Our Blog: Upward Alabama

Do I (Or My Child) Have Autism, ADHD, or Both?

By Kathleen Ramsey, Ph.D.

Posted: December 13, 2024

You may be surprised to learn that until 2013, both ADHD and Autism could not be diagnosed together – According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), a person could only have one or the other. As the field has learned more about neurodevelopmental conditions through research, we now understand that ADHD and Autism can not only co-occur, but that that is actually the norm rather than the exception! In fact, somewhere between 50-70% of autistic people also have ADHD. Colloquially, you may have heard of this as “AuDHD.” Many people who have ADHD display some traits of autism despite not meeting full diagnostic criteria, and vice versa. It can also be tricky to tell the two conditions apart at times due to symptom overlap and how similarly the conditions can present. So how do we tell them apart, and how do we know when someone has both? Let’s dig into these two conditions a bit more.

ADHD in Girls

By Kathleen Ramsey, Ph.D.

Autism & ADHD Evaluation

Posted: November 30, 2024

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental conditions, affecting approximately 1 in 9 (11.4%) children in the United States. Based on prevalence estimates, boys are disproportionately diagnosed with ADHD compared to girls, with male-to-female ratios ranging from 2:1 to 10:1. Does this mean that fewer girls have ADHD compared to boys? Not quite. Research suggests that girls may be underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed due to differences in how ADHD presents between boys and girls.

My Chronic Pain is Real! Why Would I Need a Therapist?

By Beverly Thorn, Ph.D.

Pain, Chronic Pain, CBT-CP

Posted: November 15, 2024

If you have chronic pain, have you ever felt like others didn’t think that your pain was real, or was “all in your head?” You’re not alone! Because chronic pain is mostly invisible to others, you may feel that family or friends think you are exaggerating the pain or making it up. When people have chronic pain, they don’t typically think of psychological therapy as a treatment option. They may think that therapists only treat people with “mental disorders,” or “psychological pain” - not real pain. Nothing could be further from the truth! Therapists have become a crucial part of a multi-disciplinary team approach that may include medical interventions, psychological pain management therapy, and physical therapy.

Nightmare on Main Street, Alabama

By Courtney Worley, Ph.D.

Nightmare, Sleep

Posted: October 28, 2024

Dreams are a natural part of sleep. They are a product of the visual and emotional parts of our brains actively working to process experiences. They offer a way to work through thoughts and feelings, and they allow us to problem-solve in creative ways as the rules of reality are often suspended. Some of the images we experience can be disturbing, distressing and cause fearful awakenings, leading to the all-too-familiar experience of a nightmare. A nightmare does not always indicate something is wrong, but it can indicate the need to pay more attention to what’s happening. Let’s explore why you might want to pay attention to or seek help with your nightmares.