I'm confused...

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(This was taken from my LJ, just so you know)

I've been thinking a lot about my diagnosises of autism and ADHD. Like, constantly wondering if I have either/or. I mean, I don't get sensory overloads like most autistic people do. I also don't mind changes every now and then unless they are unexpected ones. I don't mind if my routines change either, and the only real routine I have is when I go to bed.

I do have severe meltdowns, which I don't think are part of my ADHD. I do end up stimming a lot such as flapping my arms, making weird noises or rocking myself. I also rock myself a lot during my meltdowns and can often suffer from shut downs as well. I'm just really confused right now. I also had speech delays as a kid, but that was fixed with intense speech therapy. I just don't know what to think anymore at this point. D:

People say I'm autistic, especially my parents. They see it in me more than anyone else. I do have a hard time with my social skills too. I find it hard to keep conversations going and can be very random when it comes to socializing. I guess I could be autistic as they say, but my only concern is not having sensory overloads though. Does that really make a difference?

I'm confused as to why you're confused.
I would think not having sensory overloads would be a good thing?
You say you have meltdowns, shutdowns, you stim, you have routines, you have trouble socially, you had speech delay etc.
Not having sensory overload doesn't automatically cancel out all the other things.

Eh... I guess you have a point there. :/ I mean, I don't like loud noises either, but I can tolerate them better than most autistic people usually do (unless it's sirens, then I cover my ears). Still, I think something needs to be done about the DSM for ADHD to make it less confusing for people who are diagnosed with Autism. D:

The DSM-5 criteria ( http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/hcp-dsm.html ) are based on a 2-of-4 formula. Typical patterned speech or movement, routines & rituals, fixed interests *or* sensory issues. It sounds like you may have two but not the other two?

Also, on a larger issue, the DSM exists as much for insurance coding as anything else. Each coding actually exists on a spectrum, but with a threshold to make it seem more quantified. In reality, almost everyone has a little of this, a little of that and the most useful reaction is to borrow adaptations as you need them to get through life with as little discomfort as you can!

There used to be a wonderful group called, "ShadowSyndromeKids" for parents of kids who had often severe issues in many areas (social, stimming, sensory, speech, patterns, rituals, focus-or-lack-of, etc) but were deemed by a psych as missing one key criteria for *each* diagnoses. Sometimes b/c the psych was unable to weed them apart, sometimes b/c the kid has already learned some coping mechanisms. The result was they were diagnosed as "not having anything wrong" and so had a terrible time getting help or even recognition.

The problem is fitting people on the statistical extremes on multiple attributes into a single categorical bell curve.

I don't really have sensory overloads either. At least not to where I will have a full meltdown. I might get very irritated at continual stimuli, like the sun in my face or other bright lights, or a persistent noise (those mosquito repelling high pitched tones are HORRIBLE, I can't ignore them, and if they are loud enough I have to cover my ears). Or when tons of people are all talking at the same time, especially if it is to me, I want to yell at them all to shut up.

So I never really get to the point where I can't function, it is just highly irritating sometimes. The only time I remember that I had a legitimate meltdown from noise is when, as a kid, my step dad decided to take me to a drag race and didn't even give me earplugs, he just said to cover my ears. I was covering my ears and crying and freaking out the entire time. But those things are EXTREMELY loud, so that could have been a normal reaction anyway.

I don't think you need to have a meltdown necessarily to experience sensory overload. I have sensory overload every time I leave the house but it has only ever resulted in meltdown if I spend a few days around people without being able to get away. Normally when I'm out my mind automatically zones out which I think protects me from too much outside world stimulus. I still get very stressed and anxious but this rarely overspills into meltdown.