Late diagnosis of adhd- positive autism
I am 42 and just got an adhd diagnosis. My results showed moderate anxiety and 30/50 on the autism questionnaire.
I am wondering how I show accept this information. She said that so many traits overlap so she would not confirm the autism diagnosis formally.
For me my experience is normal and untill I tried adhd medication I didn’t know that nervous system breakdowns from cognitive exhaustion hyper focused and rumination on various things wasn’t normal. So I face the same issue with autism
I am an extroverted introvert. I like people In the moment but socializing is exhausting for me and I require days of self isolation to recover. This has resulted in loosing friends because they think I’m a shitty friend.
I’m direct and blunt in my thinking therefore I speak bluntly. I know that rubs people the wrong way so I know I need to cater to specific communication styles when delicacy is needed. This has also impacted friendships.
I remember girls being mean and me feeling left out but when does it turn from girls being mean to I had autism and genuinely thought everyone learns how to act by watching and copying other people?
I always knew I was different, more intense feeling, and preferred deep conversations over small talk. I’m incredibly empathetic and can walk into a room and feel the energy. I love sarcasm and banter…. But is that personality or reflection of my AuDhd?
Structure and routine calm me down, but I like to leave room for spontaneous things. I need 3 alarms to ensure I don’t forget things but make sure I schedule appointments with the same time and day…. Eating the same breakfast meal and lunch for years.
This whole journey started with cocos and going back to work. As the mandated days keep getting higher per week, I’ve noticed significant impacts on my mental health and feel it in my nervous system.
Another key moment was watching an episode of Ginny and Georgia ( season 3 episode9). In this particular episode a supporting character was the narrator so you heard the inner monologue- it was so active being someone who had no understanding of add- seeing it in an observer role -it blew my mind that I told my husband- THIS IS AS CLOSE TO INSIDE MY BRAIN I COULD GIVE YOU!
Do you feel like your autistic brain is managing your delinquent ADHD brain? And how can I tell if my strategies to manage my adhd are really autistic traits keeping me on track
Formally - adhd combined type with anxiety is the actual diagnosis.