Category Archives: dysfunctions
ADHD and Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria
Sometimes you don’t see something that’s right in front of your eyes; at least I don’t. Rejection sensitivity dysphoria is a hot topic. It’s been found as another part of ADHD, like irritability (not in DSM, not part of the … Continue reading
ADHD Beyond DSM
From an article by Thomas E Brown, PhD, a credible ADHD expert. He points out that the DSM does not cover all the aspects of ADHD. But it is not intended to. DSM sets of criteria are only designed to … Continue reading
Word vs ADHD
Microsoft Word is a wonderful application and a royal pain in the neck. It has many tricks, both good and bad, many traps and many benefits. The learning curve for me has been very steep, and continues to be. I … Continue reading
Combinations and ADHD Symptoms — ADHD Tip O the Day 997
I’ve been “putting off” doing this post for years now because it’s confusing to me. But it’s time, now or never. Ever wonder why we ADHDers look so much alike?-Procrastination, distraction, impulsive, etc, but also we can look so different. … Continue reading
Three Most Important ADHD Principles —ADHD Tip O the Day 991
New Year: time for a brief review Three most important ADHD Principles: Identify a Problem, devise a strategy, make it a habit. 2. Small steps. 3. Do it now, do it right, do the hard part first. (After … Continue reading
Adult ADHD Revisited — ADHD Tip O the Day 987
A break from the relationship posts, but more to come. The Am. Psychiatric Assoc. is revising the DSM V, including the criteria for diagnosing ADHD. Many changes are recommended. The current criteria were written for children and tweaked to apply … Continue reading
Many ADHD Links, Many Choices — ADHD Tip O the 981
We ADHD ers have difficulty making choices. I’ve collected too many links, so I’m going to dump them now. You pick and choose. It’s up to you now. Doug Links: Outgrow ADHD? Ages and stages of ADHD … Continue reading
What to do about my forgetfulness and absentmindfullness? — ADHD Tip O the Day 975
Answering this question about ADHD: This is an example of accepting that you can’t change something, but you can make strategies to help you cope with it. (But medication might help somewhat.) 1. Write everything down on a card, folded … Continue reading
Frustrated and Overwhelmed — ADHD Tip O the Day 974
A couple of weeks ago, I just gave up, just for the week. I didn’t post, and lots of other things I let go. Some weeks are like that with ADHD, although fortunately, it’s usually just a day, not a … Continue reading
Procrastinating or Pushing Ahead? — ADHD Tip O the Day 971
Overwhelmed is common with ADHD but strategies can help. The same is true for procrastination. I took on the task of clearing the trash in our stretch of the Santa Fe “river“ (even calling it a creek is an exaggeration … Continue reading
Truths About ADHD Medications — ADHD Tip O the Day 970
There are many misconceptions about ADHD medications. The two classes of ADHD meds are the stimulants and the others. The following truths primarily apply to the stimulants: methylphenidate – Ritalin, et al, and amphetamine – Adderall, et al. 70% of … Continue reading
ADHD and ODD, REVISED— ADHD Tip O the Day 969.1
Morwen made an excellent comment on my original ODD post which leads me to revise the post and also add new links: Hello Doug, I feel as though the information you presented above lacks critical engagement with diagnosis or disorder. … Continue reading
The Giant ADHD Flywheel and More — ADHD Tip O the Day 968
With my ADHD, I’m driven. The pressure is constant. Here is a viewpoint from Creatieve. I love your comments. Creatieve Creaties says: July 19, 2021 at 11:42 pm I definitely recognise myself in the “not being able to keep the house … Continue reading
Women and ADHD part two — ADHD Tip O the Day 966
In reply to Denise Dion’s comment:. denise – the ADHD symptoms of the inattentive type, which most ADHD women have, are the same as in men but without the hyperactivity, distractability, procrastinating, for sure. And probably without the impulsivity, blurting out, … Continue reading
ADHD Handwriting — ADHD Tip O the Day 965
It’s called dysgraphia, another ADHD comorbidity. This might be related to dyscoordination (basal ganglia, cerebellum), being in a hurry, and trying to get a flood of ideas down on paper before we lose them. My handwriting caused me lots of … Continue reading
ADHD and Time – ADHD Tip O the Day 959
If you have ADHD, time is a booger. We underestimate how long a task will take. It always takes longer. And if its fixing or maintenance, it’ll take at least two trips to the hardware store. Strategy: Estimate the time … Continue reading
FAQ about ADHD — ADHD Tip O the Day 958
I get many AHD questions from various web sites. Here are some answers (ie my opinions) with links. What can cure ADHD? – Only God. Does ADHD get worse with aging? – No, age just adds more problems. Am I … Continue reading
I’m Very Doubtful — ADHD Tip O the Day 949
Technically, adult onset ADHD isn’t possible, because it’s a neuro developmental disorder, meaning we’re born with it (or at least something interferes with the development of the nervous system early in life). The DSM requires symptoms to be present before … Continue reading
ADHD Medications — ADHD Tips O the Day 948
This article is so good I’m offering it as the ADHD Tip O the Day ADHD Medications Hope you’ll read and enjoy it. doug Poem O the Day: The Mail Back in the day, when I was working, in … Continue reading
Failing with ADHD — ADHD Tip O the Day 940.1
“I am a failure.” What a terrible thing to say about yourself. I often read posts from mothers who say they’re failing, that they must be a bad mother. Often that means they can’t get their child to do what … Continue reading
An Old ADHD Principle — ADHD Tip O the Day 939
For every problem, there’s a solution. The trick is to recognize that it’s a problem in the first place. Problem: At night I put my glasses and my iphone (with the alarm set) on the bedside table and turn out … Continue reading
Venting — ADHD Tip O the Day 938
It’s good for us to vent and get things off our chest occasionally. This works best of course if we have an audience. Thank you for being my audience today. 2. Word has decided to revolt and take control. It … Continue reading
ADHD Emotions Part 3— ADHD Tip O the Day 923
Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria as a part of ADHD Do I have RSD? I don’t know. I reread the article, it says usually the crashes just last for hours, mine last a day or two. Still, I’m certainly overly sensitive and … Continue reading
ADHD Emotions, Part Two — ADHD Tip O the Day 922
“Rejection sensitive dysphoria is not a formal diagnosis, but rather one of the most common and disruptive manifestations of emotional dysregulation — a common but under-researched and oft-misunderstood symptom of ADHD, particularly in adults.” I read this article and dismissed … Continue reading
Why Use Strategies and Habits for ADHD? — ADHD Tip O the Day 919
Insights on living with ADHD: I finished another retreat and again gained some insights, some of which I’ll share with you. The purpose of the ADHD strategies and the habits is to make your life easier, to decrease pressure and … Continue reading
ADHD and Changing — Tip O the Day 916
Puryear’s Principles of Human Behavior #1 After we struggle and struggle with a problem and finally find some effective way to cope with it, the next thing we do is stop doing it. Maybe one of the reasons is that … Continue reading
Misdiagnosed ADHD? — ADHD Tip O the Day 914
Misdiagnosed ADHD? A friend asked if his bipolar diagnosis could actually be misdiagnosed ADHD. ADHD has many comorbidities, other problems that frequently occur with it. Bipolar (used to be manic depressive) is a major one. In US adults, 1 to … Continue reading
Dystechnologia and ADHD — ADHD Tip O the Day 912
Dystechnologia is not an official part of ADHD. But I sure have it, and I think it’s one of the frequently occurring comorbidities. Could result from our symptoms, lack of focus, etc., or could be related to the same brain … Continue reading
Does ADHD Medication Help With —? — ADHD Tip O the Day 909
ADHD Medication Helps with Focus, Motivation, Inertia The medication can be a miracle for some, but it doesn’t seem to help with: irritability losing things memory patience time management sleep Too bad; sorry. But what it does help with … Continue reading
Clumsy with ADHD? — ADHD Tip O the Day 907
If ADHD is related to abnormalities of the basal ganglia and the cerebellum, and the circuits connecting them, then what would you expect? Clumsy. I pull a cereal bowl off the third shelf and on the way down manage to … Continue reading
The ADHD Brain — ADHD Tip O the Day 906
An Excellent Article from Dr. Nigg on the ADHD Brain (link is below) The new focus is on networks, not just the neurotransmitters on which they work. The networks link different discrete areas of the brain. I suspect there may … Continue reading
Organize? With ADHD? — ADHD Tip O the Day 902
One of my long-term goals is to get organized. After sixty years or so I have to admit it is either: 1. Hopeless or 2. … Continue reading
ADHD and Legs — ADHD Tip O the Day 898
Continuing with Sleep, Science, and ADHD: As if we didn’t have enough problems, we ADHDers often have leg problems. These include restless legs syndrome (RLS), paroxysmal abnormal leg movements (PALM, aka ‘the jerks’) and leg cramps. The book says these … Continue reading
Too Busy? — ADHD Tip O the Day 892
With ADHD, I’m Always “Too Busy” Since I retired, I figured I wouldn’t feel too busy all the time anymore. Wrong. I suddenly had a brilliant insight. Maybe if I didn’t try to do so many things all the time, … Continue reading
“It Just Got Away From Me” — ADHD Tip O the Day 891
ADHD is a booger Mon 2/17/2020 11:36 AM What I’m about to tell you is true. This is the way it really happened. You can’t make this stuff up. We were to leave for our trip on Thursday. We’d spend … Continue reading
Another ADHD Moment—ADHD Tip O the Day 890
“I can’t find it.” Living with ADHD My wife asked me to bring her some pistachios from the cupboard. I was happy to do so. But I couldn’t find them. I looked all through the cupboard. I was pretty sure … Continue reading
Ramblings and Ruminations — ADHD Tip O the Day 886
Life with ADHD I wanted to be sure that the tube was the right length, so I measured it carefully before I cut it. It looked too short. I measured it again to be sure; it was correct, so I … Continue reading
Frustrated— ADHD Tip O the Day 885
ADHD is a Natural Recipe for Frustration Yesterday I fixed my iPhone, got the library book for Martha she’s been waiting for, learned a little bit of guitar, and lost almost two pounds. I “should’ve” been happy. But – OK, … Continue reading
Happy New Year Even with ADHD — ADHD Tip O the Day 883
I hope you have had a good 2019 and that 2020 will be even better for you. It will as you learn new ADHD strategies and improve your coping. One of the problems we ADHD folk struggle with is time. … Continue reading
An ADHD Christmas — ADHD Tip O the Day 882
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a blessed whatever. Since Christmas, and everything else, sneaks up on me – “Wait! That can’t be this week can it?” But this year i was on top of it. i ordered my wife’s … Continue reading
Too Busy with ADHD — Tip O the Day 879
Why Am I “Too Busy?” Ram is on a roll; this comes from comments and discussion: Too Busy, part one: With ADHD – 1. It’s hard to set priorities. 2. I want to do it all. 3. I set good … Continue reading
Ram’s Comment —ADHD Tip O the Day 878
Ram makes good comments, and this one raises issues about structure and routine, skimming instead of reading, and our ADHD difficulty of picking one thing. Great post! I laughed out loud at your “skimming” comment. I did read your whole … Continue reading
Ram’s Saga-Writing with ADHD — ADHD Tip o the Day 874
I asked for volunteers to write posts for the ADHD blog and Ram stepped up. This started a journey with a long period of correspondence, some of which is lost, which looks like the makings of a novel. I’ve recreated … Continue reading
ADHD Strikes Again! — ADHD Tip O the Day 872
ADHD continues its devious works to screw up our lives. You all know my friend Tom, who missed three straight appointments with me? The good news is that this stimulated him to look at how he was managing his calendar … Continue reading
Distracted, Derailed, Off the Track — ADHD Tip O the Day 871
Distractable = ADHD I’ve been working on a revision of the 365 Tips O the Day book and I got about 65% finished on the final draft, number 11. When it’s done I can publish it. Well, writing is the … Continue reading
Missed Appoinments – – – ADHD Tip O the Day 870
My ADHD friend (still) Tom and his missed appointments: Tue 9/10/2019 12:07 PM Doug, I am mad at myself and embarrassed at missing breakfast with you this morning. Going back over this morning and when this happened last … Continue reading
A Day with ADHD — ADHD Tip O the Day 869
What is a typical day with ADHD like? Here’s an example of how I spend my time: Trying to find my glasses: 20 minutes Trying to find my i phone, twice: 45 minutes Trying to find the thing that was … Continue reading
Defective — ADHD Tip O the Day 863
Who’s defective??! My patient sat with her head down, looking morose. I asked her why. “I’m defective,” she answered.” Just defective.” “What do you mean?” “Well, I have anxiety disorder and phobias. I’m just defective. I tried reassurance. “You’re not … Continue reading
Goals and ADHD — ADHD Tip O the Day 861
Is It Good To Set Goals If You Have ADHD? I’m a big fan of setting goals, but it’s hard for us ADHDers. We always overestimate what we can do and underestimate how long it will take, don’t we? And … Continue reading
Another Way to Look At ADHD—ADHD Tip 0 the Day 847
There are many different ways to look at ADHD: Some people deny that it exists. The fact that they have no idea what they are talking about does not deter them. Some people say it is an executive dysfunction problem. … Continue reading
Apologies and a Plan — ADHD Tip O the Day 837
Living with ADHD can be a challenge. OK, I’m a little behind on my blogs. OK, I’m a lot behind. I have a new job and that takes up some time even though it’s part time. Strangely, I haven’t been making … Continue reading
Medicines for ADHD?— ADHD Tip O the Day 817
ADHD medicines – alway a controversy! My View: The medicines – Ritalin, Adderal, Vyanse,Concerta, Daytrana, et al – are miracle workers for some, very helpful to others, somewhat helpful to some, and worthless or even detrimental to some. You will never know … Continue reading
Stuck again – ADHD Tip O the Day 814
Well here I am again, writing about being stuck, because I’ve been stuck. Many reasons, will spare you the excuses. In Mexico, on vacation, but still have a to do list of about six things that need doing pretty soon. … Continue reading
ADHD– Strategies -Do They Really Work? Three Tips — ADHD Tip O the Day 810
I have a fairly new strategy. Whenever I park my car, I say, out loud, where it is. “Second row, facing out, in line with the I in the LIQUORS sign.” 2. It works. It’s a good ADHD strategy. I spend … Continue reading
Ouch! Hypersensitivity and ADHD – – – Tip O the Day 809
I know I am hypersensitive. Am I hypersensitive as a symptom of my ADHD? Or have my ADHD problems, including so many screw ups, just made my self-esteem fragile? So is the hypersensitivity an ADHD symptom or a consequence? I … Continue reading
Whipping Procrastination? With ADHD? — ADHD Tip O the Day 808
It just seemed like too much, so I kept putting it off. Hanging over my head for six long months. Does that sound like ADHD to you? I want a job in Maine. I really really want a job in … Continue reading
In ADHD, Attitude Makes the Difference – But Then, There is Word Power — ADHD Tip O the Day 807
With ADHD, Everything Can Be Difficult But there are strategies to make things less difficult. Last post, I said that my job is difficult, but I love it. What helps me is using the power of words and keeping focus … Continue reading
Problems in ADHD — ADHD Tip O the Day 806
Your Life Can Be Better, and so can mine – if we recognize problems, and then apply the formula: recognize, strategy, rule, habit. My job is difficult, but I love it. One of my many frustrations was dealing with a … Continue reading
ADHD Plus Anxiety – The Podcast — ADHD Tip O the Day 805
Do you have ADHD? Then you know about anxiety: Am I going to screw this up, too? Am I going to get my to do list done? Am I going to get anything done? Am I going to blurt … Continue reading
Is It Distraction? Or Something Else? -An ADHD Dialog with Scott — ADHD Tip O the Day 804
I fear that some people may not read all the comments, which are over to the right on the site. You are missing something. Here are some great issues that Scott brings up (slightly edited): Hi Doug, I just realized, … Continue reading
Just About Everything About Coping with ADHD — ADHD Tip O the Day 803
ADHD is about coping – you don’t cure it, you don’t overcome your symptoms, you learn to cope, to minimize the effect they have on your life. Today I’m feeling lazy, kind of stuck, hard to get moving. To be … Continue reading
What Helps with ADHD? —ADD Tip o the Day 801
Lots of things help with ADHD Some are a little complicated: medications, strategies, tools, coaching, therapy, mindfulness, yoga, education. They can be extremely helpful. But there are some basic simple things that help. exercise healthy eating good sleep get outside … Continue reading
ADHD and a Fleeting Moment of Fame — ADHD Tip O the Day 799
Who’d Have Ever Thought My ADHD Would Bring Me Fame, Other Than From An Horrendous Accident Or A Terrible Crime I am honored, and excited, within reason of course, to be a guest on a podcast recorded last Thursday. … Continue reading
Losing Things – Living with ADHD and Three Strategies — ADHD Tip O the Day 798
Losing thing on a trip with ADHD If you’re on a trip, oh, say like to Maine, for example, and you’re out in the boondocks with very limited shopping opportunities around, and you can’t find some really essential items that … Continue reading
ADHD and Accident Prone? — ADHD Tip O the Day 797
With ADHD We Need to Be Aware of These Things Perhaps it would be better not to set it down right on the edge? Just saying. doug #adhd @dougmkpdp
Blurting out with ADHD. Did I Just Do It Again? — ADHD Tip O the Day 796
ADHD: Impulsiveness, Distractability, Poor Social Judgement, Blurting Out Impulsivness is one of the defining criteria for ADHD. Products of ADHD impulsivity include both distractability – I get a distraction and I impulsively follow it, off task – and also blurting … Continue reading
ADHD and the Challenge of Relationships — ADHD Tip O the Day 795
If you think living with ADHD is a challenge, imagine what it’s like living with someone with ADHD. I started to add, “And imagine what it’s like to live with someone who is living with someone who is living with … Continue reading
Vacation! and ADHD. Vacation? — ADHD Tip o the Day 794
Have been on vacation a week now. It’s wonderful! But- I had two goals for this vacation: To relax. It’s about time, To get some things done, get caught up. Unfortunately, the two goals are incompatible. And guess what? I’ve … Continue reading
“Are We Overdiagnosing and Overtreating ADHD?” – Part Two— ADHD Tip O the Day 786
More from the recent ADHD article in Psychiatric Times (Jummani, MD, et al, in Psychiatric Times, May 2017, pp 26-28.) To diagnose ADHD formally in children requires at least 6 of 9 inattentive symptoms and /or at least 6 of 9 … Continue reading
The Cell Phone Saga: Another Chapter in My Life with ADHD — ADHD Tip O the Day 785
My iPhone has a great GPS and since I’m directionally challenged, I use it a lot. Sometimes it sends me on a wild goose chase, but usually it’s right on. So I set it in the cup holder of the … Continue reading
“Are We Overdiagnosing and Overtreating ADHD?” Or Not? Or What? — ADHD Tip O the Day 784
This is the title of a recent ADHD article in Psychiatric Times (reference below, for the compulsive or curious.) ADHD was first identified as a syndrome in 1935. (I didn’t know this, did you? — Syndrome – “a group of symptoms … Continue reading
Is My ADHD Messing With Me Again, Or Is It Something Else? —Tip O the Day 783
Is it ADHD or Human Nature? Puryear’s Principle of Human Nature #2: Once we find something that helps us cope with a problem, we will quit doing it. And this does apply to me. Oh, my. The Index Card System … Continue reading
Is It Ethical to Diagnose A Public Figure? — ADHD Tip O the Day 782
It is unethical for a psychiatrist to diagnosis a person, either private citizen or public figure, without personally examining him. If the psychiatrist has indeed personally examined a person, it is then unethical to make that diagnosis public, or even … Continue reading
” I Don’t Need Any Medicine!” — ADHD Tip O the Day 772
Learning More About My ADHD The Hard Way Had a wonderful vacation. Was amazed to find I didn’t need my Daytrana patch at all, did just fine without it. Lying on the beach, eating and drinking, and even reading and … Continue reading
Back again with ADHD — ADHD Tip O the Day 769
Does this really have anything to do with ADHD? I’m back. Sorta. Swamped. So here’s some of my favorite clips. I’m hoping that you will: 1. watch them. 2. enjoy them. 3. leave a comment on the question, “What do … Continue reading
ADHD and Relationships – A Followup— ADHD Tip O the Day 768
What are ADHDers like? What is it like to live with ADHD? What is it like to live with someone with ADHD? And why are relationships so difficult for ADHDers? If you would like to understand, this article from Attitude … Continue reading
Be Prepared, if you have ADHD, even if you’re not a Boy Scout — ADHD Tip O the Day 761
What could possibly go wrong, with ADHD? I was recently honored to be a guest, one of many, on Jennifer Friedman’s podcast. I must confess that I don’t listen to podcasts, don’t have the patience, probably missing out on a … Continue reading
ADHD and Self Esteem? A Plan for the New Year—ADHD Tip O the Day 760
Self-esteem is essential and precarious, especially with ADHD Our self esteem suffers when we don’t complete something, and that demoralization makes it harder to start the next job. When we do complete something, the boost in self-esteem helps us move … Continue reading
Five Disconcerting Facts, Relevant To But Not Limited To ADHD — ADD Tip O the Day 759
Disconcerting Facts: 1. Our decisions are made unconsciously, based on unconscious factors, mostly emotional. After a decision is made, we think we “decide.” Then we come up with “facts” to support our decision and make it appear to be rational. 2. … Continue reading
It’s Christmas/Hanuka/Holiday Season -A challenge with ADHD — ADHD Tip O the Day 758
The Holidays are supposed to be Joyful But with ADHD, they can be just extra challenging. Did you procrastinate on getting the gifts or the cards? Does the prospect of making choices and decisions terrify you? Are you having trouble … Continue reading
I Whipped My ADHD Procrastination -for the moment. —ADHD Tip O the Day 756
With my ADHD I wasn’t doing what I need to do. On my to-do list, for a very long time, was “car and tires”. I needed to get my car to the mechanic for an oil change, and to the … Continue reading
A whole bunch of stuff, including a valuable secret, related to ADHD— ADHD Tip O the Day 753
With ADHD, sometimes our brain gets clogged up. And we seem to need to justify what we’re doing, like this post, for example. Some days my brain is crowded with lots of stuff, not all of it relevant but all … Continue reading
Blessings of ADHD? — ADHD Tip O the Day 751
With our ADHD, we tend to be interested in many things. This is one of the blessings of ADHD. It is also one of the curses. I am working a half time job, trying to keep up two blogs (and … Continue reading
Do the Hard Part First? — ADHD Tip O the Day 750
Life is complicated, especially with ADHD One of my favorite tools, a slogan or motto, is, “Do it now; do it right; and do the hard part first.” This has been extremely useful for me, and I highly recommend it. … Continue reading
Busy, Too Busy, Way Too Busy, Life with ADHD — ADHD Tip O the Day 746
I am way too busy – is it life, or me, or ADHD? I know that “busy” is only a state of mind and not a reality. I truely believe this, although I have found it difficult to sell the concept … Continue reading
Things Maybe You Don’t Know About Having ADHD — ADHD Tip O the Day 745
What is it like to have ADHD? Frustrated, distracted, looking for things, dealing with people I’ve offended or annoyed, very concerned about time, enjoying things that are a waste of time, forgetting things, making mistakes, irritated with others and with … Continue reading
Bad Attitude with ADHD — ADHD Tip O the Day 744
The Attitude I don’t know why I’m rather gloomy today, although to be honest, I do have an idea. But I don’t intend to stay this way and I plan to change it, right after I finish this post. In … Continue reading
ADHD and Attitude Adjustment — ADHD Tip O the Day 743
ADHD – Frustrated, Irritable, and Discouraged I get easily frustrated, often over little things, and I’m irritable, which is a symptom of ADHD, and sometimes I get discouraged, tho not often. But I have a strategy. The Strategy I’ve developed … Continue reading
Is Your ADHD Brain Mature?— ADD Tip O the Day 739
Delayed maturation, or erroneous maturation as basis for ADHD? Like everyone else, I have my fixed ideas and opinions, and like most of us ADHDers, I have definite opinions about ADHD. Some researchers suggest that ADHD is a delayed maturation … Continue reading
ADHD is a good thing to have. Isn’t it????— ADD Tip O the Day 732
Does ADD ADHD rock or does it suck? A controversy! This is from my gifted good buddy Ken (edited). My comments are in italics. Why ADHD rocks – surprising view of a freelancing expat By Ken Powell – http://writeoutloudblog.com/ “… … Continue reading
Time is a Booger with ADHD — ADHD Tip O the Day 728
I got a new job, and I played in a concert, and I let time get away from me and I didn’t get a post ready. So I collected some ADHD links. Hope you will like them. Time management – … Continue reading
Overdoing with ADHD — ADD Tip O the Day 723
Only One? With ADHD? I went to the library to pick up a book. We have a wonderful library. It has a good selection, they will hold books that are checked out, and they order on inter-library loan for books … Continue reading
ADHD Makes Me Irritable — ADHD Tip O the Day 722
Irritability is one of the many symptoms of ADHD. Trust me on this. From a big article on ADHD: Wender (1998) provided a list of adult behaviours linked to childhood ADHD (see also Weiss & Murray, 2003; Asherson, 2005). Motor … Continue reading
Is It Really ADHD? DSM V and ADHD — ADD Tip O the Day 720
“Why do you call it ADHD. Can’t you just let kids be kids?” Drives me up the wall. Total ignorance of ADHD. If the kid is floundering, it’s not just being a kid. You don’t just label a … Continue reading
More and more and more ADHD pictures — ADD Tip O the Day 717
OK, I’m swamped, over my head, behind – does that sound like ADHD? Strategy: punt. So my post is just some ADHD pictures that are too good to waste but haven’t fit into any … Continue reading
Mother’s Day and ADHD, or, Living with an ADHDer —ADD Tip O the Day 715
With ADHD, Nothing Is Easy Hope you had a great Mother’s Day, whether you’re a mother or not. You deserve it. I took Martha, the mother of my kids, and Laura, the mother of my grandson, to a nice restaurant. … Continue reading
Just Be? With ADHD? — Tip O the Day 712
With ADHD, we need to be DOING My very wise sister suggested that I need to do more “being” and less “doing.” She’s right. That’s very hard for me to do. The internal flywheel keeps spinning. The to-do list keeps … Continue reading
Four Great ADHD Tips, Number Four – – – ADHD Tip O the Day 709
As promised, here is Great ADHD Tip, Number Four-except, not quite- Do This With ADHD we get distractions. And when we start off on one distraction, other distractions will occur. With ADHD, we get distracted from our distractions. I … Continue reading
Four Great ADHD Tips, Number Three — ADHD Tip O the Day 707
ADHD Vocabulary: I highly recommend editing your vocabulary and eliminating the words “should” and “have to.” As soon as we say one of these bad words to ourselves, we develop automatic unconscious resistance to doing the task. We really don’t … Continue reading
Frazzled and My ADHD — ADD Tip O the Day 701
Frazzled Homey just wrote about overwhelmed, but yesterday, I was frazzled. It’s not the same. My appointment was canceled and rescheduled, I was behind on my blog posts and everything else, Marge broke her arm and I needed to walk … Continue reading
Homey’s Back! – Strategy for Overwhelmed — ADD Tip O the Day 700
Affirmations I love it when someone comes up with strategies that match mine. Looks like I might be on the right track. For Overwhelmed Homey has good tips for when she’s overwhelmed. They match some of my general strategies – … Continue reading
Resume, Recoup, Retry with ADHD — ADD Tip O the Day 697
If we have a problem, and finally find a solution, the next thing we do is to stop doing it. from Puryear’s Principles of Human Nature, Principle One I’m rewriting Living Daily with Adult ADD/ADHD,365 … Continue reading
617.48, or, The Mystery of the Missing Book — ADD Tip O the Day 693
At the Library with ADD ADHD Went to the library to get a specific book. Computer says it’s 617.48, and it’s on the shelf. Went to the shelf. Not there. There was a big book on brain injury, a subject … Continue reading
Writing with ADD ADHD? Is It Possible? — ADD Tip O the Day 691
Writing with ADD ADHD? It takes me a long time to write a book. ADD ADHD does not help. I’m a lousy writer, so I need many drafts with many suffering reviewers helping along the way. But I finally got The Bully … Continue reading
Too Many Projects — ADD Tip O the Day 687
Creativity and ADD ADHD One of the many “gifts” of ADD ADHD is that we are creative. Is it a blessing or a curse? Doesn’t it depend on how we manage it? – if we manage it. I just read … Continue reading
Flexibility and Perceptions with ADD ADHD — ADD Tip O the Day 686
My ADD ADHD locks me into unpleasant things I needed to do my morning routine, and then exercise and shower, and then I had a one PM appointment. I was feeling rushed – hate that feeling. Then I realized there … Continue reading
Willpower – with ADD ADHD? Who are you kidding? — ADD Tip O the Day 685
I recently posted Willpower #2 with ADD ADHD, which was supposed to come right after this one. But somehow, this one never got posted. Imagine that! How in the world could such a thing have happened? Willpower? What’s that? … Continue reading
Many, many, many things on my mind, with ADD ADHD — ADD Tip O the Day 684
Three other things Often when I’m doing something, my mind is on three other things I need to be doing (or want to be doing.) That’s ADD ADHD. Can anyone relate to this? Strategy Write the other three things down. … Continue reading
Willpower #2 (or not)— ADD Tip O the Day 683
Do you think you have weak willpower, or none? It’s an ADD ADHD issue, for sure. Maybe you can do something about it. From Nancie George: “Expert Tips to Cultivate Willpower Are you lacking in the willpower department? Our experts … Continue reading
My New Year’s Resolution — ADD Tip O the Day 681
First, I hope you each have a wonderful 2016. Keep identifying problems and working on strategies. It’s bound to help. My New Year’s resolution is not to make any New Year’s resolution. They don’t work for me, probably because of my … Continue reading
Sleep, and Health, and ADD ADHD — ADD Tip O the Day 679
Inadequate sleep makes ADD ADHD worse I’m a little more disorganized than usual, thus so is this post. Probably because I didn’t get enough sleep last night. Sleep is of fundamental importance to our health and well-being, but even more so with … Continue reading
ADD ADHD Symptoms and Some of the Many Ways They Can Mess Up Your Life — ADD Tip O the Day 674
Examples of various ADD ADHD symptoms and their bad effects One of our major symptoms is impulsiveness. That leads to blurting out inappropriately. It also leads to making snap judgments of people, but that’s common with vanillas, too. And we have trouble controlling … Continue reading
Irritability and ADD ADHD— ADD Tip O the Day 673
This is a question I use often to help with my ADD ADHD irritability problem: Does it really matter? Often the answer … Continue reading
Too Much, Too Much, Too Much — ADD Tip O the Day 670
Sometimes with my ADD ADHD, I can’t think straight, or even walk straight. Sometimes it’s all too much. I was going to the library. It was a nice day. I was going to walk. Since I was going out, my … Continue reading
The Power of One, for ADD ADHD — ADD Tip O the Day 658
List of One – for ADD ADHD Overwhelmed I was already overloaded when I got the notice that my gross receipts tax (New Mexico!) had not been paid for December, 2014. Think of the penalties! Think of all the research … Continue reading
Life with ADD ADHD, Part Whatever — Add Tip O the 657
Here’s another life with ADD ADHD episode: I had to do some clever detective work on the net to find the phone number I needed. Was real proud of myself. Wrote it down. Closed the website. Picked up the phone. … Continue reading
Rules Can Help You With ADD ADHD: a follow up – – – ADD Tip O the Day 651
My wife is back! Thank God! But I didn’t unravel. I give the credit to the rules, although having the structure of writing on the next book was also helpful. Report on the rules: No alcohol. – I scored 100% on this … Continue reading
Rules Can Make Your Life Better with ADD ADHD — ADD Tip O the Day 649
Using Rules: A major principle for coping with ADD ADHD is: identify a problem, design a strategy, make it a rule, make it a habit. But with ADD ADHD there are other uses for rules . Some of us do … Continue reading
ADD ADHD Talking To Myself — ADD Tip O the Day 648
Sometimes I talk to myself out loud, sometimes just inside my head. “You need to call Verizon.” I don’t want to call Verizon. “You need to call Verizon anyway.” It probably won’t do any good. “You need to try.” OK. Let me do … Continue reading
Your Brain and Your ADD ADHD — ADD Tip O the Day 642
Your Genes We each have two copies of the serotonin transport gene, SERT, one from each parent. This gene regulates uptake of serotonin back into the cell. The gene comes in two flavors, long (L) and short (S). If you’re … Continue reading
ADD ADHD Lies We Tell Ourselves — ADD Tip O the Day 641
I’m busy. — No, you only have one thing to do. I don’t need to write it down. — Oh, really? It’ll be OK. — No, it won’t. I have plenty of time. — Yeah, right! How many ways can … Continue reading
“ADHD Science Says – – -” – – – ADD Tip O the Day 639
Some ADD ADHD Science I’ve been collecting scientific tidbits. Much of this is from Dr. Margolis, Dr. Mason and other articles: ADD ADHD kids have a high risk of substance abuse. The medications reduce that to about the normal average. … Continue reading
Some Days Are Just Like That When You Have ADD ADHD — ADD Tip O the Day 637
ADD ADHD Paralysis Homey just wrote a good ADD ADHD post about having an unproductive day. I’m bouncing off her post: Some days I just can’t seem to get going, can’t get any traction. Strategy 1: Try to figure out what … Continue reading
A Typical Day With ADD ADHD: Where in the world does the time go? — ADD Tip O the Day 633
My Typical ADD ADHD Day Sleeping 6 hrs Trying to sleep 2 hrs Quiet time .5 hr Exercise 1 hr Shower shave dress teeth bathroom 1hr Eating 3 hrs Thinking about eating – all the time Looking for something … Continue reading
Flyfishing with ADD ADHD, and LIfe As She Is — ADD Tip O the Day 632
Is fly fishing a metaphor for life with ADD ADHD? I don’t think fly fishing is as hard as they say, but with ADD ADHD it sure can be harder. When you are fly fishing, there are many things that … Continue reading
Your Genes and Your ADD ADHD — ADD Tip O the Day 631
Causes and Courses of ADD ADHD Interesting article from JAMA Psychiatry July 2015 by Pingault, et al. I don’t really understand the article, but here’s what I get out of it. Genes and Environment and Their Interaction Most psychiatric … Continue reading
Organizing with ADD ADHD, and Much Much More! by Homey— ADD Tip O the Day 627
Organizing with a planner for ADD ADHD Homey is THE planner maven. In her great blog about homemaking, cleaning, cooking, etc, she tells all about planners. Homey uses planners the way I use index cards, plus more. A lot of … Continue reading
Help With ADD ADHD From Technology— ADD Tip O the Day 625
Technologically Challenged As most of you know, I am technologically challenged. Therefore I’m very pleased to have this guest blog from Jerry Bair. Please comment on your experience with using his tech recommendations or any others. doug One Super Easy … Continue reading
The ADD ADHD Trap of Expectations — ADD Tip O the Day 623
What Can I Expect? With ADD ADHD we have so many things we’re interested in and it’s hard to say no to any of them. It’s hard to say no to ourselves. My daily routine includes brushing my teeth, quiet … Continue reading
ADD ADHD and Dyscoordination — ADD Tip O the Day 619
Clumsy, Clumsy, Clumsy – Is It ADD ADHD? I reached for the glass, and… – I reached too far and I knocked it over. – I didn’t notice the glass between it and me and I knocked it over. – … Continue reading
Leave of Absence — No ADD ADHD Tip O the Day
I’ll be doing prison ministry Thursday thru Sunday so my next post, God willing, will be next tuesday. But here are some good links i’ve been saving. Thank you for your support, interest, reviews, and comments. doug Links Time management … Continue reading
ADD ADHD Terms and Definitions Controversy – ADD Tip o the Day 616
Joe recently posted on the net: “ADD/ADHD is FICTION – NOT A REAL DISEASE GratefulEnergy Health Guide September 09, 2013 Before His Death, Father of ADHD Admitted it Was An Over-Diagnosed Disease” (well, anyway, i just came across … Continue reading
How I Screwed Up A Perfectly Good ADD ADHD Strategy – – – ADD Tip O the Day 615 #ADD #ADHD
Puryear’s principles of human nature (this is number two or three or something) We struggle with a problem until we find something that works. Then we quit doing it. Or we screw it up. That’s what I did. Structure I … Continue reading
I Don’t Have Enough Time! – – – ADD Tip O the Day 613
ADD ADHD and Time Pressure Here I am “retired” and still feeling that same old sense of time pressure, the fly wheel constantly spinning inside. And the damn old voice –“Hurry up! Rush! You have so much to do! You’ll … Continue reading
“As Soon As —” – An ADD ADHD Time Problem — ADD Tip O the Day 612
“As Soon As—“ There are several things I want to do, “as soon as – — -” I want to start Spanish lessons again. I want to resume fishing. I want to cleanup the disarray in my … Continue reading
Committing With ADD ADHD — ADD Tip O the Day 604
To Commit No, I don’t mean to get someone locked up, unless its myself. I do try to lock myself into things, where I can’t not do them. If I walked to the end of the scary high dive, I … Continue reading
Where, Oh Where, Did All My Structure Go? – – – ADD Tip O the Day 600
With My ADD ADHD, Boy, Do I Need Structure Structure is a basic part of coping with ADD ADHD. We need routine, schedule, organization. I always eat three meals a day. Go to bed about the same time each night. … Continue reading
Talking To Yourself ??— ADD Tip O the Day 599
Is Talking To Yourself A Problem, A Symptom, or What? Someone asked me if talking to yourself is okay. I said I certainly hope so, cause I do it all the time. I don’t think it’s a symptom of ADD … Continue reading
Scattered, Distracted, and Too Many Options for ADD ADHD — ADD Tip O the Day 598
Isn’t Life Interesting! So Many Shiny Things To Choose From! I’m working on: Executive dysfunction and EFD ( executive function disorder) and ADD ADHD Food allergies and food coloring and ADD ADHD New York Times says childhood trauma can mimic … Continue reading
ADD ADHD Poem —ADD Tip O the Day 593
Ode of an ADDer to a neat wife Please don’t put my stuff away. Please don’t move it, just let it lay. If I can’t see it, it doesn’t exist. I’ll forget to do something and we’ll both be pissed. … Continue reading
Why Valentines Day Is important With ADD ADHD — ADD Tip O the Day 586
Valentines Day is February 14, this Saturday, that’s this coming Saturday, two days off, this Saturday, day after tomorrow. With ADD ADHD: 1. We forget all about it. 2. We think it’s a long way off and don’t buy a … Continue reading
Priorities and ADD ADHD: Incompatible? – – – ADD Tip O the Day 583
Dysprioritiologica? Setting priorities is an executive function and with ADD ADHD we tend to not be very good at it. I sit here looking at a long to do list. Where do I start? Do you see how this can … Continue reading
An Excess of Blessings From ADD ADHD – – – ADD Tip O the Day 582
Gifts, Benefits, and Blessings of ADD ADHD Have exhausted this topic for a moment. Got lots of good comments on both sides of the question. Thank you. But – I am overly blessed with the gifts of creativity and wide … Continue reading
ADD ADHD As We Age: The Older Adult — ADD Tip O the Day 581
I didn’t discover I have ADD until I was 64. Suddenly, a lot of things made sense – why I couldn’t make model airplanes as a kid, why I killed a pregnant Guppy fish, why I was always losing my … Continue reading
It’s In the Cards – Another ADD ADHD Strategy — ADD Tip O the Day 579
New Year, new strategies, maybe the novelty helps You may know that I’m a big fan of index cards. My system of colored cards I keep in my shirt pocket. I call that half my brain. The other half of … Continue reading
ADD ADHD and Goals-Can We Use Them? — ADD Tip O the Day 578
Goals are important, whether we have ADD ADHD or not In prison ministry, we notice that many of the men do not have the concept of goals other than short term “I want this now”. Goals help us with focus, … Continue reading
A New ADD ADHD Strategy for the New Year — ADD Tip O the Day 577
Why a New ADD ADHD Strategy? One of Puryear’s Principles of Human Behavior: Once we finally find something that works, we quit doing it. I have strategies that work, and make my life better, but sometimes I drift away from … Continue reading
ADD ADHD and “Auditory Processing Disorder” —ADD Tip O the Day 576
ADD ADHD and trouble hearing A fellow ADDer recently asked me if his difficulties in hearing were part of his ADD ADHD. He particularly has trouble in a crowded restaurant, hearing the person across from him. I’d never thought about … Continue reading
You Can Keep Your @#$##@@ Benefits! – – – ADD Tip O the Day 575
Different Opinions About the Benefits of ADD ADHD Yes, we do have different opinions and viewpoints, not surprising, and I appreciate all the comments. And I respect all the opinions, but – Here are my responses, from my viewpoint: 1. … Continue reading
Goals, Self Abuse, and ADD ADHD– – – ADD Tip O the Day 573
New Year’s Goals At the beginning of a new year, we often yield to the temptation to set new goals. We did this last year, and the year before, but we don’t seem to learn. How did that work out … Continue reading
The ADD ADHD Year In Review –– – ADD Tip O the Day 572
Another Year with ADD ADHD We are starting a new year, 2015 -I just thought I would remind you of that, since so many of us are chronologically challenged. 2014 has certainly been interesting: ADD ADHD Bashing: Esquire bashed ADD … Continue reading
The Gifts and Benefits of ADD ADHD, Again – ADD Tip O the Day 570
Different viewpoints Many of you do see ADD ADHD as a gift, and you focus on the benefits. I think focusing on the positives is a good strategy. I guess I take the positives for granted and focus on trying … Continue reading
More ADD ADHD Strategy— ADD Tip O the Day 569
No willpower with ADD ADHD We’re moved into our new place, love it! Still unpacking (don’t love that). One problem – the food. It’s terrific. I’ve gained pounds. There’s a choice of four desserts, and at least one of them … Continue reading
Benefits of ADD ADHD — ADD Tip O the Day 568
ADD ADHD as a gift? Christmas makes us think of gifts, hopefully among other things, and that reminds me of those who write about enjoying the gift of ADD ADHD. Yes, we do tend to be creative, think outside the … Continue reading
Have You Heard? Christmas Is Coming! — ADD Tip O the Day 566
Not this time, ADD! With my ADD ADHD, Christmas usually sneaks up on me and I’m rushing to try to find a gift for my wife. But this time I’m ahead. Why, it’s two whole weeks away, and I’m already … Continue reading
Comments About ADD ADHD — ADD Tip O the Day 672
I keep worrying that you may not read the comments. If you don’t, you’re missing a lot. Here are some fine examples: Homey– — I’ve been enjoying the pomodoro technique of time management. I only do something for 25 minutes … Continue reading →