Executive Function (Rebroadcast)

WEBVTT
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Welcome to Hacking Your ADHD, part of the ADHD Rewired
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Podcast Network. I'm your host, William Kerb, and I have ADHD.
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On this podcast, I dig into the tools, tactics, and
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best practices to help you work with your ADHD brain.
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Executive function is a hot topic around ADHD, and more specifically,
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how often we have a deficit in it. But one
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of the trickiest parts about executive function is that there
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isn't a universally accepted model of executive function. I know
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that feels kind of surprising because it seems like something
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that is talked about a lot and that we should
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have something that is just generally agreed upon. So for
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this episode, we're going to be focusing on the Russell
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Barkley self-regulation model, although I'll certainly be pulling from some
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other sources as well. I really like Dr. Barkley's model
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for self-regulation because, in many ways, we can actually look
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at ADHD as a disorder of self-regulation itself. And that's
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exactly what Dr. Barkley proposes, that executive function and self-regulation
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are the same thing, and that with ADHD, we have
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a deficit in our executive functions and therefore a deficit
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in our self-regulation. As such, I'll be using executive function
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and self-regulation interchangeably throughout the episode to help emphasize that
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really they're the same thing. In this episode, I'm going
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to go into exactly what executive function and self-regulation is,
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how we use it, and how we can get back
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on track when we find ourselves missing some of that self-regulation.
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executive function. All right, keep on listening to find out
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how we can put the fun in executive function. All right, well,
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let's start with what are executive functions? Simply put, executive
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functioning skills are how the brain plans and reacts to situations.
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It's how we manage ourselves inside and out, and it's
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what we rely on when we're not on autopilot. There
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are three main executive functions that we draw from. Working memory,
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cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control. I'm guessing from that list,
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you see two things that ADHD really struggles with and
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one that we're actually pretty decent at. Even so, let's
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do a quick rundown of what each of these things entail,
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because it's actually a bit more nuanced than that. Starting
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with working memory, what we're talking about here is our
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very short-term memory. This is basically information that we're working
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with right now. It's how we can store information in
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our brains while doing something else. Well, that's how it's
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supposed to work anyway. For many of us with ADHD,
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we can struggle with our working memory. This can make
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it difficult for us to follow multi-step directions. Just think
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about reading a recipe going, okay, I got this, then
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doing the first step, and realizing you have no idea
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what the next step after that is supposed to be.
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It should also be noted that some psychologists use the
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terms short-term memory and working memory interchangeably, while others view
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them as distinct processes. Next up, we've got cognitive flexibility,
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which can refer to creative thinking and thinking outside the box,
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but it also means our ability to adapt to new
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and unexpected situations. So while many of us with ADHD
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do excel at creative thinking, we can have a lot
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of issues dealing with the unexpected. Cognitive flexibility is about
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seeing what we're doing, and if it's not working, then
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implementing a new strategy. It's why we can struggle so
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much when our routines are thrown out of whack. Okay,
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and finally we've got inhibitory control, which really just refers
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to resisting temptation and resisting acting impulsively. It's also about
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maintaining selective intention and cognitive inhibition, which is what lets
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us block out information that isn't really relevant to the
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task at hand. So ignoring the ticking of a clock
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while you're taking a test or maintaining focus on the
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conversation you're having right now instead of the one of
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the loud guy two tables over that you can't keep
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out of your head. So yeah, I think we've got
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that one covered on why ADHD has trouble with it.
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And as we can see, executive function deficits pose a
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serious problem in our ability to engage in self-regulation. This
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also means that time and thinking about the future are
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incredibly difficult for those of us with deficits in executive function.
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It makes it hard to anticipate and prepare for the future,
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and it makes it hard for us to maintain and
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hit our goals. I should also mention that having executive
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function deficits doesn't necessarily mean that you have ADHD. there
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are many conditions that can lead to executive function issues.
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And also on that note, executive dysfunction is actually not
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part of an ADHD diagnosis. Although, and this is very
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much my own thoughts here, I don't see how you
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could get a diagnosis without having at least some executive dysfunction.
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Because there's just so much overlap between ADHD symptoms and
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executive dysfunction. It really is a disorder of self-regulation. So
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while deficits in executive function are not part of the
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diagnostic criteria in the DSM-5, it is certainly part of ADHD.
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But I digress, it's just something that I think should
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be noted. Along with thinking of our executive function as self-regulation,
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we've also got to understand that this is a limited resource,
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although those limits are going to fluctuate throughout the day.
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We can think of using our executive functions as drawing
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from a pool of resources, and the more we engage
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in using our self-regulation, the more resources we're going to draw.
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Our well of willpower is not infinite, and so we
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can find ourselves severely lacking in self-regulation as the day
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goes by. This isn't to say that we don't have
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methods to restore some of those resources, though. As well,
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those levels are going to fluctuate throughout the day. There
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are going to be points in the day where our
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energy is peaking and it's easier to draw from these
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willpower resources, and times when we're at low energy and
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it's harder. So it can be useful to think of
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these things like a kind of tide. And I know
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it's a little confusing. It's a lot. It's like a tide,
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but we can also use it up and there are
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ways to replenish it. So yeah, pretty much. So let's
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start with using up those resources. Simply put, the more
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we need to rely on self-regulation, the more we're going
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to use it up. One of the clearest examples I
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often see comes from my kids. I know that the
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most likely time for them to have a meltdown is
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right after I pick them up from school. And it
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makes complete sense when you view it from the standpoint
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of self-regulation. There is a ton of self-regulation that's required
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throughout the school day. And once they get in the car,
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they can drop all of that and find they've got
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nothing left in the tank to help them self-regulate. The
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same thing happens to us as adults. We can spend
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the day doing things where we find ourselves needing to mask.
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needing to rely on our ability to self-regulate and then
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come home at the end of the day and find
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that we can't get ourselves to do anything that we
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want to do. We can find ourselves stuck on the
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couch trying to will ourselves to get up and do
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something else, but feeling like we're paralyzed. So really anything
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that uses self-regulation and any of those main executive functions
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I mentioned earlier are going to use up some of
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our capital of willpower. And that depletion can be exacerbated
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by things like stress, bad sleep, illness, and drug use,
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or even having low blood sugar. Can't get yourself to
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do anything? Maybe it's because you haven't eaten in a while. Now,
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of course, we can also work on restoring some of
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that resource pool because, hey, if those things can exacerbate
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the deficits, well then doing the opposite should help. And indeed,
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in most cases it does. Reducing stress and getting a
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good night's sleep are absolutely going to help with our
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levels of executive function. Making sure that we've eaten and
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keeping hydrated also helps. And then there are things like
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taking periodic breaks throughout the day. getting regular exercise, and
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doing things like meditation that can help restore our ability
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to self-regulate. But I also mentioned that this is kind
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of like a tide as well, and what I mean
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by that is that our natural levels of reserves are
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going to vary throughout the day. We've got two main
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cycles that our bodies go through every day. We've got
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the circadian cycle that dictates our sleep and wake cycle,
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And then we have our ultradian cycles, which are 90-minute
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cycles that our bodies go through going from high energy
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to lower levels of energy. During both of these cycles,
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we're going to see varying levels of willpower that we
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can manipulate. Additionally, there are times when we can more
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easily draw upon the well, such as during an emergency
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or when we need to meet a deadline. Our body
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can kick into higher gear and keep us focused and
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drawing on those executive functions when it really needs to.
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But we also need to understand that those reserves don't
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just magically appear. We're borrowing them from our future selves.
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And what this means is that we can have an
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even bigger crash once we meet that deadline or once
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that emergency passes. And drawing on these too often for
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too long is how we can reach burnout. Borrowing from
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the future until there's nothing left to borrow. I think
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one of the biggest takeaways that we can get from
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this episode... is that often those times we screw up
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aren't really our fault, or at least not our conscious fault.
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It more often than not has to do with our
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deficits in executive function, and therefore our deficits in self-regulation.
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I'm not saying this absolves us of responsibility of our actions,
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but it is an explanation for them. And the explanation
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is important because it gives us a method that we
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can think about for correcting the behavior in the future.
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One of the problems that often comes up from my
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self-talk is that it misidentifies my actions as moral failings
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rather than, say, having lunch too late in the afternoon.
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And this self-talk is important because how we identify a
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problem is how we work on solving it. If I
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say I'm failing to finish my writing because I'm a
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bad person or I'm lazy, there isn't a lot I
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can do to try and solve it beyond buckling down
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and trying harder. But if I can admit that I'm
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having issues with my self-regulation, Well, that's something I can
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try to solve for. Maybe I do just need to
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get something to eat, or I need to take a break.
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Maybe I need to put away distractions so I'm not
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inadvertently using up my executive functions resisting the temptation to
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play with all those toys in my desk. And this
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means that we can really embrace thinking about our ADHD
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issues in terms of self-regulation. So say we're taking a
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break to help restore some of that pool of executive
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functions and we decide to work on a puzzle. This
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is something that I've actually been doing recently because I
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got this great thousand piece puzzle for my birthday. But
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the issue is that it's really easy to just do
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one more piece over and over again. So thinking about
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this in terms of how am I going to regulate this,
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I can work on strategies that will actually help to
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get me to stop. Initially, I might think of just
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setting alarm will work. After five minutes, my break is done.
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But if my issue is putting on just one more
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piece over and over, then I'm probably going to do
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that once I hit my alarm as well. What could
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be far more effective in this situation is creating alarm
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and then leaving it all the way across the room
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so that I actually have to get up from what
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I'm doing. And once I get up, it's a lot
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easier for me to just move on to the next thing.
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And I know, it's just a puzzle. I should be
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able to just get up and go and do the
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other things I want to be doing. But that's kind
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of the point. This is a place where I feel
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like I should just be able to do what I
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need to do to stop. But nonetheless, this is also
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a place that I have found myself struggling with a
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few times over this last week. And that there is
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a great indicator of when we need to change something.
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It's where we can identify that we know we're going
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to have a problem in the future. Instead of relying
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on willpower, we need to think about where we might
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have issues and how we can mitigate our reliance on
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our own self-regulations. If I want to eat healthier, it's
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easier for me to just not have junk food in
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the house instead of trying to resist eating those cookies
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every time I open the pantry. This is also why
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many people find it easier to work in a cafe
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instead of at home. Sure, there are ways that we
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can distract ourselves there, but by changing our environment, we've
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cut out a huge percentage of those distractions that we'd
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normally have to use our executive functions to ignore. Of course,
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there also has to be a balance struck between accepting
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that we're low with those executive function resources, and still
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doing things when we might not want to. Because I
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know from personal experience, it's easy for me to go, oh,
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I'm not going to do that. My executive functions are low,
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and it just wouldn't work anyway. This is not particularly helpful,
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and it's just me rationalizing not doing something that I
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don't want to do. But it's also in the realm
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of truth. Because if I just try and force myself
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to do it, I'm also probably not going to get
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it done. Instead, what's more useful is to go, I'm
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not going to start now, my executive functions are low,
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so I'm going to go for a walk, or whatever
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tool you want to use to help replenish your self-regulation,
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which also admittedly is not the easiest thing to do
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when your self-regulation is low. Because hey, if I'm having
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trouble self-regulating, that means it's harder to make those good decisions.
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So as I said, we have to work on finding
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a balance, and one of the keys of dealing with
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low self-regulation is that we need to plan ahead. Earlier
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I mentioned that we can think of that resource pool
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as having a tide that goes in and out throughout
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the day. What this means is that we have a
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somewhat predictable time when it is going to be harder
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for us to draw on that self-regulation. Which means those
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are great times to have some downtime. We all need
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breaks throughout the day, so why not put them at
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times that you're already going to need a break? Ultimately,
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while there are things we can do to work on
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improving our executive functions... our best strategies are going to
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be the ones that mitigate our own dysfunction by modifying
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our environment to better suit our needs when we hit
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those low points in our ability to self-regulate. Thanks for
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sticking with me all the way to the end. Before
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you go, though, let's do a quick rundown of today's
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top tips. 1. We can think of executive function and
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self-regulation as the same thing. Two, our primary executive functions
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are working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control. Three, we
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have a limited resource pool for our executive functions, and
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we use some of it every time we engage in self-regulation. Fortunately,
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we can help restore some of these resources by doing
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things like taking breaks, having a snack, and getting some exercise. Four,
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one of the best ways to help with executive function
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is to modify our environment so that we're reducing the
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amount of self-regulation we need to do. This means doing
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things like putting away distractions and making time more visible.
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That's it. Thanks for listening. I'd love to hear what
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you thought of this episode. You can leave me a
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00:17:52.140 --> 00:17:57.069
message over at hackingyouradhd.com slash contact. You can also reach
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00:17:57.089 --> 00:18:00.029
me on Twitter at Hacking Your ADHD, and I've also
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00:18:00.109 --> 00:18:02.170
just launched a TikTok channel that you can find by
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searching for Hacking Your ADHD. If you'd like links or
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to read this episode's transcript, you can find those on
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the show notes page at hackingyouradhd.com. If you'd like to
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support the podcast, the best way is to share episodes
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Just click the share button on your podcast player and
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send your bestie the link with something like, Hey, I
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loved this episode of Hacking Your ADHD. I'd bet you'd
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get a lot out of it too. Or you can
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Sign up for the $ 2, $ 5, $ 10, $ 25, or even
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monthly bonus content or early access to upcoming episodes. That's HackingYourADHD.com
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slash Patreon. And be sure to check out all the
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other podcasts on the ADHD Rewired Podcast Network. For interviews
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00:18:49.700 --> 00:18:53.509
with fellow ADHDers and ADHD experts, check out Eric Tiver's show,
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00:18:53.529 --> 00:18:56.970
ADHD Rewired. For those of you with kids, be sure
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00:18:56.990 --> 00:18:59.980
to check out Brendan Mahan's show, ADHD Essentials. And even
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00:19:00.019 --> 00:19:01.519
if you don't have kids, his show is still a
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00:19:01.559 --> 00:19:05.150
great resource for ADHD management. If you're interested in exploring
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issues of race and diversity in ADHD, be sure to
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00:19:07.690 --> 00:19:11.410
check out ADHD Diversified with MJ. I also do a
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live Q & A with all the hosts of the
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ADHD Rewired podcast network on the second Tuesday of the
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00:19:16.150 --> 00:19:19.339
month at 1030 a.m. Pacific. If you'd like to sign up,
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just go to ADHDrewired.com slash events. And now for your
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00:19:25.700 --> 00:19:29.269
moment of dad. When your girlfriend comes home in a
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00:19:29.289 --> 00:19:31.930
white suit, covered in bee stings and smelling like honey,
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00:19:32.529 --> 00:19:33.430
you know she's a keeper.