ADHD-Inattentive or Asperger's?

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Hi elderwanda,

I relate to your post, with the exception that I somewhat struggled in school. For some time I have been researching to sort out the dynamic between various diagnoses, and it seems to come down to this: both AS and ADHD-I are behavioral diagnoses. They may be related, but depending upon how much or little "deficit" you show as an adult, you might not qualify for a diagnosis, even if you have the basic brain "wiring". Some people are able to compensate / develop areas of weakness and intelligence level seems to play a role in ones ability to improve function. From personal experience, even though I've developed very good communication, there are times that my communication abilities break down, often when I'm under stress.

On top of diagnoses being behaviorally based (currently), there is disagreement on how autism spectrum and attention deficit should be grouped and classified. One researcher, Adele Diamond, suggests that inattentive ADD is really a separate issue from hyperactive ADHD. An interesting paper she wrote in 2005 is found here.

Since every person is different, and can have any number of strengths and weaknesses in one individual, diagnosis can be extremely difficult because we all don't fit into the behavioral categories. I personally have alexithymia (difficulty naming/processing my emotions), mild dyslexia, inattentive ADHD, somewhat weak working memory & processing speed, and high visual-spatial IQ. Because those qualities can make communication, self-understanding, interpersonal relationships, and daily living somewhat difficult, over the years I've also developed (and been diagnosed with) social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and dysthymia (long-term, low-grade depression). But I've found that understanding my weaknesses allows me to work with them, instead of becoming overly anxious and depressed by them.

Weather or not you qualify for and AS or ADHD-I diagnosis, if learning about those conditions helps you understand yourself, that's really all that matters.

Z

Ideas

...

ADHD-Inattentive
Asperger's
Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD)
Dyspraxia (mild and so on)
Petit Mal/Absence (Complex Partial, TLE and so on)

Other

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Alertness
Attention
Attention Span
Attentive

Concentration

Distracted
Distractible

Focus

Inattentive

Mental Alertness
Memory/subtle memory difficulties/Working memory/Short-term memory/Long-term memory

Off Task
On Task

Sustained Attention

Time Off Task
Time On Task

etc.

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Cognition
Part vs Whole
Perception

Hearing
Taste
Touch
Vision

and so on

---

Energy
Energy Level

Work
Work Ethic

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Misunderstood Minds . Attention | PBS
Attention and the ability to focus are requirements for success in school. How does everyday distractedness differ from a real attention problem? ...
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/misunderstoodmi ... ntion.html - Cached - Similar

(Google)

http://www.neurologychannel.com/

Other

Hi,

I'm new to this forum. I'm hoping to learn more and answer some questions I have about myself.
I post fairly frequently on a UK based adhd site after being diagnosed a few months ago. I have learned lots from others with similar problems and issues.

Have been seeing a psychotherapist for over 2.5 years since self-combusting after a back injury. I am a really active person and tick ALL the boxes for adhd

It was my therapist who suggested AS. She thought I was almost from day 1, but only told me after I found out about adhd.

I think I am at the mild end of the spectrum for AS.....whereas for adhd I feel at the far end (temper tantrums as a child, very rebellious, very poor concentration, v easily distracted and never seem to finish anything I start !).

Regarding AS, I have a twin sister and as a child we did almost everything together, even though we are unidentical and quite different, but social issues were thus disguised. I would say things to my sister first and if she thought it was ok....I would then say it 'out loud'. So I struggled to understand what were appropriate things to say or do socially.

In a situation when I might be struggling.....I sometimes have an 'out of body' experience. I can see myself....and what I see is someone who doesn't fit in to that environment. I see others coping with everything while I am struggling. This is perhaps where the AS issues fit.

So as much as AS and ADHD seem very opposite.....I think they can exist together. We have very complex neurology so anything is possible

That's another discussion I've killed

I'll bring it up again when I have time,because it interests me personally. Like what's the difference between ED associated with AS and with IADD?

Cheers aimless.....felt like billy-no-mates for a while ! !

What's the difference between ED associated with AS and with IADD?

ED - Emotional Disorder ?

I think it would surely be the same....surely emotions are so deep and inter-twined that it would be impossible to separate the issues to work out differences

ED stands for Executive Dysfunction, which can cover a lot of territory.For the purpose of the discussion let's say it's the ability to make a plan and carry it through. Sorry for posting and running. I had just come in from a very long hard day at work and was too tired to go into detail. There is ED associated with AS meaning your difficulties come from AS and not from ADD. There is also AS with comorbid ADD meaning you have both. Inattentive ADD explains a lot of my problems but not my social or communication issues. I can see where it would, if you were unable to edit what you say and were frequently upsetting people. If anything I'm too cautious. Cheers.

ED.....ok....that makes sense.

I am really crap at planning and executing plans....I get really side tracked and do too many things at once....so don't finish anything !

My therapist said it was from AS....she was explaining how my symptoms fit.

My adhd means that I can be full of beans, loads of enthusiasm, very competitive.....and speak all the time.
But the AS side means I say the wrong thing....as brain doesn't understand what is the right thing to say.

It also means I struggle to make friends as I attract people with my personality and enthusiasm.....but I feel uncomfortable with the attention, so I back off and reject invitations. My few good friends understand this, but others don't understand why I am shy with invites.

Thanks for the explanation

Sadly, I've never felt loads of enthusiasm. I think I was born tired. I am always deficient of mental energy.

I was diagnosed with ADHD three years ago. I am 28 now. My older sister has ADHD too, and she describes me as "very" ADD. It is hard for me to tell with the social stuff. I grew up with four siblings, and learned a lot about what is "cool" and "uncool" social behavior from them. They were also my main play mates. I went to very small schools for my entire childhood and adolescence. Even though I had some "friends" I still always felt separate from my peers. Never bullied, but never fitting in either. High school I had an even more difficult time making friends. Sometimes I was incredibly lonely, and other times I just immersed myself into my interests (usually sci fi books and shows, and drawing). The best friends I made were through these common interests. College I had an extremely difficult time. I went to a large university and did not do well living with a stranger. Every sound and noise would irritate me. Any movement or light would keep me awake. I was overwhelmed and overstimulated by the end of my first semester. I transferred to a much smaller (under 2000) college that was known for being ubber dorky and intellectual. I felt at home for the first time in my entire life. For once I wasn't the "weird" one. Everyone was weird! It was fantastic, and I really didn't want to leave. Transitioning out of college was very difficult for me. Transitions in general are difficult. I got officially diagnosed with ADHD after entering graduate school for psychology research and being overwhelmed with the work load (no more being able to cut corners and bs my way out of things I didn't want to do). Now a couple of years later I am wondering if maybe ADHD was just half the diagnosis. The things that stick out to me are: being overwhelmed in new social situations, feeling hypersensitive to sound and light, getting really intense about specific interests, my routines are basically ritualistic/sacred, difficulty transitioning small and large tasks, being oppositional against rules I do not understand or are not logical or interfere with my specific interests, and I'm comforted by repetitive movements and hand wringing. My biggest ADHD symptoms are lack of planning and follow through finishing projects. I also have difficulty reading quickly and comprehensively. I am pretty high functioning as far as AS goes, especially socially. I used to have panic attacks if I wasn't comfortable in a specific environment. I'm a lot more adaptable these days, but still have very rigid preferences. Also, I'm a woman, so my interests are not exactly "typical" for AS. I enjoy numbers more than the average person, but not obsessive about remembering birthdays or such. I am not an engineer, but enjoy building things from scratch a lot. I would probably enjoy going on a shopping spree in a hardware store more than a clothing store honestly. I think in pictures, and have been drawing since a very young age. I don't know. To me it sounds like it fits, but when I talk about it with people close to me I get different reactions to it. I have taken a couple of online tests and almost all of them suggest that I likely have AS and should consult a professional. Maybe that's all I can do at this point, instead of fixating on it and writing about it at 2am! Uggg....

How fitting that my very first post is in this thread!

I am properly diagnosed with ADHD-I and thought it accurately depicted my situation. It did not, however, explain my aversion to physical touch and desire to be alone a majority of the time. It did not help explain why I cannot understand women -AT ALL- despite preferring their company over men. I have missed out on countless potential relationships simply because I couldn't see that they were interested in me romantically. I just thought they found me interesting!

Some questions I had were:
How can I have ADHD-I when I am so routine-based and orderly?
Why am I always called an as*hole just because I tell it like it is? I thought people liked honesty...
I turn down invites from friends for activities that I don't find interesting. Why does it surprise me that they stop inviting me to -anything-?
Why do NT single women hate video games so much?

I find a lot of similarities here and am going to spend the entire weekend reading and researching AS. I tend to do that, and I understand a lot of aspie's do that, too. Go figure.

WOW ARE WE TWINS?!?

the comment in plusses, at least for me, is because they don't want me to be an aspie. My sister is an SLP and she refuses to test me. I think my family fears that I may be on the spectrum, and to them, its like a failure on their part or something. I come from a very traditional family, and we don't talk about our "issues." So, perhaps, they simply don't WANT you to have it, because it will mean there is a mark on their name? That's how I feel about my situation, at least.

Just know that you aren't alone; it gives me great comfort, at least. Even though I prefer to be alone

Though hyperactivity can cause someone with ADHD to be very chatty, it's not necessarily the case. From what I've read, both people with ADHD and people with AS can have social issues, especially as a child. But the social problems are caused by different things; with ADHD it can be blurting out things, or not paying attention instead of not understanding social cues.

Also keep in mind that inattentive ADHD has a lack of this hyperactivity, though I'm not sure how that would specifically affect social relationships.


Elderwanda, from what you've said, I'd guess that you have AS because you have stims, intense interests and have trouble understanding social situations. That's not explained by ADHD. It's hard to distinguish between ADHD and AS in general since their symptoms can appear to be very similar.

Hahaha, brother from another mother?

The responses so far have not necessarily been negative, but some are very dismissive (No you don't have that. You function socially). The one that made me doubt myself the most was an old family friend, who admittedly I haven't seen or talked to in ages, but specializes in working with ASD children (verbal therapist). She new me pretty well in my youth, and has some professional knowledge on the subject. She dismissed it. Granted this was a conversation I heard about second hand through my Mom. I wasn't there to defend myself. My Mom was quick to accept her opinion over mine which kind of hurt a little, because she was very receptive to it at first. My Dad I think hardly cares. I mean he cares, but he's also very ADHD and we come from a history of family with ADHD, OCD, ASD, and other stuff, so he's kind of like "Yeah, our genes are a bit odd, so nothing surprises me anymore". He's generally very accepting and positive about it. My older sister (the one also diagnosed with ADHD) agreed with me right away. I told two of my professors. One of them was completely supportive, the other dismissed it, saying I didn't have it.

I think part of it is shame, but probably more so about themselves, not me. The people who were less accepting of the idea were the ones who were less accepting of those characteristics (and any mental health stuff) in themselves. The ones who were more accepting were the ones who already embraced their own "weirdness". No surprise there I guess.

I have both.

Problem is, antidepressants make my GAD (anxiety) go through the roof and even a low-dose stimulant makes my heart beat at a rate of 120 bpm. So I'm having a hard time coping.

Do you think you could get by without the ADD meds? For me, those had the worst side effects. I'd rather be all ADD than depressed