I payed at the prepay pump- $30 for gas today and then did some other things like washed my window, then drove away without getting the gas. Two hour later I realized it;
I went back praying they would give me the gas, and they would not, and seemed to be pricks about it; the kid seemed to be oblivious and did not care about my feelings. I was so mad and complaining and argueing. I had nothing to argue about: someone else took my gas they said.

I have a meeting with my psychiatrist on Tuesday of this week, and I have filled out the sheets and had a family member fill out the same. I have a feeling I am not going to be diagnosed with it.. but I have this feeling something is wrong.
In my opinion I think I have such a mish/ mash of problems such as anxiety slightly, social anxiety mainly and a bad mixture of this career (teaching) I have and an ability to block the reality and to stubbornly keep going...
and depression must be mixed with it but situational after changing jobs so many times.
anyways, I just want to see how others cope with losing things? I have lost alot of little things in the last month, and after a month of not losing something: boom: I lose my shampoo at the gym , my goggles for swimming, my hat, or?? worse: my students' marks once..
anyways, how do you cope? I tried calling someone today, but pretty well cried. As a male from a small logging town (now in the city) it seems so bad that I cry so often and get so down on myself. I feel so inadequate.
Anyways, I know I have to build myself up but I just want some better skills.

My psych has dx me with ADHD with anxiety and slight depression as a side effect. i have lost so many things over the years it isn't funny. Drove out of the gas station with my wallet still on top of the car, lost another wallet in the freezer for a year...the only thing i'm really afraid of losing now is my mind, and i struggle to feel that i've still got ahold of it.

The thing about the gas sucks. But you're not out of place here. We ALL seem to lose things quite frequently. Heck, i can lose an object without even having left the room. " i just had it a second ago "!!! i hate that.

I've done that exact same thing to the tune of $40!

Boy did I feel like an idiot.

On the other hand, I've learned to forgive myself this sort of behavior; frankly, I believe one must in order to survive in a world like ours.

I loose things on an hourly basis. I understand completely, just how frustrating it is. My coping mechanism is to forgive myself such flakey behavior, in advance and on the spot.

I mean really, whadayagonnadoaboutit? (shrug).

Can you play an instrument, design a home, write a book, or run a multi-variate regression analysis in your head? My point is, whatever you do...that's you're thing. Remembering exactly where you left your keys...eh, perhaps not so much.

If you've taken all reasonable and appropriate steps to address the problem (meds, therapy, prayer dance, rolled the chance cube...) then what's left is what's you- Be easy on yourself.:)

my coping mechanism is laughter. it doesn't always work, but when i'm around others, it helps diffuse the situation.

as for coping, well, therapy has helped quite a bit. my doc is an ADHD specialist, and has been working with ADHD adults for more years than i can remember. we're going through the Master Adult ADHD system (i'm on meds as well), and i've found it invaluable. it teaches you, step by baby step, tools and systems to use every day. the key is to stick with it. comes with a workbook that breaks down how to actually create structure and organizational tools for yourself, and it's written in a very ADHD-friendly way.


some things are just always going to happen, though. i've gotten better, but not perfect, and i still lose the car keys, only to find them in my pocket 20 minutes and a frantic search later.

last time i had to hire a locksmith to get into my car, i went out and had 15 copies of every single key made. a little over the top, but effective. i keep multiples of things i use frequently (two at home, one in the truck, one at work, one in my purse). i have a day/month/year planner that is invaluable. post-it notes are a must-have in my house, as are checklists of all kinds (what to bring to work, what tools to have ready before cleaning the kitchen, things to check before going to bed, etc.)

i know there are a few books out there as well, to help ADHD adults organize and create structure....can't think of the names off the top of my head though...

I got a whole system, wallet, keys, phone, never leaves the pants, except during, patnts-to-pants transfer. Plus these objects always have "he useawul stops" (DiD I JUST MiSSPeLL THAT! LOL i'm gonna leave that up there because is so funny!,) I ment to say, the useaual spots.

looseing money ="hopefully someone will find it and use it for something good" I mean, just imageing how good you would feel if you found $40 worth of GAS! now image that your a stressed mom with 3 kids, low on money for the month, that money could really make a diffrence in someones life!

for things like shampoo, and stuffs, hey, buy smaller bottes in larger numbers! that is also fun to do at chineese buffets, get the small plates, and eat off those, because everyone stares as you like =oh...your not a pig like us= lol, not rely. anyway.

yea, thats how I cope it it I suppose.

I don't actually loose things often, because I am very orginised in a disorderley fasion. I know that a item of x-value is in x-pile, and my things have thier place, so I can effectivley have a pencil all day, and not misplace my chopsticks becaue I have a routine for them, like everytime I get done eating with my chopsticks(because I hate eating with forks) I whipe it wth a napkin, before the fortune cookie, or ceriminial plate of fruit, after whipeing, they got back in the case, and into pocket, etc.

I have Cue's that help me remember!

I need to use reminder systems and make routines. When I get out of my car I check my purse at least 3 times before I lock the car to make sure my keys are in my purse in not in my ignition. Since the "ding thing" doesn't work anymore in my car I also make sure my lights are off too. For some routines especially in the begining I need to use a check list.

Even with the best systems in place we still have "ADD Moments" now and then.

When I get out of my car I check my purse at least 3 times before I lock the car to make sure my keys are in my purse in not in my ignition

LOL, you should see me before I walk into a public bathroom, I read the sign about 3 times, stare at the picture for a good minute, lol, im scared to death of walking in the wrong one!

I guess the one good thing about having been unmedicated for most of my life is that I know myself. I know I will lose things. My house isn't terribly organized, nor am I, but I am very anal about certain things:

Keys always go in a certain pocket of my purse. When I lock my car, I put my keys there, open the door, and check again that the keys are in my purse, before I close the door. I cannot copy my office key, so it is really important that I never lose it.

I do stuff in the same order, all the time. Muscle memory is my friend. An example of this is that I always look in the rear view mirror before I back out of my driveway. (probably a good idea anyway, lol.) If I don't have ear rings on, I didn't shut off the coffee. Silly, but it works.

I use alarms and post-its. A lot. Where I can't possibly miss them.

I also use a chalk board. It's by the coffee maker. I WILL see it in the morning.

When I do laundry, I do my work clothes first. Always. Monday morning "OH C*** where are my scrubs?" is a bad way to start the week.

Anyway, stuff like that helps me. I suppose the fact that I have done things that way for so long gives me a bit of an advantage. The credit really goes to my mom. She left for work before it was time for me to leave for school. She always set an alarm for me.

If I don't have ear rings on, I didn't shut off the coffee. Silly, but it works.


OHH! I DO that TOO! but with me I go "Ok, I have either forgotten my pants, or my meds" of course I didn't forget my pants, but at least that way I remember my meds...one one ocassion it was my pants I forgot, but that it what inspired the saying!