alien
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Post by alien on Feb 23, 2018 21:41:48 GMT
I passed first time 17 years ago. Extremely cautious driver. Hate driving. Find it hard to use radio, adjust mirrors, heating controls, wipers, lights etc. Have a tiny city car which I am comfortable with.
Quite a few near misses over the years until last year I went into a road sign and a tree as failed to turn at a bend, and had quite a bad crash and wrote off my car (no one else involved). Was tired, sttessed and recovering from illness at the time, so maybe it might have happened to other more attentive types.
Anxious time with DVLA-required GP assessment afterwards as my ADHD referral letter mentioned I find driving quite tough. Thankfully have retained full licence though, as need car for mad school run and drive onto work.
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alien
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Post by alien on Oct 20, 2017 18:54:57 GMT
Ha! I'm not particularly physically hyperactive or sporty but often get strange looks at work for sprinting up and down the stairs. Why would anyone walk? Don't they realise it's harder work that way?
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alien
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Post by alien on Apr 28, 2017 18:26:11 GMT
Hi nickyw - if you hit the link on my name I have posted a few things on PDA. There are also some good Youtube videos about the condition posted recently by a chap called Henry. Try searching Youtube for PDA autism Harry.
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alien
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Post by alien on Apr 26, 2017 19:00:10 GMT
mc1250 Yep. Done that one for a job interview before. Then argued that I was right and they were wrong. I was a day early. Booked a day's hol from my job at the time. They were right. I was wrong. Still went back for the interview the next day. Didn't get that job, surprisingly.
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alien
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Post by alien on Apr 17, 2017 13:04:54 GMT
I eat plenty of protein, but lots of carbs too. And chocolate. Not tea or coffee but much more chocolate than most. The right amount of chocolate is good; beneficial, in terms of mood, but too much or too cheap brings me down. My outlook is generally optimistic leavened with cynicism. I am not a pessimist. I find food helps lift my mood if I am tired too. Have noticed impact of food more since being back in office life over the last six months or so. Maybe because I have less healthy food to graze on. Making conscious effort to have nuts and fruit, etc to hand. Got into habit of Ready Brek and honey rather than more processed sugary cereal at least half the week too. All seems to help. Has to become habitual though - the cooking and washing up isnmore demanding, but have made it part of the ritual so I quite enjoy on the less stressful school days.
My partner (not ADHD) has much less protein and experiences lower mood than me. Interesting.
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alien
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Post by alien on Jan 8, 2017 15:20:20 GMT
Thanks for your response blaze. Sounds like your hefty dose of self awareness is a proper boon.
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alien
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Post by alien on Dec 14, 2016 21:14:21 GMT
Thanks for all the responses. Interesting.
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alien
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Post by alien on Dec 11, 2016 10:26:06 GMT
Hang on in there.
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alien
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Post by alien on Dec 9, 2016 19:53:38 GMT
Hi everyone.
I know that many people on here will have experienced a life packed with anxiety, and often experienced depression too.
I was interested in anyone who experiences neither, or only circumstantial or social anxiety, rather than it being more generalised. Just interested in picking out the common ADHD threads from those other often co-occurring experiences. (I'm fortunate to have not suffered from depression, and although the past few years have increased my anxiety levels, don't consider it a character trait.)
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alien
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Post by alien on Dec 8, 2016 7:12:46 GMT
I don't necessarily view it as an ADHD thing, but, error, yes. Especially on the phone. I am courteous but perhaps expect a bit too much.
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alien
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Post by alien on Dec 7, 2016 13:32:32 GMT
The latest episode of Radio 4's All in the Mind focuses on ADHD and mind wandering: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qxx9/episodes/downloadsLoving the classroom examples from the girl with the smelly pens. For those interested, the preceding programme also looks at diagnostic issues around PDA.
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alien
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Post by alien on Nov 26, 2016 13:53:38 GMT
I was browsing Temple Grandin's The Autistic Brain this morning, and the chapters on associative and creative thinking in particular I reckon mostly apply to those with ADHD too. (And the usual executive functioning/short term memory stuff, of course.)
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alien
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Post by alien on Sept 23, 2016 21:17:35 GMT
Definitely had one of those weeks this week, blaze.
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alien
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Post by alien on Sept 23, 2016 19:38:33 GMT
Interesting. Funny there's a Yes/No/Suspected for dyslexia and dyspraxia, but not for ADHD, and no mention of ASC.
Also, sleep questions don't take into account external factors. If I wasn't woken up during the night, maybe I wouldn't have poor sleep, but I do get woken up, and then the mind races and I can't fall back to sleep. But I'm an asleep-before-I-hit-the-pillow time for the first round.
Looks like a decent survey though. Be interested in seeing the results. Thanks for sharing.
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alien
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Post by alien on Jul 29, 2016 7:17:22 GMT
Thanks very much. Now just need to get the rest of life in order so the transition works.
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alien
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Post by alien on Jul 28, 2016 6:31:37 GMT
What do you know, I got the job. That was a long time coming.
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alien
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Post by alien on Jul 26, 2016 13:30:33 GMT
I kept quiet. Presentation went well. The interview was okay. Structured but friendly. A good balance. Well I say it went well, until about three quarters through where I began to have problems with my vision. Typical timing for being visited by my first ever migraine.
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alien
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Post by alien on Jul 21, 2016 18:41:44 GMT
Thanks. I'm going to keep quiet and do my best regardless. We'll see. I know I've come close on two other presentation plus interviews recently. Funnily enough I've interviewed quite a few people before too. I've never really taken that line though. I think some people can interview well and for others it puts them way out of their comfort zone and it seems unfair to think you'll see someone at their best. I think people often forget that they shouldn't be looking for the most polished interviewee but the best fit for the job. Hard to express that when you're the one hoping to land a job though.
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alien
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Post by alien on Jul 19, 2016 15:05:31 GMT
Hi everyone.
I've a job interview coming up next week. I've had quite a number since being made redundant last autumn and this is one for a charity. I know the drill with charity and public sector jobs by now. It's all point scoring and competencies. Not my natural forte, but on a good day I can kind of manage it without going too far off-track, only this one, as with a couple of previous ones I've had, requires a presentation.
Now I can do a decent presentation, and I can do an okay interview, but putting the two together seems to cause me some issues.
I'm determined not to mention ADHD (or being a parent carer, which is another thing I think is maybe going against me when I interview), but am contemplating asking if they'd mind allowing me a short break between presentation and the interview proper to gather my thoughts. I think I'd probably give a better interview in these circumstances, but wonder if the break would cause them to view me in a lesser light than other candidates. They have asked if I have any special requirements.
What do you think?
Any input gratefully received, or any experience of similar scenarios also welcomed.
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alien
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Post by alien on Jul 6, 2016 8:33:34 GMT
Sorry for taking a while to respond, ananse, but yes, what blaze said. It's not all like that all the time of course, but it often does leave me a bit disenchanted. There seem to be an increasing number of autistic people using their forum too though, so hopefully that'll help even out the scales a bit in time.
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alien
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Post by alien on Jun 22, 2016 9:58:24 GMT
Hi again. Just popped up to say I don't feel I can really comment on any of the stuff about the person you're speaking about, marionk, without more information, but in my experience, people with PDA can certainly be communicative. My daughter started speaking at around a year old and has barely stopped since (she's eight now) and is very eloquent, and with support and the confidence that others accept her perspective, is able to express herself exceptionally well. There's a really good blog by a mum with PDA that was started recently: dragonriko.wordpress.com/And another by a girl who's just working through her school exams: teenagestressesblog.wordpress.com/They might be of interest. And ananse, I don't know if you spotted already, but there's a Facebook group for adults with PDA – might be worth a look: www.facebook.com/groups/AdultPDASupportNetwork/
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alien
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Jun 8, 2016 16:39:12 GMT
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Post by alien on Jun 8, 2016 16:39:12 GMT
The short version ofnthe below: CAMHs bad/psychologist good. CAMHs psychologist? You seem a sensible sort. I think go with your instinct. Due to external pressure we often didn't but in hindsight it was never wrong. -- Hi again, blaze. Re CAMHs, I can only speak from our experiences with psychotherapists and one jobsworth psychiatrist. We never did get to meet with a psychologist, but the private diagnosis that we eventually had to opt for was via two psychologists (and was excellent - NAS Lorna Wing Centre) and we also met with an EP, eventually. All seemed to have a much greater understanding of our daughter (who sounds much like your Fb) than the CAMHs lot. My current belief (also informed by meeting three psychiatrists at my own ADHD assessment) is that psychologists are more likely to understand ND conditions rather than looking for and wanting to 'treat' (and often completely exacerbating in the case of CAMHs) mental health issues, rather than recognising the fact that mental health issues may have developed as a consequence of seeing the world a little differently and the responses/consequences of actions due to this can result in. Hope that helps. And I completely hear you about not wanting to retread the explanations.
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alien
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Post by alien on May 24, 2016 14:01:21 GMT
I think clubby you touch on something interesting when you say separating out conditions is dangerous. Maybe danger is a bit of a strong word, but the autistic community is making great inroads in getting others to accept autism is type of thinking, and getting the word 'condition' used in place of 'disorder'. Despite the crossover, there's also a lot more understanding and acceptance related to dyslexia, and few use the language of disability when referring to it. The term autism might be a loaded one, but it doesn't carry the focus on deficit and difficulty that come with 'dys' labels and every part of 'attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder'. I agree with vagueandrandom about the mental health/psychiatric approach to diagnosing ADHD. In my experiences so far, psychologists seemed to have a greater understanding and empathy regarding these conditions anyway, but I can tell you I felt pretty uncomfortable when I went for my assessment and saw that letterhead of the Royal College of Psychiatry had the term 'mental illness' on it. I wish I had a save to draft button. I'm late for the school run and this is unfinished and possibly nonsensical. ananse, I'm glad you've identified with the diagnostic criteria for PDA – but as clubby says – there are plenty of positives. Just not many people are documenting them as it's all pretty one-sided for the moment. I'll try to finish/redraft this at later.
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alien
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Post by alien on May 20, 2016 15:12:03 GMT
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alien
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Post by alien on May 20, 2016 9:47:06 GMT
Thanks clubby. I'll pass that on to my wife. She'll find it encouraging.
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alien
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Post by alien on May 20, 2016 5:25:48 GMT
Aside from having the root of the controlling behaviour in anxiety and an autistic mindset (and it being applied universally rather than solely to authority figures), and some of the other differentiated diagnostic criteria such as fixations on people and intense imaginative play, I suppose the major difference between ODD and PDA marionk is that if you applied the recommended 'treatment' methods to a person with PDA that are advocated for someone with conduct disorder rather than directly addressing the anxiety, you'd likely find you ended up with someone with extreme mental health issues. Maybe I'm wrong. I can only speak as the father of one child with the profile, but recognising her anxiety and supporting her social development really help her. Taking an authoritarian approach infallibly pushes her away and makes her feel miserable and like a failure. Sorry you found the article waffly. It's a very complex subject. I did my best. ananse Don't believe everything you read on Wikipedia. ; )
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alien
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Post by alien on May 19, 2016 15:27:51 GMT
Hi marionk – My daughter is diagnosed PDA – it's a specific presentation of autism. More comes with it besides the demand avoidance, but the avoidance is rooted in anxiety and it affects everything, meaning huge difficulty complying to direct instructions, for instance. If you've had an experience of extreme anxiety, where it's impossible for you to comply with whatever it is someone is asking (or you yourself are asking) – I think having PDA feels a lot like having that feeling permanently at the edge of your consciousness. It also comes along with the regular challenges with social interaction, sensory differences, etc that are intrinsic to autism. I've had quite a bit of contact with parents and professionals of children diagnosed with PDA, and haven't met anyone where I'd say you wouldn't think an ADHD diagnosis was unlikely. I think it's probable someone with PDA could actually be diagnosed with a raft of stuff, combining autism (especially the 'female' presentation), ADHD, anxiety disorder and ODD in one, plus that level of – it seems to me from my reading and understanding – permanent anxiety I described. Here's a longer explanation with contributions from people who hopefully know what they're talking about. Hope that helps.
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alien
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Post by alien on May 19, 2016 15:17:50 GMT
I get afterimages, then the black/red depending on lighting, but usually a sense of movement. At the moment I can see horizontal bars of light too – maybe that's from being at the computer.
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alien
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Post by alien on May 18, 2016 14:09:12 GMT
Hey. Just wanted to say hang in there @jogeah. I'll try to write a proper response when I've more time.
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alien
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May 18, 2016 14:02:39 GMT
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Post by alien on May 18, 2016 14:02:39 GMT
Hi Blaze.
The PDA Soc website is generally so bloody miserable (well, reading the forum comments). I feel very sorry for anyone with PDA who stumbles across it.
We had an absolute nightmare - like take the worst you ca think of and multiply it tenfold - with CAMHs so I sympathise with all you're going through.
If you want to chat about this offline at all, feel free, just for the ear of someone who has the t-shirt. Sounds like you're having a pretty hard time of it.
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