My ADD is NOT helping me! How to manage it?

[dompie85]

You would think that having all these great ideas and thoughts running trough your head is an amazing thing! It actually is, but managing and keeping up with it is the hard part.
I'll come up with this great idea while i'm working on a task and I'll completely drop my current task to work on, in an attempt to remember, this amazing thought that came to me. Then another one comes up, and another. By this, I never end up fully completing any task... I render my old task somewhat void or irrelevant or sometimes I flat out forget about the previous tasks all together. The results? Incomplete Excel data sheets that contain "useful" data and websites to reference but nothing solid. I almost feel like I have similar duplicates when I work on new things. I love the fact that my mind is spitting out great ideas, but it becomes a distraction. This is a HUGE distraction. How will I approach this issue??

Thanks, Cheers!!
Dominik

P.S. This even happened while I was writing this message. Thinking of a better thing to write and putting off the main focus, which led re-writing a few sentences in order to accommodate what I wrote before this new thought came to me.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Digamma]

I like todo lists, and my favorite app is Wunderlist. I use to keep track of all the different things I do.
Now, I have one list in which I just jot down these ideas as they come up to me. I'm doing something else, great: it takes me 10 seconds to write it down and keep on doing what I was doing without that dreadful feeling of anxiety that screams you'll forget abut this great idea in your ear.
Then I review them later, put them where they belong, take more detailed notes or do research.

 

[Bila]

1- Vigourous excercise for at least an hour
2- Fish Oil a d Zinc as supplements ( rehabilitate neurotransmitters )
3- Massages ( again for the rehabilitation of neurotransmitters )

 

[Unknown]

I struggle with this as well (not necessarily ADD, but scattered thoughts and inability to focus). You have to make an effort to act on only one idea while forgetting all the rest. I sometimes find myself thinking about the 50 things I need to do and it all seems overwhelming. In my case this typically leads to inaction on everything, but I've realized over the years that if I just eliminate one thing on the list I'll feel better about all of them.

Do you have an actual ADD diagnosis, or are you self diagnosing?

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[dompie85]

@Bila I've never been the one to exercise, I'm content with the way I look and I think I feel pretty good. Not working out is not effecting my mood in any negative way. But, I could be wrong. I'll consult with a trainer at my local gym today. I usually resort to listening to lounge or chilled out music, or go for a nice relaxing motorcycle ride to help clear me up. I'll look into the vitamins as well. I eat a lot of salmon and herrings. Massages, who doesn't love massages... I am WAY overdue for a massage.

@Unknown Yes. I used to take meds when I was younger, I could never concentrate at school, had moderate grades. I was very very creative and independent growing up (that entrepreneur mentality) always wanted to make something of myself instead settling. Being force feed this "knowledge" they teach; I would never see useful in my future. I have tried adoral as well as other similar alternative vitamins and they have not helped. If anything, they make the condition temporarily worse... and I get nothing done.

 

[Bila]

I struggle a lot with it as well at times, and find that vigoureous exercise helps with the state of fuggy thoughts

 

[Unknown]

@Bila I've never been the one to exercise, I'm content with the way I look and I think I feel pretty good. Not working out is not effecting my mood in any negative way. But, I could be wrong. I'll consult with a trainer at my local gym today. I usually resort to listening to lounge or chilled out music, or go for a nice relaxing motorcycle ride to help clear me up. I'll look into the vitamins as well. I eat a lot of salmon and herrings. Massages, who doesn't love massages... I am WAY overdue for a massage.

@Unknown Yes. I used to take meds when I was younger, I could never concentrate at school, had moderate grades. I was very very creative and independent growing up (that entrepreneur mentality) always wanted to make something of myself instead settling. Being force feed this "knowledge" they teach; I would never see useful in my future. I have tried adoral as well as other similar alternative vitamins and they have not helped. If anything, they make the condition temporarily worse... and I get nothing done.

Sorry man. I'm not sure what to tell you then. Maybe someone with an ADD diagnosis will chime in with some ideas.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Sander Prins]

You would think that having all these great ideas and thoughts running trough your head is an amazing thing! It actually is, but managing and keeping up with it is the hard part.
I'll come up with this great idea while i'm working on a task and I'll completely drop my current task to work on, in an attempt to remember, this amazing thought that came to me. Then another one comes up, and another. By this, I never end up fully completing any task... I render my old task somewhat void or irrelevant or sometimes I flat out forget about the previous tasks all together. The results? Incomplete Excel data sheets that contain "useful" data and websites to reference but nothing solid. I almost feel like I have similar duplicates when I work on new things. I love the fact that my mind is spitting out great ideas, but it becomes a distraction. This is a HUGE distraction. How will I approach this issue??

Thanks, Cheers!!
Dominik

P.S. This even happened while I was writing this message. Thinking of a better thing to write and putting off the main focus, which led re-writing a few sentences in order to accommodate what I wrote before this new thought came to me.

I was never officially diagnosed with ADD, but a friend of mine was so he got Ritalin for a small price from the pharmacy. He gave me a few once and I used them to study for a test. Usually I get distracted every few minutes, but now I worked for 5 hours straight.
I must say that your body dries out from it, and you feel a little shitty after, but it's worth it.

 

[Solrac]

I struggled with ADHD for a while...
Things that helped me overcome it, awareness of the task at hand and FOCUS. You can stop yourself from doing other things if the will power is in there. Like getting off track.

To tackle the ADHD, I took around 10 omega 3's everyday, like some 15,300 MG of ACTIVE Omegas daily. And then I took about two scoops of dedicated amino acids. and one more thing. If you take adderall try to limit how much you take of it. I am now fine without adderall but it took me a while to get used to it. I still take it sometimes for exams, like today I took one cause I have finals next week so I'm studying it up. But I take it maybe 5-10x a year.

This helped me, I don't struggle with ADHD anymore.

 

[Tobore]

Never knew I had been living with this for a long time.

I went to see a psychiatrist few days ago and he prescribed an anti-depressant. (He thinks I'm either depressed or just lack patience).

I think not...

But I've done things differently...
I feel better now (even tho I'm still finding what works best for me)

Most importantly, I don't believe this is a disorder in any form!

It's like having a super-power but trying to learn how to make effective use of it. (Heaven notices when I'm "in the zone")

Ok. That's that. So what did I do differently?

• I exercised hard (I don't do it for fitness, I do for health) I need to live on runner's high!

• I read this somewhere..."Little things such as putting on your shoes before could mean a lot)."
what I do? I get fully dressed even though I work from home. (sounds odd but it helped).

• I stopped eating anything that has sugar, especially processed stuffs. They leave me weak

• I drink lots of water now

• I've gotten a list. I input 3 Most-important things I must achieve in a day! Its all written on stone. Once written, nothing goes in, nothing comes out except results. I follow thru next day! (Learnt this from another thread)

• I worked outdoor today. Somewhere far away from home, and I found it interesting and fun. I focused on why I came there and it worked it out.

• I timed every project and tried to finish on time.

• I never veer off the items on my list. So? I worked less and achieved much.

I feel free. I used to work all day without noticing tangible results.

• I sleep for 8 hours. I think this helps to clear those fuzzy thoughts.

• Also, I choose only supportive thoughts that relate to my current project and dump the rest.

Can't tell if the anti-depressant works (still testing it all).

Also, try and read "The Power of Now"

You could take coffee too, I might add it up too once I'm off this temporary med.

I believe this could be a blessing if we learn to use it. Lots of notable people have done so.

We like to have fun especially when working on something creative or arty...Make business your art!

Don't let it stop you. Use it to your advantage.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Ninjakid]

ADHD is becoming increasingly rampant in society because of over-stimulation from technology. Technology is awesome and I love it, but it's probably the biggest distraction to ever become a part of daily life.
My advice is spend a few days where you disconnect from technology. If you have a smartphone, maybe turn off the data and wifi, that way you an still keep in touch with people. Turn your computer off, and go out into the world and do things. Give attention to your hobbies, exercise, see friends ands family etc. etc. You'll notice your senses become heightened, and your thoughts become clearer, and you'll be able to focus better.

 

[RogueInnovation]

Sounds like you are gullible to your own thoughts.
You just need to be a bit sceptical and look long term with your time.
Pick the tasks that are most likely to become a continuous thread.

In my writing, I create loads of book ideas, like time travel, AI, a sci-fi in space, a sexy book for girls to enjoy and on and on. I do write out the outlines and plans, but I know I can't finish them all and probably won't want to. So I pick the book I know I'll keep coming back to. Sometimes I write bits for the others, but I put the main commitment on the one I know I can complete.

No one idea has it all, you just have to accept that one is better for you and have a little fidelity with it. Not cheat on it, or rob it of time.


I also agree with Bila, you have to manage you biology as well as your mind. No caffiene and sugary drinks, just have a cup of tea etc.
A bit of alcohol to stop you being too hyper. Whatever...

AND stop whinging, about how you can't make changes, thats what p#ssies say. Of course you can change, you just need to suck it up.

 

[marklov]

You know I almost convinced myself I had ADD from all the googling to rationalize why I wasn't getting stuff done but I decided to just sit my a$$ down and get work done sometimes I would feel like I wanted to bounce of the walls but I stuck through it and now I can get work done but I hear that adderall is some good stuff

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.