I tend to see you guys loving some autism, but I never hear all too much about ADHD.
The more I look into ADHD/autism, the more I see comorbid symptoms. Notably, both have emotional affect issues, both exhibit strange (usually ostracizing) social behaviors, both develop intensive focus on fairly select things and find themselves very uninterested in deviating, ect...
Moreover, both are seen as having major problems with executive functioning both of which seem to be related to dopamine dysfunction.
There's some interesting differences though. With ADHD, the individuals seem cognitively snared with respect to their ability to think analytically (likely as a product of a smaller prefrontal cortex than average). With autism, it seems that they're analytically capable at a much earlier age compared to average. It’s almost the inverse. Though ADHD is known to be heavily associated with developmental delays and they commonly end up being capable, albeit later than most.
Perhaps ADHD exists as a sort of lower magnitude form of autism or perhaps it’s some sort of off-shoot of the disorder.
Any thoughts? Why am I an idiot? Also try to consider the disorders in the context of children and adults.
>With ADHD, the individuals seem cognitively snared with respect to their ability to think analytically (likely as a product of a smaller prefrontal cortex than average).
So people with ADHD are unable to think analytically because they have small brains?
Brandon Peterson
ADHD can be treated with medication like Ritalin. Those don't work on Autism; so biologically the two disorders are not the same.
A lot of very different medical conditions have overlapping symptoms. IMHO what you're doing is like thinking flues, colds, and allergies are the same thing because they all cause runny nose and soar throat;
Xavier Jenkins
Before you go spouting ideas maybe spend time with people diagnosed with autism or adhd. Maybe i can see what you mean with assburgers vs adhd, but even then its a stretch.
I was diagnosed with adhd 20 years ago, and spent time at a private school full of kids with learning disabilities, most especially autism and adhd. I didnt see what you see, the disorders appeared very different. Adhd is not comparable, even inverted, to autism.
IMO: When autism goes really well, its comparable to parts of impossibly serious ADHD, but when autism goes not so well, or worse, it is nowhere near comparable to adhd
Aaron Flores
While I definitely agree that it's not as common to give Ritalin to a someone with autism, it certainly is a drug used to aid in its treatment. As it relates to drugs, both autistic and ADHD individuals are commonly prescribed SSRIs. Also, we see alpha 2 agonists (like clonidine) being prescribed pretty readily in both groups as well. Though it does seem that autistic people get antipsychotics quite a bit more frequently.
Jose Roberts
I certainly do not believe they're the same disorder, but perhaps a sort of sister disorder. I too have been diagnosed with ADHD, and when I see autistic individuals it almost seems like it's an extreme form of what I experience. When I'm attempting this comparison, it would be comparing a high functioning autistic individual to a person with strong ADHD.
Adam Roberts
They're seen to have less grey matter (mostly in the forebrain) and heavy dopamine issues. This can affect their ability to think analytically.
Jackson Campbell
Yea, it seems that around February of this year, it was discovered that kids with adhd had fewer emotional responses due to lower brain activity in certain regions of the frontal lobe when prompted with emotional stimuli.
Benjamin Ross
I don't see what autism has to do with ADHD, like, at all. One is a syndrome where the individuals react weirdly to the world, the other is a disorder where the individuals cannot focus.
It's, like, has autism EVER be characterized by lack of ability to focus?
Cameron Ross
if i take 10mg adderall for the rest of my life (im 21) will i die of heart failure later
Jonathan Gonzalez
Hi OP, I can attest to this. Beginning of this year I went in for psychological evaluation due to problems in both my social and educational well-being. In the end, the team of psychologists were sure that there is an underlying developmental problem with me, but weren't completely sure whether it was ADD or mild autism. In the end they went with autism, but also prescribed me ritalin for my ADD symptoms. I posses characteristics that would both support and not support me having either.
I could probably have both; I couldn't muster the concentration to read your entire OP and I'm socially inept enough to bother replying on Veeky Forums.
Mason Perez
as a child i was diagnosed with autism and then Aspergers. i developed very fast. Im socially retarded but dont care about social rules either. I have always been extremely good at analytic and synthetic propositions, memorizing entire animal encyclopedias by taxonomic name and using it in everyday conversion, When i was four or five and had been studying entomology i remember inducing conceptions of patch dynamics and succession while watching my dad mow the lawn. I had a much wider range of interests than your typical savant. Sometime around 12 years old at the latest i developed schizoid personality disorder which is even more confused with Asperger's and harder to manage. I always did poor in class and good on tests. I never did my homework despite spending most of my spare time reading analytical literature anyways
Dominic Morales
>autism and aspergers *ADHD and aspergers*
Juan Foster
it's chemical warfare against the intelligent population of a nation.
Jaxson Barnes
I feel it's important to highlight the diversity within both diagnoses. Not only does Aspergers exist on the autism spectrum, it exists in the vague space of anxious-behavioral-social disorders.
When I was diagnosed with ADHD, the DSM had recently decided 'ADD' (Attention deficit without hyperactivity) didn't exist. ADD would firmly describe me. And now there is controversy among psychologists whether a separate diagnosis from ADHD exists called 'sluggish cognitive tempo', which fits me just as well as ADD did.
Now imagine the diversity of things you could diagnose from my: compulsive interests and behavior, obsession with analyzing systems, general/social anxiety, and difficulty understanding sarcasm.
Lucas Hall
Part of my frustration with the psychological community can be related in this thread. I'm easily distracted and frequently lose focus- a clear-cut ADHD diagnosis, right? As stated in this thread, recent functional neuroimaging studies suggest I have a relatively small prefrontal cortex, and ought to have difficulty with analytical thinking.
But this is precisely what I *am* good at. I'm an applied mathematician. In college I met many engineers with a similar disposition to me.
Brandon Clark
Are you fucking kidding me? Adderall and Ritalin will make anyone more able to concentrate, ADHD or not. These are lies taught to the public by the pharmaceutical companies so that they dont get outed as high grade meth dealers. Im sure youve heard, "oh it affects ADHD kids inversely as it would those without ADHD". Its bullshit. Anyone who takes adderall will have no problem sitting down and studying for 6 hours straight, thats why college students abuse the shit so much.
Logan Adams
For those who haven't experienced it firsthand, here is Henry Rollins describing what being on ritalin is like:
ADHD or no, any kid will stop moving around and feel fucking terribly wired if you give them strong stimulants. College students are pretty much the only people that want to feel that way.
Ethan Parker
>around 12 years old at the latest i developed schizoid personality disorder lol N O P E
Juan Ward
"You can feel it when you take the pill. You're a propeller so fast that it looks like it's still."
"On the outside I'm this pale, skinny kid, but on the inside I'm Dave from 2001: A Space Odyssey, at the end where he's flying through spacetime..."
Addressing behavior should be the first line of treatment, rather than force-feeding a kindergartner a pill.
Kevin Perry
?
Jack Richardson
Saying you have a personality disorder at 12 "at the latest" pretty much confirms either your doctor wants to ensure you keep paying, or you are a special snowflake hypochondriac.
Personality disorders occur after a LONG period
Liam Johnson
he criteria for SPD from the DSM-5 are as follows (American Psychiatric Association, 2013): A persistent pattern of disinterest from social interactions and a limited variety of expression of emotions in a close personal settings, starting in early adulthood and there in an array of contexts, as shown by at least four (or more) of the subsequent: neither wants nor likes close relationships, counting being part of a family almost constantly picks introverted activities has little if any, thought in engaging in any sexual experiences seldom derives pleasure from any activities has no close friends other than immediate relatives appears apathetic to the admiration or disapproval of others shows emotional coldness, detachment, or flattened affectivity i wasn't diagnosed then, that is the earliest i can clearly remember developing a schizm. It didn't become full blown until i was about 16, it has only gotten worse sense then, although i am now self aware for about 6 months which kinda makes it better.
