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Are there any Autistic people who also have ADHD here?

Pootalfun

Hi everyone,  I was diagnosed with both Autism and ADHD and would like to connect with similar people for advice please. In particular I would like to hear of experiences from people who take ADHD medication. I have started Elvanse for my ADHD, only three days in now. I wonder if anyone else takes an ADHD stimulant and whether it affects their autistic traits in any way? I appreciate that this is a very personal ask and maybe people won’t want to disclose this and that’s absolutely fine isn’t it? Otherwise, just chatting with others about how it feels to have both autism and ADHD will be so helpful for me, I don’t know any people with both. Thank you 

Parents

  • I’m autistic and I’m on an NHS waiting list for an ADHD assessment. An excellent article on AuDHD in the NAS magazine a few months ago made me more sure that I have ADHD. My brain is constantly torn between rigidness, structure and silence, and the need for novelty. I am highly organised in some areas, yet disorganised in others. It’s exhausting as it feels like I’m constantly trying to bring my autistic brain and ADHD brain together in a way that is fit for daily life. 

  • in reply to ArchaeC

       yes I agree that having both conditions is exhausting! I crave routine, stability, sameness and structure and then get bored and change things up but regret it. I am always changing my mind, which is so frustrating and I have lost confidence in making decisions. I have changed job soooo many times because I get bored once I have finished learning everything and that stimulation the learning brings has finished. Then I feel highly anxious starting a new job, new workplace and meeting all of the new people. I am unfortunately at that stage once again (have been in current job 18 months) and this time I am resisting the urge!!

  • in reply to Pootalfun

    I think the solution may be to accept no job can be novel and  interesting all the time. So view it as stability and a steady income, a routine.

    Look for novelty and new things elsewhere. Do a new thing at the weekend or in the evening.

    If work is boring, it can help to regulate you so you have more energy for living rather than working.

    If you really want your job to provide all the stimulation you may struggle and changing too much will become harder. You need to do something you really love, or that is very stressful, if you want it to fully occupy your mind. But it won't leave room for much else.

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  • in reply to Pootalfun

    I think the solution may be to accept no job can be novel and  interesting all the time. So view it as stability and a steady income, a routine.

    Look for novelty and new things elsewhere. Do a new thing at the weekend or in the evening.

    If work is boring, it can help to regulate you so you have more energy for living rather than working.

    If you really want your job to provide all the stimulation you may struggle and changing too much will become harder. You need to do something you really love, or that is very stressful, if you want it to fully occupy your mind. But it won't leave room for much else.

Children
  • in reply to Stuart333

       this is a really useful way of looking, a perspective I’ve never tried so thank you. Interestingly I have started to think about engaging in my interests more on my days off. It’s such a juggle as my autism craves solitude but my job is with many people so I’ll have a think about solo interests to balance. I think the ADHD is more of a battle because it wants constant stimulation and the Autism doesn’t!!! As I’ve mentioned on a different post I’ve began ADHD meds so this may help that craving novelty side of me.