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Executive dysfunction

Written by Livia Farkas || First published: 28 June, 2023 | Last edited: 22 September, 2023 || 📚🕒 Reading Time: 2 minutes

Executive functions are cognitive processes in charge of planning, problem-solving, attention, and self-regulation.

Executive functions are essential, they help us make plans, stay organized, pay attention, and keep our emotions in check. It plays a big role in making decisions and adapting to new situations.

Dopamine is one of the neurotransmitters that is closely linked to executive functioning. Dopamine helps to regulate attention, motivation, and reward-based learning, which are all essential components of executive functioning.

Why does executive dysfunction happen?

Executive dysfunction can happen when these processes have some impairment.

Executive dysfunction can manifest temporarily for many reasons, like burnout, depression, grief, and post-viral syndrome, like Long Covid. But for many neurodivergent conditions, especially Autism and ADHD, it is present constantly.

What does executive dysfunction look like?

  • Procrastination, doing everything but the thing
  • Laziness, not moving, just sitting around, playing with their phone
  • Carelessness, as if it’s not important, and the person is not interested in doing the thing
  • Running around in a frenzy, agitated, irritated, snappy
  • Forgetfulness, not remembering things that were said to them, constantly losing their things
  • They are distracted, start talking about different topics mid-sentence, and interrupt what they are doing with something different

What does executive dysfunction feel like?

  • You’re overwhelmed by the amount of tasks to do, and not knowing the next step, so you can’t even start doing anything
  • Feeling a sense of urgency, trying to catch up with things, feeling like you’re constantly behind
  • Starting many tasks at the same time (often not the ones you should / want to do), nothing is finished
  • Not being able to progress with your tasks and still feeling exhausted from trying
  • Trying to concentrate and focus, but being distracted all the time, and hating yourself for it

Executive dysfunction and ADHD

Executive dysfunction is one of the most important traits of ADHD1, because it affects so many areas of daily life. But is also one of the most prejudiced against.

It is very easy to regard executive dysfunction struggles as laziness or carelessness, and make a moral judgement on a person for struggling.

A person with executive dysfunction can easily believe they are just not trying hard enough, they are a moral failure and having this kind of internalized shame can very easily lead to confidence issues and negative self-talk.

And when you believe it is your personal failing that you are not feeling well, it is harder to ask for help, especially from people who question your needs in the first place.

Learn more about executive functions!

  • What are executive functions and what happens when there’s a neurological difference?
  • What are the reasons for executive dysfunction in humans?
  • What happens when you work against your traits?
  • What to do instead?

Download our executive functions guide in The Vault, our free resource hub.

Go to the Vault

Related terms

Working memory

Working memory is one of the executive functions. It is our mental scratchpad, where we temporarily hold and play with info to help with tasks like problem-solving and learning. It’s key for everyday stuff but has limited space, so juggling too …

Read moreWorking memory

Body doubling

Body doubling means doing a task or errand with someone else or in the presence of someone else so it’s easier to start or follow through. It is one of the strategies for managing focus and creating a flow for work, even if you feel lost and …

Read moreBody doubling

Emotional dysregulation

Emotional dysregulation refers to difficulty in effectively managing and controlling one’s emotions. It is characterized by intense, unpredictable, or seemingly disproportionate emotional responses that may be challenging to regulate or modulate. …

Read moreEmotional dysregulation

Time blindness

Time blindness is when it’s tough to grasp the passing of time. It usually means you under- or overestimate the time a project will take. It makes it tricky to manage schedules, deadlines, and planning. It can lead to procrastination, forgetfulness, …

Read moreTime blindness
This term is also known as:
executive function deficit, executive function disorder (EFD)
Blogpost mentioning this term:
  • I accidentally built a glossary of neurodivergent terms
  • How to talk about neurodivergence in a kind way: terms & phrases to know
  • ADHD Planners: Bad advice, myths, solutions and best choices
  • How to spot if a product for ADHD is a rip-off: look out for these 10 red flags
« Back to the Glossary
References
1↑ Children with ADHD have serious difficulties with EF in so many areas that some psychiatrists and psychologists have proposed renaming this disorder as EF disorder (Parker, 2011) or EF deficit disorder (Barkley, 2012). | Source
Previous Post:Time blindness
Next Post:Masking

About the Author

  • Livia Farkas

    Livia Farkas

    Livia is a Neurodivergent Adaptation Educator with a sharp sense for simplifying complex ideas. Since 2008, she's developed 294 distinct techniques catered to the needs of clients. A total of 5058 alumni have enrolled in one or more of the 8 online courses she co-developed with Adam, offering neurodivergence-inclusive frameworks for time management, goal setting, self-care for mental health, and small-business management. Her life goal is to be a walking permission slip for neurodivergent adults. In her free time, she enjoys stickers & planners, crochet & roller skates, and running around with her pet bunny Rumi.

    View all posts

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