Stimming ADHD vs Autism (YOU Didn’t Know This?)

Stimming ADHD vs Autism. Download my FREE Autism Life Hacks Book: www.autismtips.net/
stimming adhd vs autism, there is a difference between adhd and autism, especially when it comes to stimming and why autism or adhd people stim in the way that they do. IF you have adhd and autism there will be certain characteristics that are only apparent to autism.
Where as autism vs adhd you will find ADHD will have distinct behaviours that differ from autism. But autistic stimming when it comes to adhd vs autism is super interesting and we are breaking it down here.
Having and autism and ADHD Diagnosis is like a battle in your brain for the chair. Autism wants to hyper focus and ADHD wants to change focus every 10 seconds.
A person with just ADHD will have issues with focus and sitting still, and won’t hyper fixate on a single topic.
A trait of stimming is chewing on clothihg, like the neck line of shirts, or the sleeves of shirts, this can impact autism and ADHD.
Typically people who have ASD and ADHD will have some sort of development delay as a child, however the children with just ADHD will have more behavioural issues.
Autism stimming is mainly an involuntary thing that you are unaware that you are doing.
Did you ever notice that you have been rocking from side to side or waving your hands around?
For me this was an interesting reality to come to when I first realised this I was hyper aware of the fact that I was stimming randomly all the time.
Please let me know your thoughts in a comment.
‌
📌 ONLINE THERAPY (sponsored) → link.heropost.io/BH
📌 50% OFF AUTISM PARENTING MAGAZINE→ link.heropost.io/APM
📌 MY BOOK Autism For Adults → amzn.to/3LVNH5J
📹Watch More 👇
• Autism Informaton
• Do I have Autism
My Recommendations👇
link.heropost.io/TAWAFF
💼 BUSINESS → [e-mail]
🔴 SUBSCRIBE ➤ link.heropost.io/AutismKZbin
📱 DIGEST THIS VIDEO ON MY PODCAST OR BLOG:
link.heropost.io/TAWSocials
If you’re reading this you’re a hero!
Comment “I am autistic!” so I can notice you!

[@Moonflower_Lasa]

I was diagnosed with ADD/Asperger's when I was 55. My life finally makes sense.

[@TheAspieWorld]

That is so amazing to have that feeling Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).

[@joefromravenna]

@moonflower that is amazing. Im 51 and self diagnosing before i seek a pro. Add/Asd makes a lot of sense for me. I have had clues over the years, but i never had a strong enough reason to investigate until after this last Christmas when my sister said i was reacting wrongly to her.

[@johnhatton4290]

Wow, exactly the same as me. Everything makes more sense now, not any easier but at least it now makes more sense.

[@noorjahaanmohamed5916]

I have ADHD and I was diagnosed as a young teen but I have recently been feeling like I might have mild autism as well and I feel like along with my adhd traits, I also have opposite traits which happen to match some autistic traits so I'm definitely wanting to get assessed soon. So glad you said that you think they both go hand in hand, I feel like most people with either one have both too!!

[@Frizzi04]

Im a Young Woman who is 19 today I got my diagnosis after 2,5 years this is the happiest day in my life I also have adhd and asberger. Finally got the recognition I always waited for

[@TheAspieWorld]

Hey!! Hope that it helped you!

[@Frizzi04]

@@TheAspieWorld it definitely did☺️

[@yetibigfoot7350]

I hum while shopping and never noticed it until it was brought to my attention. I'm not nervous, but it does help me to focus on what I'm supposed to get. Also, chewing gum. When I'm high school, I was bored in a class, and I'd wiggle my fingers and rock. The teacher asked after class what that was about..I was BORED!!! I shake my leg, feet.. I bounce, I can't sit still. I doodle while taking notes. Stare out the windows.. anything that will keep me in my seat. I'm so glad that I'm done with school. But, I still stim. Diagnosed with ADHD.. sadly, after I was an adult. And I didn't take it seriously until it's affected my life in very bad ways.. I'm now all old and getting help. I guess it's never too late!😢 OH, and when I'm in stores.. and with family, friends, if they stop to look at something for too long.. I'm long gone. I don't even realize how far I wonder=(

[@joannarigby1989]

I hum a lot too. I do it lots at work, and I never realised until recently. I wonder whether my colleagues have noticed? 😂

[@chriscohlmeyer4735]

Autism and ADHD finialy after a lifetime - 1959 and 1960 my first and second grade teachers got it even without any sort of diagnosis, I was allowed to sit in the back of the class, let my leg shake and stare out the window at the clouds and trees while listening, if I got the cast iron pedestal school desk bouncing I was given one of two tasks - pound the blackboard erasures on the outside of the school or a mystery note for the principal, one other task sometimes was retrieve art supplies for a class project. They were also good at teaching me in particular the expected social norms while re-enforcing them to the rest of the class. Third grade I learned to hate school but a tutor identified my dyslexia and gave me some strategies to cope with it along with "keep my reading for classes at grade level". Reading things way beyond my expected grade level got me in "trouble" in the first place. I also developed a stim of cracking my fingers and toes - easier to hide them from the teacher but boredom I found harder to hide.

[@stephen6279]

Can chalk inhalation cause breathing issues?

[@chriscohlmeyer4735]

@@stephen6279 LOL - I suppose it could put the typical amounts that I might have inhaled were quickly eliminated from my lungs... then again asbestos was common in particular the school basement where we went for air raid and nuclear bomb drills, we didn't do what you typically see in film clips of hiding under our desks.

[@lajourdanne]

I think I’m confused. How you're differentiating ADHD stimming, ADHD dopamine hitting, and ADHD self-soothing. I’ve read a few academic articles that state that stimming can be either involuntary or voluntary depending on the context. Like stimming is just self-regulating no matter if you’re autistic or ADHD or neither. The reason is always self-regulating but the need for the regulation and the behavior to do so varies. A lot of people with ADHD myself included may not stim to focus, we might do it because of other sensory needs. You had mentioned that what you said may be counter to what you say. So I’m confused. And while the involuntary nature is the need to stick but the action is a response but then you later say the action is involuntary. I fidget involuntarily but I also will notice that I’m doing it and keep doing it because it feels good. It's not simply involuntary. This video just confused me more.

[@saml4004]

Yeah this confused me more as well. I am diagnosed AuDHD but I received my ADHD diagnosis as a child and my Autism diagnosis as an adult. I do rock involuntarily and I also like to “flap” things (paper, etc). But also, I love rocking chairs and will seek them out because I love to rock and one of my favorite stim toys is one of the “noodles” because I can flap it. If I have my noodle in my hand I will flap it regardless of knowing I’m doing it or not. But I also think I’m self aware enough to know at times that I’m dysregulated and I will grab the noodle because I know I need to stim and then what started as a conscious decision to grab the noodle becomes a subconscious action/stim. Idk…

[@RubyStargazer]

I have both Autism and ADHD and when I am stimming I bounce my legs up and down. And put me hand in front of my face when lights are flashing I will even move my fingers and sometimes a pencil

[@iSkulk]

What you said about ADHD and ASD coming as a package, I cant tell you how profound it felt to hear you say that. So much of my struggle since education and diagnosis has stemmed from not feeling like I fully understand the theories of these conditions and how they relate to my own theory of mind. The way professionals often speak about the conditions, I can find that I struggle to relate and I get wrapped up in looking for certainty; it can trap me. How much of ME is this or that? Which of my traits were caused by one thing or learned from another? How much is changeable and how much should I be ashamed for? How much should I defend my actions rather than apologize for them? I know certainty in this field is all but impossible to reach, and hearing you convey your own opinion on this matter gives me a slight feeling of clarity and validation that I'm hoping to latch on to.

[@melindaperez7490]

Well I’m autistic and have adhd. I’m screwed😮

[@dannygaron]

Man... this video :) This is exactly what I was wondering about the past few weeks and bam... an awesome video about it just magically appears. My roomate has really bad ADHD and have a bit and lot of Aspergers. She's bought me a few ADHD stimming tools and they just don't do anything for me at my work while they do wonders for her at her work. When I need to stim... it just happens and I can't control it. I usually just go to the bathroom, get some arm waving out of the way, feel embarrassed all my myself and then go back into my office to keep on working. Thanks again for the great videos :)

[@dobycorder3206]

Ya, son has two diagnosis, ADD first, then high functioning ASD as a teen. Stimming is minimal to none, but does fidget with objects and likes fidget toys. The medicine that had the most effect was dopamine enhancing.... makes sense with what you say. Thanks for this ❤.

[@suzymagan7575]

I think you are onto something and I agree based on your presentation. As someone who is on the autism spectrum, son ADHD, you helped me understand what's happening for him. My grandson is 4 and autistic. This can help my daughter teach him ways to cope and express plus understand what's happening for him as well. She is my mini me and also on the spectrum!

[@KateH77]

Hi Dan. I love watching your videos. I got an Inattentive ADHD diagnosis this Monday which is great as I feel like I can begin to understand myself however I now have at least a 7 month wait to start medication Titration.

[@caseybirgitta-skoog5532]

Sometime ago, I encountered a written argument by a practitioner about Autism and ADHD being on the same spectrum but didn't bookmark it and haven't been able to find it since. I think I agree that ADHD and Autism are more often a pair than not; AuDHD can be a spectrum too where the most dominant traits show one more than another or any possible combination.

[@mantiemo-8541]

On the spectrum here and i always move my toes up and down. When i’m nervous, excited or whatever i move them faster. I never knew where that kind of behavior came from but glad i know what it is now. :)

[@SnickerDoodleBug05]

Something that happened, that I'm not proud of... In 8th grade, I got REALLY, and I mean REALLY REALLY stressed about a test, I ended up running laps around the cafeteria during lunch, screaming, and flapping my hands for, I don't know how long, probably 5-10 minutes. Yeah I'm not proud of that, (not diagnosed, refuse to self diagnose)

[@EyeDuDab]

Excellent comparison between both the differences and the similarities. Great video

[@RubyStargazer]

I love watching your videos they help me a lot

[@gaylynyoung6387]

Wow! Someone finally said what I’ve been thinking out loud: that ADS and ADHD are part of the same thing. I have no diagnosis. My son is ASD and daughter is ADD. She got no H but I think the H is sometimes missed especially in girls because it can be something other than moving around a lot, for example, talking a lot. Anyway, I know I’m neurodivergent. No one needs to tell me. I think my husband is too. I couldn’t figure out who was what to pass it on to the kids. Then it occurred to me that we might both have both. Then I thought… both are part of the same thing. Eureka! I’ve read and watched a lot on autism and ADHD and so often it seems like it’s the same. I have started saying “neurodivergent” to get around it 😉

[@stephaniethompson9866]

My son has both he was diagnosed age of 7, this vid makes so much sense he's 16 now and is on medication to help him but I no he does alot of what you call stimming, now I feel better knowing this thank you 😊

[@TeddyBaseball]

Very good video and information. Thank you very much. I am self diagnosed autistic and I believe I have been obsessed with dopamine my whole life, chasing it. I never knew, or have heard, that those with ASD and ADHD have low dopamine. Do you have other videos on this, or articles that talk more about this. I did look through your catalog a bit, and did google the topic a bit before commenting this here.

[@happyhippytarot5248]

Thank you i was unaware of the dopamine connection it makes sense

[@user-yy8et4ud9y]

Thnx 4 the info dude

[@claireswaine5774]

Some good points, but if I may share my own experience I would phrase it as the desire to stim is intense and involuntary in nature, rather than the stims themselves. This is because while I often start stimming without intending to, I will notice that I've started and can voluntarily stop and redirect into more socially acceptable stims unless I'm very upset and having a meltdown. It is a kind of deep psychological pain to do so, and it's a learned skill for masking that helped me fit in. I can decide to stim at other times when I'm more consciously aware of what my body needs to get the energy out. Also if eventually ADHD, ADD and ASD aren't one day put together as neurodiversity condition or perhaps monotropism condition, I would be quite surprised given current research.

[@DLusby]

I'd like to hear more sometime about how you think the two diagnoses might be related. I've been told about... and have found articles discussing an overlap of symptoms between autism and ADHD. I was late-diagnosed ADHD at age 52. I somehow managed to get diagnosed with a 'combined presentation', even though I seem to be more towards the 'inattentive' symptom list. That stereotype of a disruptive boy in school, who can't sit still or shut up? Yeah, I wasn't like that. Before going to get assessed for ADHD, I had a few rare occasions when people asked me if I was autistic or asked if I ever wondered if I might be. The psychologist who referred me to the assessment specialist advised me to ask about ASD as well whenever I got in to be assessed... "just in case." But I was also told later by the specialist that it seemed fairly certain that I wouldn't meet the diagnostic criteria enough for a separate ASD diagnosis. So I just got assessed for ADHD. I was told, however, that I have some symptoms that some people might consider "autistic-like". I often find myself still interested in the differences between the two and still wanting to learn more about autism, too. So, I occasionally click on videos like this one, or even videos that are meant to only be about autism-related topics. So often, I find myself relating a lot to most of the experiences that some autistic KZbinrs share. Which does seem curious and fascinating for me.

[@foreverhopeful1]

I can relate to this too; I was diagnosed with both hyper and inattentive ADHD last September in Uk at age 57. The consultant advised me to look into an autistic diagnosis too but this was unconfirmed by different consultants at same company. They diagnosed further conditions of ocd and ptsd and said I was high on the autism spectrum but not enough to be diagnosed . Surely one is either autistic or not? How can I be a little autistic? 🤷‍♀️

[@erinn5842]

They don't know themselves. One doc will say yes, while another says no. We know ourselves best. So sodd the lott of them. By us talking to each other, we understand the conditions better, and through knowledge, we become stronger. The Dr fields will catch up with us all adventually.

[@foreverhopeful1]

@@erinn5842 absolutely!! 😊

[@eroane]

Once again, Dan…You educate the day of Autism^____< Thank You!!!! My stim has been rocking for 40 years now…❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@bobbibrooks5377]

This information was life changing for me. I watched this days ago and I finally understand that I have been chasing dopamine my whole life. Even as a kid, I would drag my feet on the ground and then touch metal to get a little shock, aka dopamine!!! Mind 🤯

[@theac.8575]

So I’m diagnosed ADHD and my psychiatrist believes that I’m high functioning autistic. While I agree that stimming is involuntary, I don’t know if I can agree with it being subconscious. The reason why I say this is that there are a lot of times where I’ll stim due to stress or excitement. Sometimes I don’t notice it, but a lot of times I do. The only thing is, I can’t stop it. I know I’m doing it but I can’t break the stimming process until my body or mind says it’s enough. For example, sometimes when I’m exhausted but I have too much energy to lay down, I start to get stressed over the fact that I’m exhausted and I’ll start to pace back and forth or walk around in a circle. I’m aware sometimes that I’m doing it, but I can’t stop myself. It’s always like my brain will stop when it’s ready. The one time I friend tried to stop me by hugging me, I had a breakdown and started crying until he let go and I went back to my pacing until my mind says I’m ready to lay down. How would you explain that?

[@starcubey]

Austistic people tend to stim to manage sensory experiences while people with ADHD may stim to manage inattentiveness or hyperactivity. Both can feel overstimulated or understimulated but for different reasons. Autism and ADHD are quite different, they only seem similar when you focus on the overlapping symptoms. I think more than anything, people who are neurodivergent or people that have similar symptoms just want to be able to understand and express themselves rather than being grouped into a category that seems to reduce their neurotype to a simple label that's difficult to understand and often misunderstood.

[@daxlagoslanguageguy0072]

I'm autistic with ADHD and when I Stim, it goes both way, the autistic stim and ADHD stim. Yes it happens involuntary to me. ♾️🫂

[@userbunny]

I did not realize that i was dancing for a while as a kid. So is it stimming? I still just stand up and walk in Circles without realizing it in first place.

[@Bovahkiin_]

i have sensory issues when touching skin which is very bothersome

[@Vedit0r]

I feel like the criteria of diagnosis is very similar there is some differences such as liking routine and absolutely hating routine and having both behaviors which is very contradictory but it's just works that way and I would have said that I think both conditions are basically the same thing with variation so basically I would call ADHD and offshoot of autism now I'm saying in a severe case of ADHD will try to call what he has in this video being ADHD which is basically autism now I'm lower form of ADHD would just be ADHD so it'd be such a mild form of ADHD that nobody considered autism or ASD for example but the the two co-occurring it is a bit silly because it is just criteria based on how you behave if you behave like you like routine 50% of the time and then the other 50% of the time you hate routine then you have both probably or meet the criteria of both but if you completely 100% or 90% of one of the other I would say you technically are the other one because they do 90% of the same things and I think the ones that ADHD that are extreme are definitely meeting the ASD criteria so really really activating ADHD equals ASD and that would mean it was part of the spectrum and it's just not part of the spectrum yet and it's confusing because I think a lot of people think that it's a bad thing to have ASD and they don't know that they already have it because it's more common than most people think I've met people that said it's an evolutionary trait from ancestors for quick ability to adapt in survival situations and that I'd say is very true if you have ADHD you know what I'm talking about it is hard to fit in in social situations for both and that's just how it is personally I think it's weird that people like socializing because doesn't it always just make your life harder anyways this is a rant for no reason they're saying but different and you could probably say that about a lot of neurological disorders where a lot of the criteria lines up but the criteria with these two is just too similar to me they tested me for autism they said I had two hive and IQ and I was a kid so they they diagnosed with ADHD I haven't been officially diagnosed with autism or ASD and probably will never get the diagnosis because I no need to find that out because I meet the criteria and I will be considered it and it will just be another thing written a book that's wrong with me or a employer or somebody could see wrong with me I I personally think I'm fine I just wanted to find out for self-understanding and guys self understanding is very important Love you guys have a nice day

[@Vedit0r]

Also sorry about misspells or wrong words I used voice to text because while I'm tired and quite frankly this was just impulsive talking on the internet which something I never do so have a nice day thanks for reading or not

[@TheAspieWorld]

That’s super interesting. I think we should do more to looking and research into the link between them both. Thank you so much for the comment! Make sure you are subscribed and have the notifications turned on :).

[@Sarcasmarkus]

The core part of the autism diagnostic criteria are the social deficits, the core part of ADHD diagnostic criteria are executive dysfunction issues. There's a lot of overlap in people's experiences but not so much in the diagnostic criteria. I have read that there are some shared genetic components between the two but all the info in this area i've read are uber technical.

[@TheMeowmix2005]

I may or may not have been swiveling back-and-forth in my desk chair during this entire show. L O L! OK… I was.😊

[@pancakeboi6797]

I’m autistic the things I do that’s considered stimming is not voluntary but can also be dopamine seeking at the same time. I stim usually when I’m excited or in deep thought. One of the things I do is fidgeting with textures of an object which starts off as involuntary but then becomes dopamine seeking. Like if I have strings on my hoodie or jacket I’m my brain will get me to play with it and it’s very satisfying.

[@stephen6279]

Love the super short intro and jumping straight into the topic. Not loving the low tone buzzing background noise, it's all i can hear lol

[@nissahauer4309]

Stimming can also happen with those who have ptsd

[@ChangelingDJ]

Loving that orange beanie. I want one.

[@melissamoeller9608]

This was super interesting and helpful. The adhd stimming and dopamine seeking behaviors make a lot more sense. My psychologist thinks that I also have OCD. Are you familiar with any over laps (or misdiagnosis) with OCD and ADHD/autism?

[@elizabethdowney3412]

Wow. I finally realize why i find myself twirling my hair EVERY SINGLE TIME im thinking about something complex. My ADHD brain is trying to focus.

[@MePeterNicholls]

I wiggle my big toe really fast and I often don’t realise I’m doing it. Then I do. And it suddenly then feels out of control.

[@susannunemaker4262]

This makes so much sense. If someone is diagnosed ADHD and when under emotional stress, rubs bald spots on the scalp from rubbing knuckles back and forth a lot, is that part of adhd? Or would that be an autistic trait? Social interactions remind me more of autism that adhd.

[@GamerSprinkles7988]

I'm 28 and autistic and adhd .hide it well but have a hard time every two weeks complete burnouts

[@TakTylkoJa]

Hi, I do not agree that autism and ADHD have to be connected in diagnosis. I am in autism spectrum and I am as far from ADHD as this is possible😂 so clear diagnosis

[@alissonvonderlane862]

I often don't notice I'm stimming until I get a glare because I'm bothering someone! 😅 I use toys when I know it'll be harder to concentrate. Very interesting!

[@Jamal_Tyrone]

I've been told off for playing with my beard too much and previous to having a beard I twiddled my sideburns, before the internet nobody ever mentioned things like autism or ADHD. I still have no idea how to get a diagnosis.

[@stephanvonwolf5666]

Sorry about all of the typos using talk to text and I was just very excited. Failed to edit.

[@catatata5785]

is thumb sucking and skin picking stimming? the doctor says i have autism and possible adhd. thanks

[@erinn5842]

That's interesting about the fingers moving in front of the eyes. Because for me, it causes seizures.

[@fabiopl]

I air drum or just tap my fingers and/or feet rhythmically, voluntarily or not. I also tap my teeth rhythmically (I do not grind my teeth, I just tap them because in my mind they sound like parts of a drumkit). I hate doing that because I've been told by more than one dentist that it hurts the enamel on my teeth, but at the same time it feels soool good so I can't stop doing it. Is all that considered stimming? I haven't been diagnosed, I am on the journey and will eventually seek an ADHD and/or ASD diagnosis.

[@Sarcasmarkus]

I don't think its actually the fact that that adhd is only one way of stimming and autism is another, and the urge to stem is involuntary, but it is possible to choose how you stem so no it isn't always completely involuntary. I think you're really over thinking it. The definition for stemming is self stimulatory behaviors, thats a large catagory of behaviors, so saying one kind of stimming i "real stemming" and another kind "isn't real stimming" isn't true.

[@chestersnap]

I caught myself running my fingertip over my bottom teeth while watching this. It's just a pleasant sort of sharp feeling

[@JohnFleshman]

If i am sitting and need to pay attention to something my legs will start "bouncing" and I have no control of it. Used to drive my mom insane when I was a kid in the 70s and early 80s. Pretty sure I am ADHD but ive never been diagnosed. I also fidget with objects and not even notice until some one mentions it.

[@nonasmith2405]

There is a lot os misinformation about adhd and autism out there, have had family members with cormorbid adhd and autism and those with either Also adhd can be misdiagnosed autism see specialist Adhd stimming is not same and non science or medically not exactly stimming autism If adhd stims compulsively autism is an undiagnosed comorbid condition People with ADHD may stim to help improve focus and impulse control, while people with autism may do it to relieve anxiety. The stims themselves may be different, too. For example, people with autism may flap their hands or flick their fingers. Lining up objects is also a common stimming behavior in people with autism

[@Moonflower_Lasa]

Can tapping feet or bouncing ankles be considered stimming ?

[@Sarcasmarkus]

Yes

[@-_-UmYtho]

Hey there, so im dignosed with ADD. I have 2 questions • What's the difference between ADHD and ADD? •So I used to do the blocking and unblocking my ears thing as a kid tbh idk why or if it soothed me but ye. So does this apply to me or does that mean i have ADHD and not ADD? 🤔

[@brightlinebetty1258]

From what I understand about upcoming research- autism and ADHD are on a spectrum, a single spectrum. Which makes complete and total sense with all the overlap.

[@Lexmorningstarnz]

An ADHDer who stims by twirling her hair here 👋

[@lindadunn8787]

Bingo😊

[@AymeHylka]

Diagnosed late autism entire family has it everything's to loud every where

[@Annalorraine67]

I've grounded myself from eating avocado toast that's all I ate. I've also done that for months at a time and eat popcorn with butter that's it oh dear.

[@NeuroSpicySheri]

I’m pondering a theory that the difference between ADHD and autism is that ADHDers can behave narcissisticly and mean. Personal experience. I haven’t crossed paths with an autistic who manifests those characteristics. Am I completely off with this theory?

[@towzone]

Get your words right. Involuntary means you can’t not do it. I can stop stimming.

[@SnickerDoodleBug05]

Subconscious would be a better word. But sometimes it is involuntary!

[@Diamondphobe]

What the hell is going on with those subtitles onscreen? They're terrible.

[@bellyfulochelly4222]

Oh wow and I love it

[@erinn5842]

I can't understand anything without the subtitles on. It's just a jumble of sounds otherwise.

[@naughtysquirrelontheroad1542]

Does anyone stim using touch? Such as a certain thing they like to touch repeatedly? As a kid I used to stim by turning lights on and off and hum and rock, but as I have got older I found that difficult and was often told off for it, so that transposed into stimming by rubbing my hand along certain fabrics. I still hum, even in my sleep apparently. I just wondered if anyone else does what I do as no one seems to mention it. Maybe I am just a weirdo!

[@queerbambi]

Actually, you can stim on purpose. I do it all the time

[@lindadunn8787]

Bingo😊