Sluggish Cognitive Tempo

[quizzical]

@larynxa: I haven’t even read the link, much less most of the comments, but when I saw this in your post:

Well, I had to say, Wow, me too! As a fellow singer, I find it really interesting that I have this dual nature, since the introvert side seems so at odds with performing. But really, it’s mostly at odds with job-seeking in performing, rather than performing itself. Performing isn’t about me; it’s more about getting away from “Me.” It’s certainly about doing, rather than being. The worst thing for me is when the performing stops and the chitchat starts.

And now back to the thread, already in progress… 🙂

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[quizzical]

Ignore last post…and where is the edit button? Serious question; I can’t find it.

The post with the actual quote:
@larynxa: I haven’t even read the link, much less most of the comments, but when I saw this in your post: “In the right situation, I’m dazzlingly extroverted, basking in all the attention, and always with a quick quip at the ready.

But otherwise, I’m very introverted, preferring to stay at home, or to sit in a quiet corner with a friendly cat or dog who happens to be there. Especially at parties…which I generally avoid completely.”

Well, I had to say, Wow, me too! As a fellow singer, I find it really interesting that I have this dual nature, since the introvert side seems so at odds with performing. But really, it’s mostly at odds with job-seeking in performing, rather than performing itself. Performing isn’t about me; it’s more about getting away from “Me.” It’s certainly about doing, rather than being. The worst thing for me is when the performing stops and the chitchat starts.

And now back to the thread, already in progress… 🙂

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[quizzical]

Weird; everything on the site is now displaying center-justify….

OK, read the original link. Or at least, the opening paragraph with the description. Sounds totally like me, and also totally like ADD inattentive. Is there a difference? Is the treatment the same? Seems like stimulant meds would be a logical remedy for a slow tempo!

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[Patte Rosebank]

It’s so reassuring for me to find out that all of you have been living with the same “Which me is the REAL me?” issues as I have.

No wonder we don’t fit in with most other people.  They only have ONE “me” apiece to figure out.  We have multiple “me”s, and they’re all so different!

 

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[Robbo]

LOL, I used to cook in a restaurant out on Santa Cruz wharf  It was a lot of fun. Never boring!!!, cuz I got to watch Steamer Lane all day long…  https://www.google.com/search?q=steamer+Lane&hl=en&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS523US523&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=xa9DUcSHMeb4yQGv0IDoDA&ved=0CDYQsAQ&biw=1282&bih=575   When the surf got big I had a heck of a hard time concentrating on cooking… Also it was [***joke alert***}difficult to not drool in other peoples food!

Standing there with my mouth wide open again… dazed at the massive surf exploding off in the horizon… That’s when the drool would come pouring out into your lunches…  (I warned ya)

One of the other cooks used to say to me “I always wonder which one of the “many faces of Rob” I’ll be working with when I take off for work”. but he said it with a smile on his face. Most of the characters were clowns of course. Unfortunately people will sometimes take us too seriously when we talk about these kinds of symptoms. We’re not saying that folks with ADD/ADHD are gonna have multiple personalities. Well…

Nope, we’re not saying that at all. Although it’s possible that some of the less fortunate folks with this wide spectrum disorder containing many other disorders and often diagnosed incorrectly… often end up totally bat shit crazy as a result. But not me.

Nope

This is beside the point we’re trying to make.

We just make the best of the fact that we’re experiencing life as if it was much more dramatic than it actually is. It’s cuz when we’re living a life, It’s a very dramatic thing!

That’s all I’m sayen…

Just a lil nutty sometimes.

R-

Wow!!! make sure you take a look at that link to Steamer Lane… Beautiful Pictures!!

 

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[mulegirltx]

I think I need to change my user name to “Wow! You wrote what’s in my head!”

I have to say that I, too, am a walking oxymoron. My diagnosis of ADHD inattentive type only came after many decades of trying to figure out what made me so different and caused me so much difficulty. I’m pretty convinced it’s correct.

So I have to add that my meds act in much the same way–I have more energy and focus to do some things, but I still procrastinate on other things I know I want to do…but never seem to actually get around to. However, that is a huge step forward for me compared to pre-meds.

So this thread makes me wonder–should I explore different meds? Is it actually possible to get close enough to “normal” to get past this point? I’m taking Ritalin and Paxil. I’d pretty much resigned myself to still having to struggle with a lot that neurotypicals do not struggle with. Are some of you saying it’s possible to have even less struggle than I do?

I’ve said this on other threads, but it bears repeating. This is a wonderful safe haven–finding people who actually understand.

I, too, like Hallowell–especially the focus on what good traits ADHD gives us. One of the main ones for me is HUMOR. I’m currently living at a place where my landlord’s house manager is clearly ADHD, too, and we had a blast. Unfortunately, she quit, and he and his girlfriend are so normal that it’s downright depressing here. They don’t get my jokes or why I think so many parts of life are funny. Sad. Sad for them, really!

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[mulegirltx]

Oops forgot to mention something (not like I have ADD or anything) LOL.

I also get horrific heartburn from my meds, but for me Prilosec OTC works wonders. I know this because I have occasionally run out and been unable to motivate myself to go to the store (one of the things I hate and avoid like the plague is shopping). Within a couple of days, I realize I cannot run out of it, because the heartburn will wake me up and make life a living hell.

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[Patte Rosebank]

I’d pretty much resigned myself to still having to struggle with a lot that neurotypicals do not struggle with. Are some of you saying it’s possible to have even less struggle than I do?

@Mulegirltx, it’s VERY possible, because it’s happened with me, in the 3 years since my diagnosis.

As I got involved here at TotallyADD, I started taking tiny steps (without even thinking about it), doing one tiny thing differently, and each thing that worked encouraged me to try one more tiny thing.  And to stop beating myself up if something didn’t work perfectly every time.  Because “sometimes” is better than “never”.

The key was to treat my screw-ups as learning experiences.  Instead of just freaking out, I began to stop and ask WHY I felt that way and/or WHY things went wrong.  When I figured out the WHY, I could try to figure out HOW to deal with it & move on.  And next time it happened, it would be easier for me to deal with it, because I wouldn’t have to wonder WHY.

When I finally started going to an ADHD clinic (Oct. 28, 2012), the doctor & coach were amazed to discover how high-functioning I was, and that I’d done it “on my own”.  They weren’t half as amazed as I was.  I hadn’t been aware of how much those tiny steps were adding up, until they pointed it out to me.  (It figures.)

I still struggle, but nowhere near as much as before, and my screw-ups are more “hiccups” than “disasters” now.  And I still have days when “all bets are off”, just not as many of them.  Procrastination is also still a big issue for me, but I’m learning.

 

It sounds like you’re learning too, @Mulegirltx.

You’ve learned that you have to make sure you don’t run out of Prilosec, because the consequences of doing so are far worse than the frustration of having to go shopping for more.

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