10/17/2019 www.ADHDInterrupted.com FB & Twiter: @ADHDInterrupted ADHD & ASD – The SquirelBurger Phenomena B y A l i n a K i s l e n k o N e u r o s c i e n c e & P s y c h i a t r y P r o f – M c M a s t e r M e d i c a l S c h o o l R e g . P s y c h o t h e r a p i s t S p e c . A D H D & A S D – T h e G u e l p h A D H D & A S D C e n t r e Now In Guelph, Kitchener, & Ottawa 1 Alina’s Experiences • Misdiagnosed A LOT • Therapy was ineffective and sometimes abusive • You overthink too much! • Never fitting in, even with ADHDers and Autistics • Issues amplified by being a woman (most diagnostic criteria is for the more masculine presentation of ADHD & ASD) 2 Others’ Experiences • Husband’s experience Must be an Asshole! • Same story for clients :( https://www.youngvic.org/sites/default/files/styles/portrait/public/images/SMNWeb3Portrait.jpg?itok=vX30bVMV 3 1
10/17/2019 NOW • Run The ADHD & Asperger’s/ASD Centre • Run The Neurodivergence School – Certify Practitioners to Specialize in ADHD & ASD • Life goals: NO MORE NDs GETTING MISSED OR MISDIAGNOSED! FOR Neurodivergent People BY Neurodivergent Practitioners! 4 About ADHD • Inattentive: • Hyperactive: • More common in adults • More common in children • Need to move, frustrated with staying • Forgetfulness still • Procrastination • Feel like can’t stop doing things • Time Management Issues • Sleep issues • Trouble focusing & remembering • Impulsive • Sleep Issues **MOSTLY MIXED TYPE** 5 Common Asperger’s/Autism Lvl 1 traits • Trouble socializing/ with social norms • Ability to revolutionize fields of study • Extremely specialized interests • Perfectionism & High Standards • Need routine • Black and White Thinking • Trouble with change • Also… • Sensory Issues (Too Much/Too Little) • Pattern Recognition Skills 6 2
10/17/2019 1 in 10 Autistics have an “Island of Genius” “Savant syndrome is a rare, but extraordinary, condition in which persons with serious mental disabilities, including autistic disorder, have some ‘island of genius’ which stands in marked, incongruous contrast to overall handicap. As many as one in 10 persons with autistic disorder have such remarkable abilities in varying degrees. Whatever the particular savant skill, it is always linked to massive memory. ” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2677584/ 7 ADHD & ASD Similarities • Very intense emotional experience (Need to learn to harness) • Ex. X ‐ Men • Trouble with Norms • Need accommodations in school, work, and life • Behavioural & Learning Difficulties • Higher than average intelligence (Studies below) • Autism As a Disorder of High Intelligence: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4927579/ • High intelligence and the risk of ADHD and other psychopathology: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29051177 • Specialized Brains lead to Specialized interests/unique skills 8 ADHD & ASD Differences ADHD Autism • More Extroverted • More Introverted • Less Social Issues • More Social Issues • Special Interests change often • Special Interests stay constant • Know some about lots • Know lots about few things • More often late • Good sense of time, punctual • More Messy • More Clean/Tidy (more OCD) • Like SOME routine • NEED a lot of routine • More eye contact/facial expressions • Less eye contact/facial expressions 9 3
10/17/2019 Is ADHD on the Spectrum? Not officially BUT…. 10 YES!!!! Can you have both? “ The fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM ‐ IV) stated that a person couldn’t have autism and ADHD . But the newest version (called DSM ‐ 5), published in 2013, allows for a person to be diagnosed with both. ” https://www.understood.org/en/learning ‐ thinking ‐ differences/child ‐ learning ‐ disabilities/add ‐ adhd/ive ‐ heard ‐ that ‐ autism ‐ and ‐ adhd ‐ are ‐ related ‐ is ‐ that ‐ true 11 What happens if you miss either diagnosis? • Medication Differences • Strategies won’t work as well (similar but differences) • Different types of accommodations, funding, and supports • May be under ‐ treated • May not relate to others like them (loneliness and confusion) 12 4
10/17/2019 Real Talk ASD diagnosis gets you MORE funding, accommodations, and more people believe it and give you the benefit of the doubt, so you don’t want to miss out on that if you can get it. Because…stigma and misinformation . **Yes, this is dumb and sucks.** 13 Are we Over ‐ Diagnosing ADHD or ASD? YES! NO! • In young boys with late birthdays UNDERGIAGNOSING: (not matured yet) • Women & Girls • Maybe also young boys • ALL adults • ALL elderly people • So…everyone else! 14 Flaws in Diagnostic Process? HECK YEAH! 1. Over reliance on how well you do in school: some ADHDers can do great at school if their skills are in alignment with the school’s needs 2. Gender bias!! 3. Inter ‐ rater Issues (Low Agreement between Diagnosticians) 4. Myths !!! 5. Expensive Process: FYI, We do ADHD & ASD diagnosis for approx. $500, and specialize in Females with ADHD/ASD) 15 5
10/17/2019 Diagnosis Myths Abound! • Be smart • Have a graduate degree ADHDers/Autistics Can’t: • Be a professional/successful • Have ADHD/ASD together • Make Eye Contact • Be married/good at dating • Be Charming • Be too social • Be too good at school • Look normal • Have PTSD • Be Female • Engage in special interests that are not mechanical • Be Funny Ex. Literature, psychology, animals, etc. 16 The SquirelBurger Phenomena/ Our Weird Life • Go to bed at 2:30am (me) 4:00am (Matt) • Matt can’t eat vegetables or fruits (many supplements) • Many cue words to cue each other of our boundaries (no subtlety) • An understanding that if we do things wrong, it was likely incompetence not maliciousness • Weekly chore day where we help each other get started on hard stuff • He finds and dials number, I talk to the person, he brings me tea (everything outsourced based on strengths) • 10 alarms for me for everywhere we go, he arrives 5 min early with no alarms • He does our taxes, I do all our entrepreneurship related stuff • I love the sun, he is a vampire and sun burns him, also has extreme hatred for sand • NOTHING IS OFF LIMITS for discussion, boundaries, helping, and outsourcing 17 The ADHD & Diagnosis & Psycho ‐ Eds Asperger’s/ASD Psychotherapy & Coaching Centre Walking Therapy Professional Organizing ADHDInterrupted.com Medication Prescriptions Naturopathy & Nutrition Support Groups & Classes (For Adults, Teens, Parents, etc.) The Neurodivergence ‐‐‐‐ School Certifying ADHD & ASD Specialists! https://APT.Neurodivergence.org FOR Neurodivergent People BY Neurodivergent Practitioners! 18 6
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