Parenting with ADHD / Dyslexia

[Marlow1988]

Hello,

I’m not sure if anyone can help, I find it so hard to keep organised and feel I’m always chasing my tale.

I have all these thoughts what I need to do but I get so overwhelmed. i basically don’t finish anything.

Im so forgetful too.

I also start one task see another thing I need to do and leave the one I started.

Day to day or say I need book appointments I rush and do everything last minute, I don’t take medication for adhd but I take sertraline to help my anxiety, anyone have suggestions or recommendations for templates, how I can organise my life better ?

thanks so much

[STEM_Dad]

Welcome to the community Marlow1988 !

Is there hope, is there a possibility of improving?

Yes, but it can take a lot of work, and maybe professional help.

I struggle with all the same sorts of things that you listed, even since I started on ADHD medication. But since starting on meds, I don't struggle as much.

If I'm not mistaken, Sertraline is an SSRI. SSRIs can help with the anxiety or depression, which are two conditions which often co-occur with ADHD. But SSRIs generally do not help much with ADHD symptoms.

In your post title, you mention dyslexia. I thought that I had dyslexia, too. But my reading challenges almost completely disappeared once I started on ADHD medication, so at least in my case it was an attention issue which looked similar to dyslexia. But, ADHD and dyslexia are indeed comorbidities (co-occuring conditions) for many people.

If you are looking for information on how to be better organized, etc, then I would recommend looking for YouTube videos, blogs, etc, with helpful information like that.

I recommend the "How to ADHD" YouTube channel, for one. The videos are short, and each usually on a specific topic. It's not the only good channel, but it's one that I recommend starting with.

A retired ADHD researcher, Dr. Russell Barkley, has been doing a recent series of videos on "Low Tech Solutions for ADHD." So, you might check out his channel, too. (He has also published books on ADHD.)

Two websites in particular with a lot of good articles about ADHD are:

• CHADD.org/

• ADDitideMag.com/

(There are also more books, podcasts, video channels, blogs, and online support groups for ADHD than ever before.)

Because of my own struggles with planning, organization, housekeeping, etc, I don't feel that I can give any specific advice. The most important lesson that I learned when I got my ADHD diagnosis was self-acceptance, and not being self-critical anymore. I admit that I can only do so much (especially now that I am a single parent who still works full time).

[STEM_Dad in reply to STEM_Dad]

youtu.be/XU5LPcpF_tI?si=j8p...(Not working as expected?)

[adhdprocrastinator]

I've also struggled with some of the things you mentioned. I feel like if I don't do something right when I remember it I'll forget it until it's too late.

I read this post (marlacummins.com/podcast/so... from an ADHD productivity coach and I've been trying out some of her suggestions like keeping a sheet of paper next to me while I'm working so I can write stuff down to review when I'm done with my task.

She also recommends a mantra-- "I'm doing this, not that" to keep your mind focused on finishing the thing you're doing instead of jumping around. I don't have kids, so this might not be enough for your more hectic life, but hope it helps a little like it did for me!

[Choya526]

There are a lot of good comments and responses to your post, so I won't repeat it. I just want to say that you absolutely have adhd. We are all the same. Everything you say is everything I struggle with to this day, although it has gotten better. My advice is first stop trying to fight it so much, forgive and love yourself, allow yourself to be and refuse the shame. Your symptoms are exactly what we all go through. You seem more or less like a newbie to adhd. Those of us who have lived with this for long time know it will never ever go away. No meds will cure you, and one size does not fit all. One thing that helps me is if I start to organize things that are out of place first thing when I wake up. Find things in the house that have a place and start putting them in their place, do this without thinking... after a few minutes your day and mind will feel more organized. Put the pen where you keep pens, put the dishes away, put the clothes away, take the trash out, do something that always "grounds" you. It helps.