Autism and ADHD

I've done a LOT of self-directed research here, if anyone is interested. 

I think the easiest way to understand the "Link" between Autism and ADHD is Monotropism.

We both experience difficulty with executive function and we both have difficulty with a linear time stream. We both have lower "Inhibition" in the brain and difficulty filtering out sense-perception. We both can process at a particularity fantastic speed. 

We're VERY similar to our ADHD friends. We even team up well. But key differences are quite specific. Does a stimulant make you feel calm, collected, grounded? That's ADHD. Does it feel impossible to interpret and not be misinterpreted N-Typcial society? That's Autism. Do you need to do one thing at a time and finish it or you become hazardous? That's Autism. Are you who we should all rely on in an emergency? That's ADHD. 

While there's a good deal of research now on the similarities at a biological level, I've found it important to me (personally) to work out if a thing is a genuine difficulty/difference or if I just need to make the extra effort and do the thing I'm too lazy to do which will feel great tomorrow and keep me awake if I don't.  

JuniperFromGallifrey said:

But key differences are quite specific. Does a stimulant make you feel calm, collected, grounded? That's ADHD. Does it feel impossible to interpret and not be misinterpreted N-Typcial society? That's Autism. Do you need to do one thing at a time and finish it or you become hazardous? That's Autism. Are you who we should all rely on in an emergency? That's ADHD. 

This is the challenge for me - i tick all those boxes except the stimulant one because i haven't tried any.

Here's a few more. Though there's similarities, the differences are important. 

ADHD: Great at multi-tasking, still exhausted and incurring occasional accidents but won't accidentally walk off a cliff. Can leave everything unfinished and still focus || Au: Need to focus one task at a time or will be severely accident prone. Need to finish tasks or won't be able to focus or operate safely.

^^ I needed to work this out for myself. My grandmother (dad's mother) could see the Autistic abilities, but my mother is *most likely* undiagnosed ADHD and impatient. I was told I simply terrible 'timing' and was a bundle of chaos, always had a 'trail of dark fairies' following me. After finally asserting life on my terms, this was not true. I was simply subjected to a space and people who could not help me thrive. 

ADHD: Can be impulsive to burnout, on repeat & doesn't then need a decade to recover, easily mistaken for BPD || Au: a lack of transition time, down-time, quality introvert time will cause constant error and literally ruin general life, create a bit of a 'haze' until one day the anger is constant. 

^^ Both need to practice the discipline of REST. But, an Autistic literally has to force quit life for a short period  and introduce proper boundaries, learn to take awareness when being forced to any sort of transitions and learn to submit an effective pause into the situation. 

ADHD: seamlessly bridging communication gaps between NT and Au without even knowing there is one || Au: constantly misinterpreted, misinterpreting, misunderstood, misrepresented, confused and always trying to work out what others are saying (if there is awareness! There might not be, just a foggy sense of isolation in a way that they can't quite explain).

Both: Everything is too personal. Time is eternal and we live in the moment, I can't find the linear time stream. Unorganised or 'organised chaos' due to exec dysfunction, which many will find a sativa strain will help without knowing there's a real issue and without knowing how this / why this works. A mushroom supplement is actually useful and much more safe, as CDB and THC can suppress the immune system. 

Giant mood shifts: ADHD: knowledge doesn't change emotions as the 'dis' regulation is internal wiring just sending signals at random. Can shift without notice or reason. Immediate response || Au: knowledge / expectations can change how I internally understand and therefore feel about a thing even if I can't ID my feelings. OR suuuuper delayed response (due to communication differences which also mean far behind peers learning social and internal vocabulary).

ADHD: no internal or external communication barrier, can go with the flow / improv, knows how they're feeling || Au: Alexithymia (most likely part and parcel due to accessibility and compatibility of / with words. could get a little easier with maturity)

Here's a few more. Though there's similarities, the differences are important. 

ADHD: Great at multi-tasking, still exhausted and incurring occasional accidents but won't accidentally walk off a cliff. Can leave everything unfinished and still focus || Au: Need to focus one task at a time or will be severely accident prone. Need to finish tasks or won't be able to focus or operate safely.

^^ I needed to work this out for myself. My grandmother (dad's mother) could see the Autistic abilities, but my mother is *most likely* undiagnosed ADHD and impatient. I was told I simply terrible 'timing' and was a bundle of chaos, always had a 'trail of dark fairies' following me. After finally asserting life on my terms, this was not true. I was simply subjected to a space and people who could not help me thrive. 

ADHD: Can be impulsive to burnout, on repeat & doesn't then need a decade to recover, easily mistaken for BPD || Au: a lack of transition time, down-time, quality introvert time will cause constant error and literally ruin general life, create a bit of a 'haze' until one day the anger is constant. 

^^ Both need to practice the discipline of REST. But, an Autistic literally has to force quit life for a short period  and introduce proper boundaries, learn to take awareness when being forced to any sort of transitions and learn to submit an effective pause into the situation. 

ADHD: seamlessly bridging communication gaps between NT and Au without even knowing there is one || Au: constantly misinterpreted, misinterpreting, misunderstood, misrepresented, confused and always trying to work out what others are saying (if there is awareness! There might not be, just a foggy sense of isolation in a way that they can't quite explain).

Both: Everything is too personal. Time is eternal and we live in the moment, I can't find the linear time stream. Unorganised or 'organised chaos' due to exec dysfunction, which many will find a sativa strain will help without knowing there's a real issue and without knowing how this / why this works. A mushroom supplement is actually useful and much more safe, as CDB and THC can suppress the immune system. 

Giant mood shifts: ADHD: knowledge doesn't change emotions as the 'dis' regulation is internal wiring just sending signals at random. Can shift without notice or reason. Immediate response || Au: knowledge / expectations can change how I internally understand and therefore feel about a thing even if I can't ID my feelings. OR suuuuper delayed response (due to communication differences which also mean far behind peers learning social and internal vocabulary).

ADHD: no internal or external communication barrier, can go with the flow / improv, knows how they're feeling || Au: Alexithymia (most likely part and parcel due to accessibility and compatibility of / with words. could get a little easier with maturity)