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What my autism is like without ADHD

6 min readApr 15, 2025

It’s common — but not universal — for autism and ADHD to exist together. As an autistic person who doesn’t have ADHD, I thought it might be helpful to outline some parts of my personal experience for others who might want another unique point of reference.

Since the internet is generally incapable of anything other than generalization (and, most especially, accusing others of it), keep in mind that I’m not putting you in a box — I’m telling you about mine.

Nora doesn’t like boxes, either (Google Drawings art by the author)

That said, here are a few things that stand out to me about my own, autism-only lived experience. Of course, my personality and temperament come into play as well, and it’s hard to know where the lines might blur.

So enjoy or relate — as much or as little as you like!

I have my impulsive moments, but it takes a lot to get me there

I can count on one hand the number of times per decade that I’ve gotten worked up enough to act in a moment of passion. In fact, it’s usually worth an entire essay for me when I do, and it’s almost always linked to an unbearable stab at my sense of fairness or justice.

I would describe my own brain as a frightened, deliberate thing most of the time. It often feels like it’s manned by tiny accountants proceeding gingerly from room to…

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Norm Julian
Norm Julian

Written by Norm Julian

Programmer by trade, Texpat, lover of multicolored things and sunflower seed butter

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