Different perceptions of autistic adults and those with adhd?

[PleasantPheasant]

I find the way autistic adults and adults with adhd are perceived by others to be quite different. Maybe I'm alone bit I'm interested to talk about it.
I'm autistic and I also fit most it not all symptoms of inattentive adhd but am not diagnosed with adhd and am on the fence as to whether autism would explain those symptoms.
Anyway, I find it interesting the way both are perceived because I feel like autism is still perceived to an extent as a defect where as adhd seems to be perceived in a much more positive light. What are your thoughts and experiences? Is it something to do with gender bias? More people already being in positions of power with adhd vs autism? Do you think it will change?

I came across this attitude a lot regarding Autism 15-20 years ago. It's the reason I didn't share my DSs Autism diagnosis with close friends and family for many years.

My DD was referred to CAMHs four years ago and were now close to her having an ADHD assessment. Posts like yours make my heart sink. Maybe I was just jumping on the bandwagon wanting a diagnosis for dyslexia and Tourette's also? For what it's worth, DD wasn't a "naughty" child. But those who don't know about her neurodiversity have considered her "lazy"and "disruptive"until they understand what she's dealing with.

As a parent I've found it easier to deal with all of DDs issues over DSs - that could be because I personally find autism difficult to deal with.

I'm guessing if the world in general considers autism more negatively than ADHD, then people on the autistic spectrum find life more difficult than people with ADHD.

Neurodiversity isn't a fashion FFS.

What a bizarre take.

I agree!

Fair enough. Equally, some people might have a lightbulb moment seeing these things and go and seek a proper diagnosis. There is a problem with self diagnosis, but anything that can help people get a proper diagnosis should be welcomed. Life is hard enough without having to struggle with an undiagnosed condition.

Kids don't "grow out" of ADHD. A lot of kids present with ADHD traits before the age of around 7 (inattentiveness, easily distracted, hyperactivity etc) because they are normal traits in young children who are still learning. This is why doctors, for the most part, won't diagnose before the age of 7.

But after 7, most kids no longer have these traits. So you don't grow out of having ADHD, but you can grow out of ADHD type traits.

OP, I think there is a distinction in autism and ADHD. My son has both. I think in children, ADHD is seen as 'worse' because people associate it with being naughty.

Whereas because autism has a much wider spectrum, from those who are non-verbal for example, to those who are very able, people don't know where you fall ok that spectrum, so are perhaps more wary and don't know how to react initially.

I think ADHD is also seen as 'fixable' with medication etc.

I think you need to reread as actually we are singing from the same hymn sheet.

It's people like your DC who may be suffering/have suffered with delays because the system is at breaking point clogged up with those inspired by ridiculous social media claims to seek a diagnosis.

Yes I think it will change. Trends change. Social media is bursting with people declaring their ADHD 'quirks'. It has raised awareness massively and slowly women and girls presentation is finally being understood and diagnosed. I feel though we are at a stage where Autism and ADD are used almost interchangeably and as adjectives. "You're so autistic, that's my ADD side" etc etc etc. Very annoying. I hope Autism will be reclassified in DSM to give some expression to the extreme differences in impact, liklihood to live independently as adults and the level of disability. I think it's too wide for both conditions and both are still extremely misunderstood. When I think of the mother who has to visit residential facilities due to the extreme violence and instability of her 10 Yr old child and another who is demanding excessive accommodations for their child who displays 1 or 2 ASD tendencies. I don't think people can see the impact when the ASD or ADD is on the far end of spectrum.

I think you are right. Anecdotally, I know a number of adults chasing or getting adhd diagnosis but none going for autism diagnosis. One has got a private adhd diagnosis but displays a lot of signs of autism and I suspect has both, but this is not a diagnosis he is interested in.

I've learned to keep my diagnosis of ADHD quiet. I was diagnosed at age 14, and have only ever told 1 employer about it, an award-winning disability friendly organisation, household name, British institution type org. And was promptly treated differently to my peers and bullied by management.

So I'm not sure I agree with the premise of the thread, but do concede that my personal anecdote doesn't mean much in terms of societal trends.

In terms of tiktok self identified ND videos, I have every confidence that the professionals doing the diagnoses aren't influenced by them. Someone may well self refer, but that doesn't mean they'll meet the criteria. And the less stigma the better really.

But if you grow out of the traits and your life isnt impacted and you don't meet the diagnosis then you no longer have it. This is essentially growing out of it for some children but I understand that some academics tend to use the term 'fully recover'.

That's interesting. I definitely get the impression generally that autism is seen as more "serious", more of a "defect". I also feel that an autism diagnosis is (or has been) less socially acceptable, whereas even back when I was in school years ago, people would be open about having AD(H)D - in fact it was sort of used/seen as an excuse for poor behaviour.

I was the opposite of your friend - went for autism assessment but never thought to get assessed for ADD, even though a friend had pointed out some years earlier that I meet the diagnostic criteria (I agreed). I guess this was because I didn't really take it seriously, due to what I'd absorbed from society (this was in 2017), and didn't realise the full extent of how it can affect you so I assumed my difficulties must be due to something else.

I was diagnosed with autism, although the label is to some extent a bad fit. I have wondered if actually ADD explains things better.

However I vaguely feel that autism will be taken more seriously in the workplace in terms of reasonable adjustments etc, whilst ADD might be more likely to provoke an eye rolling "Oh here's another one". So I am interested to see what other posters think! (Currently job hunting!)

Sorry if I wasn't being clear, what I was trying to say was that young children (under the age of around 7) typically exhibit traits that are associated with ADHD, but they are normal traits for that age.

So they grow out of those traits (inattentiveness etc) but they wouldn't be diagnosed with ADHD at that age, because those traits are normal for that age group, therefore it's not ADHD. Just typical traits/behaviour for that age, which is why doctors wouldn't typically diagnose ADHD at that age.

If those traits are still present after that age, that's not considered usual for that age group and that's when people would tend to go down the diagnosis route.

Obviously I'm sure there would be the odd case who were diagnosed with ADHD and it turned out to be something else (an alternative diagnosis, or perhaps just a later -than-usual development) but I think it's rare.

So I'm trying to say that people don't grow out of ADHD, just traits that present in a similar way to ADHD, but that are exhibited by certain age groups.

The paediatrician explained ADHD to me when my son was diagnosed and it's to do with the rate that neurotransmitters in the brain regenerate (I think!) so it is a physiological thing.

Thanks for the clarification. It may be semantics but I think we may just have to disagree. Our NHS psychiatrist actually used the term 'grow out of it" and this was supported by the considerable scientific evidence provided on the course I attended for parents.

Combined with the studies available that report anywhere from 15 - 50% (depending which ones you read) of those diagnosed no longer have symptoms and are considered ' fully recovered' then this extrapolates to large numbers worldwide. Numbers that can't be explained by misdiagnosis ( although certainly there are bound to be some)

It's a very complex area and we are learning more every day. There's increasing research into a preventative approach and also the effects of trauma. A lot of previous thinking is being turned on its head but the possibility of a full recovery/some children growing out if it can only be a positive thing to my mind.

Well this went much better than expected, thanks all.
I really think the adhd being fashionable and children growing out of it posts have been misunderstood. I got the sense the poster was commenting on something which is to an extent objective. Of course the additional awareness also leads to people who DO have ADHD seeking diagnosis but there are likely also people who may have self diagnosed based on traits which don't meet the diagnostic threshold. And that may make adhd more 'acceptable' to general society because more people identify with it, know someone with it etc.
I think the comments about social skills were also interesting. It would be a generalisation to say autistic people are more likely introvert and adhd extrovert but there are trends and perceptions which may influence public perception.

I wonder what others feel about neurodiversity being quite all encompassing. I find my voice disregarded and feel I don't fit in neurodiverse spaces such as workplace groups which are full of people with dyslexia. They totally fit and should be there. Maybe its just because there are more of them and I don't relate to the dominant experience and feel I'm still "weird" and excluded. Thoughts?

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I say "yay" my daughter has autism and that's pretty damn cool gang to be in 😍

This is just my own personal ramblings, so ignore if I'm full of sh*t, but I wouldn't have thought of dyslexia as being in the same space as ADHD or Autism. I don't know why exactly, but while I would have grouped the latter two together, I would have seen dyslexia as something totally different.

I agree that ADHD is seen as socially acceptable and may even be a positive, whereas ASD is seen as a disability.

My family are on each spectrum. None diagnosed as we start in the 1920's up to the 1960's and diagnosis wasn't a thing then.

Without a doubt the ASD parts of my family are seem as less than the ADHD parts.

Im autistic. It IS a defect. A disability. Its shit. It’s not a superpower and I’m not neurospicy or neurosparkly or any of the other ridiculous terms the (mostly) self diagnosers harp on about. If I could press a button and get rid of it I absolutely would. It has negatively impacted my life in so many ways. It’s not cool, it’s not trendy. It’s horrible.

I think it's the completely opposite. ADHD is a very stigmatised and misunderstood condition. I think people view autism more "positively" if we are comparing the two. Albeit there is lot of misunderstanding around both conditions.

I have ADHD and ASD.

Yes I find there's more of a wariness from people who find out about the ASD, whereas ADHD is quite readily accepted.

People often have a perception of ASD that doesn't entirely match the reality of it, which is why I think it tends to be treated as a defect.

YANBU, an adult with ADHD is often seen as "fun" and "quirky", sometimes in an endearing way.
It is something that can be medicated, and there is a huge market for apps to manage it too.

I think it’s totally natural and fine that people perceive a diagnosis of autism differently than a diagnosis of adhd. They’re totally different conditions, so why shouldn’t people have different feelings about them?

I know a people with a diagnosis of one or the other. My observation has been that those with adhd are really fun company when on medication, perhaps a touch more creative / likely to be cheeky than most people, but are utterly exhausting when they’re not on their meds. Based on my observations of people with adhd, I’d be excited if someone with adhd joined my work team as it would seem to mean a lot of creative ideas and energy arriving.

Autism I feel differently about. I only know four people with autism. Three are children and have all been violent several times to other children. I no longer allow my child to be alone with those children as my child has been injured several times. The adult is not violent, but has zero empathy, and says the rudest things both to me and to his family.

So based on my personal experiences and observations, naturally I have different emotional responses to a diagnosis of adhd than to a diagnosis of autism.

I'm AuDHD and it seems to be something more of a banter discussion with my adhd, like haha oh yes you do that! With my autism it's more they are more frustrated with me.

The classifications of adhd/ autism/ dyslexia/ dyspraxia etc are all outdated and based on studies of mainly little white boys. Look at the traits they all overlap hugely. They match the general experience of girls and other groups poorly hence why there is less diagnosis. The structural brain differences are similar and there is a huge co-occurrence of adhd and autism and other ND. I think the distinct categories will Be eroded over time and it will be a spectrum of neurodivergence. Which can’t be outgrown as they’re due to different brain structure and functioning (although can I course be misdiagnosed)

I'm not 100% sure what your saying/asking (the joy of being autistic) but I'll add my 2 cents worth anyway. I'm not diagnosed BTW, however my teen is & we share almost identical traits, which leads me to believe I have autism (the term wasn't even heard of in my day, you were just "quirky".

My experience as an adult include; never feeling like I fit in. Always different/eccentric/quirky. Always felt I had to work "harder" academically as things didn't come "easily". Always thought my perception/view of things was broken/wrong because I interpreted/saw things differently.

I have toyed with the notion of getting a formal diagnosis but at the end of the day, I don't see how that would change anything. I would still be me. A square peg trying to fit in a round hole.

I've spent most of my life on the outside, watching from the sidelines. Wanting to participate but not knowing how. Wanting to fit in, but never quite finding my niche.

That is what it feels like to me.