Neurodiversity support thread for women with diagnosed, self diagnosed or suspected ADHD and ASC

[BertieBotts]

Continuing the good work of the lovely EauRouge :) Our first thread in the shiny new section. Seems like they created it just in time for us to fill up the old one

Link to the previous thread

This is a support thread for any posters who feel that they might be (or know that they are) on the Autistic spectrum or have ADHD. Feel free to jump in! Some of us are diagnosed, some not, some trying to work out what it's all about. Women with these kinds of issues often present differently to men and as such, can go undiagnosed for a long time. Hopefully, we can help each other understand ourselves and be there for support along the way too.

Links

List of female AS traits by Tania Marshall

AS traits in women and girls by Everyday Aspergers

Musings of an Aspie - Cynthia Kim's blog (Noted as being one of the only sources of information about being a parent with Aspergers)

Autistic Women's Collective

Women with ADHD by ADDitude magazine - this is a really good website in general (though it really needs a redesign). Lots of good, well researched info on ADHD and especially ADHD in women and girls. Do follow the links to other articles. They also have a closed facebook group which is good for info (FB is down so can't put the link up.)

Books
Aspergirls by Rudy Simone

You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid Or Crazy?!: A Self-help Book for Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder by Kate Kelly. (This is available as a PDF somewhere online but I can't find it now - sorry!)

Speakers

This is a new one but it's something I've found really helpful so I hope nobody minds me adding it. I won't link directly to videos because they show up in the thread, but worth searching youtube/Ted/google:

Russell Barkley: Clinical Psychologist who specialises in the subject area of ADHD. He explains it better than anybody else I have come across and has practical solutions to support life with it. He is VERY long-winded, but his talks are packed with info. Highly recommend.

Ned Hallowell: Another psychologist who actually lives with ADHD himself and has interesting insights. Author of the book "The ADHD effect on marriage". He is a little bit cheesy but worth a watch.

Sorry I only have ADHD links to put here but if anybody knows a good ASC speaker, feel free to add!

Online quizzes

Of course no online quiz is sufficient for diagnosis, but can be a useful signposting tool and a starting point for discussion with your GP.

RDOS Aspergers test

AQ test

Adult ADHD screening test

Symptom checklist of ADHD in women

I had a near do with someone on FB about this, a whole thread saying everyone is on the spectrum, and I was the only one who disagreed.
I linked that blog Polter, but they still didn't bloody listen! I felt twitchy for the rest of the day!

Thanks polter, I have read this blog before and it is very good. I completely agree with you but it still hurts me every time it happens, it makes me doubt that my difficulties are real and that maybe I am simply a bit weak.

Thank you for that link polter I'll email to my two dissenters.

Agree molly
Especially with mine being the people who are supposed to be supporting me and really aren't.

POlter that is exactly where I read it! I may well post on FB,it absolutely gives me the rage.I may print it out and take to my boys school too!

Would it be right to say that Simon BC's diagram of the spectrum describes the human spectrum then, as opposed to the autistic spectrum?

What rubbish! WTF do my inability to know what to say/do in social situations and my sensitivity to uncomfortable clothes have to do with my systematising ability? And have you seen the questions on the SQ? Some of them are just common sense - things like whether you check out a car's specs before you buy it, or whether you care about stats related to sound quality when you buy audio equipment.

"If I were buying a computer, I would want to know exact details about its hard drive capacity and processor speed."

Seriously? There are people who don't care about a computer's specs when they buy it ignoring the fact that you even when the questionnaire was first published you couldn't exactly just compare clock speeds to decide which computer has the better processor for your needs? People who disagree with that question deserve a 386 in a fancy aluminium case.

"When I cook, I do not think about exactly how different methods and ingredients contribute to the final product."

"I do not read legal documents very carefully."

I like that Polter, I saw it and considered it for ds1.
I got him a "that's my spot" Big Bang theory cushion instead.

Ds2 wants an Auty not Naughty hoody so he can run amok in morrison's without being tutted at or given dirty looks.

WHERE IS THAT HOODIE FROM I NEED IT NEED IT I TELL YOU

Awesome. I could do with an eighth hoodie. I wear one every day!

My Tardis hoodie is my favourite.

Love the hoodie! I can't believe I never seen the SQ/AQ picture..what a load of rubbish! SB-C is doing so much damage, have you seen his video in comparing empathy in autism and in psychopath, it gets my blood boiling!
Why is he seen as a renowned autism expert!!!!

I don't know why he's seen as an expert, but he seems to be trotted out every so often to tell NT people what autism is like, and they believe him. And they wonder if he's Ali G.

and they wonder if he is Ali G

I so need that hoodie.

My current favourite is a Studio Ghibli one but it's really worn from washing :)

I had an "we're all on the spectrum somewhere" today. I said actually we are not!

I had one yesterday too Allofaflumble it's very annoying isn't it?

This is my rdos quiz thing