Looking for explanations…As an ADHDer, I have a “busy” mind, and I always have a “to do/buy/project” list, in my mind &/or written down. And on a good day, I can get a lot done, leaving me feeling very accomplished.
As an ADHDer, I can be easily distracted, resulting in lots of unfinished or not even started tasks, resulting in a sense of failure & sometimes, panic. I can put things down and forget where I left them, leaving a trail of clutter in my wake.
As an ADHDer, I like change. I have had a variety of jobs and studied a range of courses. I like dealing with people, getting to know different types of people from a range of backgrounds & life experiences. And I love travel. I’ve studied people all of my life, formally & informally, not just in an attempt to work myself out and try to fit in, but because I find people fascinating.
As an autistic person, I like to know what’s going on, so that I can be prepared and organised. I don’t mind surprises if they don’t result in sudden, significant, unanticipated and highly disruptive changes in plans.
I also find clutter difficult to process and sometimes overwhelming. (Think all those fluoro pricing tickets in Chemist Warehouse.) I like my house to look lived in, comfortable, not like a hotel room, but not wholly cluttered.
Crowds, certain types of noise & loud noises, bright & or flashing lights and chemical smells can be unpleasant, overwhelming and even distressing. “Participating” in a crowd, such as in an audience or a protest march is different, because I know the “rules”, and we all have the same purpose. I feel like I belong, to some extent.
Being both ADHD & autistic can be …interesting. Sometimes one will balance out the worst aspects of the other. Sometimes the best aspects of both work brilliantly together. Sometimes they clash confusingly in ways that leave ourselves & others wondering wtf.
Jonathan Lamothe
🌈 breaking ranks.