Page 1 of 2 [ 19 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next


Do you have 'execution dysfunction' as part of your experience of Aspergers?
Yes, very much so. 75%  75%  [ 44 ]
Yes, but only a little. 15%  15%  [ 9 ]
No, it's not part of Aspergers for me. 10%  10%  [ 6 ]
Total votes : 59

Maolcolm
Snowy Owl
Snowy Owl

User avatar

Joined: 22 Oct 2010
Age: 52
Gender: Male
Posts: 168

08 Nov 2010, 7:50 pm

I have huge problems with ED. While I'm of above average intelligence my ability to organize and maintain the various facets of my life is massively compromised by ED.

For those who may not know what this is try reading the definition at the following link:

Executive Dysfunction Link

While I have heard ED mentioned in the context of Aspergers I have no idea if the majority of people with AS have problems in this area or not, or to what degree, so I thought I'd take a Poll. I know ED is not limited to AS but do you think it's a common and significant aspect of Aspergers or is it not directly related to it, in your view?

Are you affected by ED and to what extent?



bucephalus
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 26 Jan 2009
Age: 41
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,847
Location: with Hyperlexian

08 Nov 2010, 10:03 pm

I answered yes but I don't know whether it is to AS. Not knowing what to do really does slow things down for me



DandelionFireworks
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 16 May 2010
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,011

08 Nov 2010, 10:20 pm

Please don't refer to it as ED. That's just embarrassing.


_________________
I'm using a non-verbal right now. I wish you could see it. --dyingofpoetry

NOT A DOCTOR


Spyral
Sea Gull
Sea Gull

User avatar

Joined: 13 Jul 2010
Age: 49
Gender: Female
Posts: 210
Location: Norman, OK

08 Nov 2010, 11:50 pm

It tends to cause problems for me trying to plan and organize schoolwork--I tend to do stuff at the last minute. I also have problems getting housework accomplished. Strangely when my brother comes over for supper I can get the kitchen cleaned up while he's here but alone my ability to clean seems to suffer. Not sure what the problem is really be Exec. Dys. seems to be a decent explanation. Now if only I could find a solution...


_________________
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."


Maolcolm
Snowy Owl
Snowy Owl

User avatar

Joined: 22 Oct 2010
Age: 52
Gender: Male
Posts: 168

09 Nov 2010, 5:12 am

DandelionFireworks wrote:
Please don't refer to it as ED. That's just embarrassing.


LOL. I see what you mean but I'm not going to write 'executive dysfunction' every time. I think we all know what we're referring to.



glider18
Supporting Member
Supporting Member

User avatar

Joined: 8 Nov 2008
Gender: Male
Posts: 8,040
Location: USA

09 Nov 2010, 1:23 pm

I voted "Yes, but only a little." However, I might be more effected by ED than I realize.


_________________
"My journey has just begun."


PangeLingua
Toucan
Toucan

User avatar

Joined: 27 Sep 2010
Gender: Female
Posts: 295

09 Nov 2010, 7:55 pm

Yes. It affects everything. EVERYTHING.



Titangeek
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 22 Aug 2010
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Posts: 7,696
Location: somewhere in the vicinity of betelgeuse

09 Nov 2010, 8:04 pm

DandelionFireworks wrote:
Please don't refer to it as ED. That's just embarrassing.


lol, :lol:


_________________
Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.
- Bruce Lee


richardbenson
Xfractor Card #351
Xfractor Card #351

User avatar

Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Gender: Male
Posts: 13,553
Location: Leave only a footprint behind

09 Nov 2010, 8:50 pm

its why i am here. :wink: and yes, i mean its completely taken my life away. most times i just feel like a hot guy walking around. nobody knows, me because my friggin' aspergers and memory problems ruin my life, LMAO.


_________________
Winds of clarity. a universal understanding come and go, I've seen though the Darkness to understand the bounty of Light


GaijinRanger
Raven
Raven

User avatar

Joined: 23 Oct 2010
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Posts: 102

09 Nov 2010, 9:37 pm

I don't know if I'm affected by this or not. I'll try to shed some light on the situation with an example.

Doing the dishes is the best way to work me into a mental breakdown. Especially when there are alot of them.

Doing the dishes is hard because I have to:

- Remove the dishes from the sink(s)
- Rinse gunk out of the sink
- Clear a space for the dishes to dry
- Load the utensils and plates into the sink
- Make sure the water temperature won't scald my hands
- Fill the sink with water
- Add soap

And that's before anything is even accomplished. Usually by this point I'm curled up on the floor and hyperventilating. I really hate this aspect of myself. I honestly don't know why it's so hard to get through it sometimes.



Maolcolm
Snowy Owl
Snowy Owl

User avatar

Joined: 22 Oct 2010
Age: 52
Gender: Male
Posts: 168

09 Nov 2010, 9:42 pm

GaijinRanger wrote:
I don't know if I'm affected by this or not. I'll try to shed some light on the situation with an example.

Doing the dishes is the best way to work me into a mental breakdown. Especially when there are alot of them.

Doing the dishes is hard because I have to:

- Remove the dishes from the sink(s)
- Rinse gunk out of the sink
- Clear a space for the dishes to dry
- Load the utensils and plates into the sink
- Make sure the water temperature won't scald my hands
- Fill the sink with water
- Add soap

And that's before anything is even accomplished. Usually by this point I'm curled up on the floor and hyperventilating. I really hate this aspect of myself. I honestly don't know why it's so hard to get through it sometimes.


Sounds like you are very definitely affected to me. As I understand it, "normal" Executive Function would allow this process to be pretty much on autopilot by now and the planning and execution of this task easy and instinctive. People generally wash dishes without thinking. For you, me and many others like us it never reaches that stage. It's always a confusing list of elements which are hard to get in order and carry out correctly. It's an ordeal.



GaijinRanger
Raven
Raven

User avatar

Joined: 23 Oct 2010
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Posts: 102

09 Nov 2010, 10:24 pm

I read up on the description, and it definitely sounds like it may have been behind the issues I've had at work/school.

It says that people who experience Executive Dysfunction often develop defeatist views regarding their difficulties... Ever since I had to quit my job to save my health, I've been beating myself up over it. I also haven't forgiven myself for how I've performed academically-- Elementary, High school, and College were all completely disastrous.

I don't know if I'll stop beating myself up for my past mistakes, but learning about this might help out in the long run.



Robdemanc
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 30 May 2010
Age: 47
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,872
Location: England

10 Nov 2010, 7:17 am

It seems I am affected a lot by ED. I read the article and it describes well how I approach tasks and assignments. As a student I always noticed I had more trouble understanding the assignment requirements and planning than I did on the work I had to do to complete the assignment. I would read a question and its meaning would be all over the place, so I would just keep reading it. The meanings would become numerous, and I would probably need to talk to the lecturer about it. But once I was clear on the question I would breeze through the work.

I am not aware of any Executive Function going on in my brain, but unlike the rest of people where it goes on subconsciuosly, in my brain it doesn't go on at all.

I think this is probably the main culprit for people assuming we are stupid.



trissy
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker

User avatar

Joined: 5 Nov 2010
Age: 36
Gender: Male
Posts: 57

10 Nov 2010, 10:31 am

Planning is a huge problem for me. It goes both ways. I can't schedule a day to save my life. And yet I have to know about everything days in advance, or else I won't do it. It's like I need plans, but I'm terrible at them. If that makes sense.



PangeLingua
Toucan
Toucan

User avatar

Joined: 27 Sep 2010
Gender: Female
Posts: 295

10 Nov 2010, 12:01 pm

Maolcolm wrote:
GaijinRanger wrote:
I don't know if I'm affected by this or not. I'll try to shed some light on the situation with an example.

Doing the dishes is the best way to work me into a mental breakdown. Especially when there are alot of them.

Doing the dishes is hard because I have to:

- Remove the dishes from the sink(s)
- Rinse gunk out of the sink
- Clear a space for the dishes to dry
- Load the utensils and plates into the sink
- Make sure the water temperature won't scald my hands
- Fill the sink with water
- Add soap

And that's before anything is even accomplished. Usually by this point I'm curled up on the floor and hyperventilating. I really hate this aspect of myself. I honestly don't know why it's so hard to get through it sometimes.


Sounds like you are very definitely affected to me. As I understand it, "normal" Executive Function would allow this process to be pretty much on autopilot by now and the planning and execution of this task easy and instinctive. People generally wash dishes without thinking. For you, me and many others like us it never reaches that stage. It's always a confusing list of elements which are hard to get in order and carry out correctly. It's an ordeal.


Just out of curiosity, how often do you wash the dishes?

Personally, I don't have this much trouble washing dishes. I do have a very rigid routine for washing dishes and I always wash them in the exact same order and stack them exactly the same way in the rack. I wear gloves so that the water doesn't hurt my hands and so I don't get a rash from the soap. If I were suddenly to be confronted with different dishes or a different dish rack, I would probably have trouble and confusion as to what order to do things.



GaijinRanger
Raven
Raven

User avatar

Joined: 23 Oct 2010
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Posts: 102

10 Nov 2010, 12:34 pm

PangeLingua wrote:
Maolcolm wrote:
GaijinRanger wrote:
I don't know if I'm affected by this or not. I'll try to shed some light on the situation with an example.

Doing the dishes is the best way to work me into a mental breakdown. Especially when there are alot of them.

Doing the dishes is hard because I have to:

- Remove the dishes from the sink(s)
- Rinse gunk out of the sink
- Clear a space for the dishes to dry
- Load the utensils and plates into the sink
- Make sure the water temperature won't scald my hands
- Fill the sink with water
- Add soap

And that's before anything is even accomplished. Usually by this point I'm curled up on the floor and hyperventilating. I really hate this aspect of myself. I honestly don't know why it's so hard to get through it sometimes.


Sounds like you are very definitely affected to me. As I understand it, "normal" Executive Function would allow this process to be pretty much on autopilot by now and the planning and execution of this task easy and instinctive. People generally wash dishes without thinking. For you, me and many others like us it never reaches that stage. It's always a confusing list of elements which are hard to get in order and carry out correctly. It's an ordeal.


Just out of curiosity, how often do you wash the dishes?

Personally, I don't have this much trouble washing dishes. I do have a very rigid routine for washing dishes and I always wash them in the exact same order and stack them exactly the same way in the rack. I wear gloves so that the water doesn't hurt my hands and so I don't get a rash from the soap. If I were suddenly to be confronted with different dishes or a different dish rack, I would probably have trouble and confusion as to what order to do things.

I have a rigid routine for doing the dishes too. It's tougher when I can't stick to that routine.

I don't wash the dishes all that often. But really, can you blame me?

I've also had a look at how well I can do math in contrast to how well I can do in english. I think a lot of my math troubles arise from things affected by Executive Dysfunction; it might be doubly harder for me to do because math relies on putting data through a series of steps and formulas to reach a 'solution', where as english has less steps involved and is more of a 'formula' in itself. Does any of this make sense?