Adult ADD and complex processes | ADHD Information

lol yep can't tell left from right to save my life. Even when driving someone will say turn left and I have to say turn towards your side or my side. Interesting, I find that I am fine getting to places I've never been, using
maps/directions, etc.; but that it's far more difficult "backtracking", and
returning home, or at least back to a main highway! I'm a musician, so
getting there, and on time, is a far greater priority than how long it takes
to return home.

Just the other day, I took about every wrong turn possible, cause I was
trying to turn the opposite direction as the directions I had followed to
get there. However, as anti-intuitive as it was, what I really NEEDED
to do, was turn the EXACT SAME DIRECTION as what the directions said in
coming there! When I mentioned this to both the homeowner, & my guitar
player, they both looked at me like I was crazy....

But I was right, altho it's difficult explaining WHY this is so....

Of course, all through school, especially with math classes, I could always
get the right answers, not by following the same path as the teachers
directed us, but "feeling my way" to them,,,. or something like that.

Even in my playing, I'm in some ways very deficient as to my technical
capabilities, yet I "fool" people all the time, as they would never suspect
from hearing me.... Again, I just kind of "feel my way" through the music,
not really knowing intellectually what exactly I am doing.....

I'm wondering if it has something to do with the ability (or rather inability) to access memory on demand.  All the information is in my head, but the harder I try to access it, the less likely I am to remember it.  I observe similar problems in my son. 

For instance, I have forgotten my PIN number for my bank card.  I have known it for 2 years, use it almost daily, and so didn't write it down.  I noticed that when I am thinking about something else I punch it in automatically, no problem.  If I am concentrating on it I have difficulty.  Last week I really needed to remember it, and have been trying so hard, but I can't remember it.  I am at the point where I will have to go to the bank to get it changed.

The only solution I have found it to learn to laugh about it .  I used every memory trick in the book to make it through school.  Anagrams worked best.  Try your best to reduce stress and not think about the subject before exams.  Go do something entirely off the topic in the hours before the exam, keep your mind off it and try to relax and know the information you need is in your head. 

Boggled, that's great advice!

When I was in high school I aced my SATs by doing just that, didn't sweat
it, think about it, worry about it, "study", cram, or anything. Just waltzed
in and let it flow.....

Same with ALL the things I do best!   It's only when I put my head to work,
that I'll space, screw up, get stressed, etc...... I have the same problem! I am on Adderall as
well and it does help.

Same here I tell people they need to point if they are telling me how to get somewhere?

Sometimes I get really confused from left and right. I dont know how to explain it. I am right handed, but I forget which hand it is. Someone would say, "raise your right hand" and I would have to think for a minute which hand is my right by imagining myself writing, or doing something I can only do with my right hand. Its weird. Ive been like that my whole life. I am very smart, but I get confused on stupid little things like that.

Hello to everyone,

I'm a 26 year old Electrical Engineering student.  Which I suppose goes to show that we can succeed through persistance with our ADD.

My question is this.  I was speaking with my younger brother (24 and going to school for Construction Management) and we found a similar problem.  We both seem to have trouble connecting the various parts of complex processes.

Example:  I know how to tie my shoe.  I can see all the steps clearly in my head.  I start to tie my shoe.  I bend down.   I pick up the right lace.  I pick up the left lace... What do I do now???  Or better yet, 'What was I trying to do?' 

Obviously this is an extreme exageration, but that is how it feels.  We are both taking Adderall XR and I feel as though it has helped to a great extent.  But I'm wondering A: if others of you struggle with this same issue (I'm assuming though not sure if this is an ADD issue), and B: what any of you do to combat it (does diet, study habits, hitting yourself in the head with a ball pean hammer do anything to fix it?)

As I'm sure you can imagine, being able to connect the steps to different processes is vital to the role of an engineer.  There are lots of them and they get really complex.

 

Thanks in advance for all of your help

Rob