What is it like to have autism and ADHD?

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magz
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08 Oct 2019, 10:22 am

It is a bit puzzling for me. From observing people, autism seems to go in a package with deep, detail-oriented focus while ADHD seems to be about easily getting bored and careless about details.

Does anyone here have both? What is it like? It seems contradictory to me.

However, when I look at the DSM-5 criteria for ADHD:

Quote:
DSM Criteria for ADHD

People with ADHD show a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development:

1. Inattention: Six or more symptoms of inattention for children up to age 16, or five or more for adolescents 17 and older and adults; symptoms of inattention have been present for at least 6 months, and they are inappropriate for developmental level:
Often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, at work, or with other activities.
Often has trouble holding attention on tasks or play activities.
Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.
Often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace (e.g., loses focus, side-tracked).
Often has trouble organizing tasks and activities.
Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to do tasks that require mental effort over a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework).
Often loses things necessary for tasks and activities (e.g. school materials, pencils, books, tools, wallets, keys, paperwork, eyeglasses, mobile telephones).
Is often easily distracted
Is often forgetful in daily activities.
Hyperactivity and Impulsivity: Six or more symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity for children up to age 16, or five or more for adolescents 17 and older and adults; symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity have been present for at least 6 months to an extent that is disruptive and inappropriate for the person’s developmental level:
Often fidgets with or taps hands or feet, or squirms in seat.
Often leaves seat in situations when remaining seated is expected.
Often runs about or climbs in situations where it is not appropriate (adolescents or adults may be limited to feeling restless).
Often unable to play or take part in leisure activities quietly.
Is often “on the go” acting as if “driven by a motor”.
Often talks excessively.
Often blurts out an answer before a question has been completed.
Often has trouble waiting his/her turn.
Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games)

In addition, the following conditions must be met:

Several inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive symptoms were present before age 12 years.
Several symptoms are present in two or more setting, (e.g., at home, school or work; with friends or relatives; in other activities).
There is clear evidence that the symptoms interfere with, or reduce the quality of, social, school, or work functioning.
The symptoms do not happen only during the course of schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder. The symptoms are not better explained by another mental disorder (e.g. Mood Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Dissociative Disorder, or a Personality Disorder).

Based on the types of symptoms, three kinds (presentations) of ADHD can occur:

Combined Presentation: if enough symptoms of both criteria inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity were present for the past 6 months

Predominantly Inattentive Presentation: if enough symptoms of inattention, but not hyperactivity-impulsivity, were present for the past six months

Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation: if enough symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity but not inattention were present for the past six months.

Because symptoms can change over time, the presentation may change over time as well.

I underlined the symptoms that I believe may be present in an individual with autism alone or with some other learning difficulty - poor executive functioning can be caused by hyperfocus and impulsivity seems to me a fairly independent trait. Talking excessively - I meant about one's special interest.


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Last edited by magz on 08 Oct 2019, 10:25 am, edited 1 time in total.

kraftiekortie
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08 Oct 2019, 10:24 am

It's really not cool. I have both. It's frustrating.



magz
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08 Oct 2019, 10:27 am

kraftiekortie wrote:
It's really not cool. I have both. It's frustrating.

What is your focus? Are you detail-oriented, detail-careless, detail-picky?

I often can't hold a task for long but not because I am bored - I'm overwhelmed instead. Or my hyperfocus is not on the task.
May produce the same external result but for the opposite reason.


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kraftiekortie
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08 Oct 2019, 10:29 am

I'm all three----and at inopportune times....

When I am "positively" focused on something, I'm usually either motivated to do something----or am forced to do something.

Otherwise, there's an apathy in me which makes me make mistakes based on a lack of focus.



magz
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08 Oct 2019, 10:39 am

Thanks.
It is just so hard to imagine how someone else's mind works.

Do you notice any trends, maybe a tendency to focus in one area but get distracted in another? Like, for example, focusing on details of pictures but losing track of spoken sentences?


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kraftiekortie
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08 Oct 2019, 10:42 am

I would call that "being unable to do two things at once."

This happens to me, especially, when two different media are involved----like the talking and looking at pictures you described.



magz
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08 Oct 2019, 11:48 am

kraftiekortie wrote:
I would call that "being unable to do two things at once."

This happens to me, especially, when two different media are involved----like the talking and looking at pictures you described.

Oh, this I have too, without ADHD. My focus is on one thing and I'm hopelessly careless / incapable about anything other.


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kraftiekortie
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08 Oct 2019, 11:55 am

Part of my ADHD is the relative inability to "do two things at once." This can cause things to go totally askew, all over the place. In extreme cases, it can cause actual physical damage.

Another aspect is my not focusing at a task at hand----because I'm not motivated to do so--subconsciously, rather than consciously.

I'm not officially diagnosed with this---but I'm probably ADHD, Inattentive Type.



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08 Oct 2019, 12:16 pm

It is not uncommon for autistics to have ADHD as well, although not all autistics have ADHD. Some symptoms of ADHD contradict with some autism symptoms but some symptoms are actually common in both autism and ADHD.

I have Asperger's and ADHD. I can be hyperactive, inattentive, impulsive, erratic, disorganized and overemotional often. I often subconsciously find myself multitasking, but when I'm doing a task that involves multitasking (like cooking several foods at once), I find it hard to focus and to time everything perfectly. But other things I can multitask in. It's rather complex.


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08 Oct 2019, 6:02 pm

Quote:
Often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, at work, or with other activities.

Making careless mistakes has always been a problem for me, but I did have special support at school to help me keep up and be organised. I am guilty of making careless mistakes at work and at home. I'm still not 100% sure on how I perceive details, as some details I can pay attention to while other details I miss and only see the bigger picture.

Quote:
Often has trouble holding attention on tasks or play activities.

I did switch from one toy to another rather quickly as a child, which resulted in a very messy and disorganized bedroom. As an adult I'm not the best at focusing on tasks even if it's an interest of mine.

Quote:
Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.

I'm not sure I've ever had this problem.
Quote:
Often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace (e.g., loses focus, side-tracked).

I can't quite remember what I was like as a child, but as an adult I do get sidetracked and can lose sense of time although not all the time.

Quote:
Often has trouble organizing tasks and activities.

Often I see organising some tasks or activities as "projects", which I find stressful so tend to procrastinate or need assistance of another person to work it out together. My boyfriend is good with organising things.

Quote:
Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to do tasks that require mental effort over a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework).

This was why I done poorly in my grade exams at school. Revision was the hardest thing for me to do, even if I had a pad to write down a study plan or something, I just didn't know where to start. And when I did force myself to study for exams, I forgot most of it by the exam date. And it took me 3 years to learn to drive because I found it hard to study the theory test questions and it took longer to sink in.

Quote:
Often loses things necessary for tasks and activities (e.g. school materials, pencils, books, tools, wallets, keys, paperwork, eyeglasses, mobile telephones).


I like to throw the stuff I use the most on to the couch so that I know where it is, but other people don't like this. People have often joked "where there's no Joe90, there's no mess". I don't take offense to it because it's true. I keep my wallet and keys and everything together in my bag because I know that if I do take them out I will lose them. I rarely forget my mobile phone because I am always on it, but I do lose it around the apartment and often find myself using my boyfriend's phone to ring it so that I can find it.

Quote:
Is often easily distracted

Always

Quote:
Is often forgetful in daily activities.

I have forgotten to wash the dishes before even though there was a pile of dirty dishes by the sink in plain sight. Mess and disorganization doesn't seem to faze me.

Quote:
Often fidgets with or taps hands or feet, or squirms in seat.

I'm squirming and fidgeting as I'm writing this post right now. And I do tap or find things to fiddle with.

Quote:
Often leaves seat in situations when remaining seated is expected.

Not sure if I do this often or not. At home I do sometimes but not in public.
Quote:
Often runs about or climbs in situations where it is not appropriate (adolescents or adults may be limited to feeling restless).

I was always climbing on everything when I was a child. As an adult I am very restless. The only time I can actually be still and focus on a movie is if I am cosy laying in bed (which is why my TV is in my room right by my bed). At the cinema I do move a lot in my seat and I sometimes misunderstand the movie because of losing focus on and off.

Quote:
Often unable to play or take part in leisure activities quietly.

I wasn't too bad at this as a child.

Quote:
Is often “on the go” acting as if “driven by a motor”.

I do rush and cut corners at things, also I seem in a rush to get the day done even if I am enjoying myself. For example I could be enjoying a train ride but I'm still too eager to be at my destination, then when I'm at my destination I'm too eager to do the next thing, and so on.
Quote:

Often talks excessively.

Once I start getting comfortable with someone I find it hard to know when to stop talking, and I don't have special interests so I don't have a certain subject to talk about. I just talk about anything.

Quote:
Often blurts out an answer before a question has been completed.

I am guilty of this but usually I do it with humour.

Quote:
Often has trouble waiting his/her turn.

I was poorly skilled at this as a child.

Quote:
Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games)

I've been bullied for 'butting into conversations' even as an adult.

But there are other ADHD symptoms I have that aren't listed here.


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08 Oct 2019, 7:16 pm

My son has all those symptoms you underlined and he is currently being assessed for ADHD by his therapist. But yet he does good with my game cartridges and taking care of my things. :?


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08 Oct 2019, 7:27 pm

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.


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08 Oct 2019, 7:34 pm

that is me. having both things [and a hat-full of other addlements] is like having a tv set that takes an act of congress to change the channels or fix the volume or anything at all. it is not being able to "change channels" of one's thoughts [shift attention from task to task gracefully, multitask], follow the plots of movies and not being able to focus or maintain attention any length of time. it is being unable to decide, to make choices, it is not having anything resembling free will.



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08 Oct 2019, 7:50 pm

I have both. Definitely can be impulsive. DOING things can be hard. It’s like there is a wall. Like Auntblabby said, no free will. And I have offended so many people over the years, my husband included, by talking over them and interrupting. I can’t help it. I was only diagnosed with ADHD about two years ago.

Like Joe, I have to leave things I’m working on out where I can see them. I have a stack of stuff to do in most rooms.



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09 Oct 2019, 2:15 am

I have both diagnoses. I have the deep, detail orientation with things within my areas of interest and I'm bored and careless and disorganised about everything else.



magz
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09 Oct 2019, 3:30 am

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.


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