Tired of the ADHD correlations...

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I'm a little sick of the constant correlations people make between ADHD and autism/ENTP. I do NOT have, and have NEVER had, ADHD. It's things like this that make me wonder if I'm really just a misdiagnosed INTP -- that perhaps autism doesn't really apply, but that INTPs are so socially inept that they are sometimes mistaken for autistics.

Hyperactivity and wandering attention spans are what the high energy extroverts have -- so energetic and focused on the outer environment that they can't sit still, disengage from their environment, and reflect for very long. Instead, I find it easy to focus intently on singular, reflective tasks; my attention doesn't flit around from one thing to another in hyperactive or energetic fashion. I may daydream a little if I don't like something, but that's different from being a ball of energy that can't sit down and think for long periods of time -- I'm NOT the latter type of person. I found it EASY to excel in school at ALL grade levels. School is the EASIEST thing I have EVER done in life; getting high grades and following directives is NOT difficult. Completing large books is not a problem. Taking tests is not a problem. I can also sit and do absolutely nothing for hours; sleep on end. That is the complete opposite of being "hyperactive."

Looking forward to the day when the diagnostic criteria for these things is more consistent, covers for other variables, and can consistently predict behavior more accurately. I don't disapprove of labels or categories -- I just want them to be completely accurate for a change. And as of right now, they aren't...

Just because they are correlated doesn't mean that every single person with autism has AD(H)D, it just means that people with autism are more likely to have AD(H)D. I have been diagnosed with ADD in addition to autism and I don't doubt that at all, in fact I didn't know about my ADD diagnosis until I was talking to my mom about how I think I have ADD a few months ago. I have read statistics that as many as 50% of autistic people have AD(H)D compared to 10% of the general population having AD(H)D. You are clearly part of the 50% that can easily pay attention to things, but you are a sample size of one which is not enough to overturn scientific studies. I think you may be misunderstanding the definition of "correlation".

Oh, I understand that correlation doesn't equal causation. Nonetheless, for those of us 50% who don't have that condition, it gets annoying that there isn't a more precise system of sub-categories that describe people more accurately. Perhaps someday the categories will become more refined so that the assumption isn't constantly made. It gets unbelievably tiresome to explain to people that, no, I never had academic problems in school, and no, autism doesn't automatically mean a person will have such problems...because, then, you know, people start questioning the diagnosis, because they know person x, y, and z who have ADHD, and so they argue for misdiagnosis of me, and it just gets more irritating from there.

I see.