Thread 82150673

As a diagnosed autist I've seen a huge trend over the past years of autistic spaces being taken over by "AuDHD" people who constantly parrot the meme that "autism and ADHD are le same! we are so similar!!!"

But when I look at the real world facts, the two disorders couldn't be more different.

ADHD people are often:
>hyperactive and quirky, which are viewed as likeable characteristics by neurotypicals
>extroverted and make friends easily
>fit in extremely well with modern, tiktokified, low-attention span NT culture
>form romantic relationships EXTREMELY easily (most ADHD people i've met are almost never single)

Whereas autistic people are:
>viewed as weird, creepy and off-putting by NTs
>suffer extreme social anxiety making forming friendships near-impossible
>tend to have very specific, in-depth, nerdy interests which NTs and ADHD people alike deem "boring". we also tend to consume long-form content and long-winded essays etc
>famously unsuccessful in romance, with most autists being kissless virgins late into life (if not forever)

Anecdotally I also find that the flakiness of ADHD people is profoundly upsetting to me. As an autist, I am hyper-sensitive to any signs that someone dislikes me or doesn't enjoy my company. An ADHD person cancelling plans or ignoring my messages "due to their ADHD symptoms", is to me completely indistinguishable from an NT doing the exact same thing simply because they dislike me. And as an autist I simply cannot imagine doing the same thing myself to another person - if someone messages me or makes plans with me, I will ALWAYS reciprocate, unless I outright dislike them in which case I will simply politely and promptly turn them down.

I just cannot understand this false association between autism and ADHD. To me, the two disorders are pretty much polar opposites in most respects.

>>82150673 (OP)
adhd and autism are not the same not even close

>>82150686
And yet if you go into any autistic community or social space online, people will say the exact opposite. Some will literally even try to claim "ADHD and autism are part of the exact same spectrum".

Most autistic communities now ironically feel more catered to ADHD people than they do to autistic people. If you have pure autism, you are the minority, because "AuDHD" people muscle you out.

It's just bizarre to me. Being a bit older, I can't help but notice this is a recent trend too. There were very few, if any at all, "AuDHD" people in autistic forums and communities I frequented in the early 2010s when I was first diagnosed, we were almost all pure autistic. But in the past few years, everything has changed.

Everything on that chart applies to me. Im so fucked but I already knew that.

>>82150673 (OP)
Because they are both made up nonsense made to drug healthy kids into being zombies

>>82150734
How though? How can you suffer from both the need for repetition that autism brings, and the need for constant new stimulation that ADHD demands?

It's just non-sensical to me. Most ADHD symptoms seem to me to be the polar opposite of their autistic equivalents. That is to say, I view ADHD people as "turbo-neurotypicals", they are everything I dislike about NTs dialled up to 11.

>>82150673 (OP)
>extroverted and make friends easily
>fit in extremely well with modern, tiktokified, low-attention span NT culture
>form romantic relationships EXTREMELY easily (most ADHD people i've met are almost never single)
kill yourself we are not like that

>>82150750
>How though? How can you suffer from both the need for repetition that autism brings, and the need for constant new stimulation that ADHD demands?
Some days are different for me, anon. I can expand more if you're interested in hearing about it but not if you just want to argue with an anon.

>>82150760
>>extroverted and make friends easily
>>fit in extremely well with modern, tiktokified, low-attention span NT culture
>>form romantic relationships EXTREMELY easily (most ADHD people i've met are almost never single)
>kill yourself we are not like that
You are though?

ADHD is an extremely normie-friendly mental illness. It doesn't come with any built-in social disadvantages. You don't have any problem reading social cues, like we autistics do.

If you are failing to make friends or form relationships, it's not because of your ADHD. Something else is causing it. You can't use ADHD as an excuse for that, I'm afraid.

>>82150774
Darting constantly between two different mindsets sounds like NT behavior to me, desu.

As an autist I am completely set in my ways, I cannot fathom the idea of my wants/needs changing so drastically from day-to-day.

>>82150794
>Darting constantly between two different mindsets sounds like NT behavior to me, desu.
I would like to think that I'm neurological. I know something is wrong and it has pretty much ruined my life.

>>82150673 (OP)
They're not the same disorders. I was diagnosed with ADHD and later Autism. The easiest way to describe it is that my brain basically wants 2 different things at the same time. I'm constantly conflicting with myself. I can't get a girlfriend, I'm often seen as weird by others, and have niche interests that nobody else gives a shit about. My sister, on the other hand, who only has ADHD is exactly like you described. She's popular, dated multiple guys, and shares the same interests with most people. I feel like the people who think ADHD and Autism is on the same spectrum are just self-diagnosed larpers.

>>82150673 (OP)
The two disorders are imaginary so yeah, they're the same shit. 0 is equal to 0

"Why do people do thing" is a silly question to bother yourself with. People do, think and say all kinds of dumb shit. There's nothing you can do about it. I know you probably can't help it, but I'm just letting you know.

>ignore that the red face can also ADHD symptoms
>ignore the blue face can also be Autism symptoms
At least you are proving you have the 'tism by evidence of your posts ITT. Your lack of self-awareness has made you not realize that symptoms overlap, and multiple disorders with the same symptoms can exist at the same. Comorbidity is a well kniwn concept. It isn't black and white like you want to make it look like.

A skilled clinician with knowledge of both can tease each out. Many with AuDHD have had these tests done and a psychometrists (psychologist skilled in interpreting psychological tests) have done these tests along with long clinical interviews. They conclude these diagnoses through interpretation of the data.

I trust them more than you who have not done any clinical training and are relying on pop psychology sites and images. You rely more on the stereotypes of both. Many with ADHD do not have the things mentioned on yoyr ADHD side because there are various ADHD subtypes: hyperactive, inattenentive, and combined. Many who are the inattentive type show a lot if autism symptoms shown on tbe red face. They also seek routine and stimulation as a coping tool.

All in all, you have zero clinical knowledge. Stop trying to be a special snowflake, OP. I do agree with you: you only have autism. Something tells me yiu are just coping that you did not get the ADHD diagnosis as you wanted to abuse stimulants.

>>82150740
There's no drugs for autism retard

It's mostly psychiatrists themselves perpetuating it and giving those diagnoses. Additionally both are classified as neurodivergences.

>>82150794
That's not what adhd is about.
people with it have defunct dopamine receptors and are unable to regulate the need to do something without pleasure stimulus.
Autists do the same, but it's called special interests. They can't get interested in anything that doesn't pander to their specific quirk
Both also have focus issue but from different angles. Adhd can't focus because it's distracted, autism can't focus because their focus is stuck and can't adapt to the need of constant switching. In practice both look as same absent mindness to people.

Meanwhile NTs will literally just adapt hobbies and interests from other people for the sake of socializing, which is a concept completely foreign to both autism and adhd. I dare you to ask actual normie about it. I never thought about this before, but it is a reliable litmus test for neurodivergence. "Have you ever got into hobby just because a person you vibed with were interested in this thing?". If the answer is yes they are NT. It always fucking works and I think is actual precursor to healthy socializing.

Also I do not have adhd nor do I like those people but I can understand where this whole issue you described is coming from

>>82150673 (OP)
You're one of the people who has fallen prey to the propaganda that ADHD is just a different way of being normal. ADHD is a real disorder that takes years off the average sufferer's life.