executive functioning?

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I came across this term today, and i think from the description, I am very deficient in executive functioning. I also think that after many years of plowing through stressful events/jobs/relationships, it is getting worse. My question is, does anyone know of resources for how to improve these skills?

I will be 40 this year, and I think I am approaching middle-aged "aspie burnout". Chronic problems with my physical health leave me tired and fuzzy-headed as it is. Not sure how to get grounded. Does that make sense?

I really want to at least keep doing things that I enjoy, but I have a hard time mentally slowing down, prioritizing, and staying on top of things. Can anyone relate? Any book recommendations? I've been wading through the forum, and haven't found much yet.

Thanks

Er, that's tough. the only thing so far I have tried that helped was like cognitive behavioral therapy. my therapist helped me get some stuff in order and showed me how. occupational therapy may also be a way to go. :/ as for books, i have no idea.

Well I'm a decade ahead of you and I can assure you, it does get worse. My executive functioning peaked between 25 and 35 and it was never all that great to begin with. IMO, AS becomes more of a serious disability as you get older. Its easy to fake your way along when your mental age is a very smart 16 and everyone else is at an average 25, but when everyone around you is functioning with the maturity and skills of an experienced 50 year old and you've still got the focus of a teenager, it starts to show through.

I get a lot of mental function benefit from following The Zone Diet. It makes me feel more relaxed and increases ease of mental focus.

I've been using it off and on for approx 6 years. Just like any balanced diet, it's easier to not follow it, but whenever I let myself lose discipline in the diet area, I suffer. There's a significant difference in mental function for me between being on the diet or off it.

If you're unfamiliar with the Zone; it's eating the macro nutrients in a 30% protien - 30% fat - 40% carbohydrate ratio at each meal and snack. This diet regulates our hormones, especially the hormones that regulate blood sugar levels. Following the diet keeps blood sugar levels very steady and that has a powerful impact on brain function.

This diet was originally developed as a means to heart health, but it turns out to have many other health and functioning benefits as well.

The Zone was developed by Dr Barry Sears about 20 years ago and his books are redily available. I get mine 2nd hand.

This answer probably doesn't seem to answer the root of your question, and certainly it doesn't. Brain function is way beyond my knowledge base. But I just started a new job in a new area for me and my mental capacity is being challenged to say the least. I need any mental edge I can access right now. I honestly don't think I'd be able to rise to this occaision without disciplined nutrition, sleep time & regular excercise right now.

Books: Any Zone book by Barry Sears and any book by Dr Daniel Amen (brian specialist - his books are written for the layman to improve brain function)

I had a feeling that it was going to get worse as I age.

Your description of a mental age that is well behind one's peers is very acurate in my experience. I always feel like someone needs to translate things into simpler statements for me to get it. This is mostly with verbal instructions. Sometimes i feel like they are talking to me like a child.

It is also getting harder for me to hide my impatience and/or boredom with chit-chat, i.e. useless information sharing.

Thanks for the book recommendations. I think I do need to step it up with nutritive supplements etc. More sleep would also be a good thing!

Mine didn't. Physically too, I feel much better than I did in my 40s. It was something of a mid-life crisis for me.

It's hard to know whether I'm mentally burnt out or not. I'm no longer subject to any great pressure from my job since diagnosis, and the salary is more than enough to cover the bills, so I don't really have to do anything but buy food, eat it, put the heating on, pay the bills, and a bit of basic cleaning. I don't find independent living very hard, as long as I keep it all really simple. I don't take on so much that I'd need to multi-task. So all in all, the challenges aren't great these days.

When I was in my 40s I was taking on a lot more, especially at work, and I don't think I could do it again now. You might notice that men are more likely to assume a right to a certain amount of leisure time....certainly I've always done that, I might work quite hard for a few hours, but I've always jealously guarded my leisure time, evenings and weekends. I used to think I must be a typical self-pampering bloke, but maybe I was just protecting myself from the strain of an Aspie-unfriendly world.

So all I can advise is, take all the rest you feel you need. Only take on as much work as you feel you can comfortably achieve. Slow down and take life as it comes. Adopt a whistling, hands-in-pockets attitude to life, and remember that you're only along for the ride.

The executive function theory was put forward by Uta Fith a well respected reasearcher into Autism, but it is only a theory. In their book Autism (mccgregor, nunez, cebula and gomez) put forward the theory that Autistic people have a different processing style to NT's, and thus a different intelligence, which opposes the executive function theory. NT's can also have weak executive functions, it's not a deficit or a wrong thing at all.

In the back of my mind I always envision a much slower pace of life as the ideal. It has been hard to make it a reality, mostly because I think I'm expending a lot of energy trying to keep up with what looks like "everybody else" can do. Multitasking is a stressor for sure. Why not just eliminate it?!



I had never heard of these researchers before. Having a different processing style sounds manageable,maybe I just need practical steps toward making my outside life and my neurological needs work together. jamesongerbil had mentioned the services of an occupational therapist as a place to start. In the preschool where I work, there are a few who work with the children. I love the way they try things out to see what will work for each child. One may need a weighted helmet or vest to help with focus, and another may need exercises to increase their fine motor skills.

Yes this is all very helpful. If anyone wants to post more, I am all ears. Thanks!

I think upbringing and the social mores of our peers can often be rather difficult to overcome. Give me a soap-box and I'll speak volumes about the madness of the work ethic......but in real life, I find it very hard to just slow down without nagging feelings of guilt and anxiety. It helps to surround myself with lazy people.

Yes, and I am now spent. Looking back, maybe I could have paced myself a little better? Maybe.

Executive functioning is the ability to use forethought to organize, plan, and attend. It includes sequencing and applying temporal ( time) concepts. The key to executive functioning is that it occurs primarily automatically in NTs. It is usually impaired in aspies and people with ADHD.

I find myself, at 41, believing that is one of my primary challenges as a person with AS. While I have the capacity for all of these skills, it does not come automatically to me. Consequently, I feel completely drained at the end of the day. I also believe that the ability to pace oneself is directly related to executive functioning. Personally, I vacillate from doing too much and hyper focusing to being lethargic.

Yes that's it exactly! just updating my datebook takes at least a couple of hours. Even trying to make a to-do list takes forever. After trying to just prepare to do the work, I'm already tired and then I berate myself for not being smarter about such simple things.



I agree with you on that. Why is it so wierd to take care of ourselves by not working too hard? I think there is a link between our society's avoidable health issues (high blood pressure and cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, etc) and this crazy work ethic. It shouldn't be considered lazy to be un-stressed, right?!

exactly. I am currently unable to work, but I also find myself unable to believe in and therefore adopt ways of thinking I just don't believe in. willingness to change has nothing to do with it, i agree with you exactly. it's a nasty little loop. But it's us, yeah? ))

The best resource to sort out executive functioning issues is an understanding and caring life partner (wife, husband etc). I am very lucky because mine loves kids and being 'Mum' etc. I still have to do the household finances though. She even enjoys mowing lawns

.... I don't even think I'm marriage material...

I can;t maintain contact with someone for very long without wanting very badly to stop talking to them. Let alone live with someone long enough to maintain a relationship. my mom is always at me to spend time with her... what is wrong with this woman? it's never going to happen if she lkeeps repeating the same behaviour over and over. creepy clingy psycho b***h. ;(

I worry that I will never have someone. So at least you found somebody! ( i am probably like this today becaue i was stupid and ate gluteny food this week.)

so, here's a lesson kids, don't eat gluteny food, like flour, bread, corn, any grains, dairy, soy, etc... it' does THIS to you. every. stinkin. time.

Sorry..but flour is a generic term that encompasses both gluten-containing and gluten-free foods, corn does not contain gluten, some grains are gluten-free, and dairy and soy do not contain gluten. While I am not disparaging a gluten-free diet (I myself am gluten-free because of a health condition), please do a little research before making an inaccurate blanket statement.