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 Reply Children