ADHD disorganization is lack of executive functioning skills. Thats a symptom of ADHD.
For me, it translates into having a very hard time figuring out what to do with things, where to put papers, what to keep and what to toss. Once I figure that out, as long as I do it religiously I am ok but if it starts to pile up even a little, I get confused and its hard to focus on what goes where.
Actually Shawn, being very organized and not being able to stand when things are out of place can also be a symptom. It stems from your need to be in control, to keep order so things don't become chaotic. Its a coping mechanism some people learn early.
well, I don't know how a normal person is, but I can tell you how I am. I'm awaiting my testing (scheduled for Jan 9th) but I'm pretty sure I have a combo of ADD/OCD. I think I am very organized in the standpoint that everything has it's own place and they have to stay that way. I'm anal about that... but when it comes to organizing my home life and work life (I run my own graphic design business) I'm out of control. I try to schedule things, but can never seem to stick to them. My housework suffers because I have to make sure I meet my work deadlines. I think having a little bit of OCD I'm not terribly bad with it.. not like Monk or anything, but enough that it does help me with some organization. However I'd forget my head if it weren't attached. I have to write down everything on my iCal on my computer (which transfers to my cell phone) and groceries have to be written down or I'll end up buying a lot of impulse items and forget the important stuff. I don't think I'm disorganized in all aspects of my life, but I do feel overwhelmed a lot with everything that I think needs to be done, and if it's not mega important, it gets put on the back burner I hope this helps you some.I'm just wondering what is the difference between an ADD person who struggles with disorganization and a normal person who struggles with disorganization?
Is the disorganization the same for both people but the ADD person just can't remember where things are? Or does an ADD person have greater disorganization? Is a normal person just disorganized in just one area of life where an ADD person is disorganized in all aspects of life?
[QUOTE=barb]ADHD disorganization is lack of executive functioning skills. Thats a symptom of ADHD.
For me, it translates into having a very hard time figuring out what to do with things, where to put papers, what to keep and what to toss. Once I figure that out, as long as I do it religiously I am ok but if it starts to pile up even a little, I get confused and its hard to focus on what goes where.
Actually Shawn, being very organized and not being able to stand when things are out of place can also be a symptom. It stems from your need to be in control, to keep order so things don't become chaotic. Its a coping mechanism some people learn early.
[/QUOTE]
Barb, you just described me! I feel better now that others relate to that.
Mia
i tend to be very organized in jobs that are left brained oriented, like when i worked as a secretary. i recently chaired my alanon meeting and reorganized all the papers in the big notebook i used to run the meeting because all that stuff was driving me crazy. i did a great job & threw out all this stuff & organized what was left. i did great...
whenever i have a right-brained, feeling oriented job, the left-brained, organizational stuff goes right out the window. i was a teacher for about 8 years and had a REALLY hard time with paperwork. i was so focused on dealing with the kids every day that the paperwork stuff just fell by the wayside. my first year especially was a total nightmare in that area--and in others! i hardly ever even took attendance my first two years of teaching.... and yet, in office jobs, my desk was always neat and orderly...
funny, huh???
oh and my house is insane. and squalor. insane squalor.
i would say that in order for me to be organized, i have to have a reason. i have to see that it's important somehow. if other things take precedence (like dealing with the kids seemed to as a teacher), then organization ceases to be a priority. it becomes one of those things i can't focus on without help.
dunno if that answers your question, but maybe it gives you a bit more insight.
~~~Ursula~~~