Collected Thoughts

Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry. This sounds very familiar, although I suspect you're probably more deeply affected by ADD than me.

The one thing I had to teach myself was to never take anything for granted. People who live with me have to understand and allow me to be OCD about checking the stove burners twice or three times, or saying as I do it, "Putting the two twenties in the wallet in the side pocket of my purse". Being obsessive about making lists, and being just as obsessive about crossing things off as I do them helps, too. Because if I don't write it down, I'll forget to do it, and if I don't cross it off, I'll do it again.

It's all learned behavior. A counselor used to dealing with ADD people could help teach you some mechanisms, but for me, finding and making habits of my own were more helpful. Even getting out of the car is a checklist: "lights off, wipers off, windows up, stick in Park, engine off, keys in my hand, doors locked. I check twice or three times that I have the keys either in my hand or clipped to my purse before I close the door. I still manage occasionally to lock the keys in the car.

Don't beat yourself up. Just work on being methodical, on developing habits to help you cope with stuff that other people seem able to do without even thinking about it.