#actuallylearningdisabled

I had to fight transphobia and ableism in one night

But even ableism from other autistic people

That one hurt even more

Like why can't you also fellow autistics listen to those of us autistics with learning/intellectual disabilities

Especially when you try to "reclaim' the r slur.

I try not to hate but I have hatred for anyone who uses the R slur

Reminder that hyperfixation and special interest mean the same fucking thing.

This term was proposed, because those without autism, but still neurodivergent, who have the same experiences as a special interest were asked not to use the term by the autistic community, as it is a very important term to us, and we have had the language we use for our own community taken from us too much to even count.

Now let’s zoom in on allistic neurodivergent people who have the same experiences as a special interest, and what that means, shall we?

Hyperfixation is not inherently for a shorter period of time than a special interest. Both of these things can last from days to years, AND both can be as short as for a few hours too. There’s lots of diverse variation.

It is not inherently less intense of an interest. Just like special interest, a hyperfixation is always more intense than “just a hobby/a passing interest/dabbling.”

It’s not ADHD specific, and was never coined to be. Hyperfixation is an umbrella term.

It is not a hyperfocus. That’s a different term entirely. The coiner called a special interest for ADHDers a hyperfocus to begin with, but it’s usually just been called obsession. Hyperfocus actually IS by origin/nature/definition/and everything else inherently shorter and less intense than a hyperfixation. Hyperfocus is task based, and one who goes into a hyperfocus can do so on said task that is not even remotely related to their hyperfixation.

All neurodivergent people who experience Hyperfixation can(and some already do) have more than one at the same time. Yes, this includes autistic people. We can have more than one special interest at any given point.

The main experience that makes hyperfixation the same thing as special interest, is: being entirely barred from access to engaging with these intense subjects of interest will always cause mental distress. If it doesn’t then that’s not a hyperfixation or a special interest either.

Both Special Interests and Hyperfixations can seem to be “entirely and suddenly dropped,” but that’s not exactly what is actually happening. This only means that something else has captured the intense interest of the neurodivergent person with these experiences. It doesn’t necessarily mean the “dropped,” one was actually forgotten, or even dropped at all. In fact, some will come back to being that same intensely interested in that seemingly forgotten subject later on, again and again.

Apr 16, 2020 11:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

There will be a free webinar tomorrow with advice on how to manage online classes with learning differences.

If you register, you’ll get a link to a recording even if you can’t attend at that time.

https://benetech.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_AyTBLmJMToqA9nlcWQ9SMw?timezone_id=America%2FChicago

Well, I can't and won't try to speak for every other autistic out there, but I can try to respond from my point of view ( I hope this comes out well ) :

As one sight puts it "People who have traits that stretch across both autism and ADHD diagnoses often face more serious challenges than those with either diagnosis alone- they can have greater impairments in adaptive functioning ( a term that refers to self-care and daily living skills, and more "severe" social/cognitive 'issues'"

According to the CDC, 14% of people with ADHD also have Autism- those with both - again - are more likely to have learning and social imparimetns and difficulties.

ADHD and autism are related BUT they are not the same. I say all this as a preface -

I'm not saying allistic ADHD people don't struggle at all, but bare with me -

It seems like the best way I can tell differences is 'degrees' - sure people with ADHD may struggle with social issues but if it is nigh impossible to communicate effectively and hold up friendships/any social relationship you start going into Autism territory. People with ADHD may have sensory issues, yes, but if you aren't completely overwhelemed to the point you cannot talk adn you withdraw completely into yourself or meltdown/shutdown then you can't honesly relate to an autistic person's point of view and daily living.

Yes, ADHD has a major impact on one's life - but not to the likeness and perhaps even degree to autism does. I don't believe in pitting each other against one another as we are one neurodiverse family - but more and more I see people with ADHD either claiming to be autistic ( which, ok - not touching that part just yet ) or claiming autistic traits to be ADHD ones. ( Much like those claiming raptor hands as an ADHD thing when it is very traditionally and perhaps diagnoistically an autistic thing ).

Or if an autisitic only group is specifically speaking about autism and autistic experiences - often we have allistic ADHD people butting in like "I DON'T HAVE AUTISM BUT---". Those shouldn't happen. If it is an autistic only space/post, then it is an autistic only. I don't care if we are neurodiverse cousins or whatnot - allistic adhd people have no right to barge into autistic spaces and pretend to understand everything we go through, to the degree we go through it.

There is overlap. They are also different things. Very different. I have an allistic ADHD friend - there is a distinct, obvious difference between us. ( I have adhd, autism and learnign disabilities and was in special ed ).

Claiming words like "special interest" which is an autsitic only phrase, and using it interchangably with "hyperfixation" is something i see often and it ( maybe im one of onnly a few bothered with this one ) upsets me.

you can be allistic ADHD and have sensory problems, etc, but from what i see we autistic people still experience this world very very differently and allistic adhd people butting into autsitic only spaces by claiming autistic platforms by over-speaking us, stealign our terms, etc, is disrespectful.

And yes a few people with ADHD may very well just be undiagnosed as an autistic person as well. I'm not talking about those cases.

But it seems like adhd people have become too comfortable with the fact there is overlap between adhd adn autism that they forget there are major differences - there are several circle charts on pintrest and tumblr and the internet that show it better than I can word and explain in.

I guess i could just say it as "Stay in your lane".

One thing that also gets me, personally, is ADHD people not realizing that yes you expereience similar things to what we Autistics do - but just because you can relate does not mean you are autistic. I don't wanna come across as gate-keepy and I hope i'M explaining this right. If I mis-answered you, please let me know. Communication is very hard for me even though I can type well.

If you use the r slur

I hate you

I really fucking hate you

Period. Don't care.