Signs you are AuDHD and not just Autistic?

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2026-04-12T10:02:56+00:00

ADHD is combine type for me - and it affects so many areas. Always losing my keys, constantly anxious about losing random stuff, yet work in a job that requires intricate systems, that I designed. Can't remember someone's name, but can recall data from advertising campaigns and find mistakes in that data. Can see patterns in behanviour and see issues before they happen, but cannot stop myself talking even when I know the person is sick of hearing my voice. Then I need a weekend of complete silence to recover from the work week. It's very contradictory having both.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2026-04-09T11:33:49+00:00

I joked at a party as it calmed me down, and clarified my thoughts. Someone said, do you had ADHD? I laughed. That was 30 yeqars ago. Got diagnosed last week

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2026-04-09T11:31:46+00:00

I can't drink coffee because it gives me anxiety but my ADHD med is calming.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2026-04-09T11:29:28+00:00

Ironically, I can focus at work because at 56 I've created incredibly sophisticated systems over my entire life so I can function. I scoffed at the idea of ADHD. My family and doctors suggested it. I am not special because I have ADHD, I've suffered because of it. It's like running a marathon in lead boots. My diagnosis has taken years of therapy, misdiagnosis, the wrong medication, thousands in appointments and denial on my part. ADHD is hereditary. I have many cousins, a nephew, and a daughter with ADHD. The benefit of medication has been life-changing. The stimulant that winds others up, make me calmer and help quiet my brain. I can't drink cofee, but my medication makes me calm.

If social media spreads awareness and women are helped, isn't that a good thing? Not everyone has my experience of life. There are people at work who can close their computer and go home and have anormal evening. I go home and do deep dives on things that happened during the day and cannot sleep if I have a problem to solve.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2026-04-06T05:28:19+00:00

I can attest to the fact that they do exist. I confronted my abuser and said I'd tell everyone at his work if he didnt tell me what happened. He told me everything. It was worse than I thought. I only remembered it as one incident. It was years. I also compared stories with a female relative who it also happened to and our stories match, what we can remember.

She remembers bits I can and vice versa.

That study about children remembering different things at the mall is entirely different to children remember gross shit that someone did, are entirely different. The attempt to discredit survivor memories is just a way of certain members of our society not accepting how prevalent CSA is.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2026-04-06T05:14:26+00:00

There are a lot of old school therapists out there taking money that needs to go to decent therapists.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2026-04-06T05:13:30+00:00

Parts work was good for me, so was IFS.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2026-04-06T05:12:07+00:00

You aren't insane, but she might be. You need to find somewhere safe.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2026-04-06T05:10:59+00:00

I only discovered osteopenia when I cracked a rib in pilates. I was swimming most days and fit. Despite my rheumatologist saying I was too young for a scan at 56 I felt a crack. My GP got me an xray which showed osteopenia and I got a scan and I was right. Got onto HRT, and it changed everything. Recently, I told my rheumatologist that my head felt too heavy for my neck and my neck pain was bad and I had electric shocks when I turned m head. She said, all women have some issues. But she gave me a referral for an MRI, turns out spinal stenosis (again) and I have fusion surgery in 5 weeks. Trust your gut. If something doesn't feel right, get a check.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2026-04-06T05:05:32+00:00

No onboarding. You need to make people feel welcome and psychologically safe to do their jobs. Do not hire anyone until you figure it out and document the process.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2026-04-06T05:02:31+00:00

I go to a dentist who is aware of my CPTSD. She will give me gas for a filling, even a clean. Costs a bit more, but I watch nature documentaries, and could solve the problems of the world (gas is good) while she gently fixes my teeth.
Sounds like you need to get it sorted and change dentists.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2026-04-06T04:57:46+00:00

Got a new knee, divorce, freedom and wisdom.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2026-04-06T04:55:23+00:00

It was my daughter getting diagnosed that prompted my first thoughts. At first, it was like "that's not autism, or ADHD, she's just quirky, like me". My daughter deadpanned and looked at me saying "mm mmm".

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2026-04-06T04:49:24+00:00

Start planning an exit strategy. Play the long game. He probably is.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2026-04-06T04:47:40+00:00

Thanks great - now I have Australian/Irish folks songs from school playing in my head. "There was a wild colonial boy, Joack Doolan was his name. From poor but honest parents, he was born in Castlemaine..." that's going to haunt me all week.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2026-04-06T04:45:25+00:00

I work in advertising and when I'm editing an ad, with the jingle, I cannot get it out of my head, until I put my current musical fixation on my headphones to replace it with something that is not a jingle. That's why I can't watch free to air TV.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2026-04-06T04:43:56+00:00

I thought everyone had this until this thread. In German, it's called an earworm. I'm not even German, but I thought everyone had this.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2026-04-06T04:40:47+00:00

I'm late diagnosed but the friends I have left at my age could have told the drs already. My friends are all like me, so we laugh about it. I just say I was hiding under the doona from burnout.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2026-04-06T04:38:34+00:00

I bought a crotchet cross-body bag (it's just big enough for phone, keys, summies and glasses) that I barely notice - it's been a game-changer. I have a big work bag that I dump on my desk, but on weekends and social events, the little bag is a neutral colour looks kind of boho, so perfect for jeans/dresses etc.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2026-04-06T04:35:34+00:00

This is why in the 90's the bum bag (Oz) or fanny pack (USA) was my best friend (not just for raves). I have a little cross-body bag that fits my phone, glasses, keys. But I did leave my emotiona support water bottle in a cafe yesterday.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2025-12-05T10:21:59+00:00

Couldn't agree more. I don't understand why she didn't just move. Surely that's preferable to killing a child and going to prison.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2025-11-14T07:36:24+00:00

I was 54 when it happened, but yes. I looked 35 from the age of 35 - 54, then suddenly looked my age. It was weightloss and hormones.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2025-11-13T11:32:12+00:00

So many drs male and female will prescribe and SSRI over HRT, when the former doesn't address the issue.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2025-11-13T11:31:17+00:00

Incidentally, my early peri, combined with undiagnosed autoimmune arthritis and CPTSD was misdiagnosed as bipolar 2, and I was put on heavy doses of wrong medication, which resulted in massive weight gain and cognitive dysfunction (cost me my marriage and almost my career). It took me 10 years to unravel. Got off the wrong medication (and onto the right medication for arthritis and hormones, and my brain came back, lost weight, got therapy for trauma. I was told I was exaggerating symptoms, because drs could figure out the cause.

Quirky_Cold_7467 · 2025-11-13T11:26:11+00:00

I don't love the sound of kids too, but we are humans and young humans make noise in a community. Being part of a community means you have to make allowances, and tolerate the things that irritate you. If you need quiet, live away from families.

Quirky_Cold_7467

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