What Is Executive Function - And Why Is Executive Dysfunction So Bad for Mental Health?

Summary

Emma McAdam, a licensed marriage and family therapist, explains the significance of executive function skills in managing daily life challenges, such as ADHD, depression, and anxiety. She emphasizes that deficits in these skills can make people feel overwhelmed and ineffective, but specific strategies and interventions can improve productivity and mental health. McAdam introduces the POSITIVE acronym for key executive function skills and highlights the importance of tailored coaching, systems, and routines to enhance these skills. Ultimately, developing executive function skills can lead to better emotional regulation, relationships, and overall quality of life.

Takeaways

• 🌊 Executive function deficits feel like being stuck in the ocean, constantly battling waves.
• 🧠 Executive function involves mental skills coordinated by the brain's frontal lobe, managing thoughts, emotions, and actions.
• 📊 Deficits in executive function can manifest in ADHD, depression, PTSD, anxiety, impulse control issues, and procrastination.
• 📈 Improving executive function can provide specific, actionable solutions to daily challenges and mental health issues.
• 📚 Executive function skills include planning, organization, self-management, inhibition, time management, task initiation, visualization, and evaluation.
• 📋 Deficits in executive function can lead to shame, feeling broken, and mental health issues like anxiety and depression.
• 🔧 Executive function skills can be developed through specific strategies, interventions, and supports tailored to individual needs.
• 🧩 Identifying specific executive function deficits allows for targeted interventions and accommodations, improving productivity and mental health.
• 👥 Coaching, including executive function coaches, school counselors, tutors, therapists, and ADHD specialists, can help develop these skills.
• 🛠️ Small tweaks and systems, like using visual reminders and establishing routines, can significantly improve executive function and daily life management.

Q & A

What analogy does Emma McAdam use to describe life without executive function skills?

Emma McAdam compares it to swimming in the ocean with waves constantly crashing against you, making it difficult to get out and feeling like you're being crushed.

What are some common diagnoses related to executive function deficits mentioned in the script?

ADHD, depression, PTSD, and anxiety are mentioned as common diagnoses related to executive function deficits.

Why is it important to learn about executive function according to Emma McAdam?

Learning about executive function is important because it allows individuals to identify specific problems and develop skills to solve them, improving productivity, functioning, and mental health.

What does executive function help with, according to the script?

Executive function helps sort through information, delay gratification, manage thoughts and emotions, and decide what is most important, aiding in taking action towards goals.

What are some signs of executive function deficits as described in the script?

Signs of executive function deficits include difficulty managing time, organizing tasks, delaying gratification, and holding and processing thoughts, leading to issues like piles of unfolded laundry, overflowing email inboxes, and being late.

Who is Dr. Russell Barkley and what does he say about ADHD?

Dr. Russell Barkley is an expert mentioned in the script who says that ADHD is essentially a disorder of executive function with a high heritability estimate of upwards of 80%.

What is the acronym POSITIVE used for in the context of executive function skills?

The acronym POSITIVE stands for Planning, Organization, Self-management, Inhibition, Time management, Initiation of difficult tasks, Visualizing outcomes, and Evaluating priorities, representing different executive function skills.

How did learning about 'time blindness' help one of Emma McAdam's clients?

Learning about 'time blindness' helped the client understand their difficulty in keeping track of time, leading them to implement strategies like visual reminders, alerts, and using a visual calendar to become more productive.

What are some examples of executive function strategies mentioned in the script?

Examples include making lists, using visual trackers or apps like ClickUp, Pomodoro timers, specific routines, cues associated with incentives, rewards, and systems like body doubles.

What are the 'big three' for brain health that can improve executive function?

The 'big three' for brain health are sleep, exercise, and good nutrition, which can all contribute to improved executive function.