What is executive functioning?

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06 Dec 2012, 6:26 pm

"The executive system is a theorized cognitive system in psychology that controls and manages other cognitive processes."

I'm not exactly sure what that means. Could someone please translate and/or give some examples. Thanks!

antifeministfrills
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06 Dec 2012, 6:28 pm

'Executive Function is a set of mental processes that helps us connect past experience with present action.' Executive functions include inhibition, initiation, working memory, organization, self monitoring, etc.

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06 Dec 2012, 6:52 pm

In practical terms, it allows you to live independently.

Can you buy the groceries before you run out of food?

Pay the bills on time?

Keep your household reasonably neat and clean--without prompting from someone else?

lady_katie
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06 Dec 2012, 7:34 pm

Thanks for the replies!

I do have another question though. If someone has poor executive functioning, can it be improved?

Tyri0n
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06 Dec 2012, 7:46 pm

Quote:

In practical terms, it allows you to live independently.

Yes.

Quote:

Can you buy the groceries before you run out of food?

No.

Quote:

Pay the bills on time?

Usually. I sometimes put off bills until the last minute and then occasionally forget because I hate to part with money. haha

Quote:

Keep your household reasonably neat and clean--without prompting from someone else?

Clean, so-so. Neat, absolutely f*****g not!

How's my executive functioning?

Last edited by Tyri0n on 06 Dec 2012, 7:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

CuriousKitten
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06 Dec 2012, 7:47 pm

lady_katie wrote:

Thanks for the replies!

I do have another question though. If someone has poor executive functioning, can it be improved?

with practice and effort, yes.

for me, the key had been to find systems that work for me, then make them part of my routine.

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Verdandi
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06 Dec 2012, 7:57 pm

CuriousKitten wrote:

lady_katie wrote:

Thanks for the replies!

I do have another question though. If someone has poor executive functioning, can it be improved?

with practice and effort, yes.

for me, the key had been to find systems that work for me, then make them part of my routine.

Is that improvement or accommodation? If you remove the systems and the routine, what happens to your executive function?

whirlingmind
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06 Dec 2012, 8:21 pm

antifeministfrills wrote:

I'm awful at initiation, working memory and self-monitoring, not too great at organisation either.

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06 Dec 2012, 8:32 pm

Verdandi wrote:

CuriousKitten wrote:

lady_katie wrote:

Thanks for the replies!

I do have another question though. If someone has poor executive functioning, can it be improved?

with practice and effort, yes.

for me, the key had been to find systems that work for me, then make them part of my routine.

Is that improvement or accommodation? If you remove the systems and the routine, what happens to your executive function?

It dies a rapid death.

CuriousKitten
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06 Dec 2012, 8:43 pm

Verdandi wrote:

CuriousKitten wrote:

lady_katie wrote:

Thanks for the replies!

I do have another question though. If someone has poor executive functioning, can it be improved?

with practice and effort, yes.

for me, the key had been to find systems that work for me, then make them part of my routine.

Is that improvement or accommodation? If you remove the systems and the routine, what happens to your executive function?

The best way I can describe it is doing it in software instead of hardware, just like with the social stuff. If I break routine, all bets are off until I get back on track, either with the old routine, or with a new and hopefully improved routine. On the hardware level, my executive function is still squirelly

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06 Dec 2012, 8:44 pm

EstherJ wrote:

Verdandi wrote:

CuriousKitten wrote:

lady_katie wrote:

Thanks for the replies!

I do have another question though. If someone has poor executive functioning, can it be improved?

with practice and effort, yes.

for me, the key had been to find systems that work for me, then make them part of my routine.

Is that improvement or accommodation? If you remove the systems and the routine, what happens to your executive function?

It dies a rapid death.

Indeed, that's how it works for me.

Noetic
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06 Dec 2012, 10:33 pm

CuriousKitten wrote:

lady_katie wrote:

Thanks for the replies!

I do have another question though. If someone has poor executive functioning, can it be improved?

with practice and effort, yes.

for me, the key had been to find systems that work for me, then make them part of my routine.

Bingo - it has taken me years to get into a good routine with the housework where I do certain chores weekly, in the same order, and it's finally paying off in that dirt etc doesn't have a chance to build up to the point where it becomes overwhelming to tackle.

The effort takes a lot out of me though and limits my already limited social life further.

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06 Dec 2012, 10:47 pm

CuriousKitten wrote:

I like that analogy.

Everything I do get done, I get done because it's part of my routine. But break that routine and I can become utterly worthless. Depending on how badly, I could be headed toward meltdown and/or shutdown, but nothing will get done until I can do things in the correct place and time again. Missing my therapy appointment last week cost me the entire remainder of the day.

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07 Dec 2012, 1:02 am

Verdandi wrote:

EstherJ wrote:

Verdandi wrote:

CuriousKitten wrote:

lady_katie wrote:

Thanks for the replies!

I do have another question though. If someone has poor executive functioning, can it be improved?

with practice and effort, yes.

for me, the key had been to find systems that work for me, then make them part of my routine.

Is that improvement or accommodation? If you remove the systems and the routine, what happens to your executive function?

It dies a rapid death.

Indeed, that's how it works for me.

It took me forever to grasp the concept that I was not "lazy," or "stupid" or "hypocritical" (things I was called or thought about myself when I struggled with executive dysfunction as a kid) and realize that I actually had a problem that was not my fault.

Doesn't help that I can't remember to eat, brush my teeth, change clothes, or clean my room without a written schedule, and every semester I have to revamp my WHOLE system for EVERYTHING from health to how to do my school to finding time to do my hobbies like play my guitar or draw.

It's a heck of a lot of work.

IF something goes off....I lose it....COMPLETELY.

CuriousKitten
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07 Dec 2012, 1:17 am

EstherJ wrote:

Verdandi wrote:

EstherJ wrote:

Verdandi wrote:

CuriousKitten wrote:

lady_katie wrote:

Thanks for the replies!

I do have another question though. If someone has poor executive functioning, can it be improved?

with practice and effort, yes.

for me, the key had been to find systems that work for me, then make them part of my routine.

Is that improvement or accommodation? If you remove the systems and the routine, what happens to your executive function?

It dies a rapid death.

Indeed, that's how it works for me.

I've found it helpful to also have items prioritized according to what needs to be done each day (thyroid meds, eat on schedule) and what can, if needs be, wait a day or two. When things get crazy, I go by priority, and if the dishes don't get done, so be it.

_________________
If it don't come easy . . . .
. . . .hack it until it works right :-)

Aspie score: 142/200 NT score: 64/200
AQ Score: 42
BAP: 109 aloof, 94 rigid and 85 pragmatic

Verdandi
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07 Dec 2012, 1:42 am

EstherJ wrote:

Same to all of this, although I don't have to write my schedule down. I do need it established in some way - one thing I used to set up my current routine was an alarm/post it note-type thing on my computer.

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