Autism and ADHD

A few weeks ago I had a conversation about autism, ADD, and ADHD; and how I have many traits of ADHD. I know there is significant overlap in autistic and ADHD traits, so I’ve never given it much thought. However, since I didn’t really know what ADD is, I decided afterwards to learn more about it.

The more I read about ADD, the more I recognized its traits in myself. I also learned that the term ADD is apparently outdated and is now one of three types of ADHD used in diagnosing. The first type is called “Predominantly Inattentive Presentation,” which used to be called ADD. People with this type struggle mostly with concentration, attention, and organization; and are often quiet daydreamers. The second type of ADHD is called “Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulse Presentation,” which is characterized by fidgeting, hyperactivity, an inability to sit still, and being impulsive. The third type, “Combined Presentation,” is as the name indicates, a combination of the previous two types of ADHD.

Of course, I do have to keep in mind the overlap between autism and ADHD. For instance, both can cause problems with executive dysfunction. This means, in essence, that you have difficulty with planning; organizing; managing and starting tasks; and time management. There is more to it, but for this article, this is the most important part. If you’re interested, I did describe it more extensively in my article ‘Executive functioning and my college experience’.  

Moreover, both autistics and people with ADHD can experience hyperfocus, especially when it comes to their special interests. Both can also show difficulties with social interaction, for instance with understanding social cues; or with sensory sensitivities, being highly sensitive to sensory stimuli, such as texture, light, or sound. Rejection sensitivity is another possible common trait, which shows up when one feels rejected, criticized or like one has failed, and results in a profound emotional and physical reaction. These are just some examples, but there are many more.

I’ve recognized for quite some time that I have many overlapping traits, but I’ve never before entertained the thought that I might actually have ADHD. That has changed these past few weeks. The reason why is that I not only recognized common traits between autism and ADHD in myself, but also a many traits that are specific to ADHD. Among these are being distracted easily (unless being in hyperfocus, of course), experiencing mental chaos and mood swings. I often feel like there’s a switch in my brain, controlling my emotions. I can actually feel when my mood sways toward the negative side, like being sad or angry. It’s like a switch is flicked in my brain.

My short term memory is also far from great. I am  quite the forgetful person. I have to check repeatedly all the time if I have my keys and other belongings with me when leaving the house or whether I have locked the door. Or people talk to me and I forget what’s been said or what I have said within seconds.

There’s also restlessness, being impulsive, and needing novelty. I get bored quite easily, and need to find new things to learn all the time. Additionally, while I am easily over stimulated, I am also a sensory seeker. I am also a person with many ideas and projects, but these are accompanied by problems with executing them and bringing them to a successful end. I’ve lost track of the number of times where I started projects greatly motivated, only to abandon them because I got bored. Moreover, I cannot focus and motivate myself until doing tasks have become absolutely necessary. I might want to perform a certain task sooner, but I simply cannot do it until the need to do it is undeniable. I possess more ADHD traits, but I won’t describe them all, because it is simply too long a list to discuss in detail in one article.

The feeling that there is a good chance that I have AuDHD, as many call it, won’t let go of me. That’s why I have an appointment tomorrow with a behavioral expert of the organization I live with. Many have asked me why I want to get tested, what it will bring me. My answer to all of them was that it will help me get to know myself better, and that it will give me tools for traits that I feel I don’t have them for yet. When I find out whether I have ADHD or not, I will have a better idea where to look for the tools that I feel I still need.

I have been warned that it can be difficult to distinguish between being autistic with overlapping ADHD traits and actually being AuDHD. But I have to know which one applies to me. It simply feels too important. It may be difficult and the process may be hard and exhausting, but I need certainty, clarity. There are still characteristics of me that I cannot explain with autism alone and I just need to know more about. I will keep you updated as I move forward in this process.

My apologies for the comment section down below being in Dutch. This can, unfortunately, not be altered to English.