Asperger's & ADHD - what's it like? I just got diagnosed

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I was just diagnosed yesterday with Aspergers and ADHD.

The Aspergers I had self-diagnosed for the past 2 months, but the ADHD was a surprise. Explains why I talk so bloody fast then and jump from one topic to another...

I had previously read that the two conditions can often go hand in hand. But I never suspected myself having ADHD because my impression of it was totally different from what it is (just like my impression of Aspies was totally wrong, influenced by reading Simon Baron-Cohen who almost implies aspies lack emotion and are almost borderline sociopaths -- which is frankly horrifying now that I have learned more about the condition).

The psychologist told me them two conditions in one person can mask symptoms of one another. For instance, some of my academic successes have been possible because of the Aspie hyperfocus. Other times, I have been told I am extremely distracted, and an easily distractible person. For instance, I had to delete my facebook account in order to get anything done.

Anyone else with the two conditions at the same time? Or any other points of view would also be greatly appreciated.

Yours truly,
the hyperactive cat lover

I suspect I may have ADHD so I'm interested to hear more about how they combine for you. What you've said sounds familiar to me, I have a pretty decent academic record which would never flag me up as a concern but I suspect not nearly as good as it would be if I could focus better. I probably do so well in my current job because things like Facebook are blocked at work so distractions aren't easily available.

I got diagnosed with ADD/ADHD back in the 80's, back when aspergers was not on the radar. I never really thought it was my real mental issues at the time ether. Once I got diagnosed with AS, things started to make a lot more sense. I've been told that it's not uncommon for people who really have AS to get misdiagnosed with ADD/ADHD.

I seem to have similar things to ADHD but I do not have it. I do pace, I get hyper, have a hard time concentrating or staying focused and I do talk fast. I have been tested for it too as a kid because it was suspected but they only said it was ADD. But now it's all ADHD but with different sub types. But my mom knew that dx was not correct because treatment I was getting for it wasn't working so she knew there was something else going on.

One thing that concerns me about getting trying to get diagnosed is medication, stimulants seem to be the norm. Stimulants (caffeine at least but the doctor suspects others) give me heart palpitations, anxiety, nausea and muscle spasms. So medication looks like a far worse option than staying as I am. I've also heard horror stories of people going to the doctor for other things, being recommended a medication, explaining they're allergic to it, and the doctor telling them they're an idiot and a timewaster for expecting any help if they knew they were allergic to it. My main objective would be support at work and having a name for why some learning styles (mainly reading) are a complete dead loss on me and a legally binding reason to make people stop enforcing them on me and being pissed off at me when they don't work.

Thank you for asking how my symptoms overlap. Having only heard this yesterday, I have had limited time to process this information, but here are my current thoughts:

- I was a complete underachiever until 3 years ago, when I used my aspie hyperfocus to do an academic project that came really good and I am now doing doctoral research at a uni and other high level projects etc. Before that, my past was littered with unfinished projects, and apparently that can be an ADHD trait - due to the 'easily distracted' thing. (Although even more so, I say, due to having huge anxiety in 'putting myself out there' in any way, work-wise)

- I do a form of performing arts and whenever I perform I commonly get people telling me that it was incredible because I was so 'energetic' and, uncannily' 'hyperactive'. Apparently people like to watch that kind of stuff. In fact the stage is the place I can feel I can truly be myself; whatever I say there is considered funny and hilarious, whereas when I've tried to do that in other contexts such as even with friends or with other artists working on art projects, it has turned out to be a real faux pas and over the years many, many people have been turned off by me. (Now the same people admire me on stage. It's weird.) So the hyperactivity comes from ADHD and the lack of social cues (ie I can't be my full hyperactive self elsewhere, although I repeatedly make the mistake of trying) comes from Asperger's.

- I really, severely have to restrict my internet access and do all sorts of mental self care every day (meditation, free association writing) in order to keep some focus onto what I am unleashing my energies upon. That's ADHD as I now understand it, but it's also scary as when my aspie hyperfocus takes over, I can all of a sudden spend 2 months researching shamanism and not even Facebook could stop me (and obviously there's no hope for work then; luckily the academic world is really good with this kind of stuff as it all helps with getting new ideas; but this tendency of mine needs to be monitored and moderated on a daily basis, by myself, in order for me to not f**k up everything I've achieved over the past few years).

-I'm a pain in the ass socially, I really am. As I have said elsewhere, my life took off when I started to hang out with other misfits, successful ones. Successful as in 'genuine and happy at being who they are though they are different from others'. Many of them are also financially successful and otherwise, and equally many of them live in relative poverty but with immense inner riches.
Before finding the right kind of people, my social life simply sucked. People would find me 'too intense'. I suppose that's aspie combined with ADHD. I am so grateful for having found people who accept me the way I am (although I can't unleash my full hyperactive self on them, but hey, thank god there's the stage for that stuff).

These are just a few thoughts that came to my mind. I definitely identify with being an Aspie, and the ADHD makes sense now too, but I would say my aspie stuff is more predominant, because some of my 'true special interests' have been with me since very early childhood and whatever I do cannot distract me too far away from them, and sometimes thanks to my ADHD I have actually come across some stuff that I would have never found if I deliberately searched for it, as I wouldn't have known to search for it in the first place. Most recently, coming across aspergers/HFA two months ago, and quite quickly having the penny drop that this is what explains my life more than anything else ever before.

Thank you for asking, I am also hyperlexic so writing really helps me clarify my thoughts, so thank you for prompting me to do so!