Organization Disability-Does it exist?

Question

think that I have an organizational Disability. I am an outgoing ,cute, pretty, and popular mom with 2 kids. I volenteer a lot and I am very involved in my community. I have an extremely difficult time organizing..i.e. my house( it is such a difficult task for me)..If I give a class I neverknow where to start preparing from..I also have an extremely hard time driving(I have a gps to help me, but there are so many things to do at once i.e...change lanes,look in the mirrors..) I think I just have an organizational disability. I am very normal, but I just have a hard time doing things that come so easily to most people

Answer 1

You may have ADHD, but not necessarily. I think that you may have a visual memory deficit and a short term memory deficit, especially because of your driving problems.

Long term memory is what you use to store information that you have learned before. You seem to be having a problem bringing information from your long term memory into immediate memory. The other issue is a short term memory. This is your mind's ability to to hold new information in memory and manipulate it. These are often considered "process deficits" in that you have trouble processing information.

Having these kinds of memory and processing deficits make it hard for you to organize because you can't think of all the components that you need to organize or if you do think of them, then they tend to disappear when you try to think about them.


The way to combat these deficits is to write things down. For driving, you may want to draw a picture of where you will be going. Also, for driving, get in the car and role play and practice the things you need to do. I know it sounds kind of silly to be sitting in your car in your driveway thinking, "Lane change, check mirrors," but in the interest in safety is paramount.

You might want to look on the 'Net for graphic organizers. These help you organize your thinking by providing a visual structure so that you can visualize the whole and not just the sum of its parts.

Personally, I am a whole to part learner. I have a great deal of trouble being able to envision a completed whole just by looking at the components. It is much better for me to see the completed whole and then look at the parts. I used some of the strategies above to help myself. Sometimes I just draw a picture, but lists and graphic organizers have helped me a lot.

Answer 2

My husband couldn't organize if he was hit upside the head with it...LOL...Seriously though, he is ADHD as are our 3 sons. Organization is something that is extremely difficult for someone with this disorder. Do you seem to have an easier time preforming tasks if you have had a cup or two of coffee? or sodas? Caffine has an opposite effect on those with ADHD than it does on someone who does not have it. Most people drink coffee or sodas for a pick-me-up, if you are ADHD, it brings you down so to speak, makes you able to think and process more clearly. You should speak to your doctor about your trouble. If it is ADHD they will recognise the signs and give you and even your family questionaires to help in the diagnoses. If it's not ADHD, then your Doctor can most likely find out what the problem is. Good luck.

Answer 3

Keep looking. Your campus housing does not have handicapped apartments? You can apply for a senior apartment because they also take disabled people although you are very young so I am not sure. I think you may have to be 55 instead of 62. Most people have to wait 5 years so 2 years is very short. Ask your housing agency for a list of all types of subsidized apartments. Some have their own individual waitlists and are managed by non-profit organizations. Call Catholic Charities because they have apartments. So does the Lutheran Church. Do a lot of searches online in your county or town for "subsidized rentals"

Answer 4

There is no such thing. It is not a disability. It's called clutter. Clutter is a confused or disordered state or collection. The battle against clutter is a struggle against disorganization, frustration and chaos. Take the phrase “A home for everything” literally. By creating a specific, consistent place for the things in your home, you eliminate clutter, reduce time spent looking for misplaced items, and generally enjoy a cleaner home and clearer mind. Some “homes” may be in the open – on shelves or counters. Others may be in drawers, closets or even the garage, attic or tool shed. Start with a strategy, stick to it, and make it part of your – and your family’s – life.

Answer 5

I don't think you have a disability. I think like the rest of us you are trying to do a million and one things at the same time! You think you have a hard time organising everything and everyone else has it easy, have you spoken to everyone else? Most of us find there are not enough hours in the day and wake up in the middle of the night remembering how we have forgotten to do most of the things we were meant to. As for GPS I think most people have it just to avoid getting lost. I should imagine on the whole you are pretty normal but with 2 kids pretty busy.

Answer 6

If you have trouble concentrating enough to get where you are going then I think you need to consider that you may have ADD or ADHD. Organization is a big component of it. It is one of the things that docs look at in preteens with it. Talk with your doc or get a therapist that can diagnose.

Answer 7

YES. People with ADHD or ADD-inatentive are very disorganized.
Also, having executive dysfunction makes you this way, too.