Published on 12, July, 2020
I’m just wondering how many of those with an autism diagnosis, either also have an ADHD diagnosis, or it was mentioned at the assessment it may be worth getting assessed for it too? And how that means your ‘double’ diagnosis makes you differ from typical autism traits (yes I know it’s a spectrum but hopefully you get what I mean).
I guess I’m wondering if it may make people even more alienated from the autism community? For context it was mentioned to me at my assessment but I decided for the time being not to ask for an ADHD assessment as I couldn’t deal with the whole process. But the way both seem to clash in my head I think it pretty likely I am.
Which leads me on to the second part of this post. Very occasionally I’ll be completely over excited by something, and when I calm down I can look at it and see that I guess most adults maybe wouldn’t become that excited about something. But because it feels like people ignore or don’t join in with my elation, it makes me feel like such an idiot afterwards that I want to withdraw even more. A bit like the next day hangover where you are completely embarrassed about your behaviour. Though tbh when I look at it today, it was basically me being overly happy because I’d worked out how to do something (work wise) that I’d been struggling to find a solution for, for a few years. I had already been talking online about it with a few others in that field, and when I worked out the problem for myself the next day I posted about it in the same thread. Clearly showing how happy I was with lots of exclamation marks and probably not being entirely coherent, more of an over excited ramble. But the other half of me can’t work out if they all slowly took a few steps back away from the weirdo, or if they were annoyed that I’d found my own solution instead of doing what they told me to try (which I knew wouldn’t work).
I don’t even know the point of this post anymore, but I do know the clash of autism and adhd in my brain is driving me mad, and I’d quite like a day off thank you very much.
Hi, just wanted to say I feel your pain - I often wish I could jump inside someone else’s head for a break! I have both and am a weird mix of traits that makes it hard to find support. I find it frustrating that the two can’t be assessed at the same time. I’d get an adhd assessment first if you can because I was told they can’t always see all the autistic traits until adhd meds are taken (apparently adhd masks some of the autistic traits). Otherwise I guess it’s just being aware of what the contradictions are so you can keep raising adhd in your assessment and they can consider this alongside autism, rather than jumping to the ‘not autistic’ conclusion. Good luck with it all.
Hello Elise.
Thanks for your contribution here. I never want to leave my own brain (I enjoy the fundamentals of it too much) but I do wish I could slow it the hell down to enable some focus and flow.
I'm a decade or so older than you....my journey into "what the hell is wrong with me" started at your age.
You spoke very wise words above (in my opinion) by saying get ADHD assessment first. Did you do that?
You also spoke naively above too (in my opinion and with respect) by saying that you find it hard to find support BECAUSE you have both. I have come to the very firm conclusion that there is simply NO support for a late diagnosed autist.....whereas someone with an attention deficit diagnosis does have the hope and potential help of drugs (Ritalin etc). That's where I'm at.
Booze and sleep deprivation seem to be the only "accessible" things that can offer me some reprieve from myself. Nether are good for you. I quit booze last summer, but have just awoken from 13 hrs sleep....following 44 hours of none.
I hope that an AD diagnosis will allow me to swap sleep deprivation with the occasional pill or two.
Where are you currently at Elise in your thoughts?
Nice to make your accaintence.
Number.