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@filmbuff,
I have several friends that are OCD. After watching them for a while, I learned quite a lot about how the affliction works. I borrowed a page out of their playbook. I keep my keys in my pocket. When I am done with the keys, they go back into the pocket. When I change my pants they go into the new pocket. Every time. Always. It is what I call “Applied OCD”.
REPORT ABUSEHello mustachekitteh,
Short answer: yes. I was diagnosed as being autistic a couple years ago in addition to having ADD. What do you want to know?
REPORT ABUSEI am trying to figure out why I should sign this petition. It seems to me, if a person is “abled” enough to go to school, incur the debt, shouldn’t they pay it off on their own?
REPORT ABUSEcharm1904, Like Rick said in his show, “We’re all in this together”.
REPORT ABUSEAbsolutely, Rick. Self regulation is not one of our strong suits. ADD! Emotional self regulation is just as difficult, sometimes our emotions are very strong. Without the filters and restraints an NT would have, our emotions come out strongly. How many times have you been reminded to “dial it back”, or “Honey, you really overreacted…”. Me? too many times to count.
I think those same filters and restraints are the same ones that filter all the input that overwhelms us.
REPORT ABUSEI know I use the upper registers of my voice, when I am stressed or tired. I also find I talk inappropriately loud at times.
I am very quiet and don’t speak much, so it isn’t much of a problem for me.
REPORT ABUSEI take 5mg Adderall twice a day. That drug was tailor-made for my brain. I think clearer and it takes a lot to muddy my thought process after taking it. Very few melt downs. distractions are registered, but are not irresistible like they were. Not as many details escape me, either.
All I can say, charm, is each one of our brains is a unique construct, with unique physiology and chemistry. We all have this condition that is as unique as our brains. It is no wonder this drug makes you feel sleepy, and gives me focus with out the hyper focus.
Perhaps your brain works best using Ritilin? Welbutrin? or any of the other meds out there. You will have to experiment… OMG! 🙂
We have just turned you into a person that experiments with drugs! THE HORROR
REPORT ABUSEI thought I was the only one who feels like that.
You have heard of the Midas touch? Everything Midas touches, turns to gold.
I have what I call the Roto-Rooter touch: Everything I touch, turns to… Yea you get the picture.Most of what I do for work is pretty mundane stuff that anyone can do, so I have check lists and procedures to keep me from making the same mistakes over and over. I add to the lists, so the mistakes I know I will make, come further and further apart.
I got lucky, because my procedures and checklists got the attention of management and pretty soon I became the rain-man of process improvement in our company. My advice would be to make checklists for those things that mess you up the most. Write check lists, FOLLOW the checklists. they do you no good, if you don’t use them. Write up procedures and make sure they work before you automate them or commit them to checklists. Remember checklists can have “by When” dates, to let you know what needs to happen, on what ever date.
I think you will see benefits to doing this pretty quickly. Check lists schedules help me past that panic mode that happens when I get overwhelmed.
Let me know how it works out for you.
REPORT ABUSE@theoutlier,
I too quit the rat race of waking up, shower-shave, go to work, work, go home, and go to sleep. Just to do it all over again.Starting your own business is a great thing, but don’t quit your day job, until that business can support you. If you get fired, laid off, downsized, or what ever, before you are ready, you have a fall back, while you look for your next gig.
Remember, it is not enough your business can pay it’s bills, it has to pay for yours as well, plus health care and retirement and everything.
REPORT ABUSEI think you are on the right track. I also think you are going to be fighting an uphill battle.
ADD ADHD AS Dyslexia, Bi Polar Disorder, and all the rest of the mental disorders out there are lumped into the “Mental Disease” label.
The world is not a nice place for those of us with a mental disease. That’s a fact. There is a stigma associated with mental disease. That stigma has been around, since there was a recorded history. There is a lot of inertia to overcome. I would pull the playbook the LBGT community used to gain rights in the US.
This would have to be adapted, because unlike the LBGT community, we need medications, mental health care, and other occupational therapy, as well as accommodations in the workplace. We have all the needs for legitimacy the LBGT community were fighting for, the medical/mental health care needs other disabled groups get under the ADA, we have to overcome the stigma of mental illness, and as if that wasn’t enough, we have to overcome the mountains of misinformation out there that is published by “knowlegeable” people.
I am not saying it can’t be done, but I think you should get yourself prepared for a fight.
I have a couple ideas on PSA’s you can run. 30 sec spot simulating the ADD experience to get people talking about those REALLY annoying commercials. I think you said you lived in the Seattle area. It might be the best place to start with all of that stuff.
REPORT ABUSECall me paranoid, but I think HR is not there for your benefit, it is there for the company’s. I keep the fact that I am ADHD a closely guarded secret.
You had mentioned that some of your jog changes have not been due to ADHD. That may not be the case. Let me explain. As someone who has ADHD, we don’t make connections with other people, like other people do. Because we are “outsiders” it is easier for them to lay us off, overlook us for raises/promotions, or not pick up a contract to hire option.
As an ADHD person, I have spent the majority of my working career looking for jobs.It seems like it is a never ending situation. That changed when I hired a life coach, who helps ADHD people like me fit into the work place.
Cathy Jenner who runs Connects Counseling in North Bend, Washington, might be able to refer you to someone in your area, or take you on as a client. She works with me in identifying situations that I wouldn’t otherwise consider important, and shows me why they are important, and how to handle them.
It has also helped with my own business, because I am communicating with my own clients,much better than before.
REPORT ABUSEThe short answer is “yes”.
I have several friends who own their own businesses, who are VERY ADHD. One of them gets himself into financial trouble, by biting off more than he can chew, and forgetting to pay the vendors.
He solved that by hiring an office manager/bookkeeper/receptionist/dispatcher/…
I loaned him some money to get his business going, because that is what I do as part of my business. I make secured loans to companies, and people. I also have rental properties. And when I am not busy enough, I do some financial advising for my oldest clients. I have an office manager/bookkeeper/receptionist/dispatcher/legal consultant/partner to help me with the day-to-day details.
It can be done and the best thing about it is, since you are the boss, you can bend the workplace to fit your needs.
Hope this helps.
REPORT ABUSEHello decanus,
First I wouldn’t advertise the fact that I am ADD/AS in the office. I admire you, your openness. I am very secretive about it.If you feel like you are being singled out at the workplace and the comments are unjustified, try asking yourself a couple questions.
Is this a job you want to keep?
Do I want to invest the time necessary to build a better reputation?Let’s say you answered yes and yes.
Whether you start from the premise that they are right or that they are wrong, you can turn the comments into teaching moments with your boss. Try saying “I would like to improve this situation. Could you tell me when you notice me ‘wandering’ the most? Is it a time of the day? Because the more detail you can give me, the better improvements I can make.”
This does several things for you. It lets the boss know you want to become a better employee. It lets the boss give you advise which strokes their ego. It also gives you ammunition to defend yourself the next time it happens.
Even if your boss gets defensive and does not give you any advise or examples, you start keeping a log of what you do and where you go. The log will confirm they are either right or wrong. If they are right, it will keep you on track. If they are wrong, it becomes a tool to defend your position.
I have a life coach that I use to help me through situations, because I don’t always see these things coming at me and I constantly get blindsided. My life coach talks in terms of an emotional bank account. As near as I can figure, normals walk around making connections with people and forming bonds with them. Someone help me here, because I am on VERY shaky ground. Even if you don’t drink coffee, walking with them to the coffee house and talking with them builds these bonds. It is important.
When you are listening to people, instead of trying to talk, nod your head and say things like “I think I get it”. This does something for them… It makes my skin crawl, but I do it, because I have to. The difference that has made in my workplace experience has been PROFOUND. I am sure Dr J or someone can explain it far better than I can. Give it a try.
Hope this helps.
REPORT ABUSEDon’t forget about the ones that have the pills and diets. Charlatan. There is one doing what amounts to an infomercial on our PBS station and every time I see it, I go ballistic.
REPORT ABUSEShort answer: Yes.
Long answer: Since we are largely inattentive or paying attention to the wrong things, when we do anything, things get messy. Couple that with the speed at which we do things and its no wonder ketchup is all you have in your hair.
I found a slice of pickle in my pants as I was getting undressed for bed. I am pretty sure I didn’t eat a hamburger that day…
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