Question To An Expert

[drakcir]

Hello there all Experts and Members on totallyadd.com, i just joined the website, very fun to be a member of this site, and i have also whatched the movie Love ADD.

Iam not american, so sorry for my maybe bad english, one of the biggest reason i joined the site is because, in my country i cant really get an good answers for my questions, ADD is more important in america, or something like that 😀

Introduction….

I live in sweden, and when i read on the little information on swedish website it says ADD is a Attention disorder with problem about focus, ok i get that, and i have read a lot on ADD information.

But when i read on american site`s it is not like that, on the american websites it alot more information, it feels like it`s not only about attention and focus.

I think i have ADD, but i selfe diagnosis, sorry for the long introduction, i would now finally ask my questions i have been looking for an answer for a very long time.

 

1. When a person suffer with a stronger Attention Disorder, like ADD, Autistic tensile present?

And if that is correct, what would then be some good examples for Autistic Tensiles?

 

2. Some people with ADD,say they have social problems, when communicate with others, (i know evryone can have social problems) but is there any reasons i can connect ADD, with social skills.

like slower thinking,hard to focus? etc.etc

 

3. Is it common that people with ADD, can have difficulties having eye contact, or is this more common with autistic people, maybe low self esteem or something?

 

4. I have also read that people with ADD, might have motor clumsy units, is this true? and what would it depend on,  (thinking alot?)

 

5.  Personally if i speak for myself, its like evrytime i shall do something, maybe i deside to walk into an other room, and i know someone sitting in there, its like i always say the sentence iam going to say before i actually say it to the person, this is not only when i talk, also when iam thinking.

is this a common problem with ADD, or is it only me thinking alot?

 

6. when i was little, i always was very courtesy and withdrawn is this a common problem with ADD?

 

7. At someway i have having trouble like being serious, a big part of my life was not serious dicussions it was more like an extreme joke, we joke very extreme and didnt talk so much me and some friend, it was my lifestyle i couldnt not stop it. we talking some years.

its like black and white, joke or serious, can i relate this to something?

i stop there, i would be very grateful if i can get answer on these questions as soon as possible.

greetings 🙂

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[Scattybird]

Hello and welcome. I am NOT an expert, but I will throw in my responses anyway – beats getting ready for work! Have you done the quiz on this site? It might give you an indication of whether you have ADHD or not.

1. When a person suffer with a stronger Attention Disorder, like ADD, Autistic tensile present?

ADHD is a spectrum ‘disorder’ so some people will be inattentive (sometimes called ADD), others will be a bit hyperactive (but in adults this may be less obvious and more an internal restlessness) or one might be a mixture of both (combined) – the last two are sometimes called ADHD. Actually they are all ADHD but with different sub-types. As you say there are different degrees of it. There are said to be some links with autism but I don’t know much about autism. I do have a colleague with autism and he tends to be very focused and socially not at ease at all – but that’s just him. ` Someone else will reply who knows more about autism.

2. Some people with ADD,say they have social problems, when communicate with others, (i know evryone can have social problems) but is there any reasons i can connect ADD, with social skills.

like slower thinking,hard to focus? etc.etc

I think it can be partly due to lack of focus and also if there is an impulsive side there can be ‘foot in mouth’ issues that cause tensions, or if one has a sense of humor that’s different from the people you’re with. Someone was telling me a tale the other day and I became aware of his mouth moving and sounds coming out, but I just couldn’t latch onto any of the words. Other times I ‘switch off’ mid-sentence or get impatient and finish their tale for them, which of course is bad.  In a crowded room situation I can’t focus on individual conversations if there is a lot of background noise so I hate group situations. Also, I get bored. People here like to spend an evening in a pub (or bar) and just sitting trying to converse all night in a noisy environment is so tedious for me. 

3. Is it common that people with ADD, can have difficulties having eye contact, or is this more common with autistic people, maybe low self esteem or something?

 I think that’s low self-esteem, or autism or depression? 

4. I have also read that people with ADD, might have motor clumsy units, is this true? and what would it depend on,  (thinking alot?)

I have heard that too. Not sure if there is a link, or whether that is a co-morbidity like dyspraxia. On saying that, if I am sleep deprived I am more clumsy and sleep problems are associated with ADHD.

5.  Personally if i speak for myself, its like evrytime i shall do something, maybe i deside to walk into an other room, and i know someone sitting in there, its like i always say the sentence iam going to say before i actually say it to the person, this is not only when i talk, also when iam thinking.

is this a common problem with ADD, or is it only me thinking alot?

It’s you thinking a lot….but that is common with ADHD.

6. when i was little, i always was very courtesy and withdrawn is this a common problem with ADD?

Me too. I was brought up to be seen and not heard, and always to respect others. That’s my perception of myself – withdrawn as a kid (and now).  However, relatives who were adults when I was a kid think that I was precocious and outspoken (and they still think I am outspoken – and I still think I am reserved, although I can act a clown and can be outspoken when feeling impulsive).

7. At someway i have having trouble like being serious, a big part of my life was not serious dicussions it was more like an extreme joke, we joke very extreme and didnt talk so much me and some friend, it was my lifestyle i couldnt not stop it. we talking some years.

its like black and white, joke or serious, can i relate this to something?

A great sense of humor is typical of people with ADHD. There are threads on the forum dedicated to all the amusing things that we get up to…not always intentionally. Sometimes humor can be used subconsciously to gain friends and be accepted socially. Sometimes it backfires. But a sense of humor is healthy. 

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[Patte Rosebank]

@Drakcir, welcome!

Don’t worry about not being an American here…because this isn’t an American site.  It’s a Canadian one, with members all around the world.  Canada is one of the most multicultural countries in the world, so you’ll fit in really well on this site!

I’m studying to become an ADHD Coach, and I have learned that ADHD just means that you have a different kind of brain.  Most people’s brains are driven by what’s *important*, but the ADHD brain is driven by what’s *interesting*.

So, maybe it should be called “IDB” (Interest-Driven Brain) instead of “ADHD”, because it’s not really a “disorder”, just a different way of experiencing the world, and of doing things.  Like being left-handed when most other people are right-handed…or being 2.3 metres tall when most other people are only 1.7 metres tall.

But you have to recognize that difference and learn how to work with it.  It’s not that you “cannot” do something; you just have to do it differently.  The difficult part is learning how to do it differently.  And until you do learn how to do it differently, you will struggle with it.  Even when you do know how to do it, sometimes, you will still struggle…just not as often.

 

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[drakcir]

Hi again, thanks for both of your answers it always an experience to get answers and take in new information. 🙂

I have not done the test on the website yet, it always feels like the tests is for ADHD  instead of ADD, for me its a big difference between thoose diagnosis.

It seems like my qestions being answered really fast on this forum, so i take this moment and take some more of them.

The past year i have read alot on diagnosis like ADD,Aspergers and many other diagnosis, and more i reading about diagnosis, its getting more and more complicated.

We cant deside if we suffer with a diagnosis,and we dont choose this lifestyle, we are only humans, but for me i do anything iam afraid that i shall end up with autstistic, so the last year, I have doing a lot of advanced research and try to get very deep about ADD, to see if there can be any possibility that i think i have autistic tendensies, but that instead is ADD that are haunting my head.

 

The biggest problem i confuse with Autism is the social skills, when i looking back at my childhood until my adulthood i associate myself with an nervous,stressful,low self-esteem and bad self confidence, but i have never been an really social person.

I use to be very quiet, thinking alot like (i really shoud say something,what should i say, no thats not intresting) like social phobia, can not quite get the right sound of the sentence like (wooooow thats amazing) its more like i read it, hard to explain.

And i dont have any good answers, they answers i mostly gives is (okay,i see,i understand,ok sounds good,good,ok i see,you have a nice day.

I cant really get the flow, i associate my social situations like being rigid.

I often is a quite person, but i would even define myself as black and white situation person, iam hard to get talking,but if iam in the mood of talking, its hard to stop me talking, and it feels like i must talk all the time.

Ok this might be hard to understand,or it maybe is not, i would be very glad if someone could define this to me, i like long text with advanced information.

And i will be looking very soon if someone has been written an answer 😉

 

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[Scattybird]

drakcir –  I had a look on an autism web site (the link is below) and I see where your confusion arises. There are several similarities between autism and ADD it seems.

http://www.autism.org.uk/about-autism/autism-and-asperger-syndrome-an-introduction/what-is-asperger-syndrome.aspx

One thing that I spotted in the information they give is that people with autism do not tend to understand jokes or sarcastic humor.  You say you have a good sense of humor? But do you understand subtle word play? If you do, then it is unlikely you are autistic, unless very mildly. However I am only basing that on what I read and my perception of that, which could be wrong.

The person I know with autism has no facial expressions when he is in conversation. He is also very intense and insistent and will talk in depth about one small subject and doesn’t know when to back off and be quiet.  At other times he won’t speak. He seems very serious all the time.

I have been diagnosed with ADD and although I can be fixated on a topic (so called hyperfocus) when I talk I give things away with facial expressions and tend to jump from one topic to another amd back again during a conversation – so the styles are different. On saying that, I know someone with very severe ADD and she is SO in her own world that she makes me want to scream in frustration, but she is socially active.  I think I am more a combined-type than ADD only because of my impulsiveness and inability to do nothing. However,  maybe I am ADD and just anxious. The point is, because it’s a spectrum issue, there is no easy diagnosis, and my symptoms vary each day depending on sleep levels and stress.

There is an excellent YouTube video made by a young man with autism. I found it by accident attached to the end of Russell Barkley’s videos but not sure of the link. It might be worth watching – also watch Barkley’s videos.

It’s best to get a diagnosis if you can, but read the different threads on the forum because autism has been discussed before. You might find the discussions randomly dotted about because we are not always good at sticking to topic!

 

Also have a read of this:

http://totallyaddconnect.com/forums/topic/fine-line-between-adhd-and-aspergersautism/

 

 

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[drakcir]

To ScattyBird.

 

Thanks for the answers, and the tips about the videos and link.

Ok first of all i will begin with to say that autistic people can take a joke, its a myth about that with jokes and autistic people.

 

Just to clarify about me:

I use to be a quiet person,but also i can be very non serious, as almost to serious a big part of the time, i think i associates with a serious person who cant relax and just enjoy the moment.

Cause many of the people and friends i know use to be very casual and just like to chitchat alot.

I have a hard time doing this, i use to get many thoughts about what i should say,or i start to be very non serious or i just get serious and get rigid.

I understand jokes but dont really like them, i have no problem to read facial expressions i always has associate myself as an very good judge of character.

I feel i maybe not use so very big facial expressions or body language, i can also feel i have an more monotonic voice, but i dont even know if i just get a monotonic voice cause i try to be nice to evryone.

i have love self-esteem and low confidence, thinking very much, remember myself as little and i gave myself the name the philosopher.

Ok anyway thats the big reason, i really wanted an answer from an expert about the questions i first mentioned (when a person suffer with a stronger attention disorder, does the person then have autistic tendensies on the way.)

i cant even get an answer in my country, cause a person cant get diagnosis like autistic tendensis cause if they have that, they need a boss or what i shall call it like, like ADD and autistic tendensies.

This is two common diagnosis that use to be confuse, many people before Aspergers get ADD and people diagnosised with Aspergers get wrong diagnosis.

 

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[Patte Rosebank]

@Drakcir, ADHD, Autism, and Asperger’s are all on the Autism Spectrum.  That means that they all share some similarities.

Also, ADHD, AD/HD, and ADD are three different names, for the same condition.

The current DSM-IV calls it ADHD and divides it into 3 subtypes:  Predominantly Hyperactive/Impulsive Subtype, Predominantly Inattentive Subtype, and Combined Subtype.  Thus, you can have ADHD, even if you do not have Hyperactivity.

The new DSM-V will not use Subtypes, and will just call it by one name.  That should clarify things.  It will also no longer consider Asperger’s to be a separate diagnosis.  Asperger’s will just be part of Autism.

When you take the Virtual Doctor and other tests, they will tell you which subtype you are.  Since you describe yourself as having many thoughts all at once, it sounds as if you might have some hyperactivity, though you control it very well.  Remember, “predominantly” just means “mostly”, not “completely”.  So, perhaps you have the Predominantly Inattentive Subtype.

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[drakcir]

To Larynxa 🙂

Hey, thanks for the answer, i feel a little bit stupid and embarrrassing that i didnt really know that an Attention Disorder where related to the Autism spectrum, after all the reading i have been trough the last year.

They dont really write it that way, I have done the test yeasterday, i guess it was that video test when a doctor talks and you choose yes or no.

On inattentive i got 9/9 and on restless i think i got 6/9 and on hyperactivty i didnt get any points i guess, i dont even really know if i choosed the right answer its hard to think how iam as a person.

But it is as you say, i might have hyperactivty inside me instead of the outside, many times i say to myself that i really need to calm down, cause i cant stop thinking about bad things, its just haunt me so i need to sit down and relax.

Can u answer my question.

When a person have an stronger attention disorder he often have autistic tendensies, do you know if this is a often common case?

I guess Aspergers should be a tendensie of Autism, but when we talking about autistic tendensies with a attention disorder, what would for an example theese tendensies bee?

Do you know any good examples,or might know or have experienced a person with an attention disorder and autistic tendensies. i would really estimate if you could answer theese questions for me.

Greeting Drakcir

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[Patte Rosebank]

@Drakcir, please don’t feel “stupid” or “embarrassed” for not knowing something.   Sometimes, I’ll read the same page several times, and still not remember a thing on it, because my eyes were reading, but my brain was thinking about something else!

Your Virtual Doctor test scores seem to be high enough that you should ask your doctor about being tested for ADHD.

There are some more diagnostic tools here:  http://totallyadd.com/downloads/.  The ASRS Screener and ASRS Self-Report Scale are used by many doctors as a starting-point for ADHD testing.

________________________________

Always thinking of bad things is quite a common ADHD tendency.  We have very vivid imaginations, and we have many experiences of struggling and failing.  So, we can quickly go from one tiny worry, to imagining spiralling horrors like in “Dante’s Inferno”.  And it all feels so real to us!

When you are caught up in those thoughts, it really helps to talk about them with someone you trust—a friend, family member, or therapist.  When you share those worries, you’ll see that the way we *imagine* things to be is much worse than the way they *really* are.

One great thing about a vivid imagination:  You can use it to tell some wonderful stories!

________________________________

Now, for your question…

The rate of ADHD in Autistic children is about 3 times higher than in the general population.

Also, many symptoms of Autism, Asperger’s, and ADHD are the same.  But which disorder is really causing that symptom?  Or is it more than one disorder?  This is why you need a skilled specialist to get a proper diagnosis.

Here are some articles about having Autism and ADHD together:

http://www.autism.org.uk/about-autism/related-conditions/adhd-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder.aspx

http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/06/08/nearly-1-in-3-kids-with-autism-have-adhd-symptoms/55777.html

http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/6594.html

 

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