Battling ADD Boggle

The Battle With ADD Boggle

By Dana Rayburn, Adult ADD Coach

Isn't boggle a great word? Too bad it's not a great feeling; yet it's a feeling people with ADD know all too well. The word boggle perfectly describes ADD overwhelm, that state where your brain gets so tied-up that you nearly shut-down and can't function. Too often we think we can just work through boggle; that it will go away if we just try. Though boggle is not entirely unavoidable, it can be decreased and managed.

Boggle occurs from many types of situations. You can boggle over big events like preparing for a vacation, throwing a party, packing to move to a new home. You can boggle over everyday tasks like balancing your checkbook, sorting the mail, organizing your files (you get to decide if organizing files is an everyday task or a big event ;>).

There are three things to know about boggle: what situations cause you to boggle, how you feel when you boggle and what to do when it happens.

First, you want to know what situations cause you to boggle so you can be aware and prepare. This will let you create ways to do the boggle causing tasks so they don't send you into total overwhelm. Often boggle occurs in situations where there is a jumble of items or tasks to do. This is why creating easy, practical ways to be organized is helpful to people with ADD, because it eases the jumble. Often using lists or routine ways to handle the boggle inducing task will prevent overwhelm. Another time boggle hits is when things are over-stimulating such as at a party or when lots of people are making demands on you at one time.

Second, become aware of how you feel when you are in boggle and, more importantly, how you feel right before you sink into the depths of the boggle overwhelm. This allows you to manage the situation. For some the signs of boggle are shortness of breath and the brain stops functioning so that the tiniest tasks or decisions are difficult. Some panic or become extra scattered. Every one has a different reaction, so tune in and know what yours are.

Third, develop strategies for when you do boggle. You can't always avoid it, so you need to know what to do when it happens. If you can, remove your self from the situation entirely and clear your mind. Locking yourself in a quiet room and taking deep breaths until your 'boggle symptoms' go away works well. When you can think again, assess the situation and try to figure out a way to handle it that will allow you to stay in control. Talking to your family or others close to you about boggle so you can let them know when you're overwhelmed helps, too.

As with so many of the ADD challenges, becoming aware of how boggle effects your life and then having a plan for how to handle it is a key to dealing with boggle. It won't go away, but you can learn to live moreeasily with it.

COACH DANA'S CHALLENGE

What situations cause you to boggle?

Is there a common pattern to your boggle?

What are some solutions you can create to minimize your boggle?

What are your signs that you're about to boggle?

What steps will you take the next time you realize you are boggling?

OVERCOMING THE GROCERY SHOPPING BOGGLE - AN ADD SUCCESS STORY
Here's June's success story of dealing with boggle.
"I used to boggle over putting away the groceries after a shopping trip. By the time I get home from the market, I'm pretty fragile already - grocery shopping is very overwhelming for me. I'd drag the bags in from the car and empty everything out on the kitchen counter. One look at the mess would cause me to hyperventilate!

Here's the solution Coach Dana and I came up with. I empty one grocery bag at a time by carrying it around the kitchen and putting things away from the bag. No more pulling every thing out at once and piling it on the counter. For example, I pick one bag, take it to the refrigerator and put away everything in that bag that belongs in the fridge. Then I take the bag to the pantry and put away everything in the bag that belongs in the pantry. And so on. This has cut down my confusion and now putting away groceries is easy".

May You Have ADDed Success,
Coach Dana

PS. - Trouble Staying Organized? No Problem! Reserve your copy of 'Organized for Life' at the special 'early-bird' price.

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