Relatable Or No?

[FayetheADHDsquirrel]

This is mostly meant for those with both ASD and ADHD. I feel like I am in a rotation. For a couple weeks or perhaps even months, I act more like an Asperger's profile ( like to research, am socially awkward but can show some nerdy enthusiasm). Then I shift towards some kind of zany Asperger's flavored ADHD (more hyper, more restless, more interested in spontaneous experiments such as the pollen on the water to support the weight of a toy or the orange juice mixed with milk inside my own mouth). I also tend to make more poems and riddles in this mode.
I should mention that neither one typically seems like a "mask", but rather like I'm being my real self finally once I get set into it. I might do some masking (not as neurotypical, but rather as what had been feeling natural previously that week before the shift started) short term while the switch over between the two first starts because of not wanting to let go of my current mode initially. It's like a cycle, but not between depression and mania. It's between mostly quiet unless a special interest is brought up fairly stereotypical nerd and and somewhat zany eccentric chatterbox who still loves science.

 

[the_tortoise]

I cannot relate in the sense of any distinct regular switch...

Just for context in case I make no sense: It is hard for me to clearly separate my personal traits into categories for each diagnosis...both because of symptom overlap and because I have only one brain...that said:

To the degree I can separate, I mostly just feel like the ADHD parts and Autism parts interact with each other in different ways depending on context and what is interacting with what....it seems like sometimes the things more commonly associated with ADHD sort of counteract the things more commonly associated with Autism....or that (this is supported by research I have been told:_) the ADHD things and Autism things that are similar or overlapping actually worsen each other in certain contexts.

example of possible counteraction that I am uncertain of; incredibly revved up mental and physical activity-states counteracts to some degree my innately slow processing

the ADHD distractability can sometimes counteract difficulties with task shifting that is more commonly associated with autism....

However, hyperfocus and distractability are actually common to both ADHD and autism...because they are two opposite-side faces of the many-sided metaphorical di that is dysregulated executive functioning. (Or, in non-metaphorical, non-concrete-visual-spatial-thinker-words: Hyperfocus and distractability are two manifeststions of executive dysfunction that superficially may seem unrelated but are probably caused by the same underlying neurophysiological...ie neurochemical/neuro-structural/neuro-electrical-functional ...differences)

 

[TBRS1]

I do some switching somewhat like that, but I'm also mildly bipolar, so I generally just chalk it up to that.

 

[Crabcore]

I've been diagnosed with both, but honestly I'm pretty consistent. There are a lot of zigzagging attributes where I have stronger traits in one department or another, but they usually remain pretty fixed-in-place most of the time.

 

[vergil96]

I have a consistant mix of both

 

[Judge]

No, I have clinical depression. When I cycle out of it, there is no mania as such in my case.

Though with your combination of ADHD and ASD this explanation seems close to what you nay be experiencing:

"Yes, individuals can exhibit symptoms of both ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and these symptoms may vary over time. It's not uncommon for someone to show traits of both conditions, which can lead to fluctuations in how symptoms present."

-Duck Duck Go Search Assist

 

[kriss72]

Hmm... that's a really good question, I do feel that the asd and adhd traits sometimes competes - the adhd tends to win when I'm relaxed/feeling safe, usually with consequences that quickly removes me from the relaxed/safe state... but usually, the asd is an issue interacting (or being near) people, and the adhd traits are more internal preventing me from doing the things I need/want to do... but also the fun one, with an endless supply of projects and ideas - which isn't good for my bank account thou...