Wrapping my head around this...

[Lorayluv7]

So as usual I I couldn't sleep so I'm on the internet Google YouTube what have you researching ADHD tips on how to better manage time on tasks and not to be distracted so that sent me down a little rabbit hole somehow some way I came across autism and apparently ADHD is kind of somewhat linked to that and I checked off a few boxes of being autism I don't know how to feel about that I feel like that's just another thing that's wrong with me another thing have to work on another thing I have to understand another thing I have to accept and embrace I don't know how to take this information and yes I know social media is not the way to self diagnose but the worst some professional license people that were giving the check off list and I checked off a few boxes I don't know how to feel about this

[ShariIsBlessed1]

I suspect that I’m on the autism spectrum, but have not been tested. I have an ASD grandson, nephew, & strongly suspect that my dad was on the spectrum. Other family members agree. An adult daughter is neurodivergent, but I’m not sure what her diagnosis is. She hasn’t shared it; I’m not going to press the issue. I was just diagnosed with ADHD a year ago at age 68. It was such a relief. I didn’t realize how much I was shaming myself.

My psychiatrist suspects that I am dealing with other neurodivergent issues such as bipolar, but we both agree that I need to learn how to work with ADHD before considering treatment for anything else. Changing lifetime habits, responses, etc is a slow process for me. I’m learning to give myself grace when I mess up. Forgiveness without excuses.

All of this word vomit is to say that many of us who have ADHD do have other neurodivergent issues. We may or may not need to learn tools to use for the other issues caused by out neurodivergency.

[webpoet1]

I am not a mental health professional and not a good idea to try to self diagnose. But depending on what the boxes were that you checked, sometimes ADHD and autism have similar symptoms. Example sensory sensitivity. Emotional sensitivity. Hyperfocus. And it is because these can be so lookalike between the two that it is better to talk to a trained professional . As these questions are really about human traits and it is more about the degree of them and the overall pattern. And if there is anything that CAN'T be explained simply by ADHD?

Remember that you are you. And you have always been you. So whatever this is, it is not something new

The important thing is to accept yourself

I have friends who have self identified as autistic and they are some of the most caring wise creative and compassionate people I know.

[Lorayluv7 in reply to webpoet1]

I do accept All of me every Little bit of me I don't know it's just what I've been going through lately with this coworker he has paid me question All of me all over again and I don't know why I've had let him get under my skin. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this may be another thing that's added to my list of what's wrong with me I'm okay with it I mean it again it just makes sense I now have a label to what is wrong with the things that I do I mean I do sway back and forth when I'm standing still that could be a ADHD I do fidget a lot I carry around my fidget toy I don't like to touch of cluster of circles kind of like a beehive looking type thing I hate that it gives me the creeps even just looking at it I don't like the texture of satin or silk because it gives me the static shock and usually a lot of people think like oh you got a little shop but with me when I get a side of shock I feel it all over my body and I hate that I have a little purple the back of my neck that to this day I can't stand it it creeps me out every time I touch it when I do my hair every time a little fingertips rub against it when I'm pulling up my hair in a ponytail can't stand it the smell of certain cleaning products can't stand it and at my age I'm not that old but on my age I love to sit Indian style I don't know if that's a thing but that's how I sit all day everyday if I have the chance and if it was up to me I would love to walk around barefoot I don't know it's something about the feel of the ground on my feet it just feels good socks I can bear it just depends on the sock I don't like shoes I don't know I went too far I went off subject point is I am accepting of who I am it's just kind of bothersome that there's just another thing attitude list of what is wrong with me it took me a long time to accept that I have bipolar ADHD anxiety panic depression it took a long time for me to get to where I am today but I'll get there accepting the fact that I have on just another thing to accept

[Mamamichl]

I suggest you watch these you tubers and read their books (audiobooks are ready by the authors): how to adhd (book by same name), the holderness family (book is adhd is awesome), and adhd_love (books are small talk and dirty laundry). The last couple may have the husband as autistic, but they aren’t sure. The symptoms do overlap.

My diagnoser was on the fence for me because of my sensory sensitivities and attention to organization. I think another way to tell the difference is if you don’t pay attention to body language (adhd), or if you can’t decipher them (autism) in real life.