And dogs got down syndrome. Cats run away like autistic people and dogs run up to people like down syndrome! 😂 Watch the shane gillis bit on it. Its hilarious. Just search shane gillis autism down syndrome. Its so true though 😂
I'm an NHS clinician involved in diagnosing neurodevelopmental conditions, and would like to add that many of us autistics (particularly women) are intensely interested in.. PEOPLE. It's amazing how many clients i meet have studied psychology and other social sciences, or drama (helps a great deal in learning how to 'mask'/ blend in with neurotypical social environments)
Ah, a pro -- welcome! Yes, that's true too - a really good point. People can be the special interest. I mean, just mention, "Taylor Swift" to someone with her as an intense interest and sit back for the next 45 minutes :D hahaha. Thanks for being here -Mike
Yeah, two of my biggest special interests my whole life were writing and acting (and I love social sciences and keeping up with like celebrity drama) so no wonder I figured out how to mask super well!
I myself am this way. Apron meeting someone, I start immediately evaluating their personalities and organizing their cognitive functions based off my perception of them. I can accurately know someone’s personality type within minutes of meeting them, in certain cases. Not always but every time I do guess someone’s type, I have always been correct.
I went in Information Technology yet still gravitated to options classes in psychology out special interest. Human Relations, Psychology 101, Criminal psychology. Think those class really help me in getting employment by learning to mask better.
Im a late diagnosed Autistic adult, diagnosed at 52,i feel my life is better now because im much kinder to myself,i just wish id been diagnosed as a child
As a mechanical design engineer and auDHD person, I can confirm that NTs are at a significant disadvantage in my field. They will propose a single design that's just a copy of something they've seen before. Meanwhile, I'll be scribbling down three patentable ideas and feeling frustrated that my mouth and hands aren't keeping up with my thoughts.
Yep, this feeling is so familiar. The list of creations I'd like to make is So. Long. It's hard for my hands - which have some pain off and on - to keep up, too.
@@CardinalTreehouse Eh, that hasn't really been my experience. Getting through the busy-work classes (i.e., high school and the gen-ed requirements at university) was a struggle. However, once I got to the classes I was interested in, it was easy because I *WANTED* to do the work. What I didn't realize was that those classes were just there to gatekeep, and all the learning I did was a nice side-effect. When I got into industry, I found that most of my coworkers didn't really care about their craft. Nobody's expected to really use any of the knowledge they supposedly learned in the course of their degree. Like, you're only allowed to exercise B.S. level skills if you've got a PhD. People with a B.S. are expected to know what words mean and not much else. The first time I actually did a calculation at work, I seriously felt like I was getting away with something. All of my managers so far have been actively hostile to creativity and critical thinking. They definitely would have told me I was wasting time if they'd found out I wasn't just using trial-and-error. Sorry to be a downer. I'm still optimistic that there are workplaces that foster invention, but I have no evidence for their existence. :/
omg, now I realize (again) why my hand-writing is so bad! It's really frustrating writing exams, because like 30% of my mental capacity is used for writing intelligible.
Excellent topic, thanks! I'm 46, ADHD diagnosed in mid 20's, figured out the Autism around 30. I never told anyone, just started making big changes...changes everyone else thought was insane for a woman. But I'm happy now doing what suits me best! I was good at art and math in school, my main special interests have never wavered since childhood, architecture and making things pretty. I combined them all and found out, all that together makes for a great craftsman. I've been doing renovations for the past 8 yrs and love it!! The finishing details are my favourite!
@@patrician844 1st of all, welcome to the right puzzle! Isn't it great knowing why you couldn't fit into the NTs pre destined puzzle?!? 😁 I started with therapy to understand why I was so unhappy, figured out my ex was a sociopath and I needed to get away. I started with work life, went self employed so I could control the hours and who I worked with. Then I slowly stopped doing the things that made me feel so disregulated - forcing myself to go to parties and other unnecessary events were the 1st to go! Putting myself 1st was HARD, but I finally got away from focusing on others feelings and needs. Realizing they didn't give a shit about my feelings or needs, made it easier to let go of the people pleasing. By age 38, I took a giant leap and literally ran away from EVERYTHING. found an abandoned place out in the boonies...left my friends, family, career, lifestyle and everything I knew by moving 2.5 hrs away from it all. I dove into renovating the broken down house and discovered all my special interests made me good at renovations. It is now my full time job (full time to me, not what a typical full time job would look like). I'm easier on myself with everything now. I don't force myself to be an early bird anymore, I don't force myself to socialize when I'm not feeling it, I don't force myself to "keep up with the Jones's" (that was a big source of contention in my marriage, he always expected me to do more and more because he wanted more and more). Then I let go of all the unhealthy friendships, most of them weren't MY friend, they just enjoyed the perks of hanging with someone that has a big heart and was overly helpful....but rarely if ever returned either. I'm now on a 20 acre lot w/an abandoned motel to rebuild into a home, own it out right, my truck is paid for, my bills are minimal so they're easy to keep on top of, and not being in the rat race or caring what others think is the most beautiful thing!! If someone told me 20 yrs ago that I'd accomplish this much in under a decade, I would have laughed. No way could I buy my own place, no way could I make it without full time income, no way could I make it alone...yet here I am, still blown away by what I've accomplished on my own! Do what your heart tells you, follow what brings you joy, ignore the doubters and haters, and you'll end up finding your groove!!
Hi Mike, here's a couple of video ideas: the Autism & animal connection. So many of us share a deep connection, empathy, and passion for/with animals. Obviously your cats are already RU-vid stars. I'd also love to see images of your beloved sea wildlife as well woven into a video. And what about "the protective effect of Autism ". I feel like Autism can protect from group think, falling for illusions and blinkered thinking and sometimes even protects against the insidious teenage peer pressure. We can so much more easily empathise with groups that are "othered" .
I am 60 and have recently discovered I’m ADHD (inattentive) with autistic traits. So looks like I’m an old person with a new diagnosis! Have also discovered that most of my coping techniques are called masking - and I thought that was only something you do if you want to leave the house during lockdown!
I'm AuDHD and have all the social issue parts of autism, all the executive dysfunction parts of ADHD, almost none of the attention to detail nor hyperfocus in the respective neurotypes. Oh well.
😂 I’m sorry (but the way you wrote that is amusing!) - I saw a meme the other day. It said, “Why didn’t I get the good at maths autism”. It was funny. And relatable as I’m bad at maths! Awww I want to give you a hug. But you know! lol.
More of a curse than a blessing really. I go into burnout at least once a week. Thinking about going on Adderall because I've had to drink a literal pot of coffee a day to get enough focus to do literally the bare minimum
😂 Thanks for being here! Not sure I’d make a good mentor! Edit: I believe we’re all part of the neurological diversity of humanity. We need big picture people. And we need detail people. After all, who’s going to spot that TIGGGEERRRR!! 🐯
I think that we would do much better as only autistic society... AS and AuDHD are making full picture for me, without this disorder allistic people make, without all this lies, pretending and bulying.
feel the issue isn’t that we don’t recognize that we are awesome everyone else is blah it’s how much everyone else just refuses to see value in us and that’s never gonna change yep #2Spirit #audhd
I appreciate you sharing the information. I am recently diagnosed auDHD at 46 and still learning about it. I don’t read bc of what my eyes do when I try to read and comprehension issues when I do read so videos are my way of accessing this type of information. I do have reader on my technology but find myself easily distracted when I listen to articles. I wish I didn’t have that issue. Embracing my diagnosis has been super difficult just bc of the pain I have experienced in this existence as a result of how my mind works. I am yet to experience something positive. Umph! Anyway, thanks for sharing. Watching videos about my diagnosis helps me feel less alone in it. Btw. Amazing hoodie!
I have multiple special interests that wain in intensity, but the one that motivates me the most is writing. It’s present in all facets of my life, from self-reflection and improvement to biology and medicine. I find that my extreme thoughtfulness when writing has been very beneficial to me when doing journal entries and research papers. I’m incredibly proud of this trait I have.
I hadn’t heard of the research on late diagnosis adhd, but it’s spot on for me. Age 73 female, very late diagnosis after my adult son was given one. I can review my whole life from a different and more positive perspective. And the guilt is easing. Which, by the way, comes from realising you weren’t the best parent, you caused people hurt, you made bad decisions which impacted others, you threw away opportunities that could have been good for you, have a huge adhd tax behind you, had meltdowns, forgot important things…etc etc. I just felt defective and worthless. Talking to my coach yesterday, I was saying to her that I could look on myself more kindly and with some forgiveness, which is huge in terms of peace of mind. Work in progress still, but it’s early days. It’s definitely been a positive for me to be able to say, ah, that’s why. I was semi diagnosed as autistic some years ago, but it didn’t quite fit, though some does. I also have long standing ptsd. I have been trying to identify the positives too. Most of the things I ever liked about myself are adhd traits.
9:12 Life cohesion seems to equate to understanding and accepting Autism as the elusive answer we have spent our entire lives looking for. Great video my friend!
OMG your hoodie is fantastic!! 🐱🌈 And hi to Saber!! My personal story tracks with those findings for sure - After my ADHD and Autism dx in my early 30s, basically everything in my life is making more sense. It's like nothing has changed but everything has changed so profoundly. 🤪 Thanks for this great vid! Happy to see research findings in support of the anecdotal findings within the ND community in regards to our strengths. It's always good to be reminded of how we excel to balance out the elevated anxiety and misunderstandings within NT settings. Much appreciated Mike! 🎉 And happy to help with brainstorming anytime ha Divergent thinking doesn't stop for me til I'm asleep really. 😂
Thank you! It's my happy hoodie! Sabre says hi :) It really is a profundity isn't it? I mean, it's like a second adolescence. The questioning and reframing of everything that has passed. And I mean everything. I still find myself remembering scenarios and reflecting through an autistic lens. It's very enlightening. I appreciate your support, as always! -Mike
I saw a comment of yours on Ali Abdaal and came here out of curiosity. I'm not autistic, but for some reason am drawn to the subject. I literally had to subscribe 🙏🏾
Hey, sorry you’re feeling that way ❤️🩹 - I have been making videos mostly for an autistic audience although I’ll see what I can do to increase the novelty for ADHDers too. -Mike
That was really interesting about the interest in detail being linked to impairment in social situations. I'd say I'm pretty reclusive, often going many months before leaving my house to go anywhere or meet anyone. Just love my own company. To go with that I'm always obsessively chasing perfection in my painting. I also work in another style of art in my spare time which is hyperrealism. That's even more detail driven than my regular day to day paintings. The designs I create for reference images for my hyperrealism are first created in 3d design software, node based design with some computer programming. The design phase for the painting takes many weeks of intense problem solving and then the painting in oils takes around 4 months working around 15 hours per day. Total hyperfocus and an obsession with detail. I've found sometimes that I flip into a bipolar mania when I get too deep into a project where I'm investing a ton of brain power. I find I suddenly need very little sleep and I work at around 3x my normal speed for a few weeks, feel like a completely different person. My landscape paintings that normally take me 7 days suddenly start getting done in 2. I haven't sought a diagnosis for bipolar but what I go through fits the criteria. Common for bipolar and autism to overlap, lots of shared traits. Never knew about an interest in detail being higher the more socially inept one was. For anyone interested my hyperrealism can be seen here instagram.com/paul_corfield_abstract_realism/ My son goes for his autism assessment this coming Thursday. 🙂🙌🏻
Ah, Paul - good luck to your son! I will be thinking of him on Thursday. Thanks for sharing too. Yes, there can be crossover with bipolar for sure. It's not something I have direct experience of (ie I'm not bipolar) but it seems common (imo - anecdotally) with artistic types. Incredibly high energy creation, then the relaxing period - like you've described really interestingly. Thanks, Paul. Dropped you a follow on Insta! -Mike
@@Autistic_AF Many thanks. My wife is leaving at 9am to take him and his appointment is at 10am, about a 3 hour assessment I think. I'm at home painting and looking after our 3 little woofers. Shall post later how it went. 👍
AuDHD as a combo desperately needs to be studied because I think outwardly the ADHD can help mask the autism (like, up to some point I call it the ADHD Chaos Override where I'm like alert in the social situation and can get through it pretty well, unless I reach a level of Chaos where the autism just like can't take it anymore) but inwardly I think they can cause a lot of issues with the other (the ADHD inability to hold a routine vs the autistic need for one is just like, welcome to executive dysfunction land!)
Yes! That’s a great metaphor for the mixed-up, jumbled mess of AuDHD. Some traits covering other ones up. I like it. I hope Executive Dysfunction land isn’t too bad for you at the moment! Thanks Emile. -Mike
Gorgeous cats. Love black cats. Video idea would be health issues & autism. I recently found out I'm audhd & have had chronic health issues my whole life. Since we can't always understand or feel our feelings or suppress with masking I wonder how much they tie in. Disease is dis-ease in the body. So how much does autism affect health? Keep up the great work.
Great video as usual. However, most of the positive things in both caused lots of problems in my life, mainly due to being a woman and being born too long time ago. So, the missing diagnoses for the majority of my life ruined it beyond repair. And now, I have no idea what to make out of my diagnosis.
The worst thing Mike is, I don't know who I am anymore, it feels like somebody else. Trying to find the real me somewhere at the bottom of my brain, soul, and heart, but it is frustratingly hard. I have become an alien to myself. @@Autistic_AF
This is a little off topic but I was interested in your comment about working on the deceased stranded marine animals. I am a palaeontologist researching the microbial processes that were involved in the fossilisation and preservation of ancient marine reptiles. Nothing wrong with working on the dead large marine mammals that wash up on shore. Also, I am extremely detail-orientated, which helps when investigating the microbial stuff. Having attention to detail is great but it can be debilitating too since I end up getting caught up and seeing more and more exciting/ interesting features that are not what I am meant to be focusing on. Hehe but I love it. 😸😸💜💜 Oh, we have 3 cats by the way (used to be 5).
Well,... i don't think I'd be working as a graphic designer if i wasn't ND. But "creativity" is not a continuous state. There are days where i come up with a gazillion new projects to do. To the point i just wish i could make it stop, because the thought of doing all of them exhausts me. 😬😞 And... there are days when i have to come up with specific concepts for clients and i keep racking my brain and i come up with... nothing. 🙄 Then I'll usually try to remove myself from the situation and do something completely different for a bit. If I'm lucky, that's when i come up with something that DOES work. 😅 May be an interesting topic: can autism/adhd get worse over time or regress? Maybe under the influence of stress? I find that when I'm stressed, my symptoms get worse. Which causes more stress,... and so on. Or maybe some tricks and tips on how to deal with situations/ moments when autism and adhd colide? 😮 Sometimes it feels like I've got two completely different personalities inside my head. And they don't always play nice with each other. 😂 Thanks for this positive traits video! I think we can all use a reminder once in a while that being different isn't all doom and gloom. 😑🙃🖤 X - Sara
I don't think there's a job for people with a special interest in the old tv program Blackadder sadly. Do you take photos underwater? I paint fish and sea creatures in watercolor and guache. I just finished a Beroe Cucumis and a Queen Conch which honestly just makes people doubt the existence of a benevolent creator whenever they see it.
hot take: a lot of the overlap between autism and ADHD is in fact people who are have undiagnosed AuDHD, but their ADHD is kind of masking the autistic traits. I know many ADHD folks with attention issues who work otherwise neurotypical. if you think about it mathematically, the overlap cannot be anything else than AuDHD, yet the popular Venn diagram between ADHD and autism does not feature it at all. my opinion is that the AuDHD is the most common variant and at the same time the most underdiagnosed one, possibly?
Seems like a reasonable hot take! It could also be that a simultaneous diagnosis of autism and ADHD is much less likely than a diagnosis of one or the other. Not a misdiagnosis, exactly - but a missed opportunity for a fully correct one for sure!
I’m so honest that I am known to others of being an honest person. However that doesn’t mean that I am incapable of lying. When I do lie, people believe my lies because they assume I am an honest person.
I have not been diagnosed. In fact, the concept of being diagnosed is distasteful to me, because I do not believe I have a disorder, though I think I would be considered AuDHD. I believe it would be more productive to think of these “disorders” as types of attention or kinds of intelligence. I suspect that the various types of minds and bodies (autistic, allistic, etc.) will have particular vulnerabilities toward certain actual disorders which can respond to varieties of treatment, but I have a big problem with the basic unchanging foundation of who a person is being called a disorder that they have. I say this as a neurodivergent mom with a neurodivergent husband and 3 very talented neurodivergent kids. I find the Myers Briggs 16 personality types fascinating. I often come across people who say “I am INFP, and I have ADHD.” Or “I am INFJ (or INTP or INTJ) and autistic.” I believe that ADHD and autism (as currently defined) simply describe personality types.
Love your channel . I subscribed a few a few weeks ago. Both names worked for me but this one made me smile :) Video idea ,ask chat gpt etc. to Steelman an argument against an poor evaluation for autism being given by someone that has no experience with ND women over say 4-0-60 yrs. old
Thank you Otura! Glad you’re here and thanks for the support. I gave up with ChatGPT - if you ask it to design say a RU-vid thumbnail it fills it with puzzle pieces and Autism Speaks style iconography! Yeah, no thanks! Haha. -Mike
I'm AuDHD and was curious to learn more about your comment about norepinephrine, so that could be a video idea. Other areas of interest to me that could be video ideas include: how to get to finished (I get sidetracked all the time by competing tasks, overwhelm, fatigue, changing priorities, etc.); gender (believe there are different perspectives of or experiences of gender in the ASD and ADHD communities with higher than average transgender people); and travel (the novelty seeker in me just loves to travel to new places, but my ASD friends seem more likely to be homebodies, so this one could also have a compare & contrast aspect to it). Another idea could be to clip good bits out of the longer livestreams and package them into a 20min video on a specific topic. I often don't have time to play a 2hr chat. And please link below if you have already done a video on these topics as I might have missed it.
Those three ideas are great! Thank you, Lynette. Also - the clipping of the highlights from a live stream is possible - I need to have a play with RU-vids livestream highlights button. I forget it’s there. -Mike
To your question about "what guilt?", let me demonstrate by paraphrasing a real conversation between two of us: "Do you know that, starting the washing machine, completely forgetting about it and having to redo it all over the next day?" "We don't talk about laundry in this household."
I just thought of a few more Autistic RU-vidrs that might not have been mentioned before. Mat Ricardo, Stephanie Bethany, and The Jen Msumba Project. Jen' book "Shouting at Leaves" would be great for tea and tails if it's not already on your list. 🐈⬛
@@Autistic_AF yeah if i was in Canada or Norway or something, i wouldn't make it with my low cold tolerance. Except if i was getting huge spergbucks by the state or inheritance by parents and rotted inside all day with full heat. But now that I have to wage slave maxx and take the bus to work maxx, it's not recommended to go above the Mediterranean level. Lol.
Some Physikel and mentale Disorders are a permanent or temporery distance away from, That wich sochiety is geard towarts, therfore they have a proportional disentwantege. Anyhow can we come up with a mental system that distinguishes that. Frome the mental equivilent of plunt force trauma, as well as fever and lastly Exposure to unhealty/toxic inviroments that deosn't lump them all togeter as disorder. P.S: I Have Grammer, spelling and syntax problems a exampelof how this would be written better. If you write one Thank you very much.
Hello, thanks for your comment. You've got an interesting point about the 'proportional disadvantage' - there. There's definitely levels of support needs for sure - and levels of disadvantage across society. -Mike
that's only if you're medicated. and you're lucky enough to get those dopamine meds. if not? there's not a freckle of good about these conditions, and I can speak to that.
You know, you have a point there. I have some stories that I can tell. One of my colleagues, who came to work in a bow-tie, a mathematician with a similar build to Sheldon Cooper - I'm fairly confident that he needed support to get dressed in the morning. I wonder how well he was looked after, and remunerated. Hopefully, very well but you can never be sure... -Mike
@@Autistic_AF If that's the name of the cat on your hoodie. He looks like he's having a bad day (in the shot on your hoodie)! 🤔 I guess he could also be determined to catch The Thing he's after. Kittens are pretty over-the-top when they practice hunting skills.
I loved discovering the term Audhd on reddit, and have shared it far and wide. I'm an inattentive with low support needs autism, and the overlap is insane
Oh hey! Your special interest is exactly what I’ve been going to school for! I’m halfway to getting my masters degree in Marine biology and environmental science
Nice! 👌 We need more people like you! We’re deploying a BRUV soon to survey for subtidal Seagrass in new locations. It’s receding locally :(. Thanks for being here! Love your pfp. -Mike
Subscribed brother. Great topic. Our very state of being is seen as pathological because it differs slightly from the majority. Autism's most crippling aspect is the blindess and stress brought on by the invisible sensory overloading or underloading most social situations bring. Especially competitive social settings like school and work. Let us do our thing, and we'll outshine everyone at it. Not because we are trying to compete neccesarily, but because we love what we love, and do it to the fullest. Our pathological honesty also cripples us. Pathological in social settings fueled by deception and lies anyway. The last part of the video says it all - 20 to 80% overlap between autism and adhd? 20 to 60%?? The 40 to 60% error margin makes those numbers meaningless. Unless they tell us the abysmal state of knowledge about both conditions. Much less how any of it impacts autistic-adhd people. Like me. If anyone wants to know what my experience of the world is like, just ask. Because that's what matters. Our human consciousness. I'm different. Gifted. And cursed. But I'm not alone - I know that now....and it makes all the difference. =)
Hey William, thanks for being here! Just to clarify - the 20-80% overlap isn’t a 60% error margin, as it relates to different research sample groups. In some groups, it’s as high as 80% upper range and in some groups just 20%. But the takeaway is that there is a large AuDHD overlap.
Your video on our positive traits was/is very much needed. Thank You! For so many years I didn't know myself. Learning about my positive traits, alongside only the diagnostic or negative traits, certainly does make it simplier, a bit, to... "meet myself". (pls don't steal "meet myself" lol)😜 I've just subscribed. You are refreshing. Can't wait to share. I'm AUDHD.
Hello Melissa! 👋 You are very, very welcome! And thank you for the Super Thanks! It is very appreciated. 🤗🙏 that sense of finally meeting the real you is an important experience. It’s like a second adolescence - something that the majority of people never get to do. -Mike
I haven't been diagnosed with either but certain I have 1 or both. I have thought I had ADHD for a long time and, in fact, my dr as a kid wanted to put me on ritalin but my mom declined. Getting diagnosed has been a challenge that is discouraging. However, assuming I do have ADHD, the 'guilt' you mentioned is for a lot of things. For one, a lot of people with ADHD also have Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD). All of my life I have been hypersensitive to people's reactions/actions. For example, my husband will sigh out of nowhere and I might feel like it is an exasperated sigh like he's frustrated or mad at me. If I had, even, a penny for all of the times I have asked him if he is upset at me over things that most people wouldn't even notice, I'd be rich. AND what's worse, is that I am aware of this so then I feel like he's mad/frustrated at me for asking. If he says he isn't upset, I, often, don't fully believe him (not just him, everyone else in my life too). Another area of guilt is from wanting to do things and just not being able to, for no apparent reason. This can cause issues in school, work, relationships and home. Also there are studies that show that a lot of people with ADHD also have delayed circadian rhythm phases so going to bed 'on time' and getting up 'on time' is a problem, which leads to additional issues at jobs & school. For students it can cause issues with one's parents who usually end up getting frustrated or upset that their kid isn't going to bed, and then isn't getting up in time for school, because they went to bed so late... This, in turn, makes the kid feel guilty (and stupid) for not being able to and making their parent(s) upset, which feeds into the RSD. I think that a big difference between ADHD and Autism is that people with autism are, often times, blunt and to the point and then don't realize why someone might be upset at that, ADHD is kind of opposite People with ADHD, who also have RSD, are hypersensitive to, even just, the possibility that they might have made someone upset.
Hello Winter, thank you so much for sharing those experiences!! And sharing where the ‘guilt’ aspect might come from. Appreciated that, lots to think about. -Mike
Anna! Welcome! Haha - it’s a bit of a niche inside a niche isn’t it? But it’s so interesting to me lol. I’m glad you think it’s cool haha - I agree lol. -Mike 🐟 🌊
Hi! New subscriber here! 😊 I love your hapoy hoodie! ❤❤❤ I am a self diagnosed high funktioning autistic woman with late diagnosed Adhd. I am a psychiatry nurse by profession and I have been great masking sociak skills but as I get older its taking much more energi and and thus harder to want to prioritize precious energi on it. I have a few special intrests and among them paychiatry, medication and healthcare and lots of creative intrests. So fun! ❤
@ 3:28 you touched on something. I too have had those positions and done things that I've been told others wouldn't have been able to pull off. One of which I am most proud of was done through my ability to lucid dream. Do you have any experience of know many other Austistics that lucid dream to problem solve a special task/interest? Prior to PTSD, I wouldn't hesitate to "work a problem in my sleep". Post PTSD, I try my best to ensure I do NOT dream at all, as it is terrifying if I enter into a lucid state. **edit** I also very much miss being able to have positive lucid dreams, it's affected my mental health soooo much. Love your videos and just found you! Thank you.
HI Mike, THANK YOU sooo much for this video! I'm 46 and have just discovered I have ADHD 2 months ago! Now I'm making changes and also researching on Autism because I suspect I'm AuDHD... Discovering this is changing my life for the better so keep up w/ the good work!
Am I the only one, who is driven insane by people and creators, who talk about obvious AuDHD like it is only ADHD? Btw, im just autistic, but my wife is AuDHD and im certain that this is peak of human evolution in our time.
Hey Rey, I think so? I mean - it’s difficult to communicate accurately sometimes, doubly so for autistic or otherwise neurodivergent creators. And then combine that with our occasional wonky reception and processing - there’s a lot of space for misunderstanding. If that’s what you mean? -Mike
@@Autistic_AF i know that its reason for this, but its driving me insane anyway. However this whole psychiatrist terminology sucks, so i guess its a lot of space for evolution of terminology for neurodivergent people. Its still probably needed, becouse Autistic people and AuDHD are very much divergent between them.
I read the book “All cats are on the autism spectrum” to my 3 neurodiverse boys 😸 this video reminds me I still need to get a copy of “all dogs have adhd” 🌈🦄🥔
An important aspect is gender. Male and Female often show traits differently do to both gender differences and socialization differences between men and women.
Hi, not sure if I’m audhd or not (sometimes pda sounds familiar too), but I do have ideas for future videos: 1) the connection between neurodivergence and hormonal changes, it seems perimenopausal women are a big chunk of the current diagnoses for instance. 2) the similarities and overlap between Highly giftedness and overexitabilities and autism/adhd. I met so many twice/thrice exceptional people and, besides, asynchronous braindevelopment is key in both, it seems.
It's true, even on a cyclical basis. I'm currently in my luteal phase of my menstrual cycle, and I tend to loose momentum because my negative ADHD traits, such as inattention and forgetfulness, ramp up significantly in the two weeks before my period. I also experience stronger depressive symptoms due to the forgetfulness and lost momentum, from years of toxic shame because of my "parents". Plus, the autistic part of me goes from active in terms of divergent thinking, to analysis paralysis, or in other words, my autistic inertia turns from yāng to yin. I essentially turn into a puddle of unfinished project ideas because of wavering hormones.
It was very nice hearing real statistics explaining our traits in a positive light. Thanks! Your cat is sweet. I have two black ones. The girl has a white spot on the top of her head that looks like someone dropped paint on her. 😂
Thanks, Raven. Balance is key and … there should be more research coming out from autistic researchers than there are at the moment. I mean - autistic researchers clearly exist, just they’re working on things other than autism/adhd!
Your cat sounds lovely! If you’d like me to show her photo during one of the livestreams (they seem to have pet show and tells in them at the moment!) send me an email with her photo! mike@autisticafter40.com
@@Autistic_AF Thanks! I'll take a good picture showing her white spot up nicely, and send it to you. She really is lovely. She is extremely cuddly. I found her in my garbage can when she was tiny, so I think it may be because she's insecure. Understandable, really.
It was probably the biggest thing for me, next to learning about people’s experiences. I’m really glad you appreciate this aspect and I wish more content creators did the same honestly! Maybe it’ll catch on! -Mike
Honesty and integrity I think is byproduct of few factors. Being direct to and the point, not noticing the taboo of bring up a topic (pointing out the elephant in the room), social justice along with sense of fairness (this one is huge for me). Add to that how autistic people tend to not be affected by the By Stander effect. That's when in larger groups when something everyone sees is wrong they think someone else will address it and no actually does. Black and white thinking and rigid thinking as well. I think to be dishonest one would need to be able to be less rigid in their thinking and be able to maneuver in shade of grey to lie. That been my experience at least personally.
When I was 3, I had a whole shelf full of over 100 different fans. Every fan we would pass, we would have to stop, and I would yell, "FAN!!! A FAN! A FAN!" THEN, when I was 4, it was valves and spickets!!! I've ALWAYS had special interests, yet was never diagnosed.
i have an extreme awareness of the guilt with ADHC or ADIC. (innatentive condition) the wall of shame is often the biggest trigger for my autistic tics and audiation. How to ADHD has a great video, but basically its because of our difficulty in executive functioning or communication, mixed with Autism it sure is verrrryyy funnnn /sarcasm i've reduced my guilt a lot, i luckily live in an environment where i'm not judged, and others can pick up the slack that i can't manage myself. it very quickly comes back in any other environment though, and historical guilt still affects me, despite my unpacking and forgiveness i've managed. hopefully i can keep improving though ^-^
I think all our 'deficits' eg: social difficulty, are actually balanced by strengths in other areas - like you say with details orientation. Taking from one area of the brain, and giving to another.
Yes! Phillips Hue mostly, with Elgato strip and key light, a FalconEyes LED panel for key and fill light and Aputure MX and Tube light. Phew, that’s a mouthful - but I’ll make a video showing studio and desk setup! -Mike
@@Autistic_AF Thanks very much for this Mike, much appreciated:) I’ve tried a few different ones but haven’t been as mesmerised as I have with yours. Great to see and hear from someone from the UK too. Love your style and positivity, really helps:) Thanks again 💐
I’ll do a gear tour, defo - just need to get out more autistic content first. So much to say, so little time haha! Yeah, you’re welcome, thanks for the encouragement. Definitely need more 🇬🇧 representation online :-) -Mike
My special interest is in psychology and writing words to help build Coping thoughts that heal negative thought projections upon ones self. Like undoing the viruses in a computer I like unwriting the negative thoughts in the mind. Also music and art. I struggle with my autistic overstimulation and my adhd need for mental stimulation.
Hi, Saber! 😻 Mike, I see your next book club title is Unmasking Autism by Devon Price, and I think it's a great choice! I checked it out of my public library. It was my favorite non-fiction read of 2023. I found it really smooth and interesting to read, and greatly appreciated all the intersectionality Devon included. In an interview, he mentioned he's working on a book about shame, which I'd totally read.
