I started a new job mid-August, and while I’m thankful to have the job, it has been quite the adjustment for me. Honestly, I’ve been having a really hard time adjusting to the new working environment. It has really been affecting my mental health, and this led to the discussion where we talked about a new-to-me diagnosis: ADHD.

Family History and a Hunch

Now, I’ve known that ADHD runs in my family. I’ve also had a hunch for quite some time that I probably have it. The signs and symptoms were there, just I’d never had a formal diagnosis. In the past, I usually had more pressing matters to deal with in therapy.

Current Struggles

I’ve been having a really hard time adjusting to working in an office five days a week. I have no problem getting myself to work on time or anything like that. My anxiety ensures that I’m early for everything. The issues arise from all of the distractions in the office. There are a lot of conversations happening around me in the office. For context, I am a proofreader and some of the stuff I’m proofreading is extremely dense. It’s been extremely hard for me to focus and I’ve been getting so overstimulated that I’m sometimes shutting down. I personally need a quiet working environment to function.

The Need For A Quiet Working Environment

At my last job, I was not only able work remotely 4 days a week, but I also worked in an office where we were all proofing audiobooks with headphones on all day, making it a relatively quiet workplace. There were definitely times where people were talking and laughing loudly amongst themselves, but it wasn’t all day or anything. So going from working in a quiet space to working in a pretty lively office has been really hard to adjust to.

I obviously have a lot of other symptoms as well, but I’ve just been very good at masking them for years. I’m even masking now at work because while I’ve been extremely anxious from just being overstimulated all the time while trying to read things (sometimes having to read sentences over and over and over), I’m not outwardly reacting. Like I’m sure nobody knows at work that I’m having such a hard time.

Another Potential Diagnosis?

While we were having the discussion about ADHD, I asked about the possibility of me also having autism as well. I’ve wondered about that possibility for years, and while my therapist can’t diagnose that, she said that there’s a high chance I have that as well. She said there are definitely some things that I do that make her suspect that I do. If I wanted an official diagnosis, I’d need to go see someone who could give me the diagnosis. The co-occurrence of ADHD and autism together is becoming more widely recognized, referred to as AuDHD (which is not an official term). You can read a bit more about AuDHD here.

I think both of these things have played a pretty large role in my history with eating disorders and disordered eating. My therapist confirmed that suspicion. I was able to dive into that with my therapist and it was really helpful for me.

Why It’s Helpful To Discuss These Things

I think that it’s really important for me to learn these things about myself because if I get a better grasp for how my brain works, it will really help with finding coping skills that will work for me. I’m still on the fence about whether or not it’s worth it for me to go get an official diagnosis for autism since I already know what specific things I struggle with in terms of that.

As the title of this blog post suggests, I’m really not surprised. This was more of just a confirmation for me. I’m pretty self-aware and I’ve been in the mental health world long enough to know the signs and symptoms. I think having meltdowns about random things that do not make sense to most people was one of the indicators for me lol. I had always assumed it’s horrible anxiety, but I think my anxiety stems/is worsened by the ADHD and suspected autism.

Anyhoo, that’s all I’ve got for now! I’m so happy to have a therapist that I feel so comfortable being myself around where I can comfortably have these discussions. Having a therapist you’re comfortable with is super important and I am glad I was able to immediately click with this therapist from day one.

– Kailey

All my life, I knew I was different. It showed with the way I thought, did things, and just knew certain information as common knowledge. People treated me like an encyclopedia, however, they never understood my behavioral patterns. Almost 14 years later, I now understand that I am autistic with autistic problems!

Where it All Started

I was informally and misdiagnosed diagnosed with ADHD; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. A caregiver gave me that diagnosis without any formal testing for ADHD. All it took was for them to ask a family doctor of 20+ years for an ADHD prescription. I didn’t really resonate with that diagnosis and was very conscious about it at a very young age. Growing older, I stopped taking the ADHD medication because I didn’t think I had ADHD. At the age of 22, I understand why there was a misdiagnosis of ADHD when my behaviors fell under Autism. Many people do not know the difference! AND are not aware that there are more diagnoses than ADHD.

What’s the Difference?

This is How I Knew I Didn’t Have ADHD…

People with ADHD often have a hard time paying attention for an extended amount of time and may get distracted easily. Which wasn’t my issue. I had a limited scope of interest that didn’t show to be just one thing as it correlated with my academic performance in a positive way. It was the mask that greatly hid that I was autistic. My personal struggles with language also served as a mask that explained the negative impact of my reading scores. I only spoke Spanish but understood English when I came back from Puerto Rico in 2008. From my perspective, I was able to read the material and understand it. I just didn’t know how to write it down in English.

As a complex factor, another result of my impacted academic performance was how uninterested I was in reading certain things. I absolutely had no interest in reading anything besides ghost stories, Shakespeare plays, and/or poetry. When it came down to independent reading, I never read! SORRY MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS, but I was acting. I wasn’t the best actor and broke character a lot. It interpreted as ADHD because I would have rather looked outside than read something I didn’t have an interest in. That gave off that I was easily distracted.

This concludes the reason why I appeared to have ADHD and not Autism. But it doesn’t conclude this blog series!

– Dez 🙂

There are many therapeutic services that benefit those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Each form of therapy is different and made to fit the needs of those using them. I will be sharing a few of my favorite forms of therapy which include music therapy, art therapy and even equine therapy!

Music therapy is the use of music to accomplish individual goals. These goals can include improving mood and self-expression. This includes listening, singing, and composing music as well as playing instruments! Music therapy can help those with ASD properly identify and express how they’re feeling as well as stimulate their cognitive function. This form of therapy can also help improve speech and language skills. We have a music therapist come in for my students once a week and it really improves all of their moods and encourages them to express themselves. They love it!

Another great form of therapy is art therapy! It is fun and can be very helpful for individuals who have ASD. This form promotes self-expression through various forms of art. These forms include drawing, painting, pottery and everything in between. Personally, art therapy is my favorite form of therapy. It can build improved visual and spatial skills while also promoting sensory integration. While promoting sensory integration, art therapy also encourages emotional and sensory control. Better control of these factors can lead to an increase in positive behaviors!

And finally, equine therapy. This type of therapy involves horses which is really great for some people. Horseback riding can soothe individuals with autism which allows them to focus better, think and participate in training. Their desire to ride horses will also allow us to encourage positive behaviors while also gently discouraging negative behaviors. A few of my students utilize equine therapy and it does make a huge difference for them.

I’ve included articles, or posts about the therapies I’ve shared with you! Check them out below:

Sounds and the Spectrum: The Benefits of Music for People with Autism

The Value Of Art Therapy For Those On The Autism Spectrum

Something about a Horse: Finding Benefits for Autism in Therapeutic Riding

Please read my post Autism Awareness: Inclusion Matters! right here on TurningPointCT.org 🙂

For those of you who don’t know, April is World Autism Awareness Month. By celebrating, we have the opportunity to provide a better understanding and further the acceptance of individuals with Autism. We can do this in many ways.

Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) references a variety conditions and characteristics that are accompanied with many challenges. Some of these challenges include trouble with speech, repeat behaviors and trouble with social skills. Autism is a spectrum. Individuals with Autism each have their own unique strengths and obstacles to face.

One of the biggest ways we can support individuals with Autism is through inclusion! Now I know some of you are probably wondering what that means! Well, inclusion is when you are being valued, respected and supported by those around you so that’s why its important. It’s all about focusing on the needs of every person. It also means making sure that you are helping each person reach their full potential. Individuals on the spectrum are just like everyone else and they have the same rights to inclusion that we do! Autism isn’t a disability, it’s just a different ability.

The students with Autism in my classroom are some of the sweetest, kindest and brightest kids I know. It breaks my heart when people aren’t willing to include them in certain activities because of their disabilities. They are capable of doing what everyone else can, they may just need a little more support but that’s okay. Inclusion matters because without it, many will be left out and feeling inadequate which could lead to negative feelings towards themselves. They don’t deserve that. Be more inclusive!

For more information on World Autism Awareness Month, check out Autism Speaks!

Also check out Kailey’s post “What is Sensory Overload?” here on TurningPointCT.org! 🙂

Hi everybody! To celebrate the new year, Turningpointct.org has made a calendar showcasing mental wellness awareness days to share with you!

Below is the entire calendar

Share with your friends, or enjoy it yourself! Some of the days may be familiar and some may be new!
We hope you all enjoy it!

Happy New Year!

It is an amazing feeling to come to the realization that some things are just not meant for us. Whether they are prohibiting us from moving forward and reaching our goals, or they hinder us from being our true selves, walking away from things that are not meant for us allows us to grow into the best us we can possibly be.

In my personal experiences, the number one thing I’ve had to walk away from after realizing that they were holding me back were toxic relationships. Whether they were romantic ones or ones with friends, any ones I walked away from were hard. It is often difficult to leave something that you have become used to, but I knew that it was all for the better.

What things have you had to walk away from in your life because you knew they were not doing you any good?

Looking for help but can’t find anything available?

Check out this new tool that CT DMHAS has created for those looking for a place to begin their journey to recovery! This is an informational tool that is available 24/7, letting users know where a bed is available.

Any questions you may have can be sent in via the comments page.