ADHDer Wondering if Also Autistic

Hi I’m an 19F ADHDer that was diagnosed when I was a kid. Recently I’ve been starting to wonder if I’m also autistic. (That is the understatement of the century. I’ve done 11 months of research, basically have the DSM 5 for autism memorized, have a neuropsych appointment (which the waiting list takes forever), have read loads of scientific papers, watched lots of YouTube videos, ect). What’s weird is I still can’t figure out if I’m autistic or not. It seems like my experiences are all on the line of being significant enough to be impairing/to the degree of autism. Yet they are definitely more than neurotypicals. ADHDers can (and often do) have some autistic traits without it being autism, so I’m inclined to think that’s more of what I am. I’m curious what other autistic tendencies other ADHDers have. Or if you’re ADHD+autistic if you know of any autistics that don’t get exhausting form social situations (since that’s one of the main things that makes me think I’m probably not autistic).

Your answer

Sydie_Bear

2y ago

There’s also lots of new information on female specific presenting symptoms in autism. Lots of misdiagnosis happens with autistic women! I got diagnosed with adhd in the 2nd grade and just this year (turning 20 in march) found out I have autism. It’s worth learning about! Even if you don’t get a diagnosis you can still learn new ways to cope with autism symptoms

carrielovelylady

2y ago

Once we were taken seriously the doctor knew within minutes of watching her stim. 🙄

carrielovelylady

2y ago

I self diagnose as autistic because I already know but I hold back on talking about it without an official diagnosis. Getting my daughter diagnosed was so emotional and initially difficult even though she is currently 9 and still non verbal. We went through alot to be taken seriously when she was two and even three years old and it was so apparent that it's turned me off from seeking a real diagnosis.

miss_world

2y ago

for a while when i was in my journey of discovering (well, coming to terms with) the fact that i had adhd, i also questioned whether i had autism because they’re so often comorbid- and not to mention, undiagnosed in women! i’ve always struggled with social anxiety and an inability to pick up on social nuances, and i have some pretty niche and narrow interests. but i really don’t think i have the same struggles as many of my autistic friends. i can usually pick up on certain things like what someone is feeling based on their vibe or body language, and i don’t have a lot of the same cognitive abilities, but i definitely struggle from sensory overstimulation and stuff like that which reads so similar to autism. i think i’ve always been the “weird kid” growing up, and it’s hard to just attribute all my feelings of isolation and strangeness to just my adhd lol

Katty

2y ago

Well Dot 30-50% of people with ADHD also have ASD. (And 50-80% with ASD have ADHD). Another fun fact, the team that has been working on SPD since 1999, suggested diagnostic criteria, and developed tests for SPD finds 40% of ADHDers and 80% of autistics have SPD. While the diagnosis criteria doesn’t overlap, the lived experience of ADHD/autism does. However both conditions have firm ground. ASD owns the area of an inherent lack of understanding of social situations. ADHD owns inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Anything from those areas that says can be a part of the other condition likely comes from information before 2013 (pre-DSM5) when they couldn’t be diagnosed comorbididly. Clinitions would often just lump symptoms of the other together to explain comorbid people who couldn’t get diagnosed. Anyways that wasn’t really what you asked, but ask an ND about their current interest…..

Dot

2y ago

Same!! My sister lowkey bullies me by saying that Autism is my special interest. I’m hearing a lot of differing opinions, even from professionals, about the overlap between ADHD and ASD. Some say there’s a lot, some say there’s a minuscule amount. But come on, am I a person with ADHD, sensory processing disorder, social anxiety, etc.. Or do I have ADHD and ASD?

Katty

2y ago

It’s nice to hear I’m not alone!

EmotionalDamage

2y ago

Same deal here. I'm going to get tested for autism in a few months. Also, I am an obsessive researchers too ✋ STEM graduate as well

Katty

2y ago

Lol. My short term memory is pretty bad, but my long term memory is amazing. A lot of us have very good memories. I’m a STEM major too so papers don’t scare me off.

itchylight

2y ago

I wouldn't even be able to bring myself to research stuff like that but if I did I would forget it very easily because of the dementia that come with ADHD

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