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What is it like to have autism and ADHD?

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magz
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09 Oct 2019, 3:37 am

@Joe90 @League_Girl @aquafelix Are you sure it isn't just overlap of poor executive functioning in both autism and ADHD? I am awfully messy despite being obviously not ADHD - when my focus is not on the task, I can't do it well and most likely I forget it completely.

@auntblabby @AnneOleson Thanks for your descriptions, that gives me at least some insight... it's really so hard to imagine someone else's mind.


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auntblabby
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09 Oct 2019, 3:44 am

magz wrote:
@auntblabby @AnneOleson Thanks for your descriptions, that gives me at least some insight... it's really so hard to imagine someone else's mind.

if it is any comfort to you, it is hard, very hard, for many gifted, well-functioning people to imagine the mental state of those not so gifted.



magz
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09 Oct 2019, 3:56 am

auntblabby wrote:
magz wrote:
@auntblabby @AnneOleson Thanks for your descriptions, that gives me at least some insight... it's really so hard to imagine someone else's mind.

if it is any comfort to you, it is hard, very hard, for many gifted, well-functioning people to imagine the mental state of those not so gifted.

:oops: I didn't mean to offend you and if I did, I'm terribly sorry :oops:

I meant, it's hard to imagine for me to have both ASD hyper-focused and ADHD hyper-distracted brain at the same time but I know some people have both diagnoses - so I wanted to ask how is it possible and how those who have it experience it?

I apologize again if you feel offended.


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09 Oct 2019, 3:59 am

magz wrote:
auntblabby wrote:
magz wrote:
@auntblabby @AnneOleson Thanks for your descriptions, that gives me at least some insight... it's really so hard to imagine someone else's mind.

if it is any comfort to you, it is hard, very hard, for many gifted, well-functioning people to imagine the mental state of those not so gifted.

:oops: I didn't mean to offend you and if I did, I'm terribly sorry :oops: I meant, it's hard to imagine for me to have both ASD hyper-focused and ADHD hyper-distracted brain at the same time but I know some people have both diagnoses - so I wanted to ask how is it possible and how those who have it experience it?I apologize again if you feel offended.

no worries :flower: i was not offended in any way, on the contrary, i am sorry i imparted any offense in my poor choice of words, i was merely trying to make you feel better in a "cold comfort" way by telling you that the smarted most able people often have a blind spot about the struggles of lesser beings. :) so having trouble imagining somebody else's mind is fairly widespread. :idea: :study:



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09 Oct 2019, 6:24 am

I was diagnosed with inattentive ADHD before autism. I had had two car crashes (my fault) shortly before going to the doctor out of fear of doing more damage.

As a child I used to daydream and wander around the classroom getting nothing done in school which frustrated teachers. I had interests but they never lasted long if there was nothing to sustain them. I was hopeless at completing and handing in homework because usually I just didn't care about it. If I did care, it would be left until the night before it was due anyway.

I was a quiet student. My reports say it. They also say that I should have asked for help when I needed it. I used to become frozen in place if I didn't know what to do next. Embarrassed? I don't know. It was also written that I "had potential".

Like Joe, I can't sit still in a cinema, or anywhere for that matter. I'm always fidgeting. It's my only hyperactive trait.

My room is cluttered and part of me wants to throw a lot of things out. Another part doesn't care.

When I was at uni, I found that I had to study a lot harder than the other students just to get the same amount done or remember the same amount. And that was while I was taking meds for ADHD. Without meds, there's no way I'd have been able to get a degree.

I do get impatient if things aren't moving along fast enough for my liking. As Joe said, looking forward to a trip ending, then eager for the next thing to happen. As a kid, waiting for things used to drive me crazy.

I'm pretty quiet normally, but I get excited and talk a lot with family. I'm very lucky to have them.



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09 Oct 2019, 8:08 am

magz wrote:
Edna3362 wrote:
I know what it was like and what it was not like.


What it was like resembling it; parts of my mind, dragging itself ahead on multiple tangents and lose control of itself.
Even being in the moment -- it's being caught up in the moment... Factors are too many. And mentally carrying a lot of stuff in the head that just belongs in several directions. Needlessly picking details or drop it altogether.
There's just no balance.

And what it was like not to have it at all; it's mainly effortless productivity and efficient outcomes.
No need to over think, no need to fuss because you're in control.
The confusing part would be you're so used to mistakes and forgetting. Then suddenly one day you're always right, you did everything right and always recalling right.


So yeah... That's an alarm that there's an unnecessary thing in my mind messing around with my functioning. Whatever it is in any level, I'm hunting it down.

Reminds me of my fluctuating intelligence. Quite a frustrating experience but it is just like that - if any discomfort takes my resources away, I'm usually not aware of it, I just lack the resources.

It's not just intelligence that fluctuates in my case. :|

My own autism does. The whole parts of it.


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Canadian Penguin
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09 Oct 2019, 10:35 pm

I don't have ADHD. I'm missing the H. Maybe being hyperactive might help me with losing weight :)

I do make lot of careless mistakes, it's frustrating. I'm easily distracted. When I was working it seems like I was constantly interrupted and then I'd deal with that then forget what I was originally working on. This made mistakes much easier. I reached the point where I'd shut down and not get any work done and those periods could last for weeks. I asked for help but couldn't get. I didn't push for it because, as I'm guessing others know, you can be your own worst advocate to get that which you need.

I like to read but I have so much trouble in doing so. I believe I've always had some sort of reading disorder, especially when reading aloud. But now I don't have the attention span to read. If it's something short, no problem.


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09 Oct 2019, 11:35 pm

Canadian Penguin wrote:
I don't have ADHD. I'm missing the H. Maybe being hyperactive might help me with losing weight :) I do make lot of careless mistakes, it's frustrating. I'm easily distracted. When I was working it seems like I was constantly interrupted and then I'd deal with that then forget what I was originally working on. This made mistakes much easier. I reached the point where I'd shut down and not get any work done and those periods could last for weeks. I asked for help but couldn't get. I didn't push for it because, as I'm guessing others know, you can be your own worst advocate to get that which you need. I like to read but I have so much trouble in doing so. I believe I've always had some sort of reading disorder, especially when reading aloud. But now I don't have the attention span to read. If it's something short, no problem.

i had some of the H but not the full amount. especially now in my old age. everything else you said rings true with my own experience as well. but i tend to struggle reading even short things. that frustrates me because, among other things, there was "wall of text" posters here on WP whose output i wish i could read.