coping with severe mental fatigue and executive dysfunction

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poopylungstuffing
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14 Dec 2007, 7:43 pm

Anyone have any special tools they use to cope with the feeling of complete overwhealmedness?
We are moving into the new Super Happy Fun Land location...and I am over my head....there is so much to do that it just makes me tired...my mind draws a blank....I cannot switch my brain over to "moving" mentality...I am still just hyper-fixated on writing ukulele songs....meanwhile....this big gigantic monster building we are moving to looms above us....and we still have several weeks of shows at the old location....there needs to be about 10 of me...(all on adderall)

I am an ADDer (in addition to having AS symptoms) I am not on medication...I was on Adderall but while it cleared up the clutter of my mind, I also ended up having a sort of severe mental breakdown...

but I need something....maybe something natural....

Anywhoo..the executive dysfunction is a big problem in my life..it takes me much more time and energy to get from point a to point b than most other people....because I am zigzgging to all the other points....and more and more points keep coming up..and really there is no such thing as point a or point b......it is more like swimming through jello..or something....

just wondering what some of you might do to deal with this kind of stuff.....thanks....



Danielismyname
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14 Dec 2007, 8:06 pm

I have yet to find the answer (I don't think there is one other than how bound one is to the severity of said dysfunction).

Natural (everything is, but you know)? My GP told me to try taking fish oil to help with my autism, autism that contains executive dysfunction (a specific type of executive dysfunction that's common to autism is one theory for why autistic symptoms exist).



poopylungstuffing
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14 Dec 2007, 8:17 pm

Yeah..i need to start taking fish oil again...i go through phases of taking it religiously...but if I stop....then i go for weeks without taking it....need to make concerted effort to start again...i am definitely better when taking it.
When I said "natural" what I meant was "nonpharmaceutical"...non-prescription....ect....



liberty
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14 Dec 2007, 10:03 pm

I have found that no matter HOW HARD I try, I can NOT EVEN BEGIN to conquer Exec Function problems without help.

Sometimes, the help comes in the form of technology: I just bought a smartphone/handheld PC from a friend who said it was "too complicated" for him and did too much. He bought something simpler. I got this WAY cheap and am doing better already, even though I do not yet have phone/internet/email/IM/etc. up and running on it. Simply having an up-to-date Calendar and ToDo List in my hand at all times is a leap forward! Now, I have to get the rest going on it and I will be in like Flynn.

Sometimes, the help comes in the form of friends: Moving is always an especially horrible time for me and I get easily overwhelmed. I just need someone to come in a take over and tell me what to do. Sometimes, it is simply organizing my "stuff". But I know I cannot do it without some kind of help.

Thank G-d for friends and geek toys!! ! :hail:



Kilroy
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14 Dec 2007, 10:08 pm

why do spell God G-d :?

religion is the opium of the masses!



liberty
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14 Dec 2007, 10:13 pm

Kilroy wrote:
why do spell God G-d :?



It is a Jewish traditional sign of respect for The Name of G-d. Also, in order to avoid breaking the Commandment not to use The Name in vain.



Kilroy
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14 Dec 2007, 10:16 pm

I see
I don't beleive in God, the commandments
or much of anything really
if there is a god it is the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars-the everything
it is, not has made...
it makes more sence to me and its how I keep faith



trustwell
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14 Dec 2007, 10:28 pm

The whole ex-function problem is awful. I feel as though I'm constantly running into a closed patio door.

A palm pilot or paper calendar is essential to get by on a day to day basis. However, this doesn't address the larger picture so much.



MysteryFan3
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14 Dec 2007, 10:40 pm

I take 2000mg of fish oil, 400mg of ginseng and 360 mg of ginkgo biloba every day. The ginseng and ginkgo are to help me focus. I've noticed my thinking getting clearer, but I had some cognitive shutdown to deal with, so I don't know how fast you'd see a difference.


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MusicMaker1
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14 Dec 2007, 10:53 pm

I've taken fish oil, but not religiously and I've heard that gingobiloba is good too like you mentioned. I should take that more regularly.

Right now, for my ADHD, I take adderall on occasion (not every day) and have noticed that when I take it for a full day (12- hours worth of attention), I have experienced a sort of mental exhaustion. My guess is that whatever area of my brain that hasn't been on full power, is turned on full with the Adderall and I'm not used to working that part of my brain so much?? like a muscle sort of..

I've taken Adderall off and on for months now, and don't seem to have that mentally exhausted feeling at the end of the day as much, so maybe either I'm getting used to the Adderall (building a tolerance??) or my brain is used to being on full power more? anyway, Adderall has helped me get organized more than any other medication. When I see the results of my place being more organized and cleaner, etc.. , it picks up my spirits and helps combat periodic depression that I would feel. So far, it's been a great medication for me-- more than most. The only problem is dry-mouth though... Again, I don't take it every day because it would soon become ineffective as I would build up tolerance.

I wish there was some type of natural, herbal alternative though that would work as well without the potential for building up tolerance. Fish oil is supposed to be good for alot of organs in the body as well as the brain. I don't remember it having any type of effect like Adderall does though.. I should try that combination with the gingo biloba some day and see how it compairs to the Adderall.. and maybe some other herbs/supplements?

I've heard theories that avoiding dairy and gluten from white bread can help certain forms of autism too?

thanks.



poopylungstuffing
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15 Dec 2007, 2:47 am

on one hand I miss Addy....on the other hand, it really did seem to make me crazy..so i am kinda afraid to take it again. Ritalin made me feel really humorless and exhausted...Adderall...very angry and a different kind of overwhealmed....almost suicidal at times...

I think I will start taking more ginsing extract and gingko....I have spend most of my teenaged and adult life ingesting huge cocktails of various herbs to cope with executive dysfunction....with little success...

i know I need to give up wheat and dairy...but they seem to be in everything..and i am so busy with running in circles..or attempting to..that I have a hard time taking the time to monitor my diet....

No matter how many stimulants i take to combat my mental fatigue...nothing seems to work...I seem to have the most energy when I don't need it ...oh well.....blah....I have managed to make it thus far in life....and it has always always been a problem....

Maybe super smoothies in the morning with lots of herbal supplements...I know too many is bad...but...beh....