AuDHDer takes the Monotropism test

Monotropism, a cognitive theory explaining autism, suggests that autistic individuals intensely focus on singular interests, leading to deep expertise and unique problem-solving skills while often struggling to shift attention to broader, less engaging tasks.
In this video, I take the monotropism test and see if that aligns with my own cognitive style.
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Original study: osf.io/wpx5g/
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[@Baysha1000]

Oh yeah, the dreaded "people tell me that I..." Dear psychologists who create screening questionnaires, you seem to forget that one of the main features of autism is communication difficulties. Maybe in your experience, people do tell you stuff like that - but as for myself, I don't have any people who would tell me I'm being rude, for example. Maybe because I've been rude and they've stopped talking to me? 😀

[@Baysha1000]

Oh, and my monotropism score is 209.

[@thesincitymama]

I think the reason people don’t tell me I’m rude or complain to me about no eye contact is because they can tell there’s something “off” about me so they make allowances for my faux pas

[@thesincitymama]

(When I was in school, they used to harp on me for those things, but as an adult I’ve not had any complaints in years)

[@kaworunagisa4009]

Or they rephrase when they "like" you. The number of times I've heard crap along the lines of "I like your courage to bluntly state what you mean without mincing words", or people giving a forced chuckle when they think I'm joking. Urgh.

[@jimwilliams3816]

I have always felt this way about the “people tell me I am rude” question. Nobody says it to me, though I know I put my foot in it regularly. Except...crap! I just thought about ALL those discussions I’ve had with my wife, about issues in our relationship. All the times I thought I framed things evenly, fairly, and in reasonable terms...and later she told me that she found what I said hurtful. I’ve certainly reflected on this as an example of my communications difficulties - this way of framing things makes perfect sense to me, why doesn’t it to other people? - but I never once correlated these situations with “people tell me I’m rude.” I suppose because I was looking for the literal use of the word “rude.” Well, hell. Here I was just feeling like maybe I’m not really that autistic. I cannot believe I never figured that out.

[@faigelable]

My psychiatrist used the term "Working Diagnosis" as opposed to "Unofficial Diagnosis" for those lacking the Formal Diagnosis (spenny!) but treatment frameworks are based on and informed with the accommodations that such a diagnosis would necessitate.

[@Becky_Cooling]

That's a brilliant term for it, I'm gonna use that from now on!

[@imthinkingthoughts]

I find it interesting a the whole point of a diagnosis is that it is tentative decision made to direct clinical treatments/supports. Saying a working/tentative disorder is essential in this view an oxymoron. Additionally with diagnoses like adhd and autism, you either meet diagnosis or not (from a medical standpoint) If you meet quite a few symptoms but not all, then it isn’t a tentative or working diagnosis, it’s just l, at that time, not a diagnosis

[@imthinkingthoughts]

I’m speaking in generality, not about your situation btw plz don’t feel any rsd based on my comment! :)

[@faigelable]

​@@imthinkingthoughts That's okay! Yes, it's not a diagnosis so it's not named as such on my medical records (even if mentioned). It doesn't get me the full Govt sanctioned Accommodations. But it's use has been great as part of my diagnostic journey! For informing not just myself and those around me but also informing medical staff of my potential and suspected diagnoses. So it's my *Diagnoses in Working* if you will! On my journey I was unavoidably passed around different mental health workers. But it set a medical understanding and opened up access to different frameworks of treatment which helped narrow down my rather large number of possible diagnoses through access to medication, monitoring, and testing. All without first going through a potentially traumatic (or financially burdening) formal diagnostic procedure 🙌 As I said I don't have full access to the accommodations an Officially Diagnosed individual would have but I'm much more confident in my understanding and advocation of myself; and I know much clearer which diagnostic tests to go for when the opportunity arises.

[@stuartchapman5171]

I think that's a great way of putting it, especially given the time frame of the diagnosis process, in some countries, UK for instance. Self diagnosis is highly regarded by a significant part of the community. The way we're prone to researching things thoroughly. To be in the diagnostic system means you've probably done a number of very accurate scientific tests as well. Many benefits advisors and health care people I meet, accept my asd "working" diagnosis, once they've met me and the fact I have an official adhd diagnosis.

[@Cocoanutty0]

I think the one about stimming to relax is exactly what you described. “It’s more about reliving anxiety” is exactly what relaxing means, haha!

[@happytofu5]

8:42 omg! "my whole life is held together by trying to be aware of whats going on" this clicks with me so much and I think it might be the source of my constant anxiety

[@amandachapman4708]

Me too. To the extent that I'm hyper alert to things.

[@nerdtubewtf]

@@amandachapman4708 hyper alert and can't forget in my case as well as predictive pattern recognition, so anxiety is if I say too much to strangers, cuz I know I see the world differently (I mean I did work in a morgue after all, so my fears, anxieties are very different that most esp as an intersectional chica)

[@infectiousangel]

Self-diagnosed AuDHD, and confirmed by numerous diagnosed friends of mine. I got 235, taken it a few times on different occasions, and my score varies at most by 2 points. I'm monotropic af.

[@katzenbekloppt_mf]

Yes, definitly. "Just" 213 here😁

[@DenGirl12]

214 Here and diagnosed with ADHD at 11 and autism at 44yo (just last year).

[@valeriaaguiniga]

211 here, it's been hard to find other people as monotropic as us. So hi, nice to know you exist 🤭

[@durabelle]

212 here, not officially diagnosed but I have my suspicions, and would pursue a diagnosis if I could force myself to contact someone about it. (I dread the whole process of making phone calls and sorting appointments so much that I neglect all sorts of healthcare unless I'm in enough acute pain to make it a better option.)

[@eladhen2]

206 here. I have no formal diagnosis, but I'm self diagnosed as Audhder. What I find interesting is that on many other "autism questionnaires" that focus on behavior my scores tend to be much more borderline. I'm a master masker... But in monotrpism just everything fits with how my brain works.

[@1Shawol416]

Cut to me screaming “THANK YOU!” at 20:03. People absolutely do not critique each other in this way! It’s literally part of “politeness” not to do something like that. I lowkey wish people would be more honest with me about myself so I don’t sit here looking shocked Pikachu when they pull away from me. 😅

[@kaitlyn__L]

Man, I wish I didn’t have people saying stuff like that to me all the time growing up 😅 both allistics and other autistics regularly called me “cold”, “bitchy”, “rude”, etc.

[@hannahk1306]

Exactly! Especially when you're an adult, people are much more likely to just give you a weird look or something. It's like you can just "feel" that you've tripped over the conversation, even if you don't quite know why or how. For instance, if you tell what you believe to be an incredibly relatable anecdote or a funny joke and people just give you a blank look before moving on with the conversation.

[@JeskaDax]

@@hannahk1306 This. This is why I don't like family get-togethers like Thanksgiving or Xmas!

[@andycampbell8622]

Nuerotypicals will lie and lie and never help you improve and then drop you because you aren’t perfect 😅 Happens tooooooo many times

[@That_Awkward_Mum]

Oh, really? I've tended to experience the opposite - people have been criticising and correcting me ever since I can remember. I'll try and laugh it off with a sarcastic "Oh thanks, none taken..." sort of comment. But people seem to be quite insistent about pressing their point, without any regard for politeness. 🫤

[@ChromeSkeletons]

I would love to see a neurotypical person take this test and describe why they're choosing their answers the way you did, I'm still figuring out if I'm autistic and I resonate with a lot of your answers but I find it hard to understand how this is different from neurotypical thinking and struggle to wrap my head around the idea that not everyone thinks this way!

[@jospinner1183]

Same. I just have a hard time imagining the thought process of someone who _isn't_ monotropic. Like, of _course_ everyone can hyperfocus on their interests, right? 😂

[@biaberg3448]

Exactly!

[@MaokiDLuffy]

Hyperfocus is not a luxury, it's stressful, because you have other demands but cant get away

[@andycampbell8622]

Or you can’t focus on most things normally…which is just not a good trade 😂

[@melindaramirez9040]

If you have small children, you are constantly interrupted and just give up a lot and get depressed

[@Catlily5]

Sometimes hyperfocus is fun but if it goes on too long it can become torture for me.

[@jesterr7133]

Listening to you over analyze the questions was wildly entertaining. What made it entertaining was the fact that I did the exact same thing when I took that test. lol

[@staclamolesss]

Tbh when i took it i had forgotten all the questions i also walked away to take the test 😂 watching again im back I did the same thing analyze analyze analyze Then i had this weird ringing feeling of deja-vu after answering each question I always feel so alone on these micro-expreiences until i get in congress with you guys in nd communities like this 💚 You're All Awesome!

[@ExploDjinn]

I got a 194, which will help keep the imposter syndrome away, at least for a few days.

[@valliedollx]

💯

[@sterlynmystra]

195. Stuck in loops of thought? My sister criticised me years ago for "thinking too much" and "dwelling on things". Thanks for your workbook, I found it very useful in working my past life experiences out 😺

[@sixbirdsinatrenchcoat]

168 and officially diagnosed AuDHD. I think I may be more positively inclined towards a lot of the social questions because I’ve been incredibly lucky to have friends and even many colleagues with well-focused specialist-type brains like ours. Take the cooperation question: I HATE working on something interesting with someone who just wants to get it done with minimum effort. I find it frustrating beyond words … and I’m pretty good with words 😉 However, I LOVE the process of truly collaborating with someone equally invested. If we both have the goal of exploring the problem, and we both trust and respect each other, then a different point of view is a gift. My luck in finding people like this has absolutely changed my perspective.

[@DS-cf1zc]

I have no time for people who are coasting through jobs and life in general - and made it fairly senior despite my indifference to the normal world - I am a marmite person to many. Some love, some despise me - I tend to focus on the problem ahead, and get on with it.

[@jimwilliams3816]

Well put. It has occurred to me now that this describes the difference between collaboration I enjoy, and “helpful suggestions” made without discussion, which can elicit feelings of rage in me. The first implies that both parties recognize each other’s ability to analyze and problem solve. The second has a tendency to imply that I did what I did because I missed something obvious, which I generally have not. Usually I’ve explored that option and found it wasn’t plausible. Now, I have learned, after my initial reaction of “oh jeez!!” to take another look and see if the suggestion is as unworkable as I thought. Sometimes I do find a way. This is one reason I prefer email to phone or in person. I can cuss to myself at the getgo, then calm down and decide whether my reply will be “here’s why I can’t make this work” or “okay, I figured out a way.”

[@jospinner1183]

@@DS-cf1zc It sounds like you've never had a truly terrible job in retail or food service. 😂 I've had quite a few awful jobs in my 44 years, and learned pretty early on that extra effort doesn't always pay off. In fact, I've been inadvertently punished for being too efficient and good at certain jobs: by being expected to take on more and more work with no increase in pay or benefits. I've found that the capitalistic system we live under usually doesn't reward the kind of focus and interest that a lot of autistic people have. The exception to this is for those autistic folks who are lucky enough to have jobs that truly interest them. I'm currently a biology professor, and it's my special interest so I'm absolutely an overachiever these days.

[@ShineLikeFireflies]

I'm diagnosed AuDHD and I scored a 200 and my neurotypical sister scored a TWO. I was like omg I can't even imagine what being that polytropic would be like.

[@jazy3091]

Picture me shocked. I found majority of the questions for monotropism kind of "obviously I do" similar to how Sam reacted. I thought it's "normal" etc. But I remember doing some questionnaires about masking and I had similar feelings of "isn't it how everyone's behaving?" and then my friend did the questionnaire and her score was absolutely nothing like mine. They are different on such a deep level. I wish there were more videos of autistic - allistic pair doing same test side by side and giving their insight into the topic. That'd be so interesting to watch.

[@julen2380]

2... How...What? My (undiagnosed but highly like AuDHD) brain is blown.

[@RachelAmmons]

I have ADHD - I thought I would score a Little higher than normal but my god I got a 204. This is… information to consider….

[@linden5165]

2..?? 😱 (I'm 211)

[@jenniferr.9528]

I scored 205. Yep, I’m AuDHD with monotropism. I actually really like this because I have no desire to multitask anymore. Multitasking is soooo stressful for me.

[@jaysmakingprogress]

I got 224. Diagnosed AuDHD last year. This has been a struggle my entire life and until recently I didn’t have the words to describe my struggles. Thanks for covering this topic.

[@Be_Positive-_-bloodType]

Took the test! Scored 186.. this test was much more clear than others, I felt almost stress-free taking it😅

[@amandachapman4708]

I so much agree with the vast majority of your answers! Including your side-comments about "isn't that what everyone does?" I am still amazed when I find out that it's not the case (and I'm 67). By the way, your phrase "the fake autism that neurotypicals talk about" made me smile. I'm so stealing that for my own conversations...

[@JustSaralius]

Would you consider doing a collab with "I'm Autistic, Now What?". I think you would have some really interesting discussions. She also did this test and I think she has a few videos on monotropism, or at least mentions it in several videos. Would be pretty fun to see you comparing notes! ^^

[@katzenbekloppt_mf]

Yes, I saw it there first. And Mike from "autistic_af" also did it.

[@karowolkenschaufler7659]

I second this.

[@polkastria]

195 here. I was diagnosed as being ADD, Dyslexic, and having Sensory Integration Disorder back in the 80s while in High School. I'm not sure where I'd fit these days. It was fun watching you take the test and seeing you ask the same questions I did, even when we got different answers. Thanks for doing this.

[@Belgaer]

Honestly, that particular combination of diagnoses sounds oddly specific to not just be autism. I’d recommend taking the AQ test and the Aspie Quiz. If you test high on those too, it’s a strong indicator that you should be assessed if that’s something you want.

[@polkastria]

@@Belgaer, If I Could afford new testing these days, I'd go for it. Unfortunately it's going to be on hold for now. I'm 55 and pretty comfortable in my head at this point. Lots of people are still looking for some of the answers that I think I have for myself.

[@EcoHamletsUK]

Officially AuDHD and scored 178, but my executive function problem is so bad that much of the time I can't do things I really want to do, and I'm so numbed by nearly 7 decades of it that I don't get passionate about anything at the moment. Maybe if/when I can get ADHD medication (only diagnosed with ADHD 5 weeks ago) my score will be different.

[@jimwilliams3816]

Yes, that’s my story too. I could focus so much better when I was younger (63 and my executive function is in the toilet). ADHD meds really help but I have had anxiety and possibly anger issues with them. I believe I got here partly by overusing my adrenals for focus, pre-diagnosis, and it drove up my stress hormones and fear response. I’m hoping to find a way to get back to them because I almost can’t work now.

[@victoriamartin1995]

Same with me. My job consumed me bc of so much stress from masking, it was my monotropic fixation, keeping me from doing my " me" interests. Now I see this as a combo of survival based monotropism + zero exec function. Im in my late 50s

[@kariannefimland1475]

I appreciate you keeping in some bloopers at the end. Thanks for showing your realness Sam. :)

[@chromaframeyt]

208. Like that was any kind of surprise. Just briefly stuck my head in here after spending the day doing in-depth research on the pets my daughter wants (which I actually tasked her to do, but well...). And now off for some charcoal drawing until they start wondering where I went off to (it's the cellar, don't tell them).

[@blackwater224]

That's what I got as well.

[@DS-cf1zc]

204 for me - I have Autism, ADHD and a few other peculiarities, which have made life kind of funky. Nothing funnier than sitting in a packed office with my Bose headphones on listening to anything that isnt the people in the office, while fixating on problem solving the challenge of the day.

[@SociallyConfused]

This is an interesting test. I like that there are clarifications below the questions, though some are still ambiguous. My score was 210.

[@TheLadyElimere]

This was VERY informative, especially as I've never heard of the monotropic. Watching and answering for myself (not on the website yet), I found most of your answers are how I would answer, BUT, I was WAY more invested in HOW you were answering them, or not answering them. This is exactly how I answer these types of things (questionnaires, quizzes...). "It depends on the situation", "what does THAT even mean?!" it's comforting to be able to relate so much. So thank you.

[@TheCloverAffiliate12]

21:16 Thank you for putting that so eloquently. Whenever I've heard people say that autistic people like to gather as many facts/as much information about a topic as possible, I experience some imposter syndrome because I don't commonly present like that. Hearing you describe a different type of experience is so incredibly validating to me and my autistic experience-especially since it happens to describe how I normally present!

[@josephmartin1540]

It was fun to watch you to overthink all the questions, because same! Oh, I scored extremely high monotropic on almost every question. Fun video!

[@jimwilliams3816]

I guess that’s one of my “doesn’t everyone do that?” moments. It didn’t seem to me like Sam was overthinking at all, even as she said she was. I was like, “how could you answer any of these questions without thinking about them at least that much?” It would be like closing my eyes and clicking randomly on a radio button. :)

[@jenbunnyaqua]

I got SO stressed listening to you try to take this questionnaire, I had to stop. 😂 I get so frustrated with the vagueness of these survey-esque questions SO MUCH, I couldn’t handle it!

[@marendameron]

I questioned the questions in just the same way! It was “what?” or “I don’t understand” or “doesn’t everyone do that?” 😂

[@portraitoftheautist]

Thanks Sam, enjoyed the video, I always find those kinds of questions difficult to interpret but at least the observation is stressed as an attribute rather than a failing,, thanks again

[@NeurodiverJENNt]

I'm so glad to see you doing this test as an AuDhDer! Because same, I've wondered how ADHD would affect the results. I haven't gotten through your video yet to see your answers so I'm excited to see how it goes!

[@katzenbekloppt_mf]

Hey, Jenn, nice to see You here in the comments. I did the test too some weeks ago as an AuDHDer and scored quite high (213). But it gives You this score, a quiotient and three underquotients for three segments, so... Just try it out, I had a lot of fun doing it and found it much easier to answer then the "medical test questions". Of cause I asked myself how they mean some questions, but in general I found them much better and easier to answer. Edit: I am sorry, mixed it up with the Cat-Q with this three subquotients. It is just one score🙈

[@DS-cf1zc]

@@katzenbekloppt_mf I am an AuDHDer and score 204, my wife is broadly similar, but slightly more Autistic and scores 203.. we are both laughing about it, and we have been married for over 32 years... Our kids are duffed, they are a very interesting mix..

[@azlizzie]

Working diagnosis of ADHD. Scored 192. No autism diagnosis of any kind.

[@IanBourneMusic]

A lot of the questions are spectacularly vague for me. I got a score of 173. Which seems low. On the other hand, I don't get as focused now as I did when I was younger. No idea if that means anything. I don't think I have heard of this before, so glad to know it exists.

[@Sanderini63]

I paused the video and took the questionnaire. I resumed the video to go along with you on your answers versus mine, they were very similar. I allowed additional pauses to ask my husband his thoughts on any questions that might benefit from an external perspective, and then after you had your final results, I did mine to compare them. I was very surprised. My score: 200. I am a 60 yr old female, have not been officially diagnosed, as of now, but exploring what has mystified and affected me my whole life. I am nervous to seek official diagnosis as in past have been given other diagnosis that didn’t either fit entirely or didn’t fit at all, so I am hoping to mitigate this before seeking diagnosis by building my profile from childhood to present. I hope it will help me find the answers that I need to find peace after a lifetime of not feeling in sync with the world around me. I am hopeful. Thanks for the wonderful video. ❤

[@Sanderini63]

Also, I bought your workbook last year, Sam, and love it. It has been extremely useful and excellent in detail. Kudos for a great functional tool. ❤️❤️❤️

[@MoDd112]

Thank you so much for everything you shared with us. While answering the questions, I observed that you experienced the same little confusion that I experienced at first. That's why I realized that I either overlooked this note at the beginning of the questions or did not pay enough attention. How to Take the Test: When reading the questions, imagine situations that are stressful, uncomfortable or when you are excited. Often when we are at home and relaxed and calm, it is hard to tell how we feel. If the question is confusing, look underneath it for an explanation of the question. Taking this explanation into consideration enabled me to answer the questions much more easily. That's why I would like to kindly share that it with you, asking for your forgiveness, in case it might help you answer more comfortably. One more time thank you so so much Sam. You are doing amazing. And please never change your mind and continue to your channel. You are helping to find my way since the first day when my journey started. I owe you sooo sooo much thing. With my all best and good and beautiful and warm wishes.

[@Glugge77]

Yo Sammy I just wanted to say that your videos has helped me a lot as a new auDHD:er. You are awesome and I love your channel❤️

[@kaitlyn__L]

Gosh, this is so relatable. I dissected every question on all my ADHD questionnaires too. Though I think “task switching” does refer specifically to juggling multiple tasks, and your “it doesn’t distress me, but I don’t like it” I believe counts as mild distress. Similarly “it’s not difficult but I prefer not to” I believe would qualify as mild difficulty. I ran into that problem a lot with doctors for 20+ years, where I focused on the severity of their vocab choice instead of taking a more general kind of vibe. I had a lot of medical issues missed as a child, because they expected a child to say “it doesn’t hurt, but it itches” (general discomfort) whereas I just went “no, no pain” and waited to be asked about itching if that was relevant. I’ve also had doctors ask me _who_ or _where_ I was first prescribed a medicine, even though they really wanted me to tell them _why_ I was on it. I’ve had certain necessary medicines cut off as a result of that.

[@thesincitymama]

I kept stopping to ask clarifying questions and then my assessor would say that she can’t say anything, and I just need to answer the questions. I was so distressed, that she tried to stop me before I had finished the test, but then I really panicked and raced to finish it before I would let her take it from me 😅

[@chakibleeb]

Don't you hate when doctors, or people in general, communicate so indirectly?

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@chakibleeb it really pisses me off!

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@thesincitymama this is one reason I’m glad I was sent mine in the post. Mixed blessing to the current long waiting lists. I was able to spend an entire 3 days solidly fretting over this or that wording, with friends, family, and partners; especially with the questions phrased about neurotypical expectations, rather than my own experiences with language like excessive, popping up a lot (this questionnaire was much easier in that respect!). I also wrote extra explanations or slight modifications to the questions in the margin for almost every single one 😅 Similarly, I’d run into similar issues as you laid-out in interviews long ago, so for my BPD diagnosis pre-pandemic I had already printed off and done a diagnostic questionnaire. The psych was relieved that it’d save her so much time and effort! Then she only had to ask me to elaborate on one or two answers I’d given.

[@timb4756]

I scored 219. Slightly disappointed it wasn't higher. I'm diagnosed Autistic and suspected inattentive type ADHD. I question the questions in questionnaires very much like you. When I was going through the intense research phase of discovering I am autistic I was surprised and how uncannily similar my experiences are to many autistic content creators, including you, and your videos were very validating and helpful, so thank you!

[@paunesjourney]

219 is a very high score though! I'm autistic and I scored 190 :)

[@timb4756]

@@paunesjourney Yes, it is a high score. Perhaps the difference is between "strong" and "not strong" agree/disagree. I went "strong" in most answers. Black and white thinking perhaps? There could be many reasons, but it's not a competition, we all have our own unique presentation of autism, but I think we think more like each other than we think like allistics.

[@wiegraf9009]

I got 218 and I am scared of imagining how incapacitated I would be if was scoring higher! It's REALLY hard to maintain relationships and function with this much monotropism!

[@Hiforest]

I got 218, it feels high.

[@kj3d812]

9:04 and 13:57 absolutely describes my "day job" that lasted almost 30 years. I 100% hated, loathed, and despised the work I did in my office day job (so much so that I avoid even mentioning my title out loud because of the PTSD it triggers), but I had to "earn a living" and support myself and my child, so yes, I totally got good at doing something I hated and had *zero* interest in, but it (mostly) paid the bills. I'm one of those people who was taught to "Do it right or don't do it at all," and I've always had a strong work ethic to do a good job even if I can't stand what I'm doing. I was there to do a job and do it well, and to be paid for it. But back then I didn't even know I was autistic, so you can imagine how torturous it was. Every day I went to work, I was literally kicking and screaming on the inside. When the "recent worldwide event" shut everything down (I have PTSD over that whole thing, too), it just so happened that the company I worked for was permanently closed for reasons having nothing to do with the "event", and it also turns out my husband makes enough that I don't have to go back to work. I 100% *could not* go back now, as I'm one of those whose autism gets stronger as they get older. It's been almost four years since I worked a day job, and the PTSD is still strong, often bringing on panic attacks and/or meltdowns at the mere thought. So yes, one can absolutely get good at something they have no interest in, and force themselves to do it because they have no other choice. But it can leave massive scars that take years to heal, if ever. (btw, I took an online monotropism test and scored nearly 100% -- but I, too, hate the way questions/statements are worded, because most of the time I'm not really sure what they're asking, as it could be interpreted multiple ways, or that word "often" throws a monkey wrench into the works)

[@natbarmore]

11:47 yes, that is what work is like for most people in most office or service businesses. Probably some labor/factory/trades businesses, too. In some positions for most businesses and basically all positions for some businesses, it’s not so much “work is interrupted all the time” as it is “constant interruptions with the occasional work getting done between them”. Some flavors of ADHD thrive with the constant interruptions , but i hear regularly from folks on the autism spectrum who struggle to avoid being fired, let alone to do good work.

[@demothes]

187! And Sam, I so appreciated the commentary as you thought through your answers. I paused to answer myself before watching your go, and you were extremely relatable.

[@earthfusionmetalart8522]

I am AuDHD and scored 209 on the test. It's the first time I have done this one, thanks for this. 😊

[@kyleburkett6019]

Yes, more content on monotropism. I'm still a little shaky on what it means. I'd love one of your academic deep-dives on the topic.

[@GingerArwen]

I scored 195 in that test. I have ADHD officially diagnosed at age 34 and no diagnosis for autism so far, but that's one more test that confirms this for me that I am in fact autistic. Every test I took did confirmed this for me. Kind of makes me happy to know I have my tribe scattered all over the world. 😄

[@DS-cf1zc]

So I am an AuDHDer, and scored 204, my wife who is broadly similar but seems to have a stronger Autism part scored 203, whereas most people see my ADHD element - you have to live with me to see the Autism, food, routines, capacity to see the world in a way others dont, and the ability to bend data in ways others are yet to invent. Thank you so much for this test - we are both laughing about it, and have now sent it to one of our daughters (the strangest one of the two), she has a very high IQ, and has refused to date be assessed - she is considered hyper bright, and can learn almost anything, provide she can self teach herself, and is interested in it. I can do it, but not as well as she can.

[@DS-cf1zc]

Just to provide an update - our youngest daughter hit a return of 214 - far outdoing mum and dad - which was pretty similar when she tried the online Aspie test - which was far higher than mum and dad.

[@GraceBrooks-zy3ms]

206🎉 What stands out the most to me is the way Sam processes the questions and debates the answer based on the situation/context- that's me! It's been incredibly important for me to see representation of someone I can relate to like this and it makes me so happy. Your channel (and workbook!) has been invaluable for my journey over the last two years.Thanks for being so very relatable! ❤

[@hannahk1306]

I did the questionnaire before watching the video and I found that some of the "clarifications" seemed to say the opposite to the actual question... I agree with you that a slightly agree / disagree option would be helpful. Also, I had the exact same reaction to the "days" part of question 36. I *wish* that it *was* just days! 😆 To answer your questions about a typical office environment, yes that's exactly what it's like and it's hell!

[@fritzanderson9474]

193. I find I confound tests like this because I want to prove that I really am what I believe of myself. Then comes the loop: Is my answer motivated or true? Is it true regardless of my motivation? Should I shade my answer to compensate? Is the instrument tuned to account for motivation? What's the difference between finding some situation oppressive and needing to say so? Given the granularity of an unconditional 5-level response, is it okay to answer according to how I feel in contexts I suspect others find rare? Or am I to average the extremes (and does it matter that I am rarely at the polytropic extreme)? I know I'm confounding, but I don't think I can honestly say in which direction. Does that mean the truth will bubble out even if I'm not conscious of it? I wouldn't count the subtasks of my rare decision to tidy up as stressful. _Telephone calls that others initiate_ or I must initiate on my own behalf: I'm done for the day, I need to recover. Interesting that YSS rocked (just a bit) while speaking of rocking.

[@vazzaroth]

That circular infinite logic around "I am motivated by interest" is so relatable haha. I can go around like that forever as well if i'm not careful. My BEST guess around that is that that issue itself is an indicator of interest based attention if you have no clue what a life without being interested in your own activities would even be like, but hell if I know.

[@nerdtubewtf]

you sound just like me in dissecting these questions and also interested in everything. You sound so much like me, with slight differences due to environment/age/etc on so many levels.

[@julen2380]

Self-diagnosed AuDHD. I scored 188. My "it depends" is work or private life. In my work life, when things are hectic. I have little problems with switching to a different task at the drop of a hat or being interrupted. My (assumed) ADHD enjoys the rush. But then comes crashing down sometime. In my private life, I to tend to struggle with transitions. Hmm, actually also at work if there is no exciting rush. Oh well.

[@Bezzanne]

I got 179 and I was diagnosed autistic at a young age. I think some of the things that I have learned to do with time, like eye contact and talking to other people, weren't potentially properly examined in this questionnaire. I don't exactly have special interests anymore but I definitely have passions! Maybe that's just my secret code word for special interests in my head or something. I definitely agreed to the 'does interests against social expectations' one. For the interrupting thing, at my first job, a guy named Tom had to teach me to say 'hi, how are you going?' or something along those lines before going into whatever question I had for him. It's definitely a thing, people being annoyed when being interrupted! 😂 The only active stimming I find 'relaxing' is similar to you, the hyperactive type of regulating. I like dancing around the house to music, sometimes in an aggressive way. Or eating food. Great video Sam :)

[@manon_m_18]

That's so interesting! I got 175 and am autistic without ADHD (as I believe so far). Some of the questions are really hard to answer, as you say. Like this question about the anxiety about things that may come out of a decision. I mean, it's part of the decision making to incorporate the outcomes of the decision, right? So I won't feel anxiety afterwards, I've just taken a calculated risk.

[@towzone]

17:30 It’s easy to keep up with what everyone is saying when what they are saying is nothing; neurotypical banter. I think that is one our toughest hurdles as autists is that the typical world has no room for substance. I rarely get to engage in conversation, because I actually have something to say. 19:05 There is thinking, which we autists do, and there is reacting, which allistics do. Mental rumination requires the initial critical thought. 19:15 The question is trying to describe catastrophizing (at which I excel), which is just my brain constantly running simulations about the world around me and the possibilities.

[@carpdog42]

I took an assessment and am just waiting on my wife to finish the questionaire before watching this.... I took one before and knew I would score high; if I am not Autistic, then I fall in the 3rd percentile; if I am, then I am 47th percentile. edit: one of the amusing things about this whole topic is that I was diagnosed ADHD and self-diagnosed recently autistic; but the monotropic thought style is something I identified in myself decades ago; and have talked with people several times about aspects of it. I have often said that being interrupted from a task I am hyperfocused on is on par with being punched. edit2: on eye contact: I just say that yes I have issues with it; because its not hard for me but I am very aware that eye contact is something that I picked up very late (in my 20s) and intentionally worked on. At 45 eye contact is pretty easy and I even like it.... but it never stopped being an intentional thing that I consciously think about doing and it never became natural.

[@edwardlulofs444]

Perhaps I am so old as a senior that I was unable to track a numerical score. I certainly can’t say that I scored a two as one commenter said of a neurotypical person. But I agreed with many conclusions and scores as Sam did so this would seem to agree with people calling me autistic and often adhd. But that’s why I am subscribed to this channel.

[@essencewithin5978]

I have more trouble filtering out noises when I am doing something I'm interested. If I am not doing anything special, I hear the sound and then make a conscious effort to block it out. But if I do something I need to do or am interested in, there is just no energy left do block it out. My score: 191

[@AurorasWindow]

AuDHD here and I scored 179. I fell like my ADHD is what doesn’t make the score higher 😅

[@AurorasWindow]

Also, I don’t think I understood all the questions 😂

[@mandarinadreux9572]

i feel exactly like you, i scored 176 or something and also suspect audhd. For a lot of the questions, i felt like, it depends on where i am and with who exactly and so on, so everything was very vague. For example, the do you enjoy collabs question - i hate collabs and i prefer to do stuff alone. UNLESS i know the person very well and we vibe really well and i trust that person, then it's heaven and it can be incredibly exciting and boost creativity. i think if the person also has audhd i would find collabs generally better than with neurotypicals. So IT DEPENDS

[@eladhen2]

I'm a self diagnosed Audhder (I have no formal diagnosis). I got 206... I tend to get a much more borderline result in many other questionnaires, like AQ, that focus more on behavior than perception and inner workings. Monotropism is a good framework for me.

[@Where_is_Waldo]

Question 1 - I would say that after a period of instability, I need a predictable environment and it can contain noise but part of what I would consider "instability" is multiple sources of noise that are unpredictable or especially noises coming from different sources and communicating different things to me like multiple voices speaking at once or an environment in which multiple forms of noisy work are being done because in the second case I feel the need to constantly identify the source of each noise and in the first case my brain automatically tries to listen to every voice at once and, at best, I can maybe absorb a phrase here and there. The predictable environment I need can not contain such noises. Question 2 - Yes, but see question 1 response for my interpretation of a quiet and predictable environment. Question 3 - *STRONGLY* agree Question 4 - Yes Question 5 - Very much so Question 6 - Depends on the person, someone I've known a long time who I trust and feel especially comfortable around - it barely makes me uncomfortable at all, anyone else, being punished for being unusual as a child as if that's misbehavior has made me feel obligated to at least glace at the eyes upon introduction and then at least try to look at their face during conversation but I dislike it. Question 7 - Yup Question 8 - Yup Question 9 - Yes Question 10 - Yes Question 11 - It's hard to say. I'm interested in providing for myself so if that counts as being interested in my work even if I'm not interested in the work it's self but just interested in being able to complete the task well then no but if that doesn't count then yes. Question 12 - Yes Question 13 - Yes. This has been a consistent problem in my work life. Question 14 - Yes Question 15 - Depends on the social situation, one on one or in a small group with only people I know I'm comfortable but with strangers and especially in large groups it's overwhelming. Question 16 - Definitely disagree, it bothers me. Question 17 - Genuinely helpful suggestions? Like things that would make a physical task physically easier or just someone else's preferred method which may not engage my mind with the task as well even if it's a more efficient way of completing the task? I can't complete the task more efficiently with a method that leaves me more open to distraction, I say let me do it my way. I'll listen to suggestions but I'll do it the way that works best for me even if others cant understand why it works best for me. Question 18 - I mean, if I feel like I haven't completed the initial activity or if I'm tired then yeah but I don't think that's what they're asking. I think that I'll have to disagree on that one. Wait, if we're talking about being deeply focused on something... well, yeah, I can't just jump into focusing on another subject... I can jump into something passive like watching tv but not another deep focus task. Question 19 - Yes... I feel like this is a rephrase of an earlier question. Question 20 - *YES* Question 21 - *YES* Question 22 - *YES* Question 23 - I can do physical work of little to no interest to me if it's important but tasks which require mental engagement which hold little interest to me are extremely hard to focus on even if they are important so I'm going to call it a big *YES.* Question 24 - I don't think I really stim... at least not much. Mind you, I can recall things like playing simple rhythms on my thighs with my open hands for extended periods of time as a child and this is the type of unusual behavior my dad would have viewed as misbehavior that would reflect negatively on his ability to control his children and that's the kind of thing I would have been likely to get a beating for (or at least a sincere threat of a beating) so I don't know if that's something I have suppressed... I mask a lot and obsessively. Sometimes I can't be sure if something is OCD or masking. Question 25 - Yup Question 26 - I have trouble filtering out sounds no matter what. Sometimes I can lose myself in though and ignore everything happening around me but if I'm trying to engage with anything outside my mind, I can't filter out anything. It's not really a filter, I can seal it all out or I can let it all in. Question 27 - Yes Question 28 - I've learned to check if people look bored... I often end my monologues with "sorry, I'll shut up now"... I tend to feel like I have to finish the thought first though. Question 29 - I wouldn't say often, more like sometimes. This is part of the reason I tend not to talk much with people who aren't my personal friends. I wish people would tell me when they find me rude or overly abrupt. Question 30 - I take comfort in knowing exactly how clean things are... to the extent that I can't live with anyone because, for example, I might walk out of the room and they might pick something up off the floor and put it on the counter without cleaning it first and if they know this bothers me they'll most likely just lie and say they cleaned it before putting it on the counter and even the thought that they *might* do that will drive me to distraction from everything I need or want to focus on. Part of the reason I think this way has to do with understanding the subjective nature of perceptions of cleanliness. For example: I think most people, after using the toilet, will wash their hands by opening the faucet with their hands, washing them then touching the same faucet handles they just opened with their dirty hands to close them with their clean hands, thus making their hands dirty again. My solution: get a faucet with lever handles I can open and adjust with my elbows, thus keeping them clean for when I need to close them. Try convincing anyone that this matters though. Question 31 - No. That would be the polar opposite of me. Question 32 - Not if I'm very thirsty or very hungry but maybe a little. Question 33 - Disagree Question 34 - I've never really thought about that... probably yes but I don't know if any more than is normal for neurotypical people. Question 35 - I mean... it's hard to make a decision that will drastically affect the rest of my life or the life of someone I care about, especially with less information on the effects of the decision than I'd like to have. Is that unusual? Is that not what they mean? This doesn't happen to me with trivial decisions. Question 36 - Well, if the incident affects me (or might affect me) significantly then yes. Like if I'm not sure if or how much my reputation with someone at work was affected by a social misstep. Also if I did something I don't think was right, like I still think about a time when I deliberately hurt someone's feelings to fit in when I was in grade school. Question 37 - Yeah, sometimes. I mean if I'm expecting an event that will likely have a major impact on my life. Doesn't everyone do this though? Maybe they mean in situations that are unlikely to have a meaningful and lasting impact in which case I'd say no. Question 38 - Not in response to simply being focused on an activity. If I know I'm expected to complete a task well and quickly and my employment depends on it then I get anxious and this tends to happen but not if I'm allowed to go at my own pace, then my mind works very procedurally and I analyze the task and break it down into steps and make sure I have everything I need in advance. On the other hand, the fact that I've learned to do this probably stems from failing to plan for tasks in advance when I was growing up and trying to compensate for that difficulty. Question 39 - Well they probably would if I were more social, I get fixated a lot but mostly at home by myself. Question 40 - I mean, I don't always care to solve every problem but if I'm invested in the problem then sort of... neither agree nor disagree. Question 41 - I do feel annoyed that so many people seem to refuse to acknowledge the possibility that something that is meaningless to them could be deeply meaningful to me even if I can't rationally explain why. I don't think that would be characterized as self conscious but the fact that such people often have an ability to profoundly affect my life and wellbeing is, I would say, as close to being self conscious as I usually get. I am usually conscious of how others perceive me but it's not that I feel a desire for the acceptance of people who won't even try to understand me. When I'm deeply absorbed in a task, I'm usually alone at home so I don't know how that would affect my consciousness of how others perceive me. I don't think it would make a difference. Question 42 - I feel like this is repeating a question again. Not often, it has to be a major decision. Question 43 - Yup Question 44 - Yeah. I can find a fact mildly interesting without being fascinated but if I'm very interested in a general topic like the mechanical workings of a motor or how humans evolved... well, don't get me started on engines I like or the diversity of prehistoric humans. Question 45 - yup, I can't recall a time when I wasn't fascinated by cars and I suppressed my interest in evolution due to young earth creationist parents but it was always there. Question 46 - Disagree. I wouldn't necessarily say it happens often but it does happen... and I don't necessarily always notice that I'm doing it. Question 47 - Agree

[@eragon2262]

Also I love how the loop question loops back 😂

[@stuartchapman5171]

I think its important when answering these sorts of questionnaires, to answer them as though you were unable to mask. This is the authentic you. Masking can be detrimental to us and the skills had to be learnt at length, over many years, we've become shaped by our negative experiences whilst going through this very steep learning curve. Some of us are more capable in some areas but not others, some of us can only use a small amount of these skills at any given time. It's not "cheating" at times we cant even function on any level and would be unable to do the test. What Im trying to say is dont answer these questions, whilst full of spoons and totally regulated, sat at home safely. At least not without recognising your worst version of yourself.

[@KittyInTheGarden]

168, though I was unsure how to answer a number of the questions as they're pretty vague. Almost every answer would be 'it depends'. It's annoying that they don't tell you what neurotypicals generally score. While I wait for assessment that number's going to add more doubt. I certainly identified with the thought loops questions.

[@stella_lilies]

If it helps I scored 162 and I’m diagnosed with autism and adhd

[@KittyInTheGarden]

@@stella_lilies Thanks, it does help a little

[@thepeculiarmaple]

6:04 This is where I have to say....I DEFINITELY feel this way 😅 I don't like being forced to disengage with a passion project, or something I enjoy. 😔

[@loopduplicate]

Just pausing the vid for a second to say... I love your glasses!!! ... whew, ok, now I can watch the rest :)

[@chinatosinthiti3076]

I got 207 with a lot of things actually in contrast with Sam's process and results (that's the beauty of autism isn't it?). Task switching, transitions, and interruptions have always been a lifelong struggle (maintaining a job), I definitely go run alone in the mountains, play music or video games to deal with my anxiety, I see that hyperfocusing on something is an antidote to cope with necessary daily stuff where I never feel safe hyperfocusing. Isn't it pretty ironic that my traits are so obvious, yet when I request accommodations it's been an ordeal to prove the struggle is real with extensive research backing up.

[@elizabethsullivan7176]

My final score on the questionnaire is 202 It was after I started watching your videos in 2020 that I realized I was autistic. In Oct. of 2022 I was officially diagnosed as autistic. I wanted to get the diagnosis for my own curiosity, not because I felt I had to "legitimize" myself to others. I now also think that I might be "AuDHD". An example of my autistic side is that I can spend an entire day playing my favorite video game, while the ADHD side of me has to get up and walk around multiple times. Another example, when I was at the grocery store several weeks ago I bought a bag of potatoes, telling my daughter that I wanted to make potato salad with it, but after I got it home the potatoes ended up going bad because I never "got around to" making the potato salad. My first daughter was diagnosed with ADHD when she was in the 4th grade. I think she is also AuDHD because we share a lot of the same personality traits. For example, I get obsessed with rock stars while she gets obsessed with Disney stars (even though she will be 30 in September, but still had the intellect of a 12 y.o.)

[@becmercer2573]

I love your commentary of these questions - makes me feel less weird that I pick apart questionnaires too 😅

[@Lord_Juvens]

196 with diagnosed AuDHD. First couple questions were a bit weird but the last two thirds were spot on and resonated greatly with me. Probably in hindsight I could've answered a couple questions more definite, like the looping thoughts one, my thing that keeps coming up for me is that I don't want to bother others, hence why I avoid most social interactions. I don't know how to approach social situations where I have "no reason" to interact, like casual stuff what you'd do with friends. If it comes from the outside, then it's no problem and I love being approached, because that solves the entire problem of the question of me potentially bothering someone, additionally when I have a reason to approach a person, then I struggle basically not at all. But without a good reason? Then I tend to just avoid it, because in my head I'm telling myself, I don't want to be perceived as bothersome, even though I know I'm most likely not bothering anyone. This leads to me being extremely polite (in general, I can be very direct, which many perceive as insulting at times) but also very lonely, because making new friends is pretty hard for me, as going somewhere just casually starting a conversation is a bigger investment than getting my leg cut off (metaphorical speaking, no I don't want to lose my leg). (me typing this to sort my own thoughts, then considering deleting it and then posting anyways 🤷‍♂)

[@Petiteparisienne87]

I love the way you read the questions literally 😍 this is the exact reason why I’m terrified to return to assessment. I wanted to respond “it depends” to so many of the MANY screening questions, if I even was able to understand what they were asking for, and my neurotypical assessor was annoyed at me for all my questions on how to interpret the test-questions and told me to not analyze what they mean and just answer. How could I not analyze!!!!??? 😂😅 wouldn’t it be wonderful if they wrote in the tests exactly what they mean, instead of something else!? 🤣

[@Petiteparisienne87]

Just took the test and scored 222

[@niamhfox9559]

I'm pretty sure my psych diagnosed me with adhd after I tried to nail down the definition of 'often' before I did the questionnaire.

[@MissMaryLu]

Whooooopsie, officially diagnosed ASD and scored a 231 😅 I would be fascinated to sit down and talk thru this with someone whose brain does not work that way!

[@shmeleu]

AuDHDer Rating Scale Subscore = 162 That explains that I don't get that monotropism thing as that is explained. I feel myself monotropic at lots of different topics at the same time 😇 like PC jumping from one monotropism to another one 200 times in a minute... So it's monotropism meaning 1 thing at a time, but that things constantly switch.

[@kaitlyn__L]

Oh dang, I got 209. Funnily enough I knew exactly what the “physically stuck” and “bad decisionmaking when focused” ones mean. I had many times where I was torn between 2 or 3 options of equally important importance, and would literally be stood on one spot with my head/arms/feet moving back and forth between those options while I don’t actually go anywhere. Not physical paralysis, but definitely choice paralysis leading to being stuck in one physical place. As to the second one, I don’t really have it because I’m always anxiously assessing preparedness and consequences anyway. BUT my dad, who I reckon I got my autism from, absolutely does THE most boneheaded and ridiculous things if he tries to multitask. Even just unwrapping a sweetie or taking a bite of his sandwich is enough to make him mix-up steps, drop or break things. Then he usually swears a bit, puts down whatever else he was doing, and focuses on the important task. Mishaps like pouring drinks all over his legs or a table! Or using the wrong brakes on the bike while talking, throwing him off it. He didn’t really like to drive with the radio on either, only making an exception for the football results, and now gets very overwhelmed with any unfamiliar roads which leads to switching into the wrong gears, indicating the wrong direction, etc. When he takes a second he’s usually very competent, but when he tries to act on instinct while his mind is elsewhere he always forgets some important step or does the wrong one. As to the “social chaos” one, yeah, I like that chaos about half the time. But I focused more on the rephrase about enjoying social situations reliably. Similarly, I got hung up on that “quiet and predictable environment” thing, but was able to make myself ignore the “quiet” bit to remind myself my comfort music or aural stims are generally the ADHD equivalent of perfect silence for focus in autism. Which comes back to what you said about stimming for focus and emotional regulation versus pure comfort and relaxation. I do have some of the latter, but ~80% of my stims are the former. Great video!

[@AnthonyWade7]

204 on mono, 174 on RAADS-R, 170 on Aspie quiz… ADD diagnosis in early 90’s, been looking on and off, into ASD the last 4 years, thinking I should take this more seriously and pursue an official diagnosis.

[@Teaslippers]

I scored 186/235 on the test. Really good test. When I did it, I was like “oh yay it’s describing me!” It certainly helps with doing away with the age old feeling of imposter syndrome. 😅

[@LibrarianChef]

That was an interesting quiz. As an AuDHD, I scored 215. I agree with you that I would think some of these things should apply to everyone.

[@adrenaline328]

1000% interested jn more videos around monotropism!

[@helenm1085]

It would be so fascinating to see a neurotypical person talk through this test... Unfortunately I don't know any! Haha I'd love to hear more about monotropism in general :~)

[@Strega_del_Corvo]

I scored 192. I have to say, i was super appreciative of the second description some of the questions had at the bottom. That was one of the problems I had with the RAADS-R - but then again, maybe that also confirms the autism lol.

[@sgjoni]

😂 It´s so funny seeing you taking this questionaire… so auDHD… recognize myself in the remarks you make about the questions… I hate these kind of questionaires as I never feel that the questions are pricise enought 😂 … so many of these questions would not have caused a neurotypical person to start wondering about all the possible interpretations of the phrasing of each question… ❤ I say this because I can never understand how a NT person can know which one of the 5 possible interpretation I see in each question is the actual question… 😂

[@runciblemoon1194]

203 - officially diagnosed as autistic three years ago. I'm really taken with this theory as it seems to pull together many of the seemingly disparate "traits" ascribed to autism (and ADHD?) and provides a unified cause for them rather than just bundling them together without explanation. At last I have a theory that explains why I find myself incapable of shutting up about obscure progressive rock bands regardless of my victim's overall interest level, the sense of joy and comfort I get from designing the perfect spreadsheet and my frequent inability to navigate my body through doorframes in buildings that I've lived and/or worked in for several years.

[@BobofMIB]

I like the idea of monotropism but I think it needs to be paired with a sensory/conscious processing profile. I'd describe it autistic people are generally "concentrating" relative to allistic people and deviating from your resting concentration level takes effort. Both to focus in on something more or to broaden your focus/pay attention to more things but at a lower level of detail. A conscious processing profile would then describe what your brain is going to prioritise presenting to your conscious mind. Everyone has a conscious processing profile but the autistic persons brains tendency for concentrating its attention more makes their profiles more extreme, leading to general hypo and hyper sensitivities. Hence why I often will forget to eat drink or go to the loo as my brain don't prioritize presenting this info and so I'll miss it till its screaming at me at which point my focus can shift and I'll struggle to focus on anything else and why you might always feel thirsty and need the loo and at a guess if you get particularly focussed on something might not notice your thirsty on the odd occasion. Though I think your ADHD might make that vanishingly rare, unless your in a proper ADHD hyperfocus state too.

[@rebeckajarl3934]

197 was my score today, had few questions that are not applicable for me in my current life situation. I do have an official diagnosis of Autism. I think I might answer differently another day but not on many questions, That usually depends on my understanding of the questions. Because yes picking apart the questions seems to be an inherent trait unless I know more about the thoughts behind the questions. Some made sense in one form and less with the other some felt like two different questions in one, still my agreement to both questions was the same would not have agreed on the questions being the same but that was not the question.

[@bosstowndynamics5488]

9:50 I'm pretty sure that not being able to put in the time would be a reason you can't easily get good at things you aren't interested in 😅 Fwiw I scored 188 as diagnosed ADHD and strongly suspected autism (not seeking diagnosis because a formal diagnosis would be at best neutral and at worst very detrimental where I live). My understanding is that monotropism is considered to be a useful model in understanding both ADHD and autism as well since there's so much overlap in terms of executive dysfunction and focus issues

[@stell66]

My Monotropism score was/is 195, with these things as I am older, I answer as I would like to do rather than whai I have been socialised to do, so I have learned with kids and other people to tolerate unteruptions, and not to hyper focus so they get meals and an attentive parent, but left to my own devices I would so hyper focus, or be upset by interruptions or avoid social situations. and FYI - I only discovered recently that I don't make eye contact, I appear to as part of my mask but I cant tell you what eye colour anyone has as I watch their mouth move not their eyes.

[@victoriagaliani1403]

Regarding question 16 on being interrupted in the middle of an activity: as somebody who was on an office job for almost 3 years with almost 20 people under my charge, YES, it is something that happens quite often, unfortunately. Strategising and planning for that team wasn't particularly difficult, because I enjoyed it; however, being constantly interrupted during the strategising/planning process by those very same people was irritating and quite jarring, to the point where it made my anxiety spike :(

[@lisawardle4297]

I scored 200. I have been told by so many people that I shouldn’t dwell on things so much. I am also very bad at judging how much time has passed, especially when I’m focused on something I enjoy.

[@johnhugill3917]

I'm diagnosed with autism and ADHD and scored 213. I had previously never heard of monotropism and honestly thought I would have scored much less! I always take these tests believing they'll indicate that I'm not autistic 😂. Very helpful video..monotropism makes quite a bit of sense 😊

[@happytofu5]

I felt the struggle with the questions. How I am supposed to answer correctly if the question is not 100% precise?! Also, 180, just like you :O (self diagnosed AuDHD)

[@jimwilliams3816]

Interesting. I generally thought I was answering questions that suggest autism more strongly than Sam, but I just got a score or 174, which is a bit lower than the threshold. Though there are so many questions I’m undecided how to best answer. Yeah, I think “people tell me” is a concept that depends on traveling in social circles where people are prone to hauling you up short for perceived social failings. Mostly I can just tell that people are getting frustrated with me, or I said something inappropriate, but no one says anything most of the time. Anything related to anxiety I tended to score high, which makes sense for me. Even though Sam is apparently less anxious than I am, I for one really appreciated her answer on stimming; I do it when anxious, and it’s often ticlike. That it’s rarely pleasurable has some to do with a lot of depressive tendencies - I don’t really get happy. I also can sit really still at many times, which doesn’t even track with ADHD, except I’ve come to realize that I’ve spent much of my life in a low-level freeze state. The stims break through when the twitchy anxiety overcomes the fear/overwhelm/psychomotor retardation. To some degree, my score reflects the terrible state of my ability to focus at age 63. Partly because I’m off ADHD meds and back on an SSRI, I can’t manage to hyperfocus anymore, except maybe for my runaway thoughts and mouth, and admittedly reading and typing comments like this, where I can totally lose track of time. Overall, right now my sense of myself is that GAD and ADHD are most prominent, and overshadowing autism, though it has not always felt thus. Final note: YES! Ruminate on past events for “days”? I can go years.

[@jimwilliams3816]

Hmmm. Read comments, reflected on some questions, and retook the test in a more engaged mood - I was uncharacteristically laid back first time. 186 this round.

[@gracecar5820]

Did for myself score:224 Partner answered on my behalf score:207

[@karowolkenschaufler7659]

I have had monotropism explained to me by "I'm autistic, now what?" before but it's so interesting that I will gladly listen to other people explaining it again with their words. give me all the angles. I've done the online questionair... and I'm pretty monotropic (194). but officially comletely undiagnosed. the "wait, other people don't do that." or "hang on... other people do that?" is so strong... how does anyone enjoy or properly focus on something they are not intersted in? even in school my method to be good at whatever was to force myself to be interested. and since I tried to be as good as possible in every clas.... I burned myself out. I really would have needed someone to forbid me to spend more than a certain ammount of time/energy on on more than 2 or 3 core classes. I really would have needed to be forbidden to do that.

[@TheSweetandSavory]

You might take this as a compliment, maybe not but your hair is giving Rachel season 8 vibes of friends. Very pretty 💞 that captured my attention the first couple minutes of the video 😂

[@khrystyna42]

My result was 171, but I think if I took the test a decade earlier (before I've figured some stuff about myself) the result would be quite different. Although I agree that some questions would benefit from some rewording because they seemed to be not specific enough/ not worded in the best possible way. I also have both ADHD and autism so some of my answers seemed to be opposite of the monotropic pattern.

[@valeriaaguiniga]

I first self diagnosed as audhd and then got that corroborated by an official diagnosis. I scored 211 in this test and asked friends and family to do it too. They're all allistic and many of them are audhders and scored around 140-160 tops. No wonder why I've always felt somewhat alone even though i have friends and family whom i love very much 😅

[@WynterDragon]

Ive been meaning to take this and finally did before watching this video, I scored a 206. 😮

[@ginnyjanisse1220]

Very enjoyable video. Thank you!

[@itsjustlenneke]

Monotropism also didn't really click with me the first time I heard about it, but I just did the test and I scored 201! (and am currently in the diagnostic process for both autism and ADHD). Also yes to thinking "doesn't everyone have this?" and hating questions with "people tell me" because yup, people don't tell me shit.

[@zumaone3692]

Thanks for doing this video...I scored a 210

[@grooviechickie]

181. I did the test before watching the video because I knew I would struggle with the wording of the questions. No.17, "Am I open to helpful suggestions?" made me laugh. If my partner comments while I'm doing something I'm damn good at like baking a cake, for example... let's just say that my reaction is along the lines of the question about others finding you rude. 😂 I LOVE watching you agonise over the questions because I do exactly the same thing. I pull questionnaires apart.

[@victoriamartin1995]

I have a question about the " interest-basesness" aspect of monotropism. To me, I was monotropic about my job, but it was zero interesting to me. However, it consumed my brainpower 24/7 so much that I could not do " for me" things. But it felt like a stressful survival reason, not an interest But still, even within that job I could not multitask both research and teaching. I had to do either one or the other, not both continuously. I never understood why I could not compartmentalize enough to stop the job thoughts to do my art and writing. I think this is also monotropism but Im having a hard time identifying with the " intetests/ ing" aspect

[@bhutjolokia6990]

Monotropism to me is even if it's limited based on the relationship between the autism and adhd you would still have a monotropic way of thinking. If you react with a negative emotion to an interruption then your focus is limited to the task at hand and only want to engage with only that at the moment of interruption, that is a monotropic way of thinking. An example for me, I'm a custodian in a school and I love my routine and that is all I care about when I start my day. I get interrupted to go and set up for an event that I was not aware of, first thing is negative emotion and then I need a few minutes to readjust to this new task. That's enough to throw me off for the rest of my day. I have audhd as well, you do have the ability to do certain tasks in what I call safe mode where the task does not require a lot of thought so you are not being monotropic in that instance because you are using less brain power with no need for focus on that task, like laundry or dishes. It messes with my flow when I'm engaged with my hobby that gets a lot of focus, I cut and polish gemstones and listen to music and sing and am oblivious to everything but those few things only. A knock on my door or my phone ringing are the only 2 things that will break my concentration and that really really just sucks for me because it's extremely hard for me. So I'm careful to plan or try to so I can just go go go. Those are my thoughts on it, hopefully it makes sense. Also adhd can unintentionally change from one task and then something catches your eye and instantly forget all about the previous task sometimes for minutes and sometimes way longer and the your like oh yeah!! Anyway thanks for the great content and I shared with my granddaughters kindergarten teachers that she will need a transition from one activity to the next with say a 5 minute or 2 minute reminder that a new activity will start soon that will allow their brain to ease the amount of focus and should become easier for the transition as time goes by. Also said they should not be deterred from stimming although they can offer other options if it's a quiet time or during teaching like a fidget toy if she rocking back and forth in a disrupted way, I don't want her pushed in a way that would cause her to mask. Done for real this time!!🤔🤔🤭🤭 Thank you!!👻🤪🌶🤘😎♾️