ADHD/ADD/EFD

[Jorliss]

I have been living with ADHD, ADD AND EFD since 1973.

[Adam081911]

Hi! Thanks for sharing about your condition.

How did you discover you have these diagnosis? I think.... I'm sure that my husband has ADD but he doesn't want to admit it. I pushed him to see a family doctor and he was given a self assessment form but my husband didn't fill in the form or make a follow up appointment!

[Jorliss in reply to Adam081911]

I was tested and diagnosed in 1973. The doctor was spot on. My parents were told I was hyperactive and to stay away from artificial colors and sugar but they were never told what to expect.

I could not understand why I could not remember things. I did not know Executive Functioning Disorder was also very common in ADHD. I found this out this month it had a name. EFD is absolutely crippling. How can someone learn if they have trouble getting the information into working memory. For example, The guy told me at the hardware store the name of the product I needed and what isle it was on. I walked 50 feet to the aisle but by the time I got there I forgot the brand name so I had to walk back and ask him. I then had to keep on repeating it to myself so I wouldn’t lose the information. This type of struggle is one of many.

My attention is horrible. For example, I will grab my socks and I will lose them within a ten foot radius. It’s like everything falls into a black hole. Never mind my glasses, keys, phone and TV clicker. Those are lost within a second and a five foot five radius. Yes, I am 5 foot five.

[AngelamarieQ in reply to Jorliss]

Wow! What you described is what I’m dealing with and I didn’t know I had ADD until I started researching about my daughter. I think I have to schedule an appt with a psychiatrist. It is, definitely, crippling 😣

[Jorliss in reply to AngelamarieQ]

It is.

[Adam081911 in reply to Jorliss]

Thanks. Do you still avoid artificial colors and sugar? Do you feel the difference if you have it?

[Jorliss in reply to Adam081911]

I do not make it a point to avoid sugar or artificial colors. However, I have in the past and I can tell you healthwise I feel much better. It does not make a huge difference with my ADHD but I feel better off sugar. Perhaps feeling better makes my anxiety less.

[Adam081911 in reply to Jorliss]

I see. Avoid sugar and artificial color is a good thing overall for general health.

[Jorliss in reply to Adam081911]

I may be less anxious when I’m off sugar but I don’t remember.

[Klau07 in reply to Jorliss]

Thank you for telling us a little more! My son changes conversations about every 3-4 seconds he can’t keep up with a normal conversation. He also forgets his shoes all the time . What about behavior? Did you have any kind of behavior? Speech delay, developmental delay?

[Jorliss in reply to Klau07]

I still change conversation but mostly I interrupt other people’s conversations. I rarely ever wait. I mostly interupt. I think I do it because I’m afraid I am going to lose my thought. In addition, waiting to talk makes me anxious.

I have a hard time following conversations and usually have no idea what the person said because my mind is so busy with my own thoughts and what I am going to say.

In order for me to learn I must interrupt to ask questions and then reiterate to make sure I understood. I must go from step A to step B. I must understand every step. I will interrupt every time I don’t understand because my mind will not let me move on. Normally teachers will not let you interupt. My ADHD will replay over and over in my mind the questions I was not allowed to ask on step A. The teacher then moved on to step B, C and D and now I am completely lost and frustrated.

I had a boss once said to me at a meeting in front of thirty Audiologists that I was asking a lot of questions. I said to her loud and clear “You need to start worrying when I don’t ask questions because if I’m not asking questions then I’m not paying attention.

[Klau07 in reply to Jorliss]

Wao ok that makes sense. My son does that too a lot. In the beginning of the year I got phone calls every day teacher telling me he interrupted. I really thought one moment my son was misdiagnosed and all because the thing is psychologists today just diagnose but most of the time they don’t dig deeper. That’s why I tell parents to look closely because maybe is a phase that their child is going through rather than having ADHD for real. Did you have any behavioral problems?sorry to ask you so many questions but this helps me as a mom a lot more than you think.

[Marebear129]

Has anyone on this thread tired CBD oil as a natural alternative to prescription meds? I have been researching it for my son. I did end up buying some at my local health food store and then I also found it at Fresh Thyme. He did not want to try it (15 years-old), so I did for anxiety. I do feel a difference in my overall mood/anxiety level. I also include yoga, essential oils, and have recently started going to a chiropractor. In today's crazy world raising teens....the combination of all has greatly reduced my anxiety and reaction to stress. I guess the older I get, I want to first try holistic approaches with my kids and myself first vs. pharmaceuticals and all the side effects that come with them. Good Luck to all.

[Jorliss in reply to Marebear129]

I remember as a kid not wanting to take my medication. I fought my parents pretty hard and they gave up. I think the biggest fear I had as a child was it was going to change me and make me more calm and turn into a zombie. I did not start taking my medication again until 40 years later. I wish my parents would have fought back a little harder. I think if they told me it was a vitamin that gave superpowers instead of calming me down I may have taken it.

[Marebear129 in reply to Jorliss]

Yes, that is exactly what he says to me. He has seen other kids he knows on ADHD meds and he said they are different/personality wise.

[AngelamarieQ in reply to Jorliss]

Jorliss, what meds are you on? And what EFD stands for?

[Jorliss]

Adderall. I crash at the end of the day which appears to be common.

EFD stands for Executive Functioning Disorder. It’s basically the inability/difficulty holding information in short term/working memory. Apparently, it is common in those with ADHD. Does your kid say, “I forgot” often?

[Adam081911 in reply to Jorliss]

I was wondering if there is a specific training to work on executive function/working memory.

Then I remember that Dr. Russel Barkley mentioned Nintendo DS!

My son is only 6-1/2 so may be too young but you might be interested to try. It's a brain exercise.

[Jorliss in reply to Adam081911]

Is it games?

[Adam081911 in reply to Jorliss]

Yes

[Klau07 in reply to Jorliss]

My son forgets every.

[AngelamarieQ in reply to Jorliss]

All the time! ☹️

The results in the psychoeducational test, showed that my daughter has a very poor short term working memory.

Your best input is greatly appreciated, Jorliss. Everything is making sense now. 🙏

[Jorliss]

All the time. It is a constant battle everyday. I can’t even add two digit numbers because I can’t hold them in my short term working memory to manipulate the numbers. The good news is I can grab a piece of paper and add them together.

Learning was extremely difficult but possible. Learning is built upon a solid foundation. Mine was built of sand. I was bouncing off the walls and doodling on my paper when the teacher was talking. I missed so many steps.

A person like me must learn every single step in order, be able to ask questions and then write the steps down and then repeat. This did not happen for me in school.

I do not know the resources they use to teach people like me today. I can only say if I miss a step along the way my foundation begins to crumble.

I do enjoy working with my hands. I enjoy being showed how to build stuff. Holding things in my hand are tangible names and dates are not.