I'm extremely sensitive to high pitched sounds, I can't stand the feel of nylon clothes, and I don't like peas or beans if they've been cooked but I like them raw.
These are sensory issues? I can't stand high-pitched sounds either. They're louder than normal sounds and most people don't even hear them. And I have IBS-type issues. I basically can't eat raw vegetables, because they make my stomach hurt. I find it very hard to explain it to people, because it's super complicated, I just play the "I'm allergic to pretty much everything" card.
I can't stand the feel of nylon clothes,
I wear almost only cotton. Artificial fabrics are sweaty and itchy. (I sweat profusely tho)
I didn't know these could be sensory issues, although my therapist suggested that my IBS could be that. But I still think it's not as severe as most people from the autism spectrum report. Things I can't absolutely tolerate are only food-related and unexpected touch. The other things are just annoying and uncomfortable.
I also have one of those levels of intellect and perception that scares people if I let too much of it show.
High five
It's fully possible to be autistic and not have sensory issues. While it certainly true that they are very common among autistics and they are one...trait, I dunno if that's the best word to use but that's the best I can think of, that's used in the DSM-5's diagnostic criteria for autism, it's not a 'you must have sensory issues to be diagnosed as autistic', it's a 'you need to have at least two of these four things and one of those things is sensory issues'. (I am simplifying it, of course there is more to the DSM criteria than just 'you do at least two of these things wow you're autistic!' but you get what I'm saying, right?)
And yeah, there certainly is a large overlap between autism and ADHD, but there are still certainly differences between the two. Good example would be how a lot of autistics can have a strict reliance on routines whereas ADHD can cause a distaste for routines.
Ok, I see, it's about the number of symptoms from a range.
I'm wondering though, I'm quite distractable (ADHD), but I tend to over-rely on routines to get boring things done, because if I structure things, it makes it easier to for example find objects (I lose keys, wallets etc. in my own wardrobe and then look for them for like half an hour, it's so frustrating). I have already figured out that medical descriptions of neurodiversity can be very misleading, they describe reasons why someone does something in a wrong way very often.
In my diagnostic report my psychiatrist wrote: "...a diagnosis is based on the number, persistence, prominence, pervasiveness and overall clinical significance of the identified ASC traits. These have conventionally been grouped into three broad symptom-domains - Social Interaction (SI), Social Communication (SC), and Restrictive and Repetitive Interests and Behaviours (RRB) - with the frequent additional presence of sensory-motor features (S-M), although these are not diagnostically required. The latest versions of the two main diagnostic classificatory systems (ICD and DSM) no longer make a domain-level distinction between SI and SC, instead considering these together as a single, integrated ‘Social’ domain."
Thank you for sharing. That makes sense.
To make a generalized overview is rather ignorant due to the vast continuum. (just like generalizing anyone's authenticity of their individualism melted down into a vast label)
I will contradict myself and say adhd is more bias to lack of concentration/lack of routine discipline and autism is more biased towards hyper-fixation/disciplined to upholding routines. Not to say people with adhd cant hyper-fixate their focus but it is only regarded for events/things they especially like and or use to self-soothe.
You can light your torches and head to my village if you like since I said this but this is the shallow shortcut understanding I have of the two rather similar conditions.
Sensory for both conditions can vary to having a lot of issues to have none. The joys of diversity.
Also take in account age as well. For instance I was very impulsive, loud, class clown in my adolescent years. As I aged I became more self-aware and noticed that being like that draws attention to me and wastes more energy in result of it. Now I am highly calculated, cool, calm collected. Maybe this was a strategy or maybe this was me coming into my finalized brain wiring.
More semi legit info below.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6331660/
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I like the graphic. Especially for listing all the common symptoms. It's not that often to talk about these aspects of ADHD. Or maybe that's just me, I was never formally diagnosed and nobody talked about it to me in depth before, maybe I should have done that. Although I'm afraid I would be dismissed, because I "cope too well". (It came up during mental health asessments, that I have ADHD traits but won't get it diagnosed, because I don't have problems resulting from them such as learning difficulties or behavioral problems) It happens a lot with medical professionals. I mean, my ADHD is pretty obvious, I've even bought myself a book for CBT to work with it and it had a few useful ideas. I'm very impatient and lose things, forget about appointments, I fidget and multi-task a lot and interest plays an important role in whether I'm good at something, I just won't pay attention to something I don't like. I say blunt things on an impulse. I have almost every possible symptom. At the same time, I don't find it concerning. The book was helpful with organization of daily life.
Thank you everyone for such informative answers
