#112 Executive function, executive dysfunction and hoarding with Dr Jan Eppingstall

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Today, Dr. Jan Eppingstall is here to shed light on the connection between executive function, executive dysfunction, and hoarding behaviour. We explore how executive function impacts our ability to organise and declutter our living spaces and uncover the challenges individuals face when it comes to decision-making, mental flexibility, and working memory. We'll also discuss strategies for improving executive function and overcoming the obstacles that hoarding behaviour presents.

• Depression and health conditions can impair focus
• Nervous shutdown and self-compassion during stress
• Trick yourself into starting
• Network atrophies when not engaged
• Issue with sticking to tasks due to desire for novelty
• Reducing food shops, using what's in cupboards
• Procrastination hinders progress, but changing behaviours helps
• Mental flexibility essential
• Flexible thinking in shopping, problem solving, creativity
• Executive dysfunction hinders organisation; hoarding makes it harder
• Lack of experience in decision-making, cutting corners
• Perspective and help are important when organising
• Lack of space hinders planning
• Executive functions affects losing things
• Fear of loss worsens clutter
• See-through boxes and labels
• Mindset affects executive function, self-care is crucial
• Many conditions cause brain fog and difficulty focusing
• Understanding our executive functions helps us manage stress, improve awareness, and leverage strengths
• Reflection can inform future behaviour
• Nervous system shuts down, could be triggered by dissociation
• Engaging in tasks helps people focus and enter a flow state
• Perfectionism = rigid thinking, efforts towards being more flexible
• Trying to organise a hoard is destined to fail
• Can we reassure ourselves when we put things away?
• Minimise visual distractions, motivation to improve surroundings
• Take care of your mind, believe in yourself, and prioritie self-care for better executive function
• Is difficulty organising due to executive function issues or the sheer quantity of items?
• Difficulty getting rid of things once they are brought into the home due to the endowment effect
• Suggestions for improving working memory through mental maths and storytelling memory games
• Identifying triggers and strategies for preventing or dealing with shutdowns
• Practicing self-compassion and reducing stress for better action-taking
• Introduction of the task positive network (TPN) and flow state during tasks
• Downsides of hyperfocus and its impact on cognitive attention
• Weakening or atrophy of the TPN due to lack of exercise
• How depression, autoimmune diseases, and long COVID can impact executive functioning
• Unique perception and organization of belongings for individuals on the autism spectrum
• Planning skills and lack of space as potential barriers

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