As a fellow AuDHD person, I do have habits—I got the "sticks to a specific routine" facet of autism. However, I do find it harder to form habits due to getting distracted while trying to form them.
1 year ago | 5
Hi. I have to think of every step for almost everything. It’s like there is no natural flow or auto pilot. There are numerous factors at play however neurodivergence is at the core of it.
1 year ago | 8
Agreed. I think the difference comes from people thinking routine = habit. I need a routine to keep my sensory issues minimized, and to navigate the world as much as I'm able, but this routine isn't a habit. I think about it consciously, and when I don't think about it I will miss important parts of my routine, which will in turn result in higher struggle days. Or say the ADHD part of my AuDHD needs a change in the routine, i can switch up the routine or cancel it for the day all together and not have that "somethings missing" feeling I often hear people who have habits describe. The routine is for my well being and without it, I can get overwhelmed very very easily. Or, if the routine itself is overwhelming, I can push pause on that as well. It is in that description of "doing something without conscious thought" that I've never understood. The idea of my body just going through the motions to complete some task or behavior without my awareness of it is unheard of. I can't conceptualize it. I don't know what it's like not to be aware of my physical self 100% of the time, I mean - I can feel the air as I move through it like it's thin water. To have something to do with myself that's so ingrained I'm not aware of it? What's that like??
1 year ago
| 1
I’m Autistic, but I don’t think I have ADHD, I think the traits I do relate to are just the ones that overlap with Autism. My thing is efficiency. So when I shower I do everything in exactly the same order right down to which arm/leg I dry/moisturise first! I’m very meticulous about it. But I hate the whole process and find it tedious and long and a sensory hell. There are times when I’m thinking about other stuff when I shower and the lack of concentration can make me get things in the wrong order. This is when I know I’m troubled by something. But I wouldn’t call this a habit. I don’t do anything on autopilot, nothing comes naturally as an automatic routine. My methodical approach in things I do repeatedly has evolved over long periods of time refining the efficiency of the steps required to do the thing.
1 year ago | 1
Everytime I get in the shower I forget if I've done a step sometimes I forget all the steps but one
1 year ago | 2
I try to make routines with everything so I’m less likely to forget & if I don’t have a routine I have to use timers & alarms to keep me on track
1 year ago | 0
I definitely relate to this but I don’t have adhd. I’ll have to ask my friend who is diagnosed.
1 year ago | 0
The only consistent habits for me are my morning coffee and taking care of my dog. Everything else it’s anyone’s guess.
1 year ago
| 0
I'm not a person who likes routines normally. I like things to change every few months. Food, clothes, experiences, interests, etc. If there is too much routine I start to feel like I am living someone else's life, like I'm slowly suffocating. This issue has become very front and center as I am the mom and primary caregiver to a 21 month old. If there is one thing they need at that age developmentally it is a routine. For them, and for many people this routine makes them feel safe and secure. My husband is like this. He would happily eat the same chicken wrap every day for lunch at the same time, in the same way, with the same soda, forever. His idea of a good week is one where we do not leave the house and he spends as much time in his man cave playing computer games. My mom and brother have OCD. She used to run around the house screaming "finish the act!". For her, every single action has a correct protocol. If you do not follow the steps, even if the result is the same, it's "wrong". An example: Every time you open to get something it must be closed after each individual object is removed. Leaving the cabinet door open because it is in frequent use is "not efficient ", "absent minded", "inconsiderate", or "lazy". Growing up like this, as someone who does not have OCD and is likely autistic, was exhausting and caused extreme mental illness. Brains are different. I would just ask that all people refrain from being ... evangelical about their pattern or routines in daily life, especially with their families. I think if you don't make a conscious effort to learn about how other people, in other places, who believe different things, live then some will fall into a rut of thinking there is only one correct way of being.
1 year ago | 0
Echoes Without Origin
I really believe people with ADHD don't form habits. Tonight I got in the shower. Put conditioner in my hair. Put face soap on my face while it was conditioning. Then turned around to rinse the conditioner out of my hair as face soap poured in my eyes. I forgot to wash the face soap off! 🤦‍♀️I don't have a habit in the shower. I have to think of each step, each time.
I have an older video on the topic:
https://youtu.be/Ec1KRldTTjA
1 year ago | [YT] | 90