As I understand it, actually, ADD/ADHD and austim and Aspergers are believed to be linked in some way, which is why they often get classed together as being within a range of cognitive disorders. And from what I've been told by several Aspies, there are a lot of comorbid elements for ADD/ADHD that are almost exactly the same as what runs comorbid with Aspergers, as well as the instinctive coping mechanisms (like hyperfocus).
For that matter, epilepsy also ties into the mix, because the brainwave patterns between ADD/ADHD are remarkably similar to the brainwave patterns experienced during a minor seizure. On top of that, major signal of possible ADD/ADHD is to lose equilibrium when a strobe light is at the same frequency that it'd cause seizures in an epileptic (which explained a LOT about why I got clumsy and disoriented and dizzy whenever a band insisted on having strobes!). Plus, anti-psychotics -- can't remember the exact class, but the ones used for sedative effects -- will cause hallucinations in epileptics, and have the same contraindications and reactions in folks with ADD/ADHD. (This one, learned the hard way, though not by me, fortunately.)
The brain, it is a marvelous and mysterious thing. I've talked to so many doctors and neurologists over the years that I've reached the point where I figure that for all the fancy terminology, we really are just treating symptoms blindly and hoping we'll eventually hit the right combination that also, luckily, smacks at the cause, as well. In a practical sense, that ends up being: if someone else's condition teaches them tools/skills to cope, and those tools/skills are useful for you also to cope, then who gives a flying anything whether you have the same baseline condition, you damn well use them tools/skills as what gets you through.
no subject
Date: 14 Jun 2010 05:34 pm (UTC)For that matter, epilepsy also ties into the mix, because the brainwave patterns between ADD/ADHD are remarkably similar to the brainwave patterns experienced during a minor seizure. On top of that, major signal of possible ADD/ADHD is to lose equilibrium when a strobe light is at the same frequency that it'd cause seizures in an epileptic (which explained a LOT about why I got clumsy and disoriented and dizzy whenever a band insisted on having strobes!). Plus, anti-psychotics -- can't remember the exact class, but the ones used for sedative effects -- will cause hallucinations in epileptics, and have the same contraindications and reactions in folks with ADD/ADHD. (This one, learned the hard way, though not by me, fortunately.)
The brain, it is a marvelous and mysterious thing. I've talked to so many doctors and neurologists over the years that I've reached the point where I figure that for all the fancy terminology, we really are just treating symptoms blindly and hoping we'll eventually hit the right combination that also, luckily, smacks at the cause, as well. In a practical sense, that ends up being: if someone else's condition teaches them tools/skills to cope, and those tools/skills are useful for you also to cope, then who gives a flying anything whether you have the same baseline condition, you damn well use them tools/skills as what gets you through.