I’m autism diagnosed as an adult, but as the years pass I wonder if that’s really the issue or if it’s more likely to be ADHD.
There seems to be many overlapping features and mine are around poor social skills, feelings of being overwhelmed when plans change and long spells if decompression needed after doing almost anything.
I have high levels of empathy and have been a people leader for many years (highly rated) and I’m just not sure that autism is the right “sticker”.
I have high levels of empathy and have been a people leader for many years
These aren’t incompatible with autism. There are different social skills that are learned and performed in fundamentally different ways, to the point that I’ve met people who are great speaking in public but then become clueless and red as tomatoes when they want to flirt with someone. Developing relationships organically is pretty different from public speaking, fulfilling the role of a leader in a structured activity or organization, or debating.
I’m autism diagnosed as an adult, but as the years pass I wonder if that’s really the issue or if it’s more likely to be ADHD.
There seems to be many overlapping features and mine are around poor social skills, feelings of being overwhelmed when plans change and long spells if decompression needed after doing almost anything.
I have high levels of empathy and have been a people leader for many years (highly rated) and I’m just not sure that autism is the right “sticker”.
These aren’t incompatible with autism. There are different social skills that are learned and performed in fundamentally different ways, to the point that I’ve met people who are great speaking in public but then become clueless and red as tomatoes when they want to flirt with someone. Developing relationships organically is pretty different from public speaking, fulfilling the role of a leader in a structured activity or organization, or debating.
Have you been evaluated for ADHD? You can have both.