Things i love about being AuDHD (Autistic with ADHD)

Summary

In this candid and heartfelt video, the creator shares their experience of living with both autism and ADHD, highlighting the unique strengths and challenges that come with these neurodiverse conditions. They discuss the joy of stimming, creativity, deep emotional experiences, and hyperfocus, while also acknowledging the difficulties like struggles with motivation, executive functioning, and societal misunderstanding. The creator also opens up about their vivid imagination and sense of humor, while encouraging viewers to embrace their neurodivergent traits. Towards the end, they share a fundraising campaign to support their sister’s ADHD assessment, calling for community support. A truly personal reflection on the neurodivergent experience.

Takeaways

• 😀 **Stimming as a source of euphoria**: Stimming provides a sense of relief and euphoria, helping to regulate emotions and energy, though it is often misunderstood by others.
• 😀 **Creativity comes easily**: The speaker loves how easily they can write poems, songs, or stories, often coming up with creative ideas on the spot.
• 😀 **ADHD and creativity**: Creativity is a strength, but the challenge is maintaining motivation to turn ideas into finished projects due to the difficulty with follow-through associated with ADHD.
• 😀 **Outside-the-box thinking**: Both autism and ADHD help foster creative problem-solving skills and unconventional thinking, which are strengths in tackling various challenges.
• 😀 **Heightened sensory experiences**: The speaker experiences the world more intensely, feeling emotions deeply and perceiving sensory stimuli (like sound and color) more vividly.
• 😀 **Imagination is vivid**: A vivid imagination allows for the creation of entire worlds in the mind, enhancing creativity and providing a place of beauty and escape.
• 😀 **Humor as a strength**: ADHD impulsivity contributes to a strong sense of humor, with the speaker easily making themselves laugh and being quick-witted.
• 😀 **Big dreams and goals**: The speaker has ambitious goals and dreams, driven by ADHD and autism, even though they acknowledge these can sometimes feel unrealistic.
• 😀 **Hyperfocus as a superpower**: The ability to hyperfocus on tasks or topics is a major strength, allowing for rapid learning and dedication, though it’s difficult to control when it happens.
• 😀 **Embracing uniqueness**: The speaker embraces their neurodivergence and prefers to avoid small talk, appreciating their depth as a person and no longer feeling pressured to conform to conventional social expectations.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the video?

The main theme of the video is the speaker reflecting on both the positive and challenging aspects of living with autism and ADHD. They highlight the unique strengths of having a neurodiverse brain while acknowledging the difficulties that come with it.

What is stimming, and why does the speaker enjoy it?

Stimming refers to repetitive behaviors or movements that help individuals self-regulate. The speaker enjoys stimming because it brings them a sense of euphoria and acts as a form of energy release. It helps them feel calm and centered, almost like a nonsexual 'orgasm' in their brain and body.

How does the speaker view the world’s perception of stimming?

The speaker feels that the world doesn’t always understand stimming, especially when it’s unconventional. Growing up, they were punished for stimming, which led to negative experiences. However, they now embrace it, recognizing that stimming can bring them joy, despite society’s judgment.

What does the speaker mean by 'thinking outside the box'?

By 'thinking outside the box,' the speaker means approaching problems or tasks from a unique and unconventional perspective. Both autism and ADHD contribute to this way of thinking, helping the speaker find creative solutions or generate ideas that others might not consider.

What role does creativity play in the speaker’s life?

Creativity is one of the speaker's greatest strengths. They find it easy to write poems, songs, and stories, often coming up with ideas spontaneously. However, ADHD makes it difficult to follow through with projects or turn creative ideas into long-term pursuits, as motivation is hard to sustain.

What are some of the emotional experiences the speaker describes?

The speaker describes feeling emotions intensely, both positive and negative. They experience the world in a vivid, amplified way, from seeing colors more brightly to feeling emotions more deeply. While this can make life more beautiful, it also means they’re more susceptible to frustration and emotional overwhelm.

How does the speaker feel about small talk?

The speaker dislikes small talk and finds it difficult to engage in conversations that don’t stimulate them. They prefer more meaningful interactions and no longer force themselves into small talk situations. However, they acknowledge that in certain contexts, small talk may be necessary.

What is hyperfocus, and how does the speaker feel about it?

Hyperfocus is a state where the speaker becomes intensely focused on a task or subject, often learning or achieving a lot in a short amount of time. While they appreciate this ability, they don’t like that they can't control when it happens. Hyperfocus can be very helpful, but it also leads to an obsessive focus on certain things, sometimes at the expense of balance.

How does the speaker's humor relate to ADHD?

The speaker attributes much of their sense of humor to the impulsivity that comes with ADHD. Their humor is spontaneous and quick, making them easily able to entertain themselves and others. It is often unpredictable, reflecting the impulsive nature of ADHD.

What is the speaker's view on the challenges of ADHD and autism in terms of social interactions?

The speaker struggles with social interactions, especially in environments where small talk or boring conversations are the norm. They find it hard to engage in discussions that don’t provide stimulation, and their need for novelty often makes it difficult to maintain interest in routine social exchanges.