Distractions How ADHD Adults Can Reduce Them

Topic: How to reduce distractions for easily distractible ADHD Adults. See the other Adult ADHD Issues.

Facilitator: Pete Quily

Thanks to Ed for taking notes.

October 4th 2016 Meeting Notes for the Vancouver Adult ADD Support Group

Warm up:

Ask your partner to tell you 3 examples of tactics you have learned to reduce the likelyhood that you get distracted. Why did they work for you?

What are the costs of distraction in your life?

accidental death or dismemberment
arguments with spouse
depression and anxiety
expensive traffic tickets
financial costs
frustration
guilt, shame
high rates of underemployment
if too many distractions, go blind, feel overwhelmed
loss of sleep
patients (if working in the health care field) or passengers (if a pilot) might die
personal relationships suffer
poor work performance
Primary tasks don’t get done
projects/tasks don’t get done
vicious circle
wasted time

Check out The Hunter-Farmer Theory of ADHD by Thom Hartmann

Why are we ADHD adults more likely to be distracted?

angst which can leads to hypervigilance
boring stuff fills our days
higher sensitivity threshold – can be to the level of sensory integration disorder, so can get more overwhelmed by input
internet the crack cocaine of ADHD
our brains are hungry for dopamine so we look for stimuli
we are more impulsive so more likely to follow the distraction

Check out Fidget to Focus the book by Sarah Wright – we often get bored, not enough dopamine so you fidget to stimulate yourself to be able to focus, try doing it deliberately.

A huge part of ADHD is problems with executive functions, I recommend my adult ADHD coaching clients check out this Dr. Thomas E Brown pdf on executive functions.

Great site for problems with ADHD relationships by Melissa Orlov, ADHD Marriage.

What reduces the chance of us being distracted?

exercise
interest – schedule interesting stuff before the boring stuff
manage your blood sugar; have protein, important for neurotransmitters and dopamine; eat protein in the morning to help focus
music to help focus (helps while doing boring stuff)
nurturing environment (look for a non-asshole boss)
proper sleep
what is your general work environment? investigate the boss as well as the job

Check out The Professional Organizers of Canada’s website. Make sure the one you hire actual knows ADHD and is non judgemental

Practical distractiblity reduction pair exercise

Get together in twos or threes and ask the other person to answer these questions.

What is the impact of that distraction to you?

What increases the chance of that distraction distracting you?

What reduces the chance of that distraction distracting you?

What will you do and not do to reduce the likelyhood of that thing distracting you?

When will you do it? Pick a specific day and time?

How will you remember to do it then?

How will you reward yourself when you are done?