How my AUTISM hides my ADHD

Sam, a late-diagnosed autistic individual with ADHD (known as an audhd), discusses how their autism can mask their ADHD symptoms, contributing to a late diagnosis. They mention a previous video about ADHD hiding autism and suggest watching it for more insights. Sam explains that having both conditions can make them appear to hide each other, but this doesn't invalidate their experience. They also mention their scripted videos as a coping mechanism to manage their ADHD while on camera, contrasting it with real-life social interactions where their autistic traits are more evident. The paragraph focuses on the traits of autism that intersect with ADHD, such as the need for order and routine, social difficulties, and pattern recognition, which can sometimes overlap with ADHD symptoms.

This paragraph delves into the social difficulties faced by autistic individuals and how these can mask ADHD symptoms. Sam explains that autistic people often mask their social difficulties by being hypervigilant in social situations, which can also suppress ADHD traits like impulsive speaking. They discuss the concept of masking and how it can lead to social exhaustion. Sam also touches on their personal experience with pattern recognition, a common autistic trait, and how it can help in catching ADHD-related careless mistakes, thus masking the ADHD symptoms from others. They encourage self-reflection on which traits one hides and which are openly displayed, suggesting that acknowledging and balancing both aspects of one's identity can lead to a happier and more regulated life.

Sam describes their ability to excel academically despite having ADHD, attributing this to their capacity to quickly absorb and make sense of information, a trait that also intersects with giftedness. They recount their experience in school and during their Master's degree, where they often started projects at the last minute but still managed to produce high-quality work. This ability can lead to a misunderstanding of their ADHD symptoms by educators and diagnosticians, as the intellectual challenges are not as apparent as the executive functioning struggles. Sam also mentions their current use of ADHD medication, which has helped them with initiating projects and maintaining momentum.

In this paragraph, Sam explores the relationship between physical hyperactivity and ADHD, discussing how engaging in physical activities like gymnastics during childhood helped manage their hyperactivity. They humorously suggest that the energy of ADHD children could be harnessed as a renewable resource. However, as they grew older and faced health challenges, their physical activity decreased, leading to an increase in mental hyperactivity. Sam emphasizes the importance of exercise for ADHD brains, as it can prevent hyperactivity from becoming overwhelming. They conclude by inviting feedback on the video's content and expressing interest in creating additional content about the intersection of autism, ADHD, and giftedness.