The AuDHD Balancing Act

For those of you with Autism + ADHD, do you find there is a balance between the two conditions? Does one interact with, or counteract, the other to some degree?

My ADHD kept me jumping up out of my chair so often that I made easy connections with people at work. When I went on stimulant medication, I was much more able to sit still, but found that over the years, those connections were largely lost and I ended up on the outside looking in. There was probably a balance between my ADHD and my Autism that had been lost. OTOH, I got a lot more work done. In my home life, I became more taciturn and less spontaneous. I got more DIY done, but I found it difficult to maintain much connection with my kids when they hit the teenage wasteland.

Off the meds (for two years), I feel I have my "spark" back to some degree, but my ability to get anything done has largely disappeared. There is no "happy medium" here, though. I'm either too unable to work, or I'm too likely to become a hermit. I'm finding it hard to figure out which option I would prefer to live with.

Parents
  • I wonder if a lower dosage of stimulant medication would be more beneficial for you? I remember in college I was using wayy too high of a dose and I would practically turn into a robot. Now I’m on a small dosage and I feel like I have achieved a good amount of balance.

  • Yeah, I was thinking that too. I started low and each time I started struggling to do anything (every few years), my dose was upped. In hindsight, I was probably bordering on burnout each time and the extra dopamine helped lift my mood, but it wasn't the right strategy. I probably needed rest, not more pep pills.

  • Yeah I think that’s exactly what happened to me in college as well. It might not be a terrible idea to try it out again if you and your doctor think it’s safe to do.

  • I was reading something on Reddit from people who'd been jumping through the hoops. It seems that as adults, we're now supposed to just grow up, cop on to ourselves, and do some CBT. If that doesn't work, it's because we're not trying hard enough.

  • Gotcha, wow. Yeah, that’s some hefty barriers towards renewing the medication.

    Word on the street is that very few doctors in my jurisdiction will prescribe stimulants to adults; they nearly all believe it's a childhood "disease" that we grow out of.

    That’s so ridiculous! Ugh.

  • My doctor retired and didn't tell me about it or transfer me to his replacement. I took the opportunity of phoning a "wrong number" to take a break from the pills. I'd have to go through the whole referral process again to even see a shrink, let alone get back on the pills. Word on the street is that very few doctors in my jurisdiction will prescribe stimulants to adults; they nearly all believe it's a childhood "disease" that we grow out of. Stimulants are not even licensed for use by adults where I am; they have to be prescribed "off label". My old shrink did that (after trying other horrible drugs first), but would a new one? I can't even face the initial phone calls, let alone face the almost inevitable brush-off. At least I can say I've been on them before and they helped, I suppose.

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  • My doctor retired and didn't tell me about it or transfer me to his replacement. I took the opportunity of phoning a "wrong number" to take a break from the pills. I'd have to go through the whole referral process again to even see a shrink, let alone get back on the pills. Word on the street is that very few doctors in my jurisdiction will prescribe stimulants to adults; they nearly all believe it's a childhood "disease" that we grow out of. Stimulants are not even licensed for use by adults where I am; they have to be prescribed "off label". My old shrink did that (after trying other horrible drugs first), but would a new one? I can't even face the initial phone calls, let alone face the almost inevitable brush-off. At least I can say I've been on them before and they helped, I suppose.

Children