Whats The Difference Between ADHD & Autism

What's the difference between autism and ADHD? For many people exploring their neurodivergent brains it can be difficult to know which type of neurodiversity to be assessed for. Or perhaps you have been diagnosed with one type but are considering that you might also have the other.
In this video I'm sharing the main differences between autism and ADHD to help people distinguish between the two.
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A little bit about me:
Hi I'm Purple Ella and my family is an autism family with three out of five of us on the autistic spectrum. I also have ADHD and connective tissue disorder (hypermobile Ehlers-danlos syndrome). So life can be a challenge but also a lot of fun.

[@AurorasWindow]

I always describe myself as someone who craves routines but hate monotony 😅

[@juliemobley6546]

Well said

[@otakus1216]

SAME-

[@tams8985]

Same!!

[@lessandra602]

🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@rahbeeuh]

AuDHD be like...

[@Thaelyn1312]

"ADHD: Being easily distracted & frequently jumping from one task to another" Me, reading through Twitter as you said this, rewinding to hear it again: "....oh"

[@Thaelyn1312]

@Shitu Kabir This is a boundary; never talk to me again.

[@simplyvince1744]

I got my autism diagnosis a week ago and the psychologist said that I also met the criteria for ADHD but that she couldn't prove that it was because I have it so I wasn't diagnosed with that. She was diagnosing me with autism and generalized anxiety disorder (neither was a shock in any way) so due to the overlapping symptoms she didn't want to diagnose me with ADHD until my anxiety is under control enough to tell whether or not the inattention is from that. I think that's a great example of just how much overlap there really is between all of these commonly comorbid conditions. (And in this particular instance I trust that she knows what she's doing and that she wasn't just brushing off symptoms as some doctors do, she seemed very genuine in saying that she wasn't confident enough to say either way on ADHD)

[@alicia1636]

Omg same ! But for me i got anxiety,adhd and hypersensitivity (basically sensory issues) and One of My psychologues wants to get me diagnosed with depression, but I know I'm autistic! For eg even medicated i can't do most work cause i Still have issues, i've not told anyone cause i'm scared they're gonna take it away from me,which I don't want since it does help atleast with inattention

[@TelkaP]

@@alicia1636 I'm sorry you haven't been able to talk to anybody in your life about it! I would recommend trying to see a different doctor- hypersensitivity is historically something that women have been diagnosed with when they actually have autism. If it feels like it fits then that's awesome, just wanted to let you know in case you continue to investigate autism!

[@alicia1636]

@@TelkaP thank you! Yes i really think that autism fits me,it described exactly My life and It's annoying to get told that i'm just hypersensitive,and have social anxiety like It's more than that literally small things like bad posture and not understanding sarcasm and liking plain foods which isn't necessarily something that is caused by hypersensitivity and My hypersensitivity isn't taken seriously at for eg school,luckily since I'm diagnosed with adhd I do get accomodations but just on exams whereas i'm impacted everyday school is a Nightmare,too much Noise,too much People,People judging, so much stress,groupworks etc

[@SamirCCat]

My psychologists brushed my symptoms off as just high anxiety at first, but I asked them to rethink and insisted. SO HAPPY I did! A computer test showed severe ADHD and I am SO MUCH BETTER on stimulants than ANY other medication I've ever taken during two decades in the psychiatry! It took me 11 years to get my bipolar diagnosis and 17 years to get ADHD-inattentive, from my first psych contact and inpatient stays at 16. WAY TOO LONG!!

[@LunarKR]

L Lawliet:

[@kaybray9285]

Borderline personality disorder also has a large symptom overlap with these, I was diagnosed with BPD. Sometimes I wonder if BPD is just undiagnosed Autism or ADHD with Complex PTSD on top of it.

[@karmalunar9839]

A very high rate of women dx with ASD in later life have had an earlier BPD dx.

[@aprilsummer5557]

@@karmalunar9839 exactly !!!!

[@where_the_fern_grows]

Exactly.

[@juliemobley6546]

I sure think so!

[@neurodivergentdawn]

It often is

[@neurodivergentdawn]

This video could not have came at a better time.

[@bryanbruggeman8357]

Indeed, this video was posted at the litteral day I questioned this

[@ummabdullah7601]

Same

[@That_Awkward_Mum]

Ditto. Watching the recent video on Dyspraxia has also made me wonder about other diagnoses that might've been missed...!

[@Skaarlet1977]

Same

[@TheKaliedescope]

"Apparently ADHD is present in 30-80% of autistic people and autism presents in 20-50% of ADHDers." Wow!! That's a seriously overlapping Venn diagram! If you have citations for these ranges, please share. I really want to follow up about that. 💜

[@theluckyegg3613]

Ism lucky, I have both.

[@jvance6]

Yes I'd like some citations for that as well.

[@Dancestar1981]

I have both

[@GilAguilar]

This is great information about the percentages. I am also neurodivergent who is autistic, has ADHD and dyslexia. Do you have a link to the information on percentages? I would love to share that information with our company. Thanks for sharing ☕️

[@coreycox2345]

@@Dancestar1981 I think I may too, as my meltdowns are sensory overload, even if I sometimes have them over things ADD got me into. I may not meet the diagnostic criteria.

[@vildhallon4709]

Thank you! I also have this combination of diagnosis and many people will refuse to believe my autism and blame my adhd diagnosis for my autistic behaviours. It can be very frustrating and also makes me question myself. This video helped me trust in my diagnosis.

[@Dancestar1981]

I have dual diagnosis and as far as executive functions go I have a double whammy with consequences at certain times

[@molliechippeck4201]

I also have a dual dx and experience the exact same reaction from people.

[@abbyapplebee9472]

I hope in future health professionals integrate ASD and ADHD more, it seems crazy to me that they are separated the way they are. With separate organisations only diagnose one or the other, separate costs involved, and people being misdiagnosed. Great video 👍 🙂

[@micass3561]

My dr told me they are considering putting them together on the same spectrum

[@TelkaP]

Very true! I'm having a hard time finding Dr. in my area who will do both simultaneously. But they do exist in some areas!

[@rahbeeuh]

They aren't the same so why should they be combined?

[@tomfromoz8527]

@@rahbeeuh If you still don't understand... you need to learn about co-morbidity.

[@221b-Maker-Street]

Not sure if you're UK-based, but Psychiatry-UK has just recent started offering a combined assessment, afaik.

[@raapyna8544]

I have symptoms from both lists but the adhd traits tend to be more of an issue. I have at least: - sensitivity to sound - sensitivity to sudden changes to plans - sensitive emotions - strong moral compass - sensitivity to unfairness, quick to anger when noticing injustice, combativeness when facing opposition to my values - difficulty organising tasks in my head and executing them - difficulty holding things in my mind, forgetfulness in small things - time blindness, chronic lateness and rush - losing my train of thought, forgetting what I was doing, bouncing between tasks - not realizing how I come across as snarky, or using a sarcastic-sounding tone of voice or choise of words when I'm being genuine but the idiomic phrases are too boring and my mind rushes to alter them to make them more interesting and messes up the tone - Mind rushing with alternative ways to say the same thing and ending up saying a gibberish word that's a combination of the options - Being bored with most people's conversations because the topic is not interesting or they don't have anything insightful to say about it or no jokes sprinkled in. Spending a lot of time as a spectator to conversations or spacing out / closing off to my own company. - having a hard time maintaining effort over a longer extention of time and finishing projects - often feeling like I'm juggling multiple things with luck and fearing when I will drop all of them - inertia to start or sudden bursts of inspiration or fixating on a problem that lasts 5 hours, and during that time unable to put it down So like, my motivation to do things is pretty unpredictable and I haven't managed to make realistic schedules for myself yet that would not be straining to try and follow. For some things it's painful to try and focus for two hours and some things I can't stop for 5 hours. It's hard to maintain eating, sleeping, resting routines of 3-hour/8-hour intervals. This is like a super long, sort of a vent, but maybe someone can relate and finds it interesting to read, idk. I'm waiting to be assessed for adhd and I kinda want to know if I may have autism to it too because strong noise specifically seems to tick me off and be an issue, especially combined with the lack of resting time from social performance and vigilance to interpret if my company is desired or not and if I'm being misunderstood or if I can interpret other people correctly and whether they hate me or not. It could just be trauma or it could be something behind the trauma. And I wish I could understand and prevent it sometimes before I crash. Because it's not nice to be a difficult person that brings drama where it's not needed. But surpressing my emotions makes me crash harder and take longer to recover from it.

[@larakorner7925]

I can totally relate. I am undiagnosed as yet, but since my daughter was diagnosed autistic I began my research so to speak.. And found that I might be one or the other or both. I just haven't decided what to do about it...

[@WinicjuszPilarski]

YOU ARE LITTERALY ME. Everything you listed off overlaps with my symptoms. The speech thing is especially fascinating because as an aspiring actor, if I can concentrate enough on character of persona and immerse myself, everything goes great. My skills pay out then. But if I'm not sure what and how I want to say, then I feel like I can't fucking talk... It is really frustrating and my self esteem goes down instantly. That's why I need to prepare perfectly and practise a lot. All or nothing.

[@salo6724]

Hey there, thank you for your video, I have recently gotten diagnosed with ADHD and experience many Autism symptoms, and since my sister has an autism diagnosis, I will go through a diagnosis process once I have enough spoons for it :)

[@electrapoptart]

Same here, my sister was diagnosed with both at age five and I just got diagnosed with adhd at 23. There are so many autistic traits in my family, I really wish I could get all of us evaluated haha. If only it wasn’t such a pain to get tested

[@tomfromoz8527]

@Salo If the lack of spoons is still an issue, I have ME/CFS 4th stage. I also knew I had ADHD, but at 64, well, I could write a book, BUT back to the point. I discovered that taking Ritalin WITH my pain meds, gave me heaps more spoons! It boosts the pain meds, but also keeps me from "un-planned" napping. My daughters recently were diagnosed with Autism. It explains so much about me! >> Tom's Ukrainian/American wife Pam

[@kenzieelle]

Thank you for this video! When you were talking about how people with ADHD get so overwhelmed by their emotions and feel like they won’t ever not feel that way I really felt understood as that’s exactly how I feel! I’m hoping to get tested for ADD and ADHD this summer.

[@peterlawrence6815]

This is the best explainaintion .

[@Annalorraine67]

I am so glad I found you i Been diagnosed with severe dyslexia and ADHD. But sometimes I think I might be autistic

[@dont_harsh_my_mellow]

Just a heads up with regards to the ADHD exclusive symptoms, a lot of them are more male-predominant symptoms. Female people with ADHD have different - and more inattentive - types of symptoms.

[@doid4354]

it is extra difficult for sure trying to figure out if I have inattentive adhd or autism or both. im just trying to get a clear picture before taking it to a doc but it is tough

[@veronicabeatrice1133]

It’s interesting - I have ADHD (combined type) and potentially (though I have doubts) autism as well, and I melt down for the reasons you listed for ADHD (emotional dysregulation, rejection sensitivity, etc.) and ALSO sensory issues. I remember I had a meltdown once in college after a long lecture during which I’d been masking my stims: I was unable to fidget because of the design of the desks.

[@AzariahMarinaStarcaster]

Most of the meltdowns I remember having throughout my life revolve around things not going the way I expected and freaking out because I don't know how to fix the problem, which I think relates to both autistic need for things to go according to plan and ADHD emotional dysregulation.

[@tigristhelynx7224]

@@AzariahMarinaStarcaster Wow this is me exactly! I have ADHD but I suspect ASD as well. How they gel together into the mess you've described makes perfect sense to me.

[@michealmurray2744]

I'm diagnosed ADD but I have a lot of traits of autism that I never really looked at previously. Thank you for making videos about your experience. Gives me the courage to explore this more.

[@cnscaevola]

I always enjoy your videos when they pop up! You’re so nice, and so informative!

[@mx.carlycelebratesneurodiv8353]

SO HELPFUL. Thank you so much for making this. I'm glad I found your channel!!!

[@PiMackie]

Thank you for your work! Also love your t-shirt 😊

[@trendydelquendy]

That's a really good explanation - I've been trying to tease out the differences between ADHD and Autism for 2 years. Thank you.

[@logcog8684]

This is fascinating, and SO very helpful. Thank you!

[@sharacy889]

Bravo!!! you are incredible. I have learnt so much from this short video. Thank you so very much! Wishing you all the very best in life!

[@thesensorycorner6414]

Wonderful video! Thanks for sharing. This is such a hard difference to distinguish between the two.

[@Hoss_Delgado977]

This was very informative - thank you for making this video.

[@alisonwright9532]

This was a FANTASTIC video, thank you so much!

[@basketweevil]

Really well-written and researched video, Ella 😊

[@RainbowSprnklz]

This is the best video ive found on this subject thats not at least 45min long! Thank you so so much!!!!!!!!! 😁

[@elenauhlig3993]

really well made video, very professional and informative! thank you!

[@vallentinac9513]

This is exactly the video I've been looking for! Thank you! It helped me a lot.

[@leaf751]

This is so incredibly helpful and phenomenal - thank you so very much for posting this and sharing your insight and information on all this. Also just wanted to say I really appreciate how clearly and compassionately you explained this video, it was amazing. I find processing information hard and the mini pauses between bits, and your clear explanations made it so much easier to follow personally, so thank you. I usually have to pause on and off to catch up with information videos. (I'm trying to figure out what and how to navigate what is going on for myself, and for my child, as I'm certain we're both nd, not diagnosed as yet but trying to navigate it all to seek the right potential assessments and stuff)

[@whylemee]

This was amazingly helpful video. Thank you!

[@jerseysquirrel436]

Great video!! that sweater looks cozy.

[@caseymaree4370]

This has cleared so much up. Thank you

[@blendypenz317]

this is incredibly helpful! thank you!

[@shanebruce3997]

Thank you so much - your concise aggregation of info was extremely helpful.

[@AgnesBalla9602]

Thank you for this vid! ❤

[@moodymandy]

Wow, you explain things so well & articulately... Thank You 💜

[@britneytalbot142]

This was so helpful, thank you for this video! I was diagnosed with ADHD. I absolutely hate when plans are changed only when they are moved earlier because all of a sudden, I have less time to get everything done. However, I’m usually relieved to hear when plans are moved back because I will have more time to prepare.

[@nintendofan1750]

Thank you so much for making this video!

[@GoADHDGo]

The thumbnails are gettin’ down right funky… and I’m loving it. :)

[@ctyson]

Love this, thank you, you are so brave and helpful making these videos. ❤️

[@pauline_f328]

I am now subscribed. This was awesome, thank you

[@Bearingz]

Thank you so much for this video. I've been confused since being diagnosed with autism and this has really helped clarify a number of questions in my head! :)

[@kathafulio]

I am very grateful you posted this video. It gives real hope to me. I don’t know at all how to find a doctor who will help me but this sounds and feels like me with both of these at once. Thank you

[@blufur9]

wow! ur videos have changed so much since the last time ive watched! i love the improvements! :D

[@christinestokes629]

Whelp this is the 6th video of yours I've watched today and I'm feeling so incredibly validated. So excited to start with a new psychiatrist next Friday and explore a comorbidity of Autism to my ADHD.

[@abbytaylor342]

Oh my gosh this is so useful. Thank you so much

[@dalejason]

Thank you, this was so helpful. I was diagnosed with ADHD 4 months ago and also told I have many observable autistic traits but as I was 50 and holding down a successful career for 31 years it wasn’t worth the expense of a formal diagnostic assessment. Having watched this I am now in no doubt at all I have ALL of the autism traits you listed to some or large extent and has a massive impact on my life. I also discovered via KZbin last week, that I highly likely also have Dyscalculia too. My next CBT and psychiatrist appointments are going to be interesting 😳

[@TheReadingWren]

This video is really helpful, thank you!

[@tracy7488]

I'm convinced they are just variations of the same condition. I have a non NHS dx of ADHD & am currently awaiting NHS assessments of both ASD & ADHD. It's crazy to assess for both separately. I have 2 children dx ASD. They 100% have the ADHD traits too & would benefit from a trial of meds. This is where the problem lies in the UK. If a person is on meds for ADHD it costs the NHS a lot of money & time in follow up appointments & meds. With an ASD dx they simply send you on your way with a few leaflets.

[@aliveinchrist1455]

Do u think there's difference between private and NHS diagnosis? Psychologist asked my gp to refer to get son assessed for adhd but gp said school has to do it. School won't do it as they say he's normal. He asked to get assessed as struggles with stuff A LOT!!

[@tracy7488]

@@aliveinchrist1455 it depends on where you get the assessment done. If done in accordance with NICE guidelines a private DX should be fine. There is always the odd place that may not accept it so worth staying on NHS list too. With a private ADHD DX prescriptions are expensive so you'd want to get transferred to GP's care, (if they agree) which won't be possible until stable on meds. In my experience, it is better for school to make the referral, so if they won't, find another school. If I could have my time again I'd get private DX for my kids & save 10 years stress.

[@tracy7488]

@Shitu Kabir ASD is a "way of being", not something that can be cured with herbs!

[@BABYGIRL4U1]

Fantastic information, my daughter is diagnosed with both and as she gets older I am really struggling. As she is very complex as her obsessions are many and they change. She is very impulsive and her sensory overload is so hard to pin point what is getting to her and then she get so emotional & crys. It’s so hard not knowing how to help her. On the other hand she very determined and never gives up trying loves socially for who she is but her behaviours then get in the way of what she has taught herself. It’s like one person battling with two people that go in separate directions but stuck in one body. I’m so happy for you and it gives me hope for my daughter Xxx❤️

[@marias1609]

These are great explanations!! I've always wondered if i have asd because my adhd presents so similiar, but I haven't looked behind the reasoning why it presents like that. The different reasonings make so much sense.

[@kind_of_willow3193]

Thank you, this was really helpful! I'm fascinated of the overlapping of symtoms in both, adhd and autism. Sometimes i think, that one day, we will see, that this is one condition, because so many people seem to have both traits!

[@alisonblack1824]

Keep up the good work ,excellent video .

[@kimwalker1370]

Thank you 🙏🏾 This was very helpful

[@sandrasabrina2973]

Very helpful video. Really well made

[@pashpash23]

Thank you Ella! I've been diagnosed with ADHD1 last week and I find myself also kind of doubting my autism diagnotic thinking that after all it might have been my ADHD triggering the autistic traits..but it may actually be the other way around...🤔 I find it interesting to understand how the two conditions overlap and create a pretty unique and complex picture! 🌈

[@theadhdmind9419]

Very helpful info. Thank you!

[@sixbirdsinatrenchcoat]

I just watched 3 of your excellent videos and I know it’s totally off topic but your wallpaper is so cute!

[@CariadNZ]

I'm 47 and read spectrum women 3 years ago. I cried with relief. Yes, a bit of ADHD too. Just had a major shut down that sent me back into learning. So we, my loved ones and I, can better manage. Your vids are awesome. Xo

[@JessentialLife]

This is sooooo good. Thank you!

[@Iamlynie1]

Really helpful video, I need to look further for myself 😊❤️

[@juliemobley6546]

YES 🙌 🙌 🌟If one evaluation could consider all parts of neuro-divergence🌟 Amen! Amen! Amen! Sister!!! You just helped me define a deep calling I have. Thank you and bless you sweet brilliant Purple Ella 💜 I appreciate you immensely. Peace and Love 🕊

[@lanamaceachern3097]

Thank you for breaking these things down, Ella. I'm newly diagnosed AuDHD. I've been finding it difficult to separate out the traits of each. I've long suspected I was Autistic but was skeptical about the ADHD. Resources like this video are helping me recognize it in myself.

[@leigh7816]

Thank you for this video :)

[@sarahiforgot844]

😂 I have adhd, and about halfway through I realized I had had to rewind the video multiple times bc I hadn't been paying attention, and I had to consciously resist the urge to look for other videos while watching this one. I'm dying, omg.

[@soni1352]

I have been diagnosed with ADHD but the more I hear about things with autism I think I also have it, and it just makes more sense to my experiences looking back at them

[@jennyneuman8674]

Thank you for the video! My psychiatrist actually has a theory that Autism always includes ADHD, even if it's not the same the other way around. I got diagnosed with both last month and your videos have been super helpful

[@BeccaRaptor94]

Thank you for this!

[@saffire_fleur]

This convinces me more & more that I was misdiagnosed as Autistic. I do however relate to my ADHD diagnosis

[@rowanbirch9389]

Thank you for the video it is very useful! I am on a waiting list for an autism diagnosis and am now realizing I have many traits of ADHD too. I think I will wait for the results of the autism diagnosis then decide if the possibility of ADHD is worth investigating too. I love the cardigan you are wearing in this video it is absolutely beautiful colours :)

[@Dancestar1981]

I have the double whammy

[@evelynemaho6856]

I love the rainbow wall - a fellow ADHDer

[@nataliescott2261]

I love it to but the big white gaps bother me . Not sure what that means

[@merrymerrymead7749]

This was very helpful.

[@tr0llkona]

ADHD but not Autism: "Being easily distracted and frequently jumping from one task to another" This surprised me. I'm an adult seeking evaluation for ASD. From everything I've read and watched so far, I had thought my distractibility and jumping from task to task were to do with sensory issues and executive function, and common among those on the spectrum. Very interesting to learn that these may be ADHD traits or more general neurodivergent traits.

[@Elena-zq8ml]

Talking of inattentiveness, I kept getting distracted by how lovely your cardigan is. Very informative and useful video as usual

[@mx.carlycelebratesneurodiv8353]

So pretty right?

[@francesrichardson.262]

ADHD is tunnel vision for the brain, the frontal cortex(Lobe) is underdeveloped causing slow processing. Therefore not all information given can sink in at the same time. I like to write things down that i have been told or someone has said but not directly to me. I like to number my list from most important to not important but needs doing. I find hard things easy to learn and even the most simple things can make me melt down because they're so easy to do that i cant learn it. I need a challenge to be able to grasp the memory of how to do the task.

[@rachelbuster2826]

I resonate with the tunnel vision aspect and recently discovered that writing things down is incredibly helpful. It’s not my favorite task but somehow it just makes things stick in my brain better. I find that my short term memory is seemingly not present but when I do a task based on a project or for a grade and with a deadline, it sticks with my long term memory for a LONG time. Similarly with books, I read very slowly and often must re read to retain, but once I finish the book, I remember everything about the book. You’re comment taught me the most in the shortest time.

[@raapyna8544]

Same as with both of you, I find it hard to finish courses if they are too easy. Last year I got the best grades from the courses that were designed for second-year students, although it was my first year studying this subject. But I'm still not done doing enough credits to transfer to this major. (I barely missed it) So this Autumn I have to take some more first-year courses and reapply to change majors. They're probably going to be kinda mind-numbing, so I'm keeping my schedule pretty sparce. One of them is on academic literature and writing though, so I really need that. I too am really slow at reading but once I've taken it in, it's there for good. I still remember almost everything about Percy Jackson... I remember reading through some of those books by reading every paragraph 2 or 3 times before the next, but not able to put the book down. It was so entertaining that it didn't matter that my attention sucked. Looking back it's wild that the series that got me into reading was one written for adhd kids about adhd kids, and I never suspected I might have adhd.

[@amybe3]

Thank you for this.

[@amybe3]

Hello! Excellent topic.

[@JamieMitchellDesign]

Thankyou for this. I seem to be much the same, having specific traits of both but overlap as well.

[@arasharfa]

i also have adhd and asd, and i find it's the worst curse of all as i can never ever have my needs met, they always collide, i always get blocked in catch 22's and have frequent meltdowns because of it.

[@vildhallon4709]

very relatable, what helped me a lot was finding the right adhd medicine. It makes the adhd side of my brain quieter so I can find a balance easier

[@Jesus_is_Lord323]

I related extremely when you describe an ADHD meltdown. I don't have them often, nor am I diagnosed by a professional, but this felt relatable

[@MrzRobloxz]

Love the rainbow wallpaper do u have a sensory room sensory tent thank u this was very helpful I left a like ! :D

[@Star-dj1kw]

Excellent video 👍🏼

[@cerebralfaithvideo]

I have both. And often I don’t know which condition is causing which aspect of my behavior. This video was helpful.

[@LB-zz7wy]

Thank you for this! I always wondered what the differences are :) Just one thing - it would be great to have the points written out, this would help following along :) ( as somebody with adhd this can be hard at times )

[@meganmorgan7491]

I finally got to see someone for my son after years of saying something was not right and she said he has adhd and not autism. Specifically bc he speaks well, plays well and is engaging. We have more follow up but this video helped so much. He actually has symptoms of both. She never mentioned this was a possibility but I’m convinced he has both.

[@BassGal92]

I was evaluated for autism at the beginning of this month, but I also had an ADHD evaluation as well. I'll find out next week if I have ADHD as well. Could you talk about Social Pragmatic Communication Disorder one day? My evaluator was originally thinking I have that instead of autism. I see almost nothing about SPCD and if I am diagnosed with that, I'll feel like the only person in the world with this condition.

[@LoveandSoul7]

Great video, Ella! So glad I found your channel! 💜😍 And your cardigan looks soo cute! Did you get it from Aliexpress? I swear I've seen it there!

[@ItzCornucopia]

This video described me... tho I'm not diagnosed cause it's so expensive to get a diagnosis...

[@jessham8435]

Thank you Ella for all your wonderful videos. Since this one is so good I'm going to selfishly ask if you could do a similar one for autism/ADHD vs. Bipolar? I was diagnosed with type ii bipolar years ago (when I was also doing a lot of circus skills just to jam in another coincidence!) And more recently I've been diagnosed with autism and ADHD too. I've been trying to figure out if bipolar is a misdiagnosis or a comorbidity and you have such a good combination of relevant insight and video making skills, I thought I'd put in a cheeky video request...

[@carolinepi]

Jess, I'm literally going through the SAME thing: I have the same diagnosis as you, all three, and just now I began searching about the comorbidity between bipolar and autism, as well the misdiagnosis that can occur. I'll briefly summarise to you what I found and list some references as well, just in case if you want to check it out (I would totally recommend doing so, it's really interesting, you can both see if you can relate and understand more about both disorders, as well their overlapping symptoms. Ok, let's go already: So I found that mood dysregulation is frequently associated with ASD, so it's relatively common for autistic people (30% in some studies) to also have symptoms of bipolar disorder and autistic traits are common in youth with bipolar disorder too. So yes, sometimes doctors mistakenly diagnose autistic people with bipolar, but a study also showed that bipolar does co-occur with ASD in adults in 10 to 30% of the cases - enough to meet the criteria for both disorders. The results are mixed, but I would say that is more common for people with ASD to be misdiagnosed with bipolar to actually having it. References: - Keller, R. (Ed.). (2019). Psychopathology in Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders - Munesue, T., Ono, Y., Mutoh, K., Shimoda, K., Nakatani, H., & Kikuchi, M. (2008). High prevalence of bipolar disorder comorbidity in adolescents and young adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder: A preliminary study of 44 outpatients. - Borue, X., Mazefsky, C., Rooks, B. T., Strober, M., Keller, M. B., Hower, H., … Birmaher, B. (2016). Longitudinal Course of Bipolar Disorder in Youth With High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder. - Kirsch, A. C., Huebner, A. R. S., Mehta, S. Q., Howie, F. R., Weaver, A. L., Myers, S. M., … Katusic, S. K. (2019). Association of Comorbid Mood and Anxiety Disorders With Autism Spectrum Disorder. And that's it! I hope this helps and I hope you're doing well. :) Oh, and although it's possible to have a comorbidity, is also VERY common for people with ADHD to be misdiagnosed with bipolar, sometimes is more difficult to give a proper diagnosis given to the many symptoms in common.

[@jessham8435]

@@carolinepi awesome, thank you. I will check out those references later, that looks really useful. Thanks! 😊

[@Dancestar1981]

@@jessham8435 ASD and ADHD both have emotional disregulation as symptoms

[@lisbethbird8268]

Just wanted to second this request. I've known people with mania, and someone with ADHD/ASD who acted so manic and even a little psychotic it scared me. But they won't consider it. One thing that gives me pause is the person being on stimulant meds for their adhd, plus antidepressants. A pattern of possible hypomanic episodes seems to be viewed as happiness and "joy".

[@adhdhd2023]

Thanks for this video. I have both adhd & autism

[@myishenhaines1706]

“It’s hard for us to remember that we didn’t feel this way before, and are likely to feel different in the future”. Omg. I thought that was strictly due to depression for me. Wow.

[@yeshuasonofnature6928]

We should want to do things without reward and although as autistic people we have the need for reward it can be even more rewarding when we rise above the materialistic and find the reward within the actions themselves... that been said this is incredibly informative and has helped me a great deal as have many of your videos... one got me through my second assessment to a satisfactory level... I believe I am a savant autistic with all the spectrum traits but I am worried that I may not get diagnosed correctly... and I know adequate help will only come with an adequate assessment that looks at all these traits... I'm highly gifted but find incredible resistances when I try to express myself, often having shutdowns or breakdowns with oscillating depression... if I could just get control of myself and learn some level of consistency, I know I am capable of changing this world in many ways... I'd also like to say people like you have given me far more hope than any doctor with far more awareness and knowledge... your not a doctor but maybe you should be and I reckon you'd make a very good autism assessor. Thankyou x

[@nicolel.phillips5951]

THANK YOU!

[@JixieDye]

I like your eyeshadow. And your video. Thanks!

[@user-qq8kq5td4x]

I have both, so this was very helpful

[@jazzygeofferz]

I've got stuff from both those lists as well. I was contacted yesterday and asked for contact information in order to arrange my Autism Assessment.

[@craigcarter400]

I am currently exploring self diagnosis against both ASD and ADHD at this current time.

[@MistyMay2095]

Just finding this now, and I was diagnosed with autism at 23, but I am certain I have ADHD as well given the list that was given in this video. It can make day to day life frustrating at times, but I manage. 😅

[@octoberdawn1087]

Lately I feel like I have everything 😳

[@span]

Best Shirt!