Autism in adults has entered the public lexicon only in recent years, which reflects both an increase in diagnoses and understanding that, even late in life, understanding your ASD can offer major benefits and relief. Learn more about common signs of autism in adults here.
Somedays, I am my own sadness. Other times, my loved ones stab my heart — often without realizing it or intending to. As a defense mechanism, I’ve trained myself to laugh or shrug or make a self-deprecating comment. But I’m here to tell you the emotional pain is real — and constant, if seldom visible.
Find things that interest you. Sign up. Day of event: Takes a lot to leave house. The dressing alone is difficult; the contemplation about showering. The cold and hot extremes of cleaning. The irri…
Meditation and yoga promote focus and collaborative learning — particularly for students with ADHD. Learn how to introduce mindfulness exercises to your students or your child here.
“Pretending that life is ‘alright’ when it isn't? That is an ADHD coping mechanism that actually increases anxiety. The first step toward finding calm is naming the uncomfortable feeling you are experiencing — loudly.”
"My sister became a P.E. teacher who has had a fruitful career for 30 years. She took all that untapped potential and all her hyperactivity, and she literally ran with it. She has loved building a special rapport with all the students who show up to school distracted, dysregulated, disheveled, disorganized, and decidedly exuberant, just like she did so many years ago."
“When neurotypical people say that they are ‘so ADHD,’ they perpetuate a stereotype — not only about what ADHD is (we can’t get it together), but also about how minimally it manifests (forgetting purses and spacing during meetings).”
The volatile (and sometimes destructive) emotions associated with ADHD can manifest as frustration, sensitivity, or tendency to feeling sad. Here’s what you need to know about rejection sensitive dysphoria, and how to control it.
Something is happening deep inside me, something unexpected and strange and fantastic. I’m not sure if I can describe in any sort of way that will make sense, but here goes. * Last night I ha…
Parents, add these strategies to your repertoire: Therapies, reward systems, and classroom accommodations built to strengthen executive functioning skills in children and adults who struggle to plan, coordinate, and execute long-term projects.
Who would I be today had I gotten my ADHD diagnosis in elementary school? High school? College, even? How would life be different?
A few words of preface to this piece: I grew up as undiagnosed autistic with a gifted label, so my experience is different from what doubly exceptional children today experience. There were no soci…
Becoming a senior citizen might sneak up on ADHD adults who always have their minds on something else. Here's what to expect.
Learn how to help a student with ADHD understand and communicate their learning needs to teachers and parents because effective self-advocacy begins with self-awareness.
ADHD symptoms often look different in women and girls. Many clinicians still don’t accurately recognize and diagnose ADHD in females, but these recommended resources can offer insights and guidance regarding attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
ADHD and emotional withdrawal — pulling away from friends, strangers, and loved ones alike — often go hand-in-hand. Withdrawal is a coping mechanism many women with ADHD learn from a lifetime of rejection, disappointment, and bullying. Breaking this unhealthy habit is not easy — but your relationships may depend on it.
ADHD and anxiety are closely connected. Anxiety disorder is ADHD’s most common comorbidity — in no small part because the ADHD experience makes for a life characterized by stress and worry. This is especially true in the time of the pandemic, when new coping mechanisms are required.
Hello All. I hope you are well during these challenging times. I am writing to provide a few updates (2020) for anyone who happens upon this homepage. My third blog is a bit hard to find, since I c…
New guidelines have caused the medical community to rule out using "Asperger Syndrome" to describe those on the autism spectrum. Find out what it means for your family and how to best treat your child.
Many people do not recognize the signs of autism until adulthood. And, even then, it's often mistaken for ADHD or another comorbidity. Here, learn the signs of ASD beyond childhood.
Thanks to Daniel Kahneman’s fascinating book, “Thinking, Fast and Slow” I’ve discovered the concept of ego depletion. Coined by Roy Baumeister, the term ego depletion simply…
I discovered a new Aspergers quiz that wasn’t around (AFAIK) when I did the original Take a Test Tuesday series. At first I was excited because it says that it was created by an MD who is on …
When did the fog clear and a bright light clearly illuminate your personal challenges and characteristics as symptoms of ADHD? What was your "Aha" moment? Here, ADDitude readers share some of theirs.
Autism and ADHD coexist at significantly elevated rates, and adults with both disorders face unique challenges. Symptoms of both conditions can resemble one another – one reason why clinicians typically screen for both during assessment. While research on adult autism and ADHD is scarce, clinicians largely agree on best practices in the evaluation and treatment of patients with both disorders.
Life as a woman with ADHD can be… messy, to say the least. That messiness may lead to criticism and judgment — both real and imagined — from the people around us, often sparking deep feelings of shame and fear. Here are 5 ways to overcome those negative emotions — and rediscover the power you’ve lost along the way.
Autism in women is misunderstood — and commonly misdiagnosed or missed altogether in the presence of an existing condition like ADHD. Here’s an overview of what autism can look like in women with ADHD, along with diagnostic considerations and strategies for fighting through the misinformation of society and the medical establishment.
"The ADHD world is curvilinear. Past, present, and future are never separate and distinct. Everything is now." And that can complicate everyday life, work, and relationships. Here, Dr. William Dodson explains the neurological workings of the ADHD mind.
Easily bored, sensitive to distractions, creative, and intense. If you grew up with ADHD symptoms, chances are you always felt "different." Now here's a scientific explanation of the neurological underpinnings of behaviors and feelings associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Learn about the ADHD nervous system!
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex disorder — for patients and for diagnosing clinicians. It’s critical for professionals to understand what constitutes a thorough ASD evaluation, and that a patient must demonstrate at least five of the seven criteria outlined in the DSM-5 in order to merit an autism diagnosis.
ADHD is not a male disorder, but men and boys are diagnosed far more commonly than women and girls. Why? Lingering stereotypes, referral bias, internalized symptoms, gender role expectations, comorbidities, and hormonal fluctuations all complicate the ADHD presentation in women. Here, learn about common signs and symptoms of ADHD in women, plus roadblocks to a thorough evaluation and effective treatment.
When things get stressful, ADDers retreat from life and...hibernate. If hibernation was a successful life strategy, I wouldn't be writing this!
We all know people with ADHD suck at time management. But how does this time-blindness really feel for us, and what does it do to our relationships?
The final post in the autistic motherhood series is posted at Autism Women’s Network: Autistic Motherhood: Honoring Our Personal Choices It was a challenging one to write. My original thought…
ADHD may cause trauma, and vice versa. Here, learn how to untangle symptoms and how an emerging natural remedy called somatic therapy can help patients heal psychological wounds by reconnecting the body and the brain.
''My high schooler needs extra time for standardized tests. How can we request it?'' The ADDitude community provides a how-to guide. ADHD symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment information for adults and children from experts in attention deficit and learning disabilities like dyslexia. How to manage ADD medications, set up school accommodations for your child, help your marriage to an ADD/ADHD adult parent children with discipline problems, use alternative treatments, succeed at work, and manage time and money.
