Autism and ADHD

[Clueless in Canada]

I took a long break from this site and now I am back with questions. In the time I was away from here I was learning as much as I could about ADHD because I had come to the realisation that I probably have it. Currently I am self diagnosed ASD and ADHD and have an assessment sometime next spring. Although there are overlaps in ASD and ADHD there are also opposing traits and those had me puzzled for awhile. For example, the ADHD brain seeks novelty but the ASD brain tends to want sameness and routine. How do both of those things manifest in one person? They do both occur in me and are essentially situation dependent. I'm wondering if any of you can share some experiences or help me better understand how two conditions with opposing traits might show up in one person.

 

[An Arctic fox]

Well I'm not diagnosed with ADHD and I just got diagnosed with ASD but for me anyway it depends on the situation and how I'm feeling. So like I like routines but they also make me bored so I like to have set routines that I always follow and like have some other things that I wont follow.

 

[Clueless in Canada]

Well I'm not diagnosed with ADHD and I just got diagnosed with ASD but for me anyway it depends on the situation and how I'm feeling. So like I like routines but they also make me bored so I like to have set routines that I always follow and like have some other things that I wont follow.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I would say that as an adult I like my own routines and schedule but greatly dislike imposed ones, whereas when I was a child I had a higher tolerance for imposed ones because they brought order that I appreciated. I have my very rigid ideas on how things should be done or where or why or when and low tolerance for somebody messing with that, unless it is me deciding to shake things up and then I am all for it. I always thought this just made me a very self-centred person.

 

[An Arctic fox]

It doesnt make you self centered, if you are autstic that would explain it though. I'm quite similar with that stuff except for their are certain routines that if I change I panick so I cant change those

 

[Clueless in Canada]

It doesnt make you self centered, if you are autstic that would explain it though. I'm quite similar with that stuff except for their are certain routines that if I change I panick so I cant change those

I am on Prozac which helps to control panic, meltdowns and generally turns the volume down on all forms of overwhelm. I would be unable to live with someone if not for meds. :-(

 

[An Arctic fox]

Yeah I get that, effexor is what I'm on for my depression and it makes my suicidal ideation and self harm ideation easier to handle and me able to function most of the time.

 

[Clueless in Canada]

Yeah I get that, effexor is what I'm on for my depression and it makes my suicidal ideation and self harm ideation easier to handle and me able to function most of the time.

I'm diagnosed with anxiety and I still think it's a valid diagnosis though I've been reading that ADHD can be mistaken for it. I suspect I just have both and so there will be overlap in what traits look like or even feel like to me. I am constantly moving my fingers, drumming, tapping, fidgeting etc...it could be anxiety, stims or ADHD. I suspect it is all three. Waiting for the assessment is hard. I am impatient. When I want something I want it yesterday. LOL

 

[An Arctic fox]

That's how I think about my tapping and stuff to, and yeah I like things yesterday to though I've gotten better at waiting because people would get mad at me

 

[Clueless in Canada]

That's how I think about my tapping and stuff to, and yeah I like things yesterday to though I've gotten better at waiting because people would get mad at me

Many people would not know that I am as impatient as I actually am. I hide it well enough. I was the most obedient, 'well behaved', compliant child you could ever meet. I kept all of the struggle inside me but it was there. I worry a little that it will be difficult to convince a clinician that these conditions existed in me in childhood because of my 'good girl' behaviour.

 

[An Arctic fox]

I when I was young just learned to surpress everything weird about me as best I could and so I did that for most of my childhood, and then I realized I can be different and so I let myself and so it's easier for me to be diagnosed

 

[Fino]

I've been diagnosed with both, and these specific symptoms--opposing desires for routine and for novelty--manifested, for me, with a pattern that has made up most of my life:

1. Establish routine
2. Feel comfortable, content, and mostly anxiety-free due to established routine
3. Become restless, bored, and depressed
4. Engage in burst of destructive behavior, i.e. drinking, drugs, self-harm, sex, amidst series of new and exciting experiences
5. Become anxious, ashamed, guilty, etc.
6. Return to step 1

 

[An Arctic fox]

I've been diagnosed with both, and these specific symptoms--opposing desires for routine and for novelty--manifested, for me, with a pattern that has made up most of my life:

1. Establish routine
2. Feel comfortable, content, and mostly anxiety-free due to established routine
3. Become restless, bored, and depressed
4. Engage in burst of destructive behavior, i.e. drinking, drugs, self-harm, sex, amidst series of new and exciting experiences
5. Become anxious, ashamed, guilty, etc.
6. Return to step 1

I usually
1. Establish routine
2. Feel comfortable but bored
3. Break routine
4. Feel guilty and upset
5. Maladaptive behavior
6. Try and make a routine
7. Back to step one

 

[Fino]

That's the same!

 

[An Arctic fox]

That's the same!

Yeah, though I'm not diagnosed with ADHD

 

[Clueless in Canada]

I've been diagnosed with both, and these specific symptoms--opposing desires for routine and for novelty--manifested, for me, with a pattern that has made up most of my life:

1. Establish routine
2. Feel comfortable, content, and mostly anxiety-free due to established routine
3. Become restless, bored, and depressed
4. Engage in burst of destructive behavior, i.e. drinking, drugs, self-harm, sex, amidst series of new and exciting experiences
5. Become anxious, ashamed, guilty, etc.
6. Return to step 1

Thanks for sharing this. I could describe something similar though I have been very fortunate that my boredom or restlessness hasn't lead me to anything terribly unsafe. I go shopping and at one point I did end up with a very embarrassing debt and had to dip into my savings to fix it. I have struggled with deep shame and regret over this but it helps me tone down the shopping as boredom relief/new purchases for novelty tendency that I have. I also am likely to binge eat. I want all the carbs now! My weight is okay-I am high end of normal BMI but it is a constant struggle to keep control of that and I've had big weight gains a few times.

 

[An Arctic fox]

I have so much anxiety that I struggle to spend any money so that helps me not over spend and yeah I'll eat a lot sometimes but I'm mostly not eating (I'm anorexic mostly but I have some bulimia behaviors). I dont know my BMI currently but hopefully its underweight

 

[Fino]

Thanks for sharing this. I could describe something similar though I have been very fortunate that my boredom or restlessness hasn't lead me to anything terribly unsafe. I go shopping and at one point I did end up with a very embarrassing debt and had to dip into my savings to fix it. I have struggled with deep shame and regret over this but it helps me tone down the shopping as boredom relief/new purchases for novelty tendency that I have. I also am likely to binge eat. I want all the carbs now! My weight is okay-I am high end of normal BMI but it is a constant struggle to keep control of that and I've had big weight gains a few times.

I've had the same problem with shopping! Especially with how easy online shopping is, things happening in a single click. They take advantage of those lacking impulse control. It's like having a target on my head!

 

[An Arctic fox]

On YouTube on How to ADHDs channel she has a video on that I think so that could help you

I usually set out a certain amount of money I can spend and then I spend that and I get kinda like "oo what's that I want it" with lots of things

 

[Clueless in Canada]

I've had the same problem with shopping! Especially with how easy online shopping is, things happening in a single click. They take advantage of those lacking impulse control. It's like having a target on my head!

I love Amazon-lol though I have no ability to return anything that isn't as expected (executive functions failing me?) so I am trying to be cautious about shoes and clothing. There is a Canadian chain store I like that I can order from online and have it delivered at home but I can take it to the local shop if I want to return it. They are open late so I can go at night when it isn't very busy. I have a thrift shop addiction too though I've managed to minimise that. Sometimes I find that I can fill an online shopping cart and then not hit purchase.

 

[Fino]

I also can't return things! I once bought the wrong thing by accident and someone said, "you can just return it," and I threw it in the closet instead because I'd definitely pay the $20 to not try to return it.