Hello Brit!!

I hear ya!

I am an adult with CAPD - 31, Female.  It wasn't until the last couple of years I was able to put a name to it.  Finally I read a book that described it.  I was like, "Yep!  That's me!"  I think it came from being severely malnourished as a baby.  I have not been officially diagnosed because I don't have the money.... but people with the same malnutrition as me have the same problem.  (I was born in 1979, there was a formula on the market that lacked sodium chloride - which ultimately led up to the more strict formula rules we have today.)

Sometimes it just feels good knowing someone else understands, and learning what's helping other people to cope.  It's not the end of the world - LOTS of people have various learning disabilities, and the best bet is to surround yourself with these types of people.  Positive, happy people!!  Not people who wallow in their disabilities, but laugh about them and move on.

I also have trouble comprehending books, especially with lots of metaphors or artistic writing.  I prefer non-fiction or stories based on reality, because I can form pictures in my head about what's going on and understand them better.

I don't know about the tinnitus you are suffering from.  I do have hypoglycemia - but diabetes is on both sides of my family.  Panic attacks - YES!  I am a mother of two toddlers and their screaming drives me NUTS!!  Moreso than "normal" adults.  Also I get panicky from the constant noise @ work - running machines, beepers (my work has a restaurant), constantly trying to descipher what the customers are ordering.  Then the monitor displays what they've ordered in abbreviations, which requires a lot of working memory to descipher.  Accuracy is my worst problem that I have not been able to overcome.  Multiple orders at once are the worst, especially with special instructions like no lettuce, extra mayo - many of which we don't have buttons for but just have to remember.

After several months of working in the restaurant, I requested (and got) a transfer to work at night in the store part  - that was MUCH better, because there are fewer customers and less noise.  I can't tune it out sometimes, and once I get overwhelmed with it, it takes DAYS to recover from the physical and mental effects.  I do also find I have the sleep problems you describe.  Having CAPD is tough, because it seems like an extra measure of stress, for the same ammount of work, doesn't it??

I started working graveyards, which seemed to help both my sleep problems AND the CAPD from being overwhelming.  It's something you might want to look into.  The best thing is often other laborers will be working graveyards, for the same reasons... the peace and quiet, going at your own pace, and using YOUR coping strategies (making lists, etc) There is also a scientific link to staying up all night once in a while, and resetting your body rhythems, which ultimately helps fix sleep problems.

Audio problems make you want to sleep, but there is tendency of OVERSLEEP and this HAS to be avoided, I can't overstate this enough.  Oversleep is as bad as lack of sleep.

Caffiene is helpful, in that it increases circulation in the brain.  I LOVE Rockstar Recovery, because it has vitamins (but not ridiculous ammounts), electrolytes, and is sugar-free but doesn't taste nasty like most sugar free drinks.  Coffee and tea are my friend!  My brain functions MUCH worse without them.

Lists lists lists!  I cannot recommend enough that LISTS are important, and writing down your thoughts and ideas in a big notebook, that you look at every day.  When you can think in the "bigger picture" often it helps jog  your memory.  You can then remember what you want and need to do.  All your goals can be interlinked in this way.  I have hundreds of notebooks from through out my life... they are a joy to read.

And as for stress, I will go out on a limb here - I have never had health insurance due to the cost, and after seeing the effects of man-made anxiety meds and anti-depressants on my friends for their various problems, I have opted to steer clear of those.  I did recently get introduced to the concept of medical cannabis.  IF IT IS LEGAL in your state AND ONLY IF IT IS LEGAL, it is a good option to explore, as it GREATLY helps STOP the anxiety and panic attacks before they cripple you.  I'm not saying become a pothead by all means but AS A MEDICINE, used INFREQUENTLY and ONLY WHEN the stress is unbearable to the point you cannot function, it is a great help.  For me just knowing it's there and is an option, is enough to stop the panic attack.  But I do partake about once or twice a month cuz sometimes the combination of kids, work, lack of sleep, everybody else's needs, it helps me keep being productive.

NUTRITION helps, anything you can do for your brain helps you to compensate for your lack.  Green foods, green drinks, red meat (iron anemia sucks brain power big time!).  Avoid sugar highs and lows.  Just remember with the hypoglycemia - the more you train your body to expect sugar at certain times of the day, the more insulin it will pump out in anticipation for it , which results in hypoglycemia, necessitating the eating of more sugar.  It's a viscious cycle.  I am a sugar nut....of the worst kind!  Keep it in control and set reasonable limits.  Cut down SLOWLY when you feel yourself in it's grips.

LASTLY you need to come to a point where you COMPLETELY, 100% accept yourself.  This will happen when you find meaningful things to do where OTHER PEOPLE also accept you and LOVE you for your strengths.  Not just put up with you grudgingly.

So let's see... we've covered type of job, timing of job, sleep, medicating, hypoglycemia, writing things down, self acceptance - I can't think of anything else.

Good luck! 

Angie