Aspergers and ADHD

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I have a theory that people who claim to have asperger but not ADHD
are productive/more independent. But people who have both like me
are far less productive and independent. Anybody here feel that doe not apply?

I disagree. I have aspergers and ADHD and I find I am productive all the same. I've got a new job, I'm doing well in school, i have lots of great friends.

I am also independant. I can cook, clean, etc. The only way I am really dependant is on my friends.

I do not think a combination of ADHD/aspergers affects productivity/independance

Thats great Yameretzu. I read some other post about how you daydream alot.
Thats how I define my ADHD. I spend most(99.9%) my time daydreaming.
Do you take any stimulants other than caffiene? I want to know the degree
of impairment from ADHD you have at this time?

I can be quite independent but not productive. ADHD has affected my life quite a lot. I won't drive if I haven't taken my medication first. I also find studying very hard, not much gets done.
I can't really list positive aspects apart from having a unique perspective on life.

I have both AS and ADHD and I am productive enough to be essentially independent. That doesn't mean my household runs smoothly, though. I take medication in the morning before I go to work, but by the time I get home it's wearing off and too late for more, so the ADHD tends to be more of a problem at home. I tend to be quite reactionary instead of proactive, so although I have a lot of self-help skills I often end up not putting them to good use. I buy food when the shelf is empty, and do laundry when my sock drawer is empty. The days seem to pass very quickly, and when it's time for bed I often haven't accomplished very much and don't know where the time went. There are a lot of things around the house that need to be done and I know how to do all of them, but somehow it just never happens.

Jetson, I am like you in a lot of ways. Crap in my life just doesn't seem to get done until it absolutely has to. My room is always a mess, I never do my laundry until I absolutely have to and my schoolwork suffers a lot.

I don't think mine is the result of ADHD or ADD though. I just spend far too much time tinkering or researching my interests/obsessions, to the point where it is unhealthy. I'm going to have to figure out a way to get better at focussing on other things that are also important to me, and limiting my time spent on my interests (while not completely blocking them out, which would probably be devastating to me).

I have heard in some reports that there is controversy surrounding the notion whether or not AS and ADHD should coexist. Some of the symptoms tend to overlap, and some professionals believe that the ADHD symptoms could be a result of AS wiring. It's hard to tell, because there are some people who exhibit intense traits of both, from what I've heard and read.

ADHD was the first diagnosis I ever received, way back when I was really young, and then it was a diagnosis that was spreading like wildfire. I remember discussions centered on this notion that many students who were placed on Ritalin should not have been and so forth. Also, students who expressed a lot of anger, impulsivity and hyperactivity were almost always diagnosed with ADHD, and I've read some of the symptoms exacerbated with Ritalin. I was taken off Ritalin, because my parents said it made everything worse. The school also made remarks that it was harder for them to teach me.

I believe I had and still have, but to a much lesser degree, symptoms related to ADHD, but to say that I have it? I don't know. A neurologist once said that some of my symptoms were due to what he found out to be sub-clinical seizure activity, though I don't know if that has anything to do with ADHD. I was a perplexing kind of kid, because my symptoms were severe enough when younger that I was diagnosed with mild "childhood schizophrenia," if such a thing exists, in my early teens.

- Ray M -

Well I guess I should not use the term ADHD. We could say instead:

Can you focus your mind on hard tasks you do not enjoy and get them done often.

Given a choice I never get them done. Now I'm hoping if I get some anti-ADHD
drugs I will change. Thats my post purpose. Can reducing ADHD allow us to
get more out of life?

TheMachine1,

A lot of people that have been placed on drugs for ADHD or ADD when they really have AS have reported having their problems get worse. I'd be careful if I were you.

Yeah trapped I'm aware of problems. For one I do not like stimulants (epedrine,
high doses caffiene). I think I would have negative side effects from more
powerfull drugs. I'm getting zero work down now. I can not use my mind to
help myself. My mind just wants to daydream. I can use my body to do a
physical task but my mind tunes out. If it can not tune out the work does not get
done. Mental task never get done unless I really want to do them.
I'm at the point where I'm willing to entertain extreme risk.

Sorry if I offended you. Sometimes I open my mouth when I shouldn't, and other times I don't open my mouth when I should.

Seems like you've got it all planned out. Hopefully the ADHD drugs work for you, and help you get more done in life!

No trapped you did not offend me. I like to be free to say what I want,
and I want you to have that same freedom. What you have to say matters.

I cant have stimulants I'm too hyperactive. I take tablets to help me to focus.

They tend to prescribe stimulants to treat AD/HD...

At first I remember having been said that I have AD/HD at high school, but forgot about it. Then got told I have mild AS and Dyslexia. Though the whole AS thing was confusing. It seems that I have elements of AS but mostly Attention problems, and some behavioural problems, also a proneness to addictions.

I find that on Methylphenidate at first it was an incredible improvement, but then diminished after a month, and I became inconsistant again.
The past two months I've been on it again, it's not perfect but it has helped there needs to be other changes, I can't progress so well independently, and I rely on lots of support, reminding and so on.
Fortunatly a new term at college should give me some focus.

AD/HD I think will be considered an autism spectrum disorder I think. As many have similiar traits, and social problems, also can be quite ego centric and have sensory problems.

AD/HD and AS share 'hyper focus' apparently. This is the ability to think about the same thing for long periods, but not really have ny control over it.

So for instance I find that I switch off to what I'm doing alot. And I make mistakes because I am thinking about some many other things, and my thoughts just drift around, I should be thinking about crossing the road, or whatever.
Blah

Yes! I definitely feel that way. I feel like I am missing the full benefits of the Aspie concentration gifts:(
The ADHD makes my attention span much shorter and I get bored far more quickly than the average Aspie.

Its not so much that independence is the problem (such as taking care of yourself.. hell I am under the spectrum and have ADHD and I have a family to take care of!) but my problem is that I am horribly disorganized. In that way, I have to rely on help with organizing things better but.. so do many people! I don't know if it really gets that much into the way as far as independence goes.