Eating Peaches

I’ve long suspected I have ADD. After reading the symptoms, I’m convinced I have some form of it, and probably always had. (I’ve bolded and italicized some areas that my family could vouch for…)

http://helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_adult_symptoms.htm

In adults, symptoms of inattention, especially those of concentration and organization, often become more dominant than in children.

• Concentration. Adults with ADD/ADHD have trouble with concentration to an extreme degree. You might have trouble following conversations, “zoning out” without realizing it. Finishing tasks might feel impossible, and you might have several tasks started at once without the ability to continue. You might easily get distracted or forgetful, leading to errors or incomplete work.
• Organization. Keeping things organized at home and work might be an enormous challenge. Home and/or work space might be unusually cluttered and messy. You might underestimate the time it takes to complete tasks or have trouble with procrastination, making completing large projects very difficult. Adults with ADD/ADHD often also continually forget or lose things.

Left untreated, ADD/ADHD can disrupt everything from your career to your relationships and financial stability. While most of us sometimes have challenges in these areas, the persistent chaos and disorganization of ADD/ADHD can make managing the problems worse and worse. Some key areas of disruption might include:

• Health. Impulsivity and trouble with organization can lead to problems with health, such as compulsive eating or reaching for unhealthy foods, a reinforcing cycle of alcohol and drug abuse, or trouble making appointments or forgetting medication for a chronic condition.
• Work and finances. Difficulty concentrating, completing tasks, listening, and relating to others can lead to trouble at work. Managing finances may also be a concern. You may find yourself struggling to pay your bills, losing paperwork, missing deadlines, or be in debt due to impulsive spending.
• Relationships. You might wonder why loved ones constantly nag you to tidy up, get organized, and take care of business. Or if your loved one has ADD/ADHD, you might be hurt that your loved one doesn’t seem to listen to you, blurts out hurtful things, and leaves you with the bulk of organizing and planning.

Huh. Kind of scary, especially considering my track record of finishing anything. But, there is hope – and it coincides with what I’m about to attempt:

Self-Help for Adult ADD/ADHD

Practice some basic organizational skills

You might be so overwhelmed with the thought of organizing work and home that even the smallest step seems hopeless. However, building short, effective habits goes a long way towards staying organized. Some simple steps to get started:

• Keep it in one place. Use one organizer for all of your appointments and commitments. It’s easy to lose post it notes or pieces of paper. Keep a short daily to-do list and update it nightly. Start with less, not more, as you build your confidence, and give yourself extra time.
• For big tasks, start small. Start with small amounts of time, even 5 to 15 minutes, to a task, and stop when the time is up. You will probably be pleasantly surprised in how much you can accomplish in smaller chunks, and it will be easier to continue your momentum.
• Realize it takes time to develop good habits. You might be quick to frustration and feel that you are not getting anywhere. But with time and patience, good organizational habits will help you focus more on what is important to you. It is worth the effort!

The key for me is to make it like a habit. If I can keep it up, it will become routine. When I look at a task (like cleaning the garage for example) I am overwhelmed. I don’t know where to start…so I usually stare at it for awhile, and then go back inside. The way I’m going to approach this is one day at a time. Not overthink it, or the piece. If I’m just slapping paint on the canvas to start, so be it.

I’ve just got to start.

Edit – My sister informed me it would be ADD, not ADHD. The H is for hyper – definitely not me.