Are you cognitively erratic?

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I'm very good at some things and significantly worse at others. I can go from being semi brilliant one day to utterly mediocre the next day. Is that an autistic thing? I honestly don't know.

I don't know. Sounds more bipolar to me (not saying you're bipolar).

That sounds more like ADHD to me.

ASD and ADHD are often found together, I think. In some cases the ultimate result of that combo is PDA.

that bit souonds like the normality of being human.


I don't know whether it can be an autism thing but do know and experience it as a known part of a couple neurological, endocrine, and mitochondrial, things going on with my body.

I have considered that. I'm more prone to being inattentive than hyperactive.

I can relate with this. My ability to do even simple things varies a lot from day to day. I've always found it odd and frustrating, and have wondered what causes it since most other people don't have that issue to the degree that I do. I don't know if it's autism or something else.

Re being inattentive . I can be, but not consistently so.

I am. I know part of my issue here is related to executive functioning issues as well as stress (which makes everything worse for me). Depending on the day, I can come across like two different people, one capable and one incompetent. It bugs the hell out of me.

I go to pieces when stressed.

I hear that autism is precisely this inability to transpose intelligence with the world of things. This is what I see in myself. Ideas for writing, but in practice they don't work, for music, sports techniques, drawings... Although there are things I am good at.

Cognitively Erratic isn't the term I would use to describe myself, but I think I know what you mean.

I get the impression there are various shades of ADHD, same as ASD.

The hyperactive element might not apply to everyone. Also possibly a tell-tale trait primarily associated with ADHD kids more than adults? It also depends how you define hyperactivity and inattentiveness. Quite possible to be outwardly calm but mentally hyperactive, and thus perpetually distracted, and thus inattentive.

I'm not knowledgable enough to give you any definite answers at that level of semantics though, sorry!

https://www.testmybrain.org/tests/gradC ... x_down.php

I agree with you firemonkey. I'm up and down with my skills depending on the task even though overall - yes, I do need a lot of support. When it comes to cognitive abilities I also have peaks and lows.

Our functional levels aren't static. We might have a good day because we are with someone and not alone, which offers a boost of confidence for daunting tasks or intellect. Other days we might do better alone because we feel performance anxiety, social-sensory overstimulation, or don't want an audience. Our abilities and our cognitive function fluctuate depending how well we've slept, how well our nervous system is functioning from stress and (over)stimulation, whether we are depressed with a lack of motivation, and whether we have some sort of trauma trigger in our subconscious. Sometimes our abilities fluctuate for seemingly no reason at all. I notice that I feel rather "brain dead" since my last stroke in December. I can't be arsed to learn anything or tax myself mentally. I know you haven't had a stroke though.

Moments of brain fog and cognitive fatigue are normal for everyone (even NT), but I think it's more pronounced for ND people because in general, we're more exhausted and we have trouble with linear thought / executive function. This can creep into our intellect and make us perform badly on cognitive tasks, whereas other days we'll score very well.

I'm taking an atypical SSRI and it is supposed to help cognitive function and brain fog. I think it's helping me a little.

My uncle is bi-polar (diagnosed) my dad has been clinically depressed and so has my mom. My dad's pattern seems cyclic with a cycle of about 3 years. I am diagnosed ADHD-I (Primarily inattentive type) - I like to think of it as "hyper active attention". I can draw things almost photo-realistic at times with a pencil or a pen at other time I cannot get anything to look the way I want to. I can solve a Rubic's cube (memorized a solution from a book) but there are times where I make mistake after mistake and have to keep fixing it or starting over - there are other times I can solve a scrambled cube in less than two minutes. Same with Sudoku puzzles - times where everything clicks - times where I completely have to erase everything and start over again. The complexity of the puzzle really hasn't changed - so it must be me. I think of it like a tuning fork - it will vibrate with another tuning fork if they are tuned to the same frequency - even if they don't touch - the vibrations in the air set up vibrations in the tuning fork if it is exactly the right length. There are special tuning forks that are adjustable - a weight is added to one prong of the fork and it can be moved by tightening and untightening a thumb screw and moving the weight. You know you have the note tuned correctly when it vibrates with a reference tuning fork.
Sometimes I am in tune with the world around me and sometimes I am not.
I do not know if this is executive functioning (EF) which could mean that it is biological and neurologically part of ADHD or ASD - or if it is mood based or environmental. It might be part of ASD hypersensitivity or PTSD hypersensitivity causing "noise on the line" and manifesting in EF dysfunction. It could be anxiety related. It could be my meds or caffeine - either coming on or wearing off (the two times side effects are most likely to be seen). It could be the meds or caffeine working with a positive affect. It could be a hundred things both nature and nurture / both genetics and biology or environment and mood.
But it DOES vary over time. And it can vary a LOT. I am working on mindfulness and acceptance of this variation which may never go away. I am also trying to work on coping skills - which may help.

Good points! ^

I'm diagnosed ADHD-combined type. I think that's part of it as well. I can't hold a thought for very long whether it's cognitive or just a normal task. But other times the ASD overrides and I get hyperfixated on something like my doll repair, or I can go 48-72 hours doing ancestry research sometimes (without sleeping or eating).

I can do one side of a Rubix cube lol. But never more. Good for you!