Autism Vs ADHD

The holiday addition, the ASD mum and ADHD teen-out experience.

ASD: Packed, organised at least one month in advance.

ADHD: Last-minute scramble, forgets charger, and doesn’t even bother packing toiletries.

ASD: Let me look after the passports so they are all safe in one place.

ADHD: It’s alright I got it, fiddles with and bends corner edges and then loses passport.

ASD: Happy to sit in a quiet space and silently people-watch before boarding.

ADHD: Frustrated with being trapped, everything and everyone annoys him. Headphones in. Chewing gum. 

ASD: Calm sitting on a plane, blocking out all interference and in the zone of a happy place to make it as comfortable as possible.

ADHD: Up down fidget snack up down twitchy up down bored up down why is this taking so long?!

ASD: Routes and activities planned with equal amount of chill time in between to recharge and avoid burnout.

ADHD: Random exploring, getting lost, this place that place, what’s next, more more more. 

ASD: Sticking with familiar names for meal times, better the devil you know, and most likely go on silent hunger strike till safe food place is available.

ADHD: This, That, Overexcitement, I don’t even like that, wtf is that.

ASD: Unpack suitcase and hang clothes sequentially in order of when needed.

ADHD: Live out of a suitcase and create random piles on the floor of worn bits and sweet wrappers.

ASD: Learns some local lingo to support communication issues.

ADHD: A mix of English, French, and Spanish, mostly speaks with a twang and drops in a movie quote.

ASD: Check the hotel room for danger, turn off all lights but one for safety, and sleep in a dark silent room.

ADHD: F*CK danger, I am ready for anything, not even tired, three lights on, half-dressed, in bed, watching TikTok and snacking till KO, and when KO all electrical items will remain on.

ASD: Sunbathing, half in shade half in sun away in a quiet space, mostly in shade #vampiremode

ADHD: So what do we do now? Talks non-stop about random sh*t. In the pool. Out the pool. Laying down. Sitting up. Back in the pool. Sunbathing is boring.

ASD: Packing in an orderly fashion that’s easy to sort out when home.

ADHD: Lost half his stuff and the rest is thrown in.

ASD: Stopped at foreign security, omg, act normal, don’t panic, mask mode activated.

ADHD: What’s your problem bruh?! Fidgets more and acts more erratic, takes the routine stop personally. 

ASD: Back home, unpack, laundry on, jumps in bed, and recharges in a dark room watching Crime Thrillers.

ADHD: I’m back, throws bag to the corner of the room, bedroom how I’ve missed you, TikTok, Xbox, all the lights, friend WhatsApp group, makes plans, and all the snacks. 

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