Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder vs Autism - How To Tell The Difference

There's some confusion about ADHD and Autism and I've gotten a lot of requests to explain the differences. In this video, I talk about the key differences between the two disorders, and how to tell them apart.
Here are some ADHD or Autism screening tools
Autism screens
Autism Spectrum Quotient
psychology-tools.com/test/aut...
Aspie Tests Website
www.aspietests.org/
Alexithymia questionnaire
www.alexithymia.us/alexithymi...
ADHD Screens
The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS)
psychology-tools.com/test/adu...
Wender Utah ADHD Rating Scale
www.mdapp.co/wender-utah-adhd...
For Children
Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scale (VADRS)
psychology-tools.com/test/vad...
WEISS FUNCTIONAL IMPAIRMENT RATING SCALE - SELF REPORT (WFIRS-S)
www.caddra.ca/wp-content/uplo...
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[@SuperHansburger93]

As someone with both ASD and ADHD, I have to say that this is one of the most accurate representations of both conditions I've ever seen. I hope this goes viral!

[@DrTraceyMarks]

Thanks so much!

[@SuperHansburger93]

@@DrTraceyMarks It also sheds light on why life can be so difficult when you have both at the same time. Forming relationships has always been a near impossibility for me because not only do I have a hard time "reading the room", I can't stay focused of what people are saying more than a few minutes anyway, so I come up as rude. Chit-chat is as exhausting to me as running a marathon. I get bored quickly, I strive for new experiences, I take risks... but at the same time I'm terrified by the lack of routine, and I always try to be organized but I fail to follow through with my own rules. It's like there are 2 people inside me fighting for control, one that is careless and impulsive, and one that is robotic and analytical. My professional life is a huge source of anxiety because I set high objectives for myself, I take opportunities for big responsibilities, but I rarely end up meeting expectations. Add to that the fact that I struggle with properly communicating with my coworkers, either because I fail to identify that I should communicate some important piece of information, or because I'm too focused on getting things done to even think about it, and sometimes that anxiety turns into sheer terror... There are some good sides though. I have a lot of interests, and I only get bored with them once I've reached a very high level of proficiency. So after 36 years I've become a very versatile person, with a lot of different skills in many areas :) But yeah, my life is insane, so it's a good surprise, and somehow quite reassuring, to see it represented so accurately 😅

[@galamander_1327]

@@DrTraceyMarks As someone with both ADHD and ASD I thought this was a pretty good thumbnail sketch. Of course there's tons of depth to the subject, but it gives people a framework to start thinking and learning about it. The slot machine pulls for all the characteristics was a brilliant example. With some attributes a person can "hit the jackpot" and end up downright gifted. In other abilities a person can get totally skunked or just be divergent enough that they struggle to cope, and it's exhausting. I also love the fact that you didn't use *stereotypical* white male ASD presentation in your examples. At all.

[@tmac662]

I have both as well.

[@alissaloncar4584]

Yes! This is a fantastic video. I’m a MH therapist and work with ADHD adults. I’ve noticed an ever increasing number of my clients over the last few years reporting they suspect they’re also autistic. The way Dr. Marks lays out the overlaps, distinctions and individual nuances seems so spot on. I’ll certainly be sharing this as a tool to assist figuring it all out. On a personal note-I was dx with ADHD as a teen, now in my 40’s and only recently came to recognize how many ASD features I have. Right now I’ve determined I don’t fit full criteria for both NDD’s but this discovery has been immensely illuminating & validating of many of the struggles I’ve had in life. My sincerest thanks to you Dr. M. for creating such valuable info on this topic for folks. I hope you see this!

[@carriemiles937]

Because my daughter is a female, & professionals are trained to notice ASD symptoms in males, the ASD level 1 diagnosis wasn’t given until she was 13. But she given the ADHD diagnosis much earlier. I hope more research is given to ASD in females.

[@cat-uc5qx]

Interesting. I am a 90's child, which is relevant to the next bit. My ADHD was diagnosed as an adult, but we couldn't get that diagnosis from any doctor in my youth. They were examining me using what was considered "standard" and "standard" was based on how ADHD is presented in young boys. We now know that young girls can exhibit differently. I often reflect on how different my life may have been had I had my diagnosis earlier in life. I certainly would have had access to better resources and tools, perhaps suffering less for it. I hope the same can be done for ASD too. Diagnoses matter so much in figuring out life.

[@butterflynerd0078]

Female research is ESSENTIAL for neurodivergents! The ASD and ADHD diagnostic criteria are both based on males.

[@nunpho]

@@cat-uc5qx I feel the same way, I was born in the mid 80s and didn't get diagnosed until I was around 33 I think. I hope that teachers etc are more knowledgeable about these things now, especially in girls. There are things that really should have been picked up on like my selective mutism. I never really spoke at school until I was 13. I always wonder how my life would have been with a diagnosis and the knowledge I needed. I suffered a really bad mental breakdown (because of work) a few years ago which is what prompted my diagnosis. It still affects me a lot. Maybe that wouldn't have happened if I was diagnosed earlier.

[@andreasamardzija1496]

I was wondering about that, since a lot of females with ASD are also well-versed in masking.

[@nunpho]

@@andreasamardzija1496 that's true, we just have different traits most of the time.

[@SLCtica]

This literally happened to me as someone with ADHD I was routinely told I was smart, even gifted, but all through elementary school most of my grades were B’s and C’s (except for my favorite classes like English, PE, and Art). As an adult in college I sought help and was diagnosed with ADHD. I began taking medication and it changed my life. I went from studying all through the weekend only to get a C on an exam, because I couldn’t retain what I studied, to getting straight A and making the Dean’s list 4 semesters in a row before I finally graduated

[@AlmeaCulpa]

What medication did ya take? So far no medication's done anything positive or negative for me

[@Jarandjar]

@@AlmeaCulpa Self Improvement works, just takes a shit ton of time.

[@michellekings8106]

Wow what medication?

[@dvdolima]

Are you me?

[@ok-lm9ns]

@@Jarandjar I don’t think you understand what adhd is if you think “self improvement” is what’s gonna help

[@PigeonLord]

I think one of the worst about having both is that I almost require a daily routine to feel good and productive but I also hate the lack of spontaneity a strict routine offers, and can lead me to ditching any schedule or routine shortly after starting one because it’s just too boring… but then my overall well being suffers as a result. 😓

[@Dancestar1981]

Me too it’s a constant battle and different areas in your life need to be compartmentalised and treated differently because it. It makes schedules challenging especially setting them up for house chores yuck

[@PigeonLord]

@@Dancestar1981 i feel you big time. Chores are so hard to do, I find doing a little at a time helps and going back to them later, but the people I live with are NT and don’t seem to understand why it’s so difficult for me to get my brain to just *do* things.

[@brendontruong7127]

The best thing you can do is have multiple schedules to use at the beginning of each day and mix it up once it gets boring.

[@rachelspencer8887]

THIS

[@brianmeen2158]

Yep I required a set daily routine to feel decent as well. I really do not like it as it doesn’t allow me to develop much outside of My structured life. Plus, the older I get the smaller my social battery gets and small talk gets harder . Not good

[@rivergreen1727]

I have ADHD and many autistic friends who have expressed to me that they think I'm autistic too. This is super helpful to explain why I act similarly but for different reasons!

[@owenleynes7086]

You can also be both...

[@sharkitty]

I have both. It's like my ADHD makes me extroverted, and my Autism makes me introverted. There's a lot of layers 😅

[@mooselove]

@@sharkitty that’s not how introverted/extroverted works. A lot of people use introverted to mean shy and extroverted to mean outgoing, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Introverted means socializing drains your energy while extroverted means socialization fills that battery. You can’t be both at once, but most fall more in the middle of “I can handle some interaction but too much and I’m ready to go home”. But my point is- you can be a social loving energized by people shy person, or super talkative happy loud introvert. It’s just where you get your energy, nothing else. I personally love being around people I like, but even with a friend or my son or my husband I need time away and quiet to recharge. Edit:I realize I’ve just info dumped and you may have been using words to mean something other than their literal meaning. Sorry if that’s the case.

[@veronniep]

@@mooselove you're right about the definitions of introverted and extroverted, but wrong when you say you can't be both. In fact, a lot of people are a mix of both. It's called ambivert.

[@haunterdragon4580]

ADHD and I can say I'm nothing like my ASD friends aside a few subjects like video games/anime. I was way more concerned about getting girls though where they tend to completely avoid that. Noticed that they were often more book smart especially things like science, they could easily process things that I couldn't ("I see your lips moving but I don't know what you're saying" is something that actually happened with me alot) but they had trouble picking up on subtle things like sarcasm or things that weren't literal. They didn't like philosophical thoughts unless they were based around fact/evidence. When I was little I was hyper as hell and couldn't sit still and I would copy what they were doing like this could was wiggling his hands for some reason so I did it too. I had no idea why he was doing it but I thought it was fun. And then I'd aggressively rock in my chair and purposely fall out of it and teacher had to hold it still. Another thing is they seem to have extremely good attention on hobbies that I didn't have. They could easily run through games and stuff in one sitting whereas sometimes I couldn't even focus enough to put the game into the console I'd stare at a wall and if I did play games I'd lose attention about 1-2 hours in and I rarely was able to beat anything before jumping to a different game (it's gotten better lately tho)

[@noonghazi]

Can you PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE talk about people with both ASD and ADHD and how they present differently as opposed to only having one of them?! There isn’t much info on the topic online and I would REALLY appreciate it if you could shine a light on the topic.. Thanks a million ❤

[@Catlily5]

Purple Ella has a video about having both ADHD and autism. She has both. Some other autistic vloggers talk about having both as well.

[@skepticsquirrel7560]

Yes please! I hope she does

[@TheTingcat]

Do you have any specific questions? I know someone with both so could ask them for you.

[@naiyasfury]

Yeah from what I've read some doctors will diagnose ASD and then not even think to look for ADHD, and the same the other way around. Any time there are co-morbidities, presentations of illnesses/disorders/diseases are going to be different.

[@kweenbambee]

These are just some general examples. Not all AuDHDers are going to exhibit in the same ways, but these traits are pretty standard. 1. More effort is needed to maintain a routine, even if its important. Unlike in just ASD, the routines of those with AuDHD need to be kept interesting or supplemented in order for the person to continue to use them. 2. They'll have fluctuating interests or consistently changing new hobbies or jobs. They may be referred to as a "jack of all trades" or as a polymath. Those who are ASD may have specific interests which rigidly studied. 3. They may use their hyperactivity to boost their ability to mask, and will mask for extended periods of time. The person may appear outgoing or bubbly when they actually may not be at all. 4. Absent-mindedness. Unless a supplemented routine is established, then losing items or forgetting dates will be common. 5. Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, etc. are commonly co-morbid when the person is provided little to nothing in the way of support and services, or when masking is used daily as a survival strategy. 6. Rapid thoughts. A common trait of ADHD but it may be more distressing or overwhelming for those who are AuDHD. This overwhelm negatively affects the ability to process information and sensory input, as much as Sensory Processing Disorder and Executive Dysfunction. I'm an AuDHD adult woman. I'd suggest looking at studies and articles produced in Europe. There's a recognition of both medical and social models on these conditions. North America is a bit behind in its research, I'm afraid.

[@renoftheshadows]

I think one problem with the clinician saying you don't have it based on their impression (which imo is not always reliable) is that autistic adults have often learned to maske symptoms so that they are undetectable. It would be interesting to see you do a video on this phenomenon.

[@pmg0524]

You should tag her & get her attn! I'm hearing lots of adults complaining that their PC doesn't think they have it so they don't recommend anything further. And some insurance requires a referral...but your PC is not on-board so you can't get that referral. 🫤

[@zorbat5]

Am a adult with ASD, diagnosed at 17... Can confirm I've learned mechanisms to mask my ASD.

[@MickelFrisch]

Went through a lot of therapy as a term. Now I'm am adult and people don't realize unless I tell them. Or a high pitch sound good off or the lights in the supermarket start flickering

[@caseydwayne]

If the person is high functioning they'll probably figure it out for themselves. I didn't know I was autistic until 28 and suddenly it clicked - all social skills had to be learned, none inait. terrible forming and maintaining relationships due to hyper specific interests and sensory overload. etc etc. The masking is quite real but I think in this case spreading awareness to self diagnose is more efficient than persuading doctors with possible egos/altered agendas. Knowing I had ASD as a child or teen wouldn't have really helped me... if anything it'd have made me less likely to try to fit in and feel more isolated/cast out. It isn't like there's medicine for autistic people. It's not even really a "problem" in most cases. We're just different, difficult to get along with, and honestly - everyone has their quirks and many people are a-holes -- we're just neurally divergent and process things differently than "normal" people.

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

That's the Schizoid Personality. It's effectively a person within a person that doesn't ever interact directly with the outside world. It's something that people doing these diagnoses should be on the lookout for as it requires a lot more work to get to the bottom of what's going on, even if you've got somebody coming in that wants a correct diagnosis.

[@Mybestfriendlivesinboston]

I’m a middle school art teacher and I find this conversation fascinating, it really makes me look at classroom behavior differently.

[@JaydenBrohm]

My 13 year old with ASD is an artistic prodigy! She has a very difficult time in class due to other kids and teachers not understanding her, that's also because she gets overwhelmed extremely quickly and has meltdowns, I'm not exaggerating I literally cannot say anything to her or she loses it. I can't ask her to please put her plate on the counter or she's screaming at me or flopping herself down on the floor

[@vipcesh]

@@JaydenBrohm that sounds like pda autism. There are resources that can help you understand it. It might help to learn that way to think and talk.

[@rt_with_s0ph13]

@@vipceshI read a book with an autistic main character who had pda (she was based off the autistic author so it’s accurate don’t worry) and the way they helped was by framing the request like a choice. Instead of “do this” it was “you can do this if you want” :)

[@ms.piranhaplant]

Love how there’s a certified panel, let’s you see she’s an actual brilliant doctor and not some random tiktok person posing as a certified doctor and with no experience. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your videos and thoughts. This is our lives we’re talking about here and she genuinely cares enough to make a quiz for us and it’s never done before especially not on the internet. She’s brilliant and saving peoples lives people don’t think about how being misdiagnosed can effect your life. Thank you Dr.Tracy

[@talesthesalesman3106]

Did you just compare tik tok to youtube.. lol

[@wonderfulrose477]

@@talesthesalesman3106 the two have started to overlap a lot and are both popular platforms for watching videos

[@AMD1]

@@wonderfulrose477 But the difference being is youtube has been around since 2005 and was super awesome and has been slowly turning to shit. tik tok is new and was shit from the beginning and has dramatically become more shitty.

[@catsballs9657]

@@wonderfulrose477 TikTok’s vine and musicaly mixed together. It’s just short form content while KZbin pushes out longer forms of content. Not similarly unless you’re talking about youtube shorts. That’s just a rip off

[@dflatproduction]

@@catsballs9657 Longer form TikToks are possible now, and the content is highly dependent on your algorithm. Sure, they’re not 15+ minutes, but I’d guess that’s a smaller portion of YT’s content as well. I’ve been off TikTok for a few months, but I very rarely saw what I’d call Vine-like content after initial usage.

[@markmuller7962]

I think ADHD symptoms will be underrated for a long time, like losing friends because you don't keep your words, because you're unreliable, your home is a mess, your communication problems and turning avoidant due to low self esteem*. There are places in this world where if you have no friends and family it's basically a death sentence so I hope that our society will learn to rationalize the problem asap, put some effort, resources, attention and training in it like it should be for gaming/internet addiction that has been recognised as a disorder criminally late by a scientific community that is probably demographically too old to catch new or subtle problematics in society. *Not to mention all the other problems with work, adulting, pursuing life objectives and so on. Edit: And you lose your job, and you don't seek a new one in time so it's never a decent one...

[@hi-mj5oi]

Its not a disorder

[@markmuller7962]

@@hi-mj5oi It's a brain disorder

[@sarcodonblue2876]

@@hi-mj5oi Yes it is. There isn't anything good about it at all. The advantages don't out weigh the disadvantages and it causes distress and disfunctioning.

[@dean1111]

Absolutely, I'm so tired of it only being seen as "ohh I'm so crazy and dumb", like it's affected my whole life

[@dean1111]

@@sarcodonblue2876 well I think that's kind of individual, you can't make this claim for everyone. Me for example, even with all the disadvantages, it's still shaped who I am and I appreciate the things like the hyperfixation, hyperfocus etc

[@elizabethwilliams6651]

Psilocybin saved my life. I was addicted to heroin for 15 years and after Psilocybin treatment I will be 3 years clean in September. I have zero cravings. This is something that truly needs to be more broadly used in addiction treatment.

[@Jennifer-bw7ku]

Psychedelics definitely have potential to deal with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, I would like to give them a try but haven't found any legit grower to get it.

[@APOLLINAIREBARTHOLOMIEU]

A lot of people have testified about this and I really want to give it a shot. I put so much on my plate and it definitely affects my stress and anxiety levels

[@Jennifer-bw7ku]

@@michealharris3221Is he on insta?

[@patriaciasmith3499]

The Trips I've been having have really helped me a lot,I finally feel in control of my emotions and my future and things that used to be mundane to me now seem incredible and full of nuance on top of that I'm way less driven by my ego and I have alot more empathy as well

[@antoniakoseva6399]

I used my will not just another drug... If you use one drug to stop using another means you still have a problem, the problem that made you addicted in the first place.

[@jamieheald8732]

I have adhd and autism only found out this year at 34. It was eye-opening to say the least. Heart breaking that no one cared enough about me to have me assessed and has brought a lot of unnecessary suffering into my life and others. But it has also had many up sides that have filled my life with excitement and joy passion and love. My life has been mine and mine alone. Always feeling like i lived on the periphery knowing but not really understanding why people are who they are

[@deepchhabra3016]

I am at the same age and recently self diagnosis some of these symptoms. It's not easy and don't know what to do next.

[@kivakai]

guys! 😭 (32 yr F) am also brand new on this journey. Infact. This here video just made me very very curious about the autistic side? Now that I'm learning, I've certainly come aware that I have many of the traits. Though I have been aware that they overlap. But mmmaybe I'm a bit heavier on the scale? ... ... what was that side of the journey like? ie diagnosis and such? Am on adhd meds now. Did the professional diagnosis help? And. I'm with you with the heart break ✊🏼 it's been a very sore experience. so much mourning. I hope that you are seeing light on the other side x♡ ... *and bonus thought... a concept I heard that has helped me the most so far, was hearing the comparison of 'having a left handed brain, with a world with only right handed scissors'

[@kivakai]

​@@deepchhabra3016personally, it also began with a self diagnosis. we have suspicions and clues along the way that we dismiss until there's that one thing you watch or read that resonates so profoundly. Then the deeper you look the more every step along the way makes sense! Myself's next step was that my GP had been watching me in survival mode for years. Recently I'd been seeing her more often due to chronic gastritis, that she remains convinced was due to GAD, but given all of this and obviously more, when I brought the ADHD to the table, she actually just looked me in my eyes and asked if I believe that I have it. And in my deepest gut, I had to say 'yes'. And she put me on medication 🤷🏻‍♀️ But it's been such a wild ride! I can't even begin to tell you! As mentioned in the initial comment, there's an abundance of heart ache. But I don't know how to explain 'crying because you realise that you are READING for the first time'?? What had I been doing? Like skimming through words and making assumptions? It's impossible to describe. To get out of bed? And do things? And on the side if anxiety, after all of these years of paralysing panic attacks(which were only recently enough identified), to finally click within yourself that it's not so much 'fear' as it is 'overwhelm'. That just reroutes the entire trip right there. If you are feeling suspicious. It might be worth investigating...

[@jamieheald8732]

@kaikevlar3689 hey kai thanks for the msg. Autism side of things for me was very sensitive as a child, didn't like to be touched and was overly reactive but that's adhd too. I couldn't stand certain fabrics and even walking on sand. I was very intelligent but sometimes too in my head or overly hyperactive to focus it properly. Which is why I was deemed "a naughty boy" and given up on. Alot of the things that triggered me as a child have dulled with time and becoming more aware of my own self. I try to not that I'm always at my best but I try to take a moment before I react to anything to make sure my response is formed in the higher processing parts of my brain rather than reactive parts. I've always lived off with the fairies 🧚‍♂️ preffering time by myself but also craving closeness to others that I just can't seem to get. There have been people I've become attached to who have left or in my own bad choices I've left and I've carried that hurt for a long time. I'm actually left handed haha Honestly I kinda like being different because I see the world in such a deeper way than most people I interact with see it. I feel they are missing out on some much nuance and richness but all just focused on people or things rather than ideas. I'm at work hope my message helps even tho it's really only scraping at,the surface of things.

[@draquela96]

This is my life too, many things have I and family is not one

[@LottsOLuvv]

when i was a kid, i had the exact opposite issues with the inattentive adhd, where i would literally zoom through all my work in classes, got straight A's and then spend all day every day bothering my whole class because of how bored i was, but i was never "as hyper" as other people because it was pretty much beaten out of me (not literally), so my mom didnt really think i had it

[@RachelMasters]

It’s interesting, because if you are an ADHD kid who genuinely likes school, (or is highly intelligent) no one notices you have it. I hit a brick wall with Algebra in High School tho 😂 BORING

[@findingmyowntwofeet]

School was really easy for me too. But thankfully I had/have a special interest in reading so I was silently occupied with that.

[@LDiamondz]

Yup, sounds like me, as well.

[@ribikanemta5984]

Me as well

[@mooselove]

From a drs point of view - The definition of a disorder is being impaired by symptoms. If you aren’t impaired and you maintain job/personal/family life with EASE (that’s the important part- you aren’t getting burnt out from coping skills and masking) then you don’t have ADHD the disorder, you just have ADHD-like symptoms. If you have extreme emotional distress from missing appointments, being unable to keep up In school later because it didn’t come easy and you couldn’t focus to put the work forth, that’s ADHD. Hope this helps. (Most everyone meets at least some criteria for ADHD, and most disorders for that matter. I get that they need to draw a line of disorder is here and the rest is “normal”.)

[@jeanne-marie8196]

Just so you know, your insights have helped me personally, to come to terms and embrace, my late in life adult ADHD with disorganization diagnosis. I’m in counseling (again), and have a professional managing my medications. I’ve been treated for “clinical” depression for over 40 years, was on what feels like every anti-depression med ever made, causing me often to wonder why I, for the most part, had the same dark thoughts about suicide. Now, after adapting ADHD coping technique’s suggested in your videos, I feel better than I have for most of my life. I’m following through more on tasks I start; except for those darn dishes! I’ll get there. Thank you, Doctor.

[@DrTraceyMarks]

That's so awesome Jeanne-Marie, I'm so happy to hear this. Keep it up 👍🏽😊 The dishes are understandable 😀

[@quirkyviper]

Laundry, for me! It just never ends so no satisfaction. I'm so glad you are feeling better!

[@Di-Pi]

I’m in exactly the same boat!

[@AB-xu8ef]

Same. These videos finally made me get myself tested at 40. A lot of the troubles I've had for years have been ADHD related and I had no idea. Just blamed depression.

[@samkcatladyaks]

The dishes feel icky and it might make me not want certain foods for weeks or months lol. I understand the dishes lol

[@Lillith.]

I actually got diagnosed with ASD because I came to a therapist with depression. The 2 reasons she named were 1) being friends with quite a few autistic people and 2) I was continually rubbing the palm of my hand. When I got tested I found out that looking someone in the eyes shouldn't be something I think about. I smell and hear things more intense. The way I played with dolls as a child was more likely to play out scenarios because I didn't like playing with them. I also get very into subjects and will be able to tell you everything about it, notice odd details, and solve puzzles backwards. Nobody ever noticed because I was actually ahead of my peers when it came to language. The way I used language was oddly autistic. It wasn't social, but functional. I wouldn't talk to people because I was interested in them, but would ask for things or to help me understand. I never realized that was an autistic trait, but it was interesting to hear. Very common behaviour can be traits of ASD when you stack enough of them. It doesn't bother me all that much. People are usually surprised when I tell them I have ASD. I work a regular full-time job, live on my own without assistance, and have friends I hang out with. I prefer my life structured, love lists, and can keep agendas for people around me (something people both love and hate). It comes with its difficulties, but for me they are easily worked around. I miss obvious social cues and don't have an interest in other people (other than what makes them tick), but will listen to your problems whenever you need a friend and surprise you with something small you mentioned months ago.

[@missjuliarenee]

Oh dang the idea of talking to people just to ask for things has lost me friends over the years. Never realized it was part of me being autistic.

[@sagaedling195]

As a young teen I wished from the bottom of my heart that I was autistic. I felt a kind of connection that I clung to when trying to understand why I was so other. I read up so much about it, learned so much and it broke my heart because I understood that it wasn’t that. And in my fourteen year old mind that just meant I was stupid and wrong and most importantly it was my fault. Flash forward to 19 year old me with a psychiatrist asking me “what do you know about adhd?” And I answered honestly that I didn’t know much. Then I researched and it was suddenly so obvious (though of course I had and am still having impostor syndrome regularly). Then I could finally start working to manage life, and it’s really made a difference, though it’s been a long journey and I’m sure there’s a long road ahead of me still.

[@MadScientist267]

The hunt for answers never ends. I realized I was different before there were categories for any of this. Just consider yourself lucky that you are coming up in a time where this is all not only noted but rather established now. You have weapons at your disposal that the older crowd didn't. Use them to your advantage. It isn't fun the other way.

[@sagaedling195]

@@MadScientist267 I completely agree, and there’s the stigma issue still to fight against. I’ve worked with kids that had the right diagnosis and the resources to manage their challenges which has been great, but I’ve unfortunately also worked with kids who’s parents straight up refuse to acknowledge or accommodate their kid’s needs. There’s still a lot of fighting for my and others right to help, but I do feel very lucky that I now actually am able to join in in the work towards a better future for all of us :)

[@Wolfietjuh]

You reminded me of something a professor said during my psychology bachelor, which always stuck with me. Essentially he said "a disorder label tells you not so much about the individual, as it tells you about society; society's standards, and the things it accepts and rejects". It felt like a very powerful, meaningful statement to me. Ultimately, what is a disorder? It is a bunch of humans clustering certain traits, generally traits that we, humans, deem as "undesirable", and we slap a name tag on it. Thus such a label does not mean that objectively, in the bigger picture of this world, you are more weird or wrong or impaired than the next person. You do not "have" some "disease" that the next person simply lacks. Rather, it means that human society disagrees with particular traits of yours, relative to traits of others which society does accept. And in that sense, you may get a dual issue; On one hand, these given the label are often pushed into a corner of "otherness"; the "neurotypical vs the neurodivergent". Meanwhile you are expected to change, to cope, to adapt in any way possible to fit the neurotypical expectations, and when that proves difficult, at least you have the label to cover for you such that others "understand". On the other hand, there are people who are not provided a label, either because their traits simply do not happen to fit one of these labeled boxes that society decided on, or because no one simply ever shoved a label tag on them, who may feel like outcasts in their own right, experiencing that they are different in a variety of ways, not fitting in, being condemned or rejected by others for it. And often more harshly so, precisely because you don't have a label, so clearly "you are normal" so you being different in any way must then be a personal choice and you simply being unruly and uncompliant. So to you and anyone else, I just hope you may understand that such a diagnosis ultimately boils down to a label classifying some traits. And whether you have or do not have some label (yet), that doesn't make your struggles any less valid or unreal. That doesn't mean you deserve any less understanding or support. We are all deserving of some empathy.

[@Wolfietjuh]

To illustrate, one case that I came across was about a couple that went into couple's therapy to try and save their marriage, as things had been going downhill. Eventually this led to the husband being diagnosed with ASD, after which their marriage stabilized again. The wife now felt like she could understand her husband's quirks, and could empathize with the fact that he couldn't help them. But there is the irony: The husband did not change whatsoever. The quirks that initially caused trouble between them were still there. But simply because a name tag was now slapped on these quirks, suddenly the wife can cope with it? Yet if no one had provided the husband with this label, the wife would have been unable to cope, and their marriage likely would have ended. Even though, with or without that little diagnosis name tag, the husband is the same person with the same quirks, that are equally hard to deal with, without a label.

[@michellejames2447]

@@Wolfietjuh What you're talking about is the underlying belief that behaviors that are atypical are a choice. If the husband is going things that the wife finds unusual or inconvenient, then in her mind he is choosing to make her uncomfortable. If he doesn't stop when she asks then he doesn't care about her enough to make an effort, which has implications for their relationship beyond something just being irritating. It's like a small child being a messy eater--the child can't control that, so the overwhelming majority of adults will let it pass. However, in an older child this is viewed as carelessness and not caring about those around you, and therefore it is viewed very negatively. The diagnosis tells her that his behaviors are not either directed at her or due to not caring about her and that reassures her that he cares about her. All my opinion, of course.

[@didntevenchoosethisfont141]

Hi Dr. Tracey! The Autistic community does not recognize puzzle piece imagery, the color blue, or Autism Speaks. We instead recognize the infinity symbol, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, and the color red. If possible, could you change the thumbnail to reflect what the community itself identifies with? This video was very well presented and very respectful. Thank you! *Edit: Thank you for the updated thumbnail! We appreciate it!

[@benjisaac]

I shouldn’t have had to scroll this far for this comment

[@atheisticfront]

Clicked on the video just to see if there was this comment. The fact it's so low really puts into perspective how many people actually in the community watch these things./

[@RTCPhotoWork]

Bump!

[@botdance9]

Looks like she did it!

[@isimonsez]

Oh so you speak for 100% of the autism community? Who voted

[@RootwitchQueen]

I'm both ADHD and Autistic and existing feels so...chaotic lol It's always this push and pull in my brain. I was only diagnosed last year at the age of 30. However, as chaotic as I feel sometimes, I wouldn't change things for the world

[@SuperHansburger93]

Thanks for sharing. Going through the comment sections seeing so many people sharing the same experience as I do is really reassuring. When our lives are so crazy it's hard not to think that something's wrong with you. Realizing that other people go through the same experience gives a sense of normalcy, in a way :)

[@sarcodonblue2876]

I have both and I hate it . I definitely would change it if I could.

[@rebeccamay6420]

Yes, it does feel like a push-pull between ADHD-inattentive and ASD in my head. I often get immobilized in between a push and a pull -- I call this momentary immobilization "Brainstuck." My mind is going 100mph while the rest of me stalls out.

[@elizabethf8078]

I also have both..diagnosed at 40-something. The biggest roadblock for me was the decades of emotional baggage I'd accumulated from bullying, gaslighting by educators and medical professionals, counselors who knew just enough to be dangerous but not enough to be helpful. When I got my diagnosis, my new Special Interest became autism and ADHD..and I quickly realized I could leverage my strengths to my advantage if I could wade through and discard all my emotional baggage, since I would have more emotional energy to work with most days. I joined a Celebrate Recovery group 9 years ago and it did more for me than I could put into words. (It's FREE, by the way) It has changed my relationships (I learned how to set healthy boundaries with others -- and with myself), my outlook, and now I'm on the local leadership team -- ME, a socially awkward, analytic, and easily-overwhelmed aspie who only occasionally hugs and strains to make eye contact. My emotional baggage resembles more a small carry-on now, so it takes a lot less energy to do "adulty" things. I can be my weird self there and it's okay. I'm not a broken person..I'm a perfectly good Aspie with some pretty groovy talents and eccentricities. Of course life will always be hard, but it no longer feels like a root canal every day.

[@rebeccamay6420]

@@elizabethf8078 Yes! That was my newest Special Interest upon finally figuring it out with some help from the ASD/Aspie community on KZbin about a year ago: I have both ADHD and Autism, and THAT is why I never really "fit in." I was a puzzle piece hanging around in the wrong box. Now that I belong among others like myself, it's so mentally liberating to let go of the pressure to "be normal." To reference a line from a hilarious movie, I can be "Abby-something... Abby-Normal." 🤣 I also get to learn why my brain works differently, and what strategies I can use to leverage the strengths that are sometimes my weaknesses.

[@alicekerby4569]

I wouldn't say stimming is always a sign that something's wrong. For me stimming is linked with my emotions and the energy I feel inside, so I stim more when I am very happy, excited, embarrassed, frustrated, anxious, nervous or when something's really funny or really "stimmy" like a really good bit of music. I stim less when I am calm, sad, tired... It's more complicated than that but yeah often when I'm really stimmy is when I'm really happy.

[@katarzynazdrojewska4233]

I'm stimmy when I'm happy but some present mostly if I'm tired, exhausted etc., like swaying side to side - I don't have the energy to sit or stand still like "normal" people and just... Sway side to side or walk slowly in circles.

[@rachaelt3294]

My daughter loves visual stimulation and even thinking about happy things. She flaps, shakes her head, and even twirls her toes. She was diagnosed at 2 years old. Is doing great at almost 9 now. My son has been raised in an ASD friendly environment so his teacher think he is adhd since he has learned to cope. He stims by squeezing his hands together, pinching when young, and it is less noticable. I'm trying to get his tested at 7 but the waiting list is so very long.

[@NicoleCtirad]

I was actually diagnosed with ADHD 8 years ago. Also suffered severe depression and mental disorder. Not until my mom recommended me to psilocybin mushrooms treatment. Psilocybin treatment saved my life honestly. 4 years totally clean. Never thought I would be saying this about mushrooms.

[@Bastianbishops]

they saved you from death bud, lets be honest here. and mushrooms are one of the most amazing things on this planet i wish people would all realize. they could solve a lot of problems, more than just mental treatments, environmental clean up; the possibilities are endless with fungus.

[@JanetRichardson-mq5es]

Can you help with the reliable source I would really appreciate it. Many people talk about mushrooms and psychedelics but nobody talks about where to get them. Very hard to get a reliable source here in Australia. Really need!

[@DonnHowes]

YES very sure of Dr.alishrooms. I have the same experience with anxiety, depression, PTSD and addiction and Mushrooms definitely made a huge huge difference to why am clean today.

[@BrownGeorge-pw2xo]

I hate that psilocybin gets grouped with drugs like cocaine and heroin. Mushrooms are a remedy, not a vice! I went on a microdose treatment for a couple of months and within the first week, every sight of a cigarette got me questioning why I was doing all that to myself. It really works.

[@gefferystones2814]

How do I reach out to him? Is he on insta

[@miserybutane298]

over the past 2 years, i finally got diagnosed as both ASD and ADHD and honestly I'm starting to find so many things i thought were normal that aren't.

[@rebeccamay6420]

I can understand that-- I didn't know that the way I ate pizza as a child could be called a food ritual. I didn't realize that gnawing and nibbling at the inside of my mouth could be called stimming. ... Which reminds me-- I want to print out my worksheet/notes and online self-assessment results tonight. I have an appointment tomorrow!

[@miserybutane298]

@@rebeccamay6420 good luck with your appointment!

[@wavesofrelaxation7926]

​@@rebeccamay6420hey, how are you doing right now?

[@babycakes8434]

​@@rebeccamay6420 My brother does that gnawing. What were you diagnosed with? ASD or ADHD?

[@rebeccamay6420]

@babycakes8434 I had to figure these things out on my own. I think I have both ADD-inattentive and ASD. ADD-- low-dose stimulant meds help me regulate my attention span and ability to concentrate on necessary tasks -- I'm a bookkeeper and I need to pay attention to priority tasks instead of hyperfocusing on brain-fun projects that may or may not boost long-term productivity. ASD -- I've had numerous characteristics my entire life, but it was never addressed because of "timing," I suppose. I grew up in the 1970's-1990's, was highly intelligent for my age, wasn't disruptive, and seemed mostly normal, aside from a few quirks. My school system probably didn't have any idea what "Aspergers" looked like in young females. Looking back, and now self-educated on the topic, I can see it clear as day! And ^that^ explains ev-er-y-thing about my quirks and traits and delightful weirdness. 😁 Armed with this self-diagnosis, I am better equipped to discuss these things with my healthcare practitioners and advocate for myself. And when someone scowls at me for being a Weirdo and scornfully says, "What is WRONG with you!" I can casually reply, "Autism," watch for their stunned facial expression, smile kindly, and then walk away satisfied and at peace with myself. 🤗

[@codexamalgam5939]

Thank you so much for this, wonderful to see a psychiatrist talking about how varied ASD is and how likely it is to be missed if you're achieving OK and not causing trouble for your parents and teachers.

[@DrTraceyMarks]

You're so welcome! ❤️

[@breakingboardrooms1778]

Just so you know, significant amount of autistic people really really hate the puzzle piece. Dear people who for some reason love the puzzle piece, no, I am not speaking for you. I'm speaking for myself, and others like me. It is not wrong for us to want to be comfortable.

[@oliviaperryman8622]

I hear you. It implies we are a puzzle piece short of a complete picture / person. I see it now as finding part of the puzzle that makes us who we are. The same could be illustrated for all neurotypicals also frankly. ❤️‍🩹

[@lydiaortiz7493]

I’m Behavior Analyst and this video is very well done. Excellent thank you

[@Johnrich395]

Well either you need to stop making a lot of sense, or I need to see a therapist. Which probably means the second.

[@Bard420]

I was a straight A student in school when I was interested in what they were teaching, but as I got older I lost interests and ended up dropping out of highschool. Got my GED ASAP, worked to save up and buy a used car, and now I’m in college succeeding with flying colors after being medicated! It was much harder to get anything done when I wasn’t on medication. What’s crazy is I figured out I had ADHD in highschool because my friend peer pressured me into taking some adderall, just 1, and the reaction I had to it was odd because it made me feel normal and calm, even my friends at the time were like “Do you have ADHD or something?” Bc I wasn’t hyper at all. I told my doctor and she didn’t believe me, she made me get an EEG at 16 and told me that no, I didn’t have ADHD after. But then flash forward to 2022 October, I go see a psychiatrist who diagnoses me with binge eating disorder and prescribed vyvanse. I had a similar reaction to adderaal that I did to vyvanse, which basically confirmed that I had ADHD because of the reaction I had since it’s a neurological disorder. Crazy to me lookin’ back

[@Dancestar1981]

Eating disorders can be especially common in the Neurodiverse community

[@ginealamar2236]

This is exactly what I went through and am going through. I dropped out in the 11th grade, got GED and went to college. Never finished my undergraduate degree. I have compulsions, struggle with motivation and decision making. My relationship with food is terrible (restrictive and binging cycle). I overthink like crazy to the point if decision paralysis. I could go on and on SMH. I feel like a complete failure but I’m somehow simultaneously doing better than many others (6 figure IT career, all the basics for adulting/survival). I’m highly empathetic and take on large projects and niche interest that never seem to lead to anything long term. I feel all over the place 6 days out thee week. I’m constantly mentally drained and physically tired. I feel so helpful helpless at times. I don’t think I can continue functioning like this forever. I hope I find the medication or change needed to help “normalize” my life.

[@oliviaobrien1574]

This is exactly how I found out I had it too

[@laurlaurmarmar7697]

ADHD isn’t a disorder. That is internalized ableism coming out. I hope you are able to continue accessing accommodations that work for you while understanding that your brain isn’t the problem, the general structure of the world and systems are the real issues.

[@Bard420]

@@laurlaurmarmar7697 I feel like maybe you’re baiting me, but it’s most definitely a disorder, lol. I had four cavities this year because I kept forgetting to brush my teeth and because of time blindness, after years of having no issue with it. It affects your functioning and ability to take basic care of yourself because the brain gets overwhelmed and shuts down, and it can get worse with age because we naturally get more responsibility as we age. I still struggle even with medication - I would still struggle regardless if the world was different. It’s a developmental disorder, meaning the brain doesn’t develop the same as someone without it. And a lot of the symptoms you see surrounding ADHD is the brains way of trying to balance the chemical imbalances. Like it affects the ability to regulate yourself. It’s similar to depression almost, because depression can cause executive dysfunction as well, however they aren’t the same because they involve different treatments and different areas of the brain. ADHD can often times even make depression and anxiety worse. And you can have both at the same time. Like me with binge eating disorder - ADHD exacerbated my eating into over drive because I started to focus on food and only food, because it was the only time I felt happy. And the crazy thing is / I was not aware of how focused I was on food. It didn’t occur to me it wasn’t normal to push everything else that’s important to the side, because food was more rewarding for my brain. Food is a source of dopamine for the brain, binge eating cravings were too strong - but now on medication it’s so much easier to keep track of what I’m eating, and for the first time in years I have lost 20lbs. Which is amazing for me. But if it wasn’t a disorder - then why does the paradoxical effect happen with medication? Like why do stimulants calm someone with an ADHD brain down? While someone without ADHD who takes stimulant medication may feel high after taking it? Because the brain didn’t develop the same way and one has more difficulty regulating itself. And stimulants balance out the dopamine levels, which ADHD is the deficit of dopamine, causing hyperactivity because that’s the brains way of trying to balance out dopamine levels without medication. But with medication- it gets rid of that to an extent because you’re finally at the same baseline as everyone else.

[@RandyCuzThaGreat]

Having both is a constant state of discomfort sometimes the two symptoms counteract each other and leave u in a state of undecidedness and anxiousness

[@BlackLabsLikeRuleDog]

This is the most clear video about the subject EVER. Most other videos are like “ADHD and ASD share these symptoms…you may have both!!!” and I’m like…but yeah not everyone’s AuADHD. One of my brothers is both, but the other is only ASD…then I only have the ADHD.

[@LittleHobbit13]

Thiiisssss. Also, as someone who has ADHD but not Autism, I get really frustrated whenever someone is super quick to argue "any shared traits are clearly an indicator of autism!" Like....maybe could you please not erase and invalidate my whole neurological condition because you have some weird sense of ownership over a behavior? We can look similar and not be the exact same. It's okay to only have one of the things. Not all neurodivergence is a form of autism, and it's important for people to have the right understanding of their condition so they can get the right assistance with it.

[@t3hsis324]

Dr Marks THANK YOU for talking about this. I am a late DXed asd adult who slipped by, because I didn't have any major issues. I was just labeled as lazy. I would love to have more videos on this topic. I've also questioned if I could potentially have ADHD, but it's quite possible as you've mentioned that I just share some of the common traits. What's really frustrating is psychiatrists still like to argue with me it isn't possible, even though it makes so much more sense than their dx of BP ever did. I did try to listen and try their medication, but it did not help and the more analyzing I did on my feelings and triggers, the more I saw patterns.

[@Kulei666]

old regulations said that you can't have asd and adhd at once, maybe your psychiatrist has outdated knowledge and maybe you'll need to change it for another

[@babycakes8434]

I took care of autistic child, and before his ASD diagnosis I thought he was lazy, but after his ASD diagnosis I knew he had ASD and also was lazy.

[@_hunnybe]

I understand why you don't recommend self diagnosis, but I also heard an autistic autism researcher talk about how roughly 90-something % of self diagnosed ASD people have it. Given the barriers to diagnosis, perhaps it could be useful specifically in the case of ASD? Thank you for the video 🙏🏻

[@vickimaroney800]

Sometimes self-diagnosis is the only option that you have as it's too expensive, or there's no adult pathway to diagnosis where you live. At least by recognising your traits you can then access the community and feel less alone after a lifetime of feeling like an alien.

[@Pslm91v14n15]

I’m self suspicious.. of both. If I only have one it’s adhd.. but I don’t think it’s possible for me to have neither 😅 I’ve struggled with my attention, executive function, sensory, and social life.. well, all my life. I took personal offense to common expressions often and while I do generally understand sarcasm, I have a personal vendetta against “they grow up so fast” and “in the blink of an eye”.. this is also a lifelong problem for me 😅

[@iadoreapplehead]

The more I read and the more videos I watch the more I suspect I might have ADHD. But I also went through childhood trauma. My sister is already diagnosed with PTSD so chances are likely I have that too. There's some overlapping traits between ADHD and PTSD as well, so I don't know. Could be one of those, both, or something else entirely for all I know. I finally had my intake for therapy 2 weeks ago and brought ADHD up to my new therapist. Fortunately I wasn't dismissed like I thought I would be (that's what I'm used to plus the whole idea that self diagnosis = bad) but they're going to look into it with me and should I have it, treat me for it as well as my list of other problems 🤠 I know that if I had not brought it up, I would likely only have gotten treated for childhood trauma since ADHD (and ASD) often goes undetected in adult women. Especially when there's something else going on like in my case. While it's obviously best to leave diagnosing to the professionals, there's absolutely nothing wrong with doing a bit of research yourself! It may not be something that immediately comes to mind, so definitely worth discussing it with them at least!

[@Anna-ul1fj]

In my country it's over $3000 a session to get a diagnosis from somebody who works specifically with autism. So unfortunately as opposed to what they're saying. I will be sticking with my self diagnosis :')

[@amandamills6181]

@Anna You must be in a country where being diagnosed officially leads to your benefitting from social programs. In the U.S., there's not an official channel for diagnosis because being diagnosed doesn't lead to the government giving you money or resources. Being diagnosed is only beneficial insofar as you seek the right kind of help when u know what's going on with you. I truly wish there were social programs here, but it would be hard to scrape up a lot of money for the diagnosis.

[@slurplie]

I just wanna say that heavily treasure each video you make. It’s so important to inform ourselves of our mental health and these videos are so respectful, informative, and thoughtful.

[@zacharylindahl]

I really appreciate the clear and concise way you did this with no background music

[@naavevans5546]

Love most of this but there are a few issues. 1. Functioning labels are widely considered to be outdated 2. Stimming in high masking autistic individuals may look subtle like how the ADHD fidgeting was described And 3. Self diagnosis is widely seen by even professionals that specialize in autism to be valid. I can't recall the study off hand (I believe it was Washington state university) I remember though that they said self diagnosis is accurate in up to 90% of cases. Additionally formal diagnosis can create barriers and isnt right for everyone. Not only is it financially, emotionally, and sometimes physically draining it also has consequences beyond that such as some countries will not allow people to immigrate if they are diagnosed.

[@KarenLynnLHC]

Thank you so much for commenting this! 👍

[@petralea]

I also wanted to thank you for this comment and support it, as much as i understand that dr. is licensed professional in US and has to adhere to certain standard (dsm that is) she shouldnt dicpurage people to self diagnose (for the reasons you mentioned) it only goest to show that 1. these labels are not fully understood 2. Dr.s Get paid for testing, for prescriptions etc. So there in an incentive 3. Many of us have high analytical skillset and iq and we can research the dear life out of anything (and also apply because you know what we had to observe and analyse human behaviour all our lives) 4. We also mask for dear life and many of use have a lot of truma behind so it is not easy to open up to random (even if professional) person or even realized what is learned behaviour (which was meant to protect us) 6. When diagnosing (even adults) most of the time they request the interview with the parent, this is often contraproductive, parent of 40+ year olds still in denial being 60/70 years old living with what they heard about asd/adhd 20/50 years, ago, or worst they are the abusers who would never ever agree or if possible compromise the objective assesment...

[@derekhiemforth]

Thank you, Dr. Marks, not only for this video, but for your work in general making these resources available to everyone. I have ADHD with inattentive presentation, so videos like this specific one resonate with me for obvious reasons, but even your videos that relate to conditions I don't have are interesting and engaging to me. You're not only a great mental health KZbinr, but also a great educational KZbinr in general. I learn a lot from you. 🙂

[@hithere7080]

Respectfully, the puzzle piece is not a good symbol for autism, we prefer the infinity symbol, the puzzle piece is used by eugenicists so...

[@irving9509]

I am so glad you are making these videos on ADHD and Autism. I love your thorough explanations and I highly benefit from the content.

[@beargainsmsp]

Thank you so much for making this video! I’m an adult in the early stages of finding out why I just feel wired differently. It means a lot to see this, and to get those screening results. Seeing a psychiatrist soon, so I’ll follow the tips to bring printed results. I spent a lot of time in therapy for depression, and it was so validating to hear you talk about why providers may treat that and not screen for ASD

[@LeEpicCrazyMeIsEpic]

one of the best content online. clear, consise, informative and has follow up information on what to do next if you think you may have this disorder. briliant!

[@jenjibur]

I stumbled onto your videos yesterday & I'm really enjoying them. Your presentation is refreshing! You get to the point, explain things well, & don't overuse hand gestures. As someone with ADHD, I really appreciate that! One of my best friends has ASD. Learning about it helps me to have some insight into her thinking. And I always enjoy hearing info about how I can function better in my daily life.

[@AdamWil79]

We Love you Dr Tracey. You're a real person who cares. Thankyou so much for sharing all of your insight, experience and knowledge with the world. You're a Gem

[@andreasluxbr]

It is so amazing how you make all this knowledge so accessible. Honestly, thank you so much!

[@maryg.7790]

She is a hero!!

[@aurellelb2503]

This is an exceptional video. I've read a lot about the similarities but never found out clearly how to distinguish both disorders, but you nailed it. This is so informative, thanks a lot.

[@lov3_lace]

Thank you for this! I've seen so much on social media about this topic and this is such a clear explanation of the difference. I myself was curious if I might be on the spectrum, but understanding the reason behind the symptoms makes it much clearer.

[@r.w.bottorff7735]

I think you just gave us an excellent example of how to describe the spectrum aspect of ASD to neuro-typical folks with the slot machine comparison. This whole video is full of important points. Thank you!

[@taigenraine]

Thank you for the resources and advice. I have ADHD, am on the borderline for ASD according to the self test I took, and this inspired me to reach out to betterhelp to seek therapy. I also recently hurt my back at work and am now unemployed (small settlement because I had scoliosis so couldn't prove much fault for the employer). My social and organizational problems have made finding a new job nearly impossible, especially one where I don't have to stand long or lift things. But anyways, this video got me enough motivation to break out of my daily routine and try something new.

[@Narja23]

Thank you so much for this video. I'm in the middle of getting diagnosed and recognized as a ASD person and worker here, in France (and that's hard because a lot of psychiatrists that also are psychoanalysts "don't believe in the ASD diagnosis, are you sure your mother is treating you well ?", real quote for one of the therapists I saw as a kid), and this video is so precious. As a woman, I've met on and off therapists since 2005 for repetitive and social anxiety, and it's only in 2022 that a therapist checked me for ASD after a post-phd-defense depressive episode. I've always been one of those people who don't make any wave : smart, on top of the class, unable to know when to shut up (and therefore bullied for it), but also with socially acceptable oddities (I re-read religiously the whole Tolkien bibliography each evening again and again from my teenagers to nowadays, to only quote this little one) and discreet repetitive gestures (I move my heels up and down quickly each time I"m sitting or lying, it's pretty upsetting for everyone who notice, but it sooths me; The only time i'm not doing it is when I'm alone at home, because I do feel relaxed). All those things probably should have alerted every last professional we saw, but at that time, in France, psychoanalysis was still the dominant way of doing things, and women stil tend to stay less quickly diagnosed than men. It's becoming better and better here, especially thanks to the local associations fighting against our old Freud and Lacan, fortunately. I do not qualify for ADHD, but the video was really interesting, because my best friend (who's diagnosed) and I are sharing a couple of symptoms, especially in social situations and phone-call situations (erk, those are the worse !). That's even over that we bonded over as bullied kids in middle school !

[@jessicatherabbitxo]

This is the best explanation I have seen of the overlap but distinguishing the different underlying reasons for symptoms. I have diagnosed ADHD but also identify with several autism symptoms, and wondered if I have both. But in other ways I didn't feel ASD fit, and this explanation really helped me realise why!

[@aberrySLP]

THIS is one of the most thorough, absolutely factual explanations given about the differences between ADHD and ASD! You presented the detailed information in a way most adults would understand! Thank you! ❤

[@byamboy]

This is a masterpiece of simplicity and clarity! Thank you!

[@kassistwisted]

Dr. Marks, it is amazing how you seem to do videos on exactly the questions I'm asking myself. I have recently been diagnosed with ADHD (inattentive type) at age 55 because I never had behaviour problems at school. I sought diagnosis because of your videos, so thank you! But now, I've been reading a book by a comedian who was diagnosed with Autism later in life, and many of her symptoms (problems reading social cues, stimming when nervous, finding certain noises upsetting, hyperfocus) sound like me too. And yet, other of her symptoms sound nothing like me. Thank you for explaining how people with ADHD sometimes have these features of ASD without being Autistic. And how pathology-treating healthcare ignores our symptoms unless they are profoundly affecting daily life. I will discuss this with my ADHD therapist so I can understand more. Thanks again for putting me (and so many people) on the right path.

[@davidspencer952]

Seen hundreds of video's on the subject and find yours the most clear and informative. Thank you.

[@cat-uc5qx]

I REALLY needed this. I am diagnosed with ADHD but wondered if I have ADS because of the overlapping symptoms. Knowing the why for each habit reinforces my ADHD diagnosis. My habits all aligned with ADHD reasoning.

[@keriskorki]

As an autistic person, this is one of the better videos I’ve seen explaining my autism! Thanks for making it 👍🏻

[@sugarwoofle6067]

I was diagnosed with adhd at a young age (back when they didn't believe you could have both) and now that I'm older and having a mental health crisis I had to reach out to a psychologist who thinks I have autism as well and it was just missed because I have the inattentive version of adhd. I've been watching videos to educate myself and think back through my life at all the signs I remember and it just blows my mind. To feel like I finally have all this information as to why I am the way I am and not feel alone or like an alien from another planet. It just wonderful. Thank you for the educational video.

[@mommybrown4]

This was the best explanation of both ASD and ADD that I have ever seen. Well done Dr. Marks and thank you!

[@Melechtna]

This one was actually really interesting, because it actually explains how my oldest friend, who has ADHD, was the one that realized I was ausitic, and it actually explains some of the clashing points between our respective problem areas.

[@ReineDeLaSeine14]

I was diagnosed with ASD at 20, BPD at 21 and ADHD was discussed but only addressed this year at 34. Thank you for this video

[@geoffreyleblond]

I'm a psychiatrist and this is probably the most accurate and well-presented comparison of ASD and ADHD I've ever seen, taking into account societal contributions to these very complex diagnoses.

[@vladpetric7493]

Dr Marks, you're not only helpful but listening to you just makes me feel better ...

[@chez-roybirchwood5617]

Thank you, Dr. Tracey Marks. Your explanations are top notch: concise, accurate, and very informative. Well done.

[@TheLiliBHellFire]

As the mum in an extremely nurodivergent family ... as in all 6 of us plus the godparents I fully applaude this video x absolutely amazing video. Me ~ ADHD, Partner ~ ASD ... both unknown until we had our children. As I'm sure you can imagine, that has led to a whole range of complexities with our kids. There is a very clear difference between the 2 and this is one of the best videos I have come across about it. Full Respects. Subscribed and can't wait to see the rest x

[@Q4K3650930]

I’m 40 years old and I am starting to go down a path to seek help and find out if I have ADHD or ASD. Ive been told by people that have ADHD that they see it in me and watching videos on the topic, as well as reading books, I believe I probably have it and it explains so much about myself and my life. Thank you for making these videos. Your videos are the best I’ve seen on the topic and I greatly appreciate you!

[@MariaElena-rc9hy]

Watching a video by Dr Marks feels like going to a favorite professor's lecture, all the information is easy to understand and useful, leaves me feeling more educated about mental health. Thank you!

[@magicalpatterns]

I feel so sad to know this in my 40’s. I could of take advantage of my gifts if I knew I had these traits. But, is never too late for anything in life and because we have access to information now, I hope everyone finding out this can use it as a beautiful discovery. 🙏🏼💎 thank you doctor for serving

[@McCallEdwards]

I have been medicated for adhd for 20+ years now (I'm 27) and my partner has ASD and adhd and this was very helpful for me to understand what she's dealing with and how it differs from my experience!

[@RstyRngBabe2161]

Saw the title weeks ago and finally made it back to watch this video. I appreciate you. This slot machine analogy really clicked. As my partner and I are deciphering and unravelling the weave of symptoms in our families to support our kids (all under 10) presentations, your insight and clarity is valuable.

[@wmbtech]

This is gold, both descriptions are very well articulated and equally broad enough to encompass outlying cases. I've researched dozens of videos on this and yours seems like a summary of the others. If I can share my experience, it may explain how these sometimes contrary disorders can manifest together. It feels bi-polar. You feel like you aren't in control. You feel disconnected, like everyone else is faking a kind of life you know is impossible. You know that your own devotion of will is a suggestion to your life. But then you cope, you retreat, and feel safe, and you think maybe you can learn to focus. Until the next minute you realize you're distracted and have interrupted your own attempts to reflect and grow again. The self awareness that your inability to function is a tug-of-war between determination and habit feels like being the runner-up in a battle with yourself. You try to understand the gap between your own behavior and everyone else. You have such seemingly disproportionate or inconsistent reactions compared to your peers that everyone around you has written you off and doesn't take you seriously. You lose faith you are serious, maybe you're just a failure pretending to be a victim. As I finish this, I'm losing faith it will sound like anything but nonsense. My perspective has changed mid-thought and I'm questioning if I'm just describing everyone. Sorry, its like this for me.

[@Dancestar1981]

Impostor syndrome is a daily occurrence for us

[@voteforscience]

Thank you for continuing to educate on these important topics.

[@plantnewsnow]

Bravo 👏 As a person with both I will say this: SO well spoken that I made it through the whole video! *those who know know* how hard that is! 🎉

[@TenisJr]

This is such a complete and yet concise video. I know you might know this already, but I always like to congratulate people that are good on what they're doing, so congratulations on your communication skills and overall work! Please keep doing more of these videos, even though I won't be watching most of them cause I watch things over what interest me in the moment, I'm sure they're gonna help a lot of people! ❤

[@HappyMom2Girls]

Dr. Marks- Thank you for investing your time and expertise with your grateful viewers. I’m one of many viewers who appreciate your compassion and respect for those of us who struggle with mental health issues. I was diagnosed with Inattentive ADHD five years ago at 55 years of age. The clinical psychologist talked with me a few minutes, gave me a test on a computer, and a written test. His conclusion was that he knew I had Inattentive ADHD in the first few min we talked. He said the two tests confirmed it. In reading online about the experience of others, I wonder if my testing experience was inadequate. Please consider making a video to tell us what an ADHD testing experience should be like. Thanks for being our anchor. Thanks for equipping us with powerful tools (information videos) that we can use to educate others, if they’re willing to learn. I believe some people do not want to be educated. If they learned about ADHD and accepted that it’s real, they would be validating behavior they disapprove of and disrespect - tardiness, procrastination, etc. I’m not suggesting I have that behavior on purpose. I take my medication but sometimes that behavior still happens.

[@freedomofmotion]

Best presentation I've seen on youtube from a non autism specific youtuber. One thing to add though, stimming isnt just self soothing. Its an expression of any emotional state, my eldest and I ( both autistic) have side to side rocking when experiencing a very satisfying meal for example. Or i vibrate when excited or hand flap, it doesnt have to be negative emotions. I got my diagnosis when i was 29 and its been life changing.

[@Dawg2005]

Fresh MSW grad and I LOVE this! Not self-diagnosing is hard, trust me, but bringing up what you've found and your reasoning to a professional can help you confirm or maybe there's something you just didn't know yet! Mental health is still so fresh, but seeing videos like this helping with the comorbidity of these types of disorders is awesome to see and help EVERYONE get more knowledge!

[@laurlaurmarmar7697]

Self diagnosis is fine. Many autistic people and support groups will tell you that, as formal diagnosis is a privilege and can come with different outcomes.

[@jornsy2602]

I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD but am curious as to whether I’m on the autism spectrum or not. Thank you for everything, you’re amazing at why you do!

[@one_smol_duck]

Thank you so much for this. I'm autistic, my brother is ADHD, and my partner is both. We can all relate to each other's symptoms so much that it started driving me a little crazy because I started wondering if I had ADHD too, even though I used to be very certain that I didn't. What you've explained really makes sense to me though. My brother and I may have some overlap in symptoms, but the underlying causes are different. And I definitely see both in my partner, where I don't in myself.

[@mikaeljacobsson1437]

My main diagnosis is ADHD but also have been diagnosed with autism (aspberger). Both affect my daily life but its different from day to day. Sometimes ADHD is dominant and other days the autism is dominant. More common to have my ADHD dominant though.

[@SuperHansburger93]

Same here. My ADHD is dominant most of the time, but mental fatigue will bring out the ASD and make it more visible.

[@mikaeljacobsson1437]

@@SuperHansburger93 I think its similar with me regarding fatique. Never thought about it like that.

[@joannakhan829]

Thank you, Dr Marks, for your clear explanation. So many autistic girls have gone through school undiagnosed because they are academically able & 'no trouble' for staff. They learned to effectively mask while feeling isolated, rejected and often confused. Many have found school unbearable and have had poor attendance. It has been so damaging and now we can see the affects of this amongst autistic adults. Almost all have had mental health problems and most have had a misdiagnosis for anxiety, depression, personality disorder or more severe problems. We MUST DO BETTER for the next generation coming through!

[@surbhisehgal16]

This is me..this is all me. No one ever explained this better than you Dr Tracy. I can't thank you enough. I was curious and I got assessed as well. I got to know I have both Autism + ADHD.

[@Alirosa937]

This is a great video. I am an audhd-er & I wanted to add that I was diagnosed with ASD at 31 and I had to self advocate for this diagnosis, going to a specialist in the field. I really think that if I hadn't gone to a specialist, I would have been dismissed immediately. So when you mentioned going to a psychologist for a diagnosis, I felt a little protective of the people (especially women like me who have verbal communication skills & mask constantly) going to psychiatrists with less experience and being told that there's no way they are autistic. It's important to look really closely at ASD symptoms and make sure you are being diagnosed correctly (and with help from experienced professionals), but I just wanted to mention that there is so much less research on women with ASD and a lot of doctors that have outdated stereotypes of an autistic person. I appreciate you making this video, Dr. Marks. And for raising awareness on the subject

[@katarzynazdrojewska4233]

I am 34 and trying to get diagnosed - for now I've been told by psychologists and psychiatrists I cannot possibly be on the spectrum cause I am speaking way too proper and can look people on the eye. So far I've heard that I have depressive anxiety with OCD, PTSD, social phobia, sensory issues, nervous IBS and borderline. I am yet to speak with someone actually versed in ASD or ADHD in adults though...

[@laurlaurmarmar7697]

Autistic people have characteristics/traits, not “symptoms”. Autism is not an illness, it’s a neurotype (different brain wiring).

[@capeverdeanprincess4444]

This! I completely agree.

[@babycakes8434]

I bet there are a lot of misdiagnosed people out there.

[@_BlackPaladin]

Fyi @ Dr Tracey - A lot of Autistic people do *not* like the use of the puzzle piece to represent Autism. Autistic people are very often infantilized and treated like children. Autistic adults have a hard time accessing healthcare, and accommodations because much of society sees Autism as a childhood disorder. The very childish puzzle pieces and primary colors are not helping to combat the stereotype that we are perpetual children. Others see it as a missing piece of someone’s brain, as if an Autistic person is just a neurotypical person who is missing something and who needs others to intervene and “fix” them or make them complete. Use the infinity ♾️ rainbow symbol for neurodiversity instead. The puzzle pieces 🧩 are offensive to majority of Autistic people.

[@arliafrink3043]

Recent adult diagnosis as ASD and ADHD. My therapist has been THE best with resources and techniques, and has shared the same info as this video. Thank you so much for making this, and creating a resource for any future or current individual to use!

[@LilyShimizu]

I like how concise but also comprehensive this video felt. I wish to seek out a formal diagnosis eventually but for now and for the past decade I have developed a growing acceptance toward the strong likelihood that I am in fact autistic. Every few years I take that same AQ test and score pretty much in the middle of the 33-50 range if having significant traits. This time I got 40.

[@manichearts4545]

I'm not a big fan of psychologists (no offense), I was diagnosed at 2 with Autism by a neurologist. I have a hard time getting behind psychology because I feel like it's a baby form of neurology but more about feelings. However, you actually described it pretty well. Probably one of the very few psychologists I've heard talk decently on the topic. Thank you for describing it so well.

[@NeurodiverJENNt]

You managed to pack a lot of comprehensive, relevant, and educational information into a small segment. I was diagnosed with ADHD inattentive type and ASD. Most of the information online discusses one or the other. There are a lot of traits I don't relate to in each category that makes me feel like I don't fit in anywhere. Many of the women in my ADHD category struggle with disorganization and messy houses, but my OCD like behavior and need for routine doesn't match this. Many of the women in those groups are often not as introverted as I am. On the ASD side, I do engage in more novelty and risk taking behaviors. I also don't relate to being able to absorb and truly retain information about a particular subject like the "Sheldon" stereotypes out there. Considering the high prevalence of comorbidities for people with ASD to also have ADHD I do wish there was more content relating to the combination. Thank you for these amazing videos. You are extremely intelligent and perspective. You definitely got into the right field. Thank you for sharing this information with the world.

[@Dancestar1981]

An area to be expanded on just waiting to be explored here’s a niche area to focus research on. Time to get busy creating the resources

[@gracecarter8734]

I too have both, and this is one of the clearest explanations I've heard yet! Thank you!

[@sarahallenhumboldt2638]

Dr. Marks, you are such an effective and skilled communicator, are well organized, and very likeable; you are definitely the best in your field on social media.

[@anotherKyle]

the ASD community usually represents itself with the infinity symbol. the puzzle piece was chosen by the neurotypical people around ASDers and is usually not that well liked by the ASD community itself. Talking about the thumbnail of the video, havent seen it in the video. I liked the video itself but i started into it with a bias against the person talking because of that. EDIT: oh cool it was changed!

[@SallyImpossible]

I'm one of those people who got by in school and survived on my own, but was diagnosed much later with ASD, by professionals in a clinic that specializes in this area. One condition that I thought I had, was ruled out by the clinic. It's important to get a professional opinion if you can.

[@7andearth76]

Thank you for the resources. My grandson was recently diagnosed with ADHD, after years of us suspecting something other than COVID was going on. We’ve “joked” about me “being in the Spectrum” and my son as well, as well as having ADHD. As an educator, I’ve been familiar with many of the topics you discussed, but we tend to not see patterns of behaviour within ourselves, oftentimes. With the focus on addressing my grandson’s needs, of course I’ve become more vigilant of my own. We continue the journey. I’m grateful for the resources, and am always looking for answers to my behaviours, thoughts and tendencies, but getting a professional diagnosis is difficult because I fear being told it’s trauma (which is also true). But I think the trauma is a result of undiagnosed neurodivergence, that took my life down a challenging path. Thank you.

[@cassidyv6355]

Thank you so much for making your expertise and these resources available! This is so needed and impactful! 💛

[@thearc2709]

Thank you so much, Dr. Marks! Your videos are always so helpful to me and I truly appreciate what you share for all of us on KZbin (as it’s my only available online resource and I live in a very isolated rural part of Canada!)… your structure and insight is an incredibly valuable gift! Ugh, now I’m wondering how weird that sounds to say publicly, lol… so just simply: Thank you! 💟

[@DrTraceyMarks]

You're so welcome. It gives me a lot of satisfaction knowing that you're benefitting! Thanks so much for super thanks! ❤️😊

[@PandrMC]

she only responded to the money ☹️ not the so many stories i’ve been spending minutes reading.

[@victorianeu4266]

Hey! appreciate the content, but please note that the puzzle piece is associated with autism speaks (a company that does not help autistic people) and a lot of the community really prefers the rainbow infinity symbol :)

[@LelasMum]

Your content is so incredibly helpful and clear to understand! Thank you again and again for sharing your knowledge and grace!

[@asterholland9081]

I have manic depression, and lots of trauma. I asked my psychiatrist about being tested for asd/adhd, they said they'd speak with the pschologist to see if it was necessary. They said we didnt have to and werent going to, yet prescribed me medications for adhd/asd. I want a second opinion, because all of my siblings have some form of anything on the spectrum. My psychiatrist just daid they were gonna treat me for what they knew i already had, i felt almost broken down. Cause everytime ive tried to get help, by reaching out, to try and find ways to cope, thats all ive ever gotten was, well acording to your parents you didnt show signs, or it didnt happen, so we arent going to do anything about it. This opened up so many things for me, thank you, so so much. For opening up my world view and giving me the proof i need to go get that second opinion to get the help i need.

[@pixelmotte]

I went to school with at least 4 people who showed very obvious signs of ADHD and were still undiagnosed, so you can be a very "noticable" child, even see a mental health professional and still never get an ADHD diagnose. My psychiatrist also wondered why no one suspected, that I have ADHD, when reading my school reports, but most people still don't know much about ADHD and even doctors whose job it is to diagnose people with ADHD can still have a very limited knowledge about ADHD. From my own experience and from what I have heard from other late diagnoses people both with ADHD and/or Autism, I would absolutely recommend to self diagnose first and then see a psychiatrist, because in the case of ADHD and Autism, you probably do know better than the doctor. I've even heard from one autistic person, that he didn't get his diagnose at first, because he didn't avoid eye contact obviously enough, so even obvious cases can still be undiagnosed surprisingly often.

[@Kaye09MNchick]

I was just diagnosed with ASD and ADHD. I’m 27 and it would have helped so much to have known sooner so I could know I’m not crazy for experiencing sensory issues or other issues. I also would have been able to have more accommodations in school and I feel like I would have been able to do even better in school than I did. It probably wouldn’t have been as much of a struggle to finish school. I almost have a bit of resentment that no one picked up on it (including my mom who has an early childhood education degree) because to me it was obvious, but I think I mask so well that others have a hard time picking up on my neurodiversity. I never felt comfortable or safe enough to fully express my weird self and especially when neurodiversity isn’t as accepted (especially during the 90’s-2000’s when most of the information out there was about how to cure or “fix” people that think like me or, how boys were showing up with ADHD of which I am not a male. Looking back my family and myself can see a LOT of ASD and ADHD symptoms. I’ve started to see them a bit as superpowers. Like, I just had eye surgery and had HORRIBLE sensory issues to light afterward. But, my ears were working harder for me and, I was really able to know where I was based on my other sensations of where things were in my surroundings. Yeah, I have issues sometimes, but I’m learning more about my own needs and how I can setup my home environment to be able to set myself up for success. This video was really helpful but I also think it was good to have someone explain accurately how my brain works. My brain and thinking just make sense to me.

[@doyleswinimer]

Thank you for sharing this, For myself I've had a bit of journey. Diagnosed ASD 13 after many many years being a challenge to teachers and having difficulties fitting in. Back then they didn't know what to diagnose me with because I wasn't hyperactive. I have some of the traits of ASD such as sensory issues with sound, inability to focus on a conversation when there is background noise or multiple conversations happening around me (almost to the point where it feels painful) and a bit of social anxiety around making eye contact with *new* people. Besides those I share no other traits. Now, at 37 I have been just diagnosed with ADHD, and I have a lot more traits there. Inability to focus on things outside my current interest, finding myself drifting from task to task with little reason or thought, difficulties maintaining a plan or following along with instructions, conversational issues... and finding these videos helps me realize the ASD was likely a misdiagnosis and rather I've been dealing with inattentive ADHD with social anxiety. For now, I wear both diagnoses as a badge of honor as they are part of my journey.

[@niviacristinadiasvidal5768]

I was recently diagnosed with both ASD and ADHD after a lifetime of loss leading up to marriage. I found out because I saw myself in my children who had been diagnosed early , Your video is perfect, I'm going to do a marathon on your playlist. thank you very much ! 🙏🏽

[@tigristhelynx7224]

Thanks so much for talking about Inattentive too! I often feel like we're forgotten about. As a kid back in 94, I didn't get the help I needed because my parents didn't think I was hyperactive. We didn't know that there were other types until last year. When recently reexamining my childhood diagnosis, I found that every trait list for ADHD neglects to take note of anything other than "you're forgetful, lose track of time and appear lazy" when there is so much MORE to it, to the point that I thought I could have ASD because they openly list every trait/comorbid thing they could have. This is the best list I've found so far.

[@Dancestar1981]

I’m an 1981 baby at least by the 90s adhd was recognised

[@LittleHobbit13]

80s baby, 90s kid. Raised on the classic diet of "if you would just _focus"._ But as a girl, ADHD was not an option for me. Little boys had ADHD; I was just lazy and disorganized. Getting diagnosed Inattentive type as an adult made a LOT of things suddenly click about my life. I'm glad we're getting attention on the different flavors nowadays, that it's not just all about not being able to sit still.

[@TheRealMACA]

Your "rocking" symbol at almost 3 minutes into the video was clever funny and smart! 😃 I was finally properly diagnosed with ADHD at 40! I'm still learning but what a relief to know what the heck has been going on with me. I've been misdiagnosed bipolar. I've been asked if I'm autistic in round about ways so I'm looking into that now with this video and paused to say THANK YOU! 😄