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"intense discomfort when I'm in a situation that I'm not interested in (I guess like boredom...I'll feel trapped and start shaking my leg/tapping my foot/biting my nails). "

That is an ADHD sympton, but it's also very similar to stimming,,, There is a difference, but I cant really explain it well. Stimming and repetitive behaviours as a calming or stress distractor (ASD) or as a get on with it, it's my turn to butt in im impatient kinda way (ADHD).. If it's a sympton of boredom then that sounds more ADHD like..

I'm fairly certain that anyone with AS could also meet the criteria for ADHD predominately inattentive. The reverse may not be true though, ADHD-I might not also be so easily diagnosed as ASD. They could well be the same disorder in my mind. I have an ADHD-I diagnosis, but it isn't quite right..

I might be impulsive for instance, but that isn't really correct, when I'm on an interest I have to feed it,, if I've spent the past 2 days reading, is it really impulsive to go and immediately by the next two books in the series? So while I apparently have some impulsive behaviours, they are predominately related to interests OR the need to quickly escape certain situations.

If you can find a copy, " driven to distraction" is a good introduction to ADHD, check it out if you want a book to read. You won't find a single mention of.aspergers or autism in it though. There is a good ADHD community at www.adders.org, It might be good for you to check that out. ASD is rarely mentioned there though.

Jason

I don't think I explained myself well to him, and that may be the problem. I didn't explain myself well, because I didn't know how to. Now that I've had time to think about it, I wouldn't say it was boredom, necessarily, or at least not the understanding I have of boredom.

My understanding of boredom is when someone is doing nothing or has nothing to do, but wants something to do. Or, they are doing something, but that something is not interesting. I relate to the latter...but in cases like that, I'm still quite able to focus on the task at hand, particularly if it's something that HAS to be done, like schoolwork.

My problem comes in when I'm currently obsessed with something and wanting to dedicate my time to it, and I find myself doing something else that doesn't hold my interest. My mind goes to the thing I'd rather be doing, and then I start to feel anxious, not like, this is boring, I'd rather be doing something else...it's...this isn't holding my interest, and now I need to get back to what I was doing before.

I don't know...maybe boredom leads to anxiety? But, to me, boredom and anxiety are on opposite ends of the emotional spectrum.

The example I talked about was that I went to a friend's play, and at times it was engaging, but at other times, it wasn't as interesting, and I felt trapped and my leg and foot were tapping, so much that it was vibrating the floor. What I did not tell him, because I didn't think of it, was that I felt the anxiety, not because I wasn't interested...but because then there was a window of time for me to think about the show I was currently obsessed with, and wanting to go home and watch it. The thought of not being able to watch it was causing me a lot of anxiety.

Does that sound like ADHD? I read about it, and read through the diagnostic criteria, and none of it feels familiar to me. I was always very focused in school, and can easily focus on the task at hand if it's important. It's just when something is not important and not interesting AND there is something else I'd rather be doing, that I get anxious.

Just wanted to add that I took the ADHD test on WebMD, and got a 36/100. Unlikely to have ADHD. They even draw up a letter to send your doctor that they should rule out ADHD based on my responses.

There are all sorts of problems with that quiz, it looks better with hyperactivity, try this one: http://psychcentral.com/addquiz.htm

I would expect any aspie to score reasonably high on any ADHD test. The last page of the test I just suggested has the inattentive and "mental hyperactivity" features of ADHD that are pretty hard to differentiate from AS. Those alone are about enough for an ADHD inattentive diagnosis.

Jason

I took that one last night and got "Mild ADHD Possible."

Importantly, I looked at the DSM-IV criteria for diagnosis, and I have 4/9 Inattentive traits (6 are required), 1 hyperactive trait (fidgeting) and none of the impulsive traits. I do, however, fit the criteria for Aspergers diagnosis.

Who knows?

Totally take those three paragraphs with you to your next appointment.

That's so like AS (well, I should add "from what I know") and it's so well put!

I have Asperger's and don't meet the criteria for ADHD predominately inattentive. Checking for ADHD was actually part of my evaluation for Asperger's.

A majority of people, sure, but not everybody.

OP,
It makes sense to look into whether you have ADHD, a lot of the stereotypes aren't actually right. However, also don't think you necessarily have it because of it always being there for people on the autistic spectrum.It is however, a really common comorbid, and makes sense to check for for people who are being evaluated for an ASD.

Out of curiosity where would you say the misses are? (you need 6 of the following):

Often does not give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities.
Often has trouble keeping attention on tasks or play activities.
Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.
Often does not follow instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand instructions).
Often has trouble organizing activities.
Often avoids, dislikes, or doesn't want to do things that take a lot of mental effort for a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework).
Often loses things needed for tasks and activities (e.g. toys, school assignments, pencils, books, or tools).
Is often easily distracted.
Is often forgetful in daily activities.

It would be pretty easy for an ADHD specialist to see AS behaviours through the ADHD lense. This could be a problem for fragile clover if the ADHD specialist can't differentiate ADHD behaviours from AS.

I don't agree that ADHD is the right diagnosis, just that ADHD-I and AS could look similar to the untrained eye.. A lot of ADHD specialists won't be familiar with AS particularly in adolescents and adults.

There is a very subtle difference between interrupting because you can't judge the social cues (AS) or interrupting and finishing sentences because you are impatient (ADHD). It would take some pretty careful questioning to get this right..

Jason

I think I have all of those but I'm not hyperactive. I'm lazy.

They are not the hyperactive criteria! Thats the inattentive criteria.. You don't need any outward hyperactivity to qualify for an ADHD diagnosis.

Define lazy. Then try and define why you are lazy..

I have been called lazy (not tidying room, completing work, leaving the house etc.). Is sitting on the floor staring at a light bulb for an hour lazy? Most "lazy" people do something marginally more useful with their time even if it is socialising, gaming or sleeping,

Bed time, good discussion,

Jason

Is that a common stereotype that people with adhd are all hyperactive and can't sit still? I picked that idea up from somewhere but if they don't have to be that way I fit all of the symptoms.

I was reading this and it sounds a lot like me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADHD_predominantly_inattentive

It's easier to say which I might meet.



When I was young people thought this was true about me, until they realized that I only wasn't paying attention if there was nothing I could learn from what they were saying. I don't actually meet this at all, but the perception did meet the criteria.



I never know quite what they mean by this. I think I partially meet it.



I think I'd qualify for this one, but I'm really good at finding things I lose.

You're very right. I guess I'm afraid that I'll be diagnosed with something that isn't right because of my inability to accurately describe my thoughts and feelings at times. For instance, he asked me if my mind raced at night, and I answered yes, but I don't think I quite understood what that meant until I had more time to think about it. When I said yes, I was thinking that I can't sleep unless I crash, because of I'm thinking about stuff I'd rather be doing (like my interests), but I agreed when he asked if it was thoughts racing through my mind keeping me up. I'm worried I said the wrong thing.

Just be really happy that you have a good doctor working with you, he sounds like a nice guy willing to listen to you and he wont leave you waiting ages for an opinion. I'm changing therapists and hoping to get one like him.

Also, never discount ADD when you're looking for an ASD dx.

Yes, he is very nice and seems very knowledgeable. The local chapter of The Autism Society of America referred me to him; he is an Adult Asperger's specialist, so I feel I am quite lucky to not have to jump around from therapist to therapist to find someone with adequate knowledge of AS.

I am certainly not discounting ADD/ADHD, but I feel he told me to look up ADHD in order to get my feedback, and my initial reaction is that it doesn't quite fit (the overlap between ADHD and AS is clear, but there are bits that don't overlap that are part of the diagnostic criteria, which I do not meet).

I can focus when necessary, am not hyperactive, am organized, don't typically forget appointments and am always on time for them, excelled at school, etc. Sometimes I appear not to be listening, but when accused of such, I can recite back word-for-word what the person said, and while I can have trouble focusing at times, it's only when it comes to non-vital or non-important activities, and even then, my lack of focus is driven by anxiety to return to a special interest, and other times, because I'm extremely hungry, which messes with my cognitive abilities.

The symptoms of ADHD I most identify with are procrastination and 'fidgeting', but I believe my 'fidgeting' is stimming.

Under the DSM-5 criteria, you will only need 4 inattentive traits to be diagnosed as an adult. The need for six traits is really aimed at children.