thing about being an aspie that causes me the most difficulty in my day to day life. The idea of improving my executive functioning hit me when I woke up this afternoon, and realized that I had missed an appointment I had booked with my therapist, which was going to be my first one in about a month.

I've had problems with laziness and forgetfulness for a long time, and whenever I complained about them to other people, nobody offered any real solutions. Everybody thought it was by choice or because I like to stay up late at night. I like staying up at night because it's quiet and peaceful, and I can avoid other people. Unfortunately, I live in a place where everybody is expected to live and work during the day.

Anyway, I was sort of going off topic, but does anyone know of any supplements I could take or medications I could talk to my doctor about for improving my executive functioning? Should I be taking gingko, GABA, St. John's wort?



Dr_Cheeba
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10 Jun 2014, 8:48 pm

I've tried many things... Exercise and healthy eating has had the best effect overall.


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ImeldaJace
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10 Jun 2014, 11:27 pm

You could try working on strategies with a therapist or a life coach.

I strongly caution you against trying to decide what medication you should take before you have talked to a doctor. There is a real reason for medical school and residency training.


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goldfish21
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11 Jun 2014, 12:56 am

If you're sensitive to salicylate acids like I am/was, epsom salts.

Cliffs: Along my journey I discovered my sensitivity to SA's and how to detox them via epsom salts on my skin. Not consuming them + detoxing what was built up dramatically improved executive functioning. I also eliminated gluten & casein at this time.

Read the thread in my sig for the long version.


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mr_bigmouth_502
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11 Jun 2014, 1:49 am

ImeldaJace wrote:
You could try working on strategies with a therapist or a life coach.

I strongly caution you against trying to decide what medication you should take before you have talked to a doctor. There is a real reason for medical school and residency training.


Probably not a bad idea. Booking an appointment and remembering it in the first place will be the tricky part. It's kind of a vicious cycle, because I'd have to improve my executive functioning enough to remember to do something to improve my executive functioning. ;) Same with eating a healthier diet or getting more exercise.

On that note, I could probably get more exercise if I got a job that involved it, but good luck getting me on a GF/CF diet. Pretty much all of my favorite foods involve wheat or cheese somehow, and while wheat can be replaced by other grains in many cases, cheese is really a hard thing to replace.



Daedelus1138
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11 Jun 2014, 2:36 am

piracetam
nicotine

those are a few things I've tried that help.

I started smoking in college and I noticed a lot of improvement in my mood- fewer meltdowns, a bit more social. I switched to snus eventually, then nicotine lozenges. Now, I am mostly a vaper (I don't recommend real cigarettes for health reasons). I've read several Aspies that try using nicotine patches with some success- but you should only be using those, if you are a non-smoker, if a doctor has advised you how to use them. You could get very sick wearing a patch if you've never smoked and you choose the wrong strength.



mr_bigmouth_502
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11 Jun 2014, 6:29 am

Daedelus1138 wrote:
piracetam
nicotine

those are a few things I've tried that help.

I started smoking in college and I noticed a lot of improvement in my mood- fewer meltdowns, a bit more social. I switched to snus eventually, then nicotine lozenges. Now, I am mostly a vaper (I don't recommend real cigarettes for health reasons). I've read several Aspies that try using nicotine patches with some success- but you should only be using those, if you are a non-smoker, if a doctor has advised you how to use them. You could get very sick wearing a patch if you've never smoked and you choose the wrong strength.


I smoked cigars before and I find that they get me feeling really relaxed and mellow, though I don't actually want to turn smoking into a habit of mine. I'll consider nicotine gum or lozenges though.