Social Anxiety & ADD vs. Asperger Syndrome

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A number of years ago, I was formally diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, but lately, I've grown to question that diagnosis somewhat. It's become rather apparent to me, through talking with my most recent counseling psychologist, that I very much have many of the symptoms of both ADD and social anxiety. Combined, those can very easily make up two of Asperger syndrome's defining characteristics; one: a narrow range of genuine interests, and two: an inability to fully function in social situations.

People with ADD often have a hard time completing tasks that don't directly pertain to what interests them, as I do. They may have an interest in them, but through experience and experimentation, find that they have no real patience for dealing those things that they originally thought they could take on. It's not necessarily that they can't do them, or that they're not good at them, it's that they can't engage enough of their mind on the subject or task to be fully drawn into it and therefor work on it until it's done.

For example: I took a class on post-production for film, which included learning how to composite motion graphics and track motion, among other things, in Adobe After Effects. While I'm interested in that, and I think it would be really cool and useful to know how to do that for my various projects, I found out that as the class went on, I really didn't have enough patience and motivation to learn it effectively. The amount of detail and all the dozens of little steps that go into the process just overwhelmed and confused me, and I couldn't stay focused and engaged in making sure I got them all right and the that the end result looked good.

People with social anxiety often feel uncomfortable around large groups of people, around strangers, or in unfamiliar social situations. Anxiety stems often from the experience of previous negative events, and anyone can develop an anxiety disorder at any stage in their life. Social anxiety tends to stem from negative past social experiences, which have compounded to make the sufferer more than a little apprehensive about engaging in future social situations. This in turn can lead them to shy away from social situations that would otherwise help them to develop a full repertoire of social skills.

For example: I was almost constantly verbally harassed by both a number of my classmates and my brother throughout elementary and middle school. Over time, I guess I learned that it was better to avoid people and keep from giving them something to criticize me for than to interact with them and potentially give them ammo for their arsenal with which to harass me. I quickly began to fret over social interaction, constantly afraid that I would do or say something to make a fool of myself somehow, and have someone call me out on it. Partially, it stemmed from having people harass me about my appearance, I think. I have several noticeable physical 'defects' so to speak. I'm short (always have been- 5' 4" and fully grown; shorter than most women, even, and I'm a guy) I have a lazy eye (astigmatism; possibly a result of ROP) audible breathing (due to a TE fistula repair) and a number of large unflattering scars on my abdomen (a result of the TE fistula repair and other sugeries).

So, I'm kind of starting to question the Asperger syndrome diagnosis, and thinking it might actually just be a combination of ADD and social anxiety, in all honesty.

Hmm. I think the ADD/social anxiety combination could apply to me too, but they wouldn't explain sensory sensitivities or stimming. Do you have either of these?

People with ADHD often have sensory sensitivities as well.

Admittedly, one ADHDer told me she had shutdowns in supermarkets, and then described being in a state that's fairly normal for me, and far from a shutdown. Not as intense, maybe.

I get over-saturated after spending long periods of time in crows or in really busy places, but that's about it. Some days looking up at fluorescent lights bothers me, some days they don't. I'm sensitive to high frequencies, but most people seem to be, to a certain degree. I have maybe one very minor stim, if it could even be called that.

Does your psychologist have an opinion about this?

When I told him that I was previously diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, he said he doesn't 'like putting people in boxes' as he put it. With a comment/answer like that, I have no idea what his opinion might be, or if he even has one or not. We've discussed and he's admitted that I show many of the signs of social anxiety, specific interests, and of clinical depression accompanying them, but I have no idea, really, what his thoughts about them are.

Typical psychologist answer

They are quite happy to put people in 'personality disorder' boxes though....

Anyway gripes about previous psychologist over, I have Aspergers AND ADHD combined type. I definitely don't have social anxiety because I used to as a teen, but I still have the problems with communication. I have severe sensory problems which affect everything I do. Sometimes I can appear to be in 'another world' because I am trying so hard to shut myself out of the sensory chaos.

ADHD can cause very similar social problems to that of AS and indeed I am actually reading a book called 'What is it everyone else knows that I don't' which is a guide to social skills for people with ADHD. Although it is aimed at ADHD primarily as some of it is about impulse control, it also helps for AS...

Sorry gone off on one again.

I have Asperger's, ADD and GAD - it can be interesting at times

My daughter dx with ADD and GAD she is 16yrs, she was also anxious even as a baby, toddler etc. I suspect ASD but the professionals are saying no I still feel she has many traits that are not explained by the above dx she has out grown some traits.

Her younger brother dx AS but we also had a battle to get this dx so many professionals felt he had no issues, he is now dx with AS, ADHD, OCD.

They both mask there difficulties and only My husband and I and maybe family members that would be around the family a lot would pick up on their difficulties.

I'm the same way. No one outside my immediate family can really tell that I have the issues I do; I'm pretty well adjusted, all things considered. It's the little things that sometimes give me away, though.

Bleh. I find answers like that irritating. I understand that it's well intentioned, but it really doesn't help in understanding anything.

Z.

If you were given ADHD medication and the symptoms lifted, you would know where you stand with the prior diagnoses.

Maybe keep getting hot on this new trail to see if this ^ applies.

I'll say my ADD symptoms are the cause of the past social anxiety. It easily can give rise to it if you are a perfectionist like me.

Anxiety and this together are a bad combo. because people anxiety works or robs your cognitive functioning to death. In fact any anxiety is the last thing anyone with this condition needs. Together they can wear you down to nothing-- it is very demanding on cognition.

I remember the overhead fluorescent lights in school would burn my eyes after 7 hours. I'd see yellow.

I'm currently on a daily dose of five milligrams of Adderall XR, along with a daily does of ten milligrams of Celexa; both medications started the same day. The Adderall does help me focus a bit more, but moreover it seems to make me more awake and alert, which leads to me being less irritable and more productive. I know it's the Adderall doing it, because I felt those effects the very first day, when Celexa takes days or weeks to build up in the system enough to make a noticeable difference in mood. Not discounting the effect of the Celexa now that I've been taking it long enough to supposedly notice a difference in mood, the Adderall seems to be working better as an anti-depressant than the Celexa is, as far as I can tell.

Neither drug, however, has decreased my social anxiety symptoms or sensitivity to odd frequencies. I don't generally make a habit of staring at lights to see whether fluorescents still bother me as much as they sometimes used to when I look at them directly, so I don't know if that's changed at all.

I'm a self-admitted perfectionist. My friends, family and former co-workers have told me I am, and I'm not going to deny it myself, either. I don't think my ADD and/or perfectionism is a root cause of the social anxiety, though; just being verbally harassed by various classmates and my brother when I was young. Living with and growing up with someone who called you out out on your occasional social ineptitude and for years and basically, one way or another, called you a creep or a freak whenever you said or did something odd can totally destroy your self-esteem in social situations, I guess.

Spot on.
You are young and it will take something on the outside to change this view of yourself. As long as you have this boost, the challenge now is having good positive experiences that will eventually drive this away to the background.

Just keep at it. It will work itself out.

I'll probably be following this topic a bit since it interests me. I am likely on the ADHD and social anxiety side, but I also have some AS tendencies like strong interests, stims, and a general lack of a social life outside of immediate family and internet friends. For me, I think that some of the behavior is due to a history of social exclusion and a general lack of social awareness, probably due to the ADHD. I do have some sensory issues, but they are mild from what I read about on these forums.

I took a low dosage of Adderall for a bit ( 5mg). While it helped me to concentrate on subjects that didn't completely catch my interest, it did nothing to help my anxiety levels or my social skills. If anything, medication made me more isolated than before.

Anyhow, I hope you find the answers you are looking for. Sorry to hear your psychologist is a bit unhelpful.

I think intensity is definetly the key part. I get shutdowns, but I don't lose all functionality like I've read about in autism cases. I just feel very far away and separated from my body, more than usual. I don't really process what people say, but I don't get much worse than looking like a zombie.