Can Executive Dysfunctioning not be improved at all?

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Sometimes I try to cope with the fact that I was born in a way that I lack the capacity of getting everything I want done, and try to not be too upset when I take much longer to complete daily tasks. However, more often than I'd like to, I can't get anything started, done or finished at all, and I can't do anything about it either.

Is there really no way out?

Learning a musical instrument can be a good way to make your brain more flexible. With the guitar for example I am learning different shapes with the fingers on my left hand to form the chords. When I strike the chord with my right hand I am memorising different combinations of strings to play as not all strings are always played.

At the same time I am playing a song from memory so I am thinking in my head, "After this A chord switch to C". There is also singing so I have lyrics running through my head. And making sure the left hand fingers are placed close enough to the frets, not contacting neighbouring strings unless they are meant to, and pressed down hard enough to avoid buzzing when played.

So you have a lot of multitasking. I don't know if I am imagining it but after prwcticing guitar I seem to feel more in the moment, able to be spontaneous and juggle things.

hello. this may help?
https://web.archive.org/web/20160301144 ... ertia.html

A couple of years ago, I identified the low level of GABA in my neurotransmitters and since then have boosted the levels of GABA on a daily basis by taking a subclinical dose of Clonazepam, which boosts GABA in the brain. It was remarkable. Since then I have had minimal issues with executive functioning, even under extreme stress. My breakthrough came about from reading a book by Eric Braverman called The Edge Effect. He advocates boosting GABA using foods and amino acids, which I trialled, though the effect from those was not very pronounced. So I researched all the GABA agonists I could find on the web, and settled on low dose Clonazepam. From the first dose on the first day it was remarkable. Now years have passed and my executive function has never been sharper, clearer or more focused, which is remarkable for someone of my age.

Over the past year, research has finally caught up with this potential of GABA supplementation, using mice samples. It has been announced as an ASD breakthrough, though in fact the knowledge was there years before, in bits and pieces, in different places, and ferreting out information is something I am reasonably skilled at, as well as understanding scientific terms and language.

There has been research for some years that has demonstrated low GABA levels in some ASD people - not all - and this appears to be an innate factor for that group. It seems that they are also the subgroup of ASD which is most likely to have seizures, and that was true for me. I no longer have seizures. Raising GABA didn't just change my executive functioning ability, it changed my life.

My philosophy has always been that for every problem there is a solution - it may not be known, or it may not be obvious, or it may be misunderstood. However when the breakthroughs come, all the time and effort is worth it. I have never been influenced by the dogma of ASD that insinuates "there's nothing you can do about it, it's hopeless".

It's the dogma of stigma-spreaders like Autism Speaks, and many USA "mental health" professionals, who think they know everything about ASD (and they don't). It's self-serving as both groups cash in on promoting the idea of fixed disabilities of ASD and not the potentials and possibilities.

I'm interested in this because I desperately need to improve my executive functioning somehow. It's a problem.

I wonder if GABA supplements would work at all? I'm going to try, I'm a little nervous of prescription drugs in the long term so it seems like it might be worth an initial try? Although I also just read that there's controversy over whether they work or not since they might not be able to cross over the blood-brain barrier or something. Maybe I should also talk to a doctor about prescription drugs.

The proteins in foods are a source of the amino acids that the brain needs to function. The body knows how to convert and transport them from the digestive system to the brain. The blood brain barrier is not some kind of total brick wall that keeps everything out, we couldn't function if it was.

The effect of the supplements was too slight for me, and the low dose Clonazepam was perfect. However I had to educate doctors about it, they didn't know about the research indications and it took some time and effort to make them aware of it.

Ah ok, makes sense. Sounds well worth reading up on and talking to a doctor about. That's great that it had such a life-changing impact for you.

I have a good feeling about what B19 is relating.

This is fertile ground for more research.

Yes, Kraftie, it certainly is. If only research funding was directed to what assists us rather than how to "cure" us. I have a dream...

Executive functioning is a skill. Some people have the proclivity to do it and excel at it, and some people need to do a lot of hard work to build it. It can be improved through practice, but maybe you've been practicing in a way that works for others but not for you. The guitar idea might be something to explore, training your brain to multi-task and plan ahead but in a way that doesn't scream work. Dance classes, composed visual art, and many board games build executive functioning for the same reason. You could find a hobby that is similar to how you learn and how you think.

GABA supplements might help your neurotransmitters have a better capacity for EF, but you are still going to have to do something to train your brain to work that way if it hasn't been. Take GABA supplements then sit down for a rousing game of chess?

The GABA theory makes sense since research shows that people with schizophrenia have too much glutamate, which lowers GABA levels, and there are neurological similarities in autism and schizophrenia. I'm glad to see people finally moving away from BS theories about low serotonin, anyway.

For those who want to explore alternatives to prescription drugs to boost GABA, there is quite a lot of information here, which does have research basis:

https://drjockers.com/is-your-brain-making-enough-gaba/

If you just want one simple takeaway without reading it - the body needs Vitamin B6 as a co-factor to maintain GABA levels, so check whether you are getting enough of this co-factor.

I didn't know about the connection between GABA and glutamate before. I am so sensitive to MSG, I can't eat out in regular restaurants. Immediate anxiety attack, not from other people, from the food. Very interesting!

Interesting article. I have a better idea now of the difference between inertia and other types of procrastination. There are some practical tips in there too, and for myself, I like the tips that encourage people to find the patterns of when they get stuck and when they get things done. I notice, for example, that when I start with tasks that give me confidence, I feel more motivated/empowered to take on more challenging tasks. The article encourages people to look at their environment, routines, feelings, etc.

How does your mind work? Do you work better with pictures, words, or something else?

A calendar in the kitchen works well for keeping track of things on a long term basis--stuff I need to do in a couple months. I can review it while I'm cooking dinner.

I can be both "inert," and "procrastinating" at the same time