ADHD?

[Ken]

It seems that ADHD and autism goes together?

I am autistic without question, however, I’m not so sure about ADHD.

I can focus intensely for hours, days even years with no problem. Actually, it’s hard NOT to focus.
I do distract (derail) easily. After “derailing” it is hard to get back on track.
I am not hyper active, at all. I can sit still however long is necessary without any undue effort.
However, I find it extremely hard to focus on anything I am not interested in.
I do not have any problem retaining information, unless its on a subject I’m not interested in.
I do not have a problem with time awareness.
I do not procrastinate in doing anything I know is needed.

What do you think, do I qualify as ADHD?

 

[Raggamuffin]

Score highly on this and possibly. The questions are word for word what was on my private assessment. Amongst other stuff of course. But this is a very good indication:

ADHD Test Online | Clinical Partners

Take an ADHD test online for an indication of whether you are showing symptoms of ADHD and should seek further advice from your GP or Clinical Partners.

www.clinical-partners.co.uk

Ed

 

[kriss72]

It's hard to tell - what let me to think seriously about the adhd part of myself, was that I could relate very much to others describing their adhd diagnosis (on youtube) - I found it much more easy to identify with others with adhd than with asd (at least in the beginning of the process), I think adhd is like more simple/has less difference in how it expresses it self, where asd seem to me to be much more diverse.

https://www.youtube.com/@ADHD_love

https://www.youtube.com/@HowtoADHD

 

[jsilver256]

I can't speak for other ADHDers, but the "bad" ADHD side of myself manifests as impulsive decision-making when under pressure as an exaggerated form of flight response that is present with autism.

The prime example was when I had a difficult surgery and instead of obeying the doctor's orders to rest, I "fled" the pain by going on a vacation and drinking.

 

[Fino]

I think people underestimate the severity of disability that accompanies a person who truly has ADHD.

 

[kriss72]

I think people underestimate the severity of disability that accompanies a person who truly has ADHD.

Can you elaborate a bit on that?

 

[jsilver256]

I think people underestimate the severity of disability that accompanies a person who truly has ADHD.

Parenting a kid with ADHD is like wrangling a hyperactive kangaroo in a bouncy castle.

 

[Misty Avich]

I truly have ADHD (was officially diagnosed). If you can relate to any of the symptoms I have then you may likely have it.

- I have to fiddle or play with something, the nearest small object, whenever I'm sitting (not as a stim but as a form of hyperactivity)

- I sometimes have to multitask, though if both tasks require a lot of thinking and remembering then I can struggle

- I often have difficulty prioritising my thoughts, and finding myself doing tasks not in the right order, for example mopping a floor first before sweeping it

- I often find myself cutting corners, or rushing to get things done like I'm on a deadline even if I know there's plenty of time

- My mind often feels like it's on fast forward and I don't always stop to look at things or enjoy the present

- I can have trouble handling my emotions or controlling how much something gives me anxiety, even when on meds (the meds help me control my behaviour when feeling intense emotions but not the emotions themselves)

- I am, and always have been, hyperactive. I can impulsively talk excessively if I'm comfortable with the company I'm in, and I can be very affectionate and lovable with my husband and others close to me (which is a positive trait)

- I have trouble with executive functioning, in other words "getting my mind in gear", especially at work, which is why I feel happier working at a place where I'm not under too much pressure

- I find written rules difficult to follow and rules can aggravate me if they don't make sense and I sometimes find myself rebelling (not enough to get me in trouble with the law or anything, as I can follow those rules easy)

- My brain is forever chattering away with thoughts that often want to come out, and it can cause me to act on impulse such as oversharing opinions and feelings online, which can get me into unwanted trouble

- I often get impatient, which is why I avoid public places when crowded, because people get in my way when I want to move swiftly

- I find being in public places exhausting due to having to mask my emotions or limit on what I can talk about that are or aren't acceptable in public, such as private business

- I have trouble retaining information or focusing on things even if I'm interested in something. I also have trouble reading, not dyslexia but just the focusing part

- When indulging in my hobbies I still find myself getting distracted, I just can't hyperfocus

- I have trouble with sleeping at the right times, due to being unable to keep to a routine

- I have trouble organising my things, or if I do somehow manage to organise my things neatly I have trouble keeping it organised no matter how hard I try

- I've never been good at studying, which is why I got poor grades at school

 

[Fino]

Can you elaborate a bit on that?

People with ADHD have difficulting managing their emotions and often have more erratic emotions. They often have difficulty keeping a job and doing most jobs. They often struggle in school and socially as well. All these problems often result in low self-esteem and accompanying mental health issues like depression and anxiety. They are more likely to struggle with substance abuse, gambling, and other behaviors not only as a result of impulsive behavioral patterns but also to manage difficult emotions and struggles to take into account the possible long-term consequences of their actions. Because of their sometimes difficult behavior, they are more likely to be mistreated throughout their life especially as a child when more defenseless, making a plethora of other issues more likely. Untreated ADHD, whether through therapy, medication, or both can be the primary cause of the unraveling of a life.

That's not to say that a person absent severe difficulties like these doesn't have ADHD and doesn't have legitimate struggles of their own. I just think it's common for people to suppose anyone who struggles to focus has ADHD when there are a wide range of factors that could contribute to a person simply having difficulty concentrating. None of that is to say that you are making this mistake; I just think it's important to keep in mind so I rarely neglect to mention it when the topic is discussed.

 

[Fino]

I truly have ADHD (was officially diagnosed). If you can relate to any of the symptoms I have then you may likely have it.

- I have to fiddle or play with something, the nearest small object, whenever I'm sitting (not as a stim but as a form of hyperactivity)

- I sometimes have to multitask, though if both tasks require a lot of thinking and remembering then I can struggle

- I often have difficulty prioritising my thoughts, and finding myself doing tasks not in the right order, for example mopping a floor first before sweeping it

- I often find myself cutting corners, or rushing to get things done like I'm on a deadline even if I know there's plenty of time

- My mind often feels like it's on fast forward and I don't always stop to look at things or enjoy the present

- I can have trouble handling my emotions or controlling how much something gives me anxiety, even when on meds (the meds help me control my behaviour when feeling intense emotions but not the emotions themselves)

- I am, and always have been, hyperactive. I can impulsively talk excessively if I'm comfortable with the company I'm in, and I can be very affectionate and lovable with my husband and others close to me (which is a positive trait)

- I have trouble with executive functioning, in other words "getting my mind in gear", especially at work, which is why I feel happier working at a place where I'm not under too much pressure

- I find written rules difficult to follow and rules can aggravate me if they don't make sense and I sometimes find myself rebelling (not enough to get me in trouble with the law or anything, as I can follow those rules easy)

- My brain is forever chattering away with thoughts that often want to come out, and it can cause me to act on impulse such as oversharing opinions and feelings online, which can get me into unwanted trouble

- I often get impatient, which is why I avoid public places when crowded, because people get in my way when I want to move swiftly

- I find being in public places exhausting due to having to mask my emotions or limit on what I can talk about that are or aren't acceptable in public, such as private business

- I have trouble retaining information or focusing on things even if I'm interested in something. I also have trouble reading, not dyslexia but just the focusing part

- When indulging in my hobbies I still find myself getting distracted, I just can't hyperfocus

- I have trouble with sleeping at the right times, due to being unable to keep to a routine

- I have trouble organising my things, or if I do somehow manage to organise my things neatly I have trouble keeping it organised no matter how hard I try

- I've never been good at studying, which is why I got poor grades at school

Case in point.

 

[kriss72]

People with ADHD have difficulting managing their emotions and often have more erratic emotions. They often have difficulty keeping a job and doing most jobs. They often struggle in school and socially as well. All these problems often result in low self-esteem and accompanying mental health issues like depression and anxiety. They are more likely to struggle with substance abuse, gambling, and other behaviors not only as a result of impulsive behavioral patterns but also to manage difficult emotions and struggles to take into account the possible long-term consequences of their actions. Because of their sometimes difficult behavior, they are more likely to be mistreated throughout their life especially as a child when more defenseless, making a plethora of other issues more likely. Untreated ADHD, whether through therapy, medication, or both can be the primary cause of the unraveling of a life.

That's not to say that a person absent severe difficulties like these doesn't have ADHD and doesn't have legitimate struggles of their own. I just think it's common for people to suppose anyone who struggles to focus has ADHD when there are a wide range of factors that could contribute to a person simply having difficulty concentrating. None of that is to say that you are making this mistake; I just think it's important to keep in mind so I rarely neglect to mention it when the topic is discussed.

Ah I think I have a better understanding of your point of view now, thank you for elaborating, I think your description of the consequences of having adhd is pretty accurate, luckily it is treatable... at least that is what the girl who did the assessment on me said... that
was before they found the available medicine is unsafe for me due to other health issues, so trying to embrace all of it, like I have a phone dedicated to calling my "real" phone, as I tend to forget where I put it

 

[Fino]

Ah I think I have a better understanding of your point of view now, thank you for elaborating, I think your description of the consequences of having adhd is pretty accurate, luckily it is treatable... at least that is what the girl who did the assessment on me said... that
was before they found the available medicine is unsafe for me due to other health issues, so trying to embrace all of it, like I have a phone dedicated to calling my "real" phone, as I tend to forget where I put it

Very treatable! It's mostly a serious issue only when a person is unaware they even have it.

 

[Shamar]

It seems that ADHD and autism goes together?

I am autistic without question, however, I’m not so sure about ADHD.

I can focus intensely for hours, days even years with no problem. Actually, it’s hard NOT to focus.
I do distract (derail) easily. After “derailing” it is hard to get back on track.
I am not hyper active, at all. I can sit still however long is necessary without any undue effort.
However, I find it extremely hard to focus on anything I am not interested in.
I do not have any problem retaining information, unless its on a subject I’m not interested in.
I do not have a problem with time awareness.
I do not procrastinate in doing anything I know is needed.

What do you think, do I qualify as ADHD?

It sounds possible. The tests for ADHD include a test for reaction times and anticipation, sort of (I forget the name of the test). I was officially diagnosed long before I was diagnosed with autism.

One thing to be aware of. There is ADHD and ADD. Many people consider them synonymous. I do not show significant hyperactivity. For this reason, I differentiate it using AD(no H)D. Makes it obvious (I hope) that I have ADD without hyperactivity.

 

[Misty Avich]

If I go on ADHD meds (right now I'm just on antidepressants) I'm worried it might sort of get rid of my ADHD, and I actually see ADHD as who I am, so I wouldn't really be me without it. Instead I'd probably be a zombie, or the autism traits might replace the ADHD traits and I'd then become something I don't want.

 

[Ken]

I truly have ADHD (was officially diagnosed). If you can relate to any of the symptoms I have then you may likely have it.

- I have to fiddle or play with something, the nearest small object, whenever I'm sitting (not as a stim but as a form of hyperactivity)

- I sometimes have to multitask, though if both tasks require a lot of thinking and remembering then I can struggle

- I often have difficulty prioritising my thoughts, and finding myself doing tasks not in the right order, for example mopping a floor first before sweeping it

- I often find myself cutting corners, or rushing to get things done like I'm on a deadline even if I know there's plenty of time

- My mind often feels like it's on fast forward and I don't always stop to look at things or enjoy the present

- I can have trouble handling my emotions or controlling how much something gives me anxiety, even when on meds (the meds help me control my behaviour when feeling intense emotions but not the emotions themselves)

- I am, and always have been, hyperactive. I can impulsively talk excessively if I'm comfortable with the company I'm in, and I can be very affectionate and lovable with my husband and others close to me (which is a positive trait)

- I have trouble with executive functioning, in other words "getting my mind in gear", especially at work, which is why I feel happier working at a place where I'm not under too much pressure

- I find written rules difficult to follow and rules can aggravate me if they don't make sense and I sometimes find myself rebelling (not enough to get me in trouble with the law or anything, as I can follow those rules easy)

- My brain is forever chattering away with thoughts that often want to come out, and it can cause me to act on impulse such as oversharing opinions and feelings online, which can get me into unwanted trouble

- I often get impatient, which is why I avoid public places when crowded, because people get in my way when I want to move swiftly

- I find being in public places exhausting due to having to mask my emotions or limit on what I can talk about that are or aren't acceptable in public, such as private business

- I have trouble retaining information or focusing on things even if I'm interested in something. I also have trouble reading, not dyslexia but just the focusing part

- When indulging in my hobbies I still find myself getting distracted, I just can't hyperfocus

- I have trouble with sleeping at the right times, due to being unable to keep to a routine

- I have trouble organising my things, or if I do somehow manage to organise my things neatly I have trouble keeping it organised no matter how hard I try

- I've never been good at studying, which is why I got poor grades at school

Thanks, I feel that helps clarify things. The ratio of things that I share from your list is rather small, so I guess I do not have ADHD. It's not all that important to know, I have no interest in a diagnosis, just curious.

Thanks to everyone for the replies!

 

[Neri]

It is said to be a very common co-occuring condition. Allegedly, 50 -70% of people with ASD have co-occurring ADHD. I do. I'm diagnosed with ASD2 and ADHD combined types. I appear a lot more "ADHD-y" than I do ASD-y, according to my (also autistic), researchaholic, 18 year old son. I don't deny it. I've never been able to be ordered and tidy, I have weird memory retention, I've never completed any course nor could I finish high school, despite being obviously bright and curious. To be honest, I'm a bit of a "manic pixie dream girl" type of female. Boredom is my personal hell, and I go to great lengths to avoid it. I am a good improv artist (vocals) because of my ADHD, I believe.
I have to tap or or stroke or ground myself and stim constantly or I suffer from dissociation, but, that could be due to having cPTSD. Complex Post Traumatic Stess Disorder symptoms can look like ASD and/or ADHD, and are often additional to ASD and ADHD, due to cumulative trauma incurred from having ND and not getting adequate support.We are vulnerable to developing childhood/developmental trauma and PTSD, which can also mimic ADHD symptoms. So it can be tricky to disentangle each condition, as they all overlap, in terms of symptoms.