How do other people manage their comorbid asd/adhd?

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Hi Redrobin62,

I banned cigarettes and alcohol from my life quite a few years ago. Not because I was addicted, but because I decided alcohol kills too many brain cells. Even when your brain is somewhat dysfunctional, I figure its best to preserve as much of it as you can in good order.

Although I used to smoke I've given up that up now as well. Its very expensive to smoke in Australia, because new taxes are always being imposed. Also cigarette packets have pictures of cancerous teeth and things like that on them. See for example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgkwYyPUMsU . This is an anti smoking ad here in kangaroo country.

That aside I reckon I feel healthier not smoking as well. I'm sure alcohol would reduce anxiety but I also tend to get the sad comedown after the nice happy uninhibited high. I wonder if drinking is good for angry people. It reduces your inhibitions and you feel ok about doing stupid things like fighting.

Stay well

Thanks, Copernicus. Today has been more productive. I discovered that noises contributed a lot to my attention span. I'd never have thought sounds like the air conditioner, rustling of my own clothes, and my own pencil writing on paper could disctract me so much. It helped somewhat to wear noise blocking heaphones.

This can all be a lot take in. Did you suspect you had ADHD or ASD or both ?

Like you, I am also ADHD and ASD comorbid. ADHD (combined type) diagnosis first. ASD, just over a year later.

And like you, my ADHD doctor started me on Ritalin. He later switched me to the slow release Concerta.

Try not to think about the conditions, labels or comorbidity. Focus on specific symptoms, which you'd like to improve. Some symptoms you might be able manage with calendars, a central list of contacts and to do list. Others may require professional support like counselling. Do plenty of research and see how you can help yourself. Consider attending support groups. I go to both an aspergers/ASD and an ADHD group.

As mentioned by others, obsessions are a recurring theme. And it's certainly a big part of my life, too. I've met other people with our ASD and ADHD comorbidity. They same the thing. Obsessive behaviour and all or nothing approach to tasks.

Overall, my ADHD feels like something that needs controlling. And the ASD is a work in progress. In my ASD assessment, I scored 16/80 on the empathy quotient. 30/80 and below is the autism threshold.

ADHD and ASD combine to make for poor executive function. This all about self supervision and working memory. I have terrible executive function, which has resulted in a poor employment. So I now do highly detailed to-do lists, regular meetings with my manager. I struggle in company meetings, so try to keep them short.

As well as ADHD medication, I also take an anti-psychotic. This has helped eliminate some unwelcome episodes.

With some success, I've moderated my drinking. And I use my bicycle a lot for the daily commute to work or other trips. Excercise helps.

I'm in London, UK. All my medical help is free on our National Health Service. Though you have to pay for your prescriptions - either approx US$11 per item or $130 per year for unlimited prescriptions.

Have a look at this UK health report on ADHD and ASD comorbidity
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/pdf/Whitwell%2 ... pdates.pdf

I also write articles on Quora about all this.
https://www.quora.com/profile/Nicholas- ... e=e10aa626

Or read one my Quora articles
https://www.quora.com/How-do-ASD-and-AD ... e=b1fe945c

You have put a lot of effort into looking after yourself. It can be done. And it is rewarding.

Hi Shinkansen,

Thanks for your very detailed response.

I think your approach to understanding symptoms is the right way. Initially I think I got very caught up in the individual diagnostic categories. However its not really very informative. Nevertheless thanks for that UK health link with the crossover of the symptoms. I wish there were a few more resources about the crossover of the two. Thanks also for your quora article.

Links to, or references for any other useful resources would be appreciated.

I'm attending an ASD group for adults but I didn't realise there were ADHD support groups. I'll have to do some research.

Yes my executive function is a bit patchy as well and I really find that staying organised is a huge source of stress in my life. Now that I've started using the Ritalin I've made a new effort to get organised again and also to remove as much clutter as possible from my life. I find clutter is both distracting and kind of overwhelming, even though I seem to always accumulate it. Grrrrrrrrrr! I've even swapped to kindle books to reduce clutter. Our previous apartment was stuffed full of books.

Luckily I got rid of alcohol from my life years ago. I'm just an occasional social drinker now. I'm sure its been better for my overall health, although now I have to deal with the social anxiety its so good at covering up. Luckily I have a partner who doesn't really drink at all.

I'm also in the process on trying to integrate more exercise into my life, but thats a bit of a work in progress. I'd quite like to ride but my significant other is worried that I'll have an accident in the busy Sydney traffic.

I think in Australia psychiatric care isn't nearly as well funded as in Britain. Some people end up having to pay for a psychiatrist. I've been lucky in that regard though. Because I was already taking antidepressants, my GP referred me to a Government funded (bulk billed in Australian terms) psychiatrist. He was the psychiatrist who added the ASD and ADHD diagnoses to depression and anxiety.

Btw I hope you don't find it intrusive to ask, but I was wondering has your anti-psychotic been prescribed for ADHD, or ASD related issues, or a separate psych problem? I didn't know that anti-psychotics could be helpful for ASD related issues, so I'm interested to know.

Cheers and thanks again for your reply.

Copernicus,

I'm on a Whatsapp ADHD group here in the UK. It's for everybody, so could join too.

This report published by the UK's National Health Service (NHS) looks at autism and ADHD
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/pdf/Whitwell%2 ... pdates.pdf

After being diagnosed with ADHD, I had some further unwelcome episodes and my doctor then went on to prescribe the antipsychotic Olanzapine. I was later diagnosed with ASD. As it turns out, there's some research suggesting antipsychotics may help with some of the symptoms of ASD. http://researchautism.net/autism-interv ... and-autism

Cheers - Shinkansen