Autism and ADHD Glossary

ADHD: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by three types of symptoms that can occur alone or in combination: attention and concentration difficulties, hyperactivity and hyperkinesis symptoms, and impulsivity management problems.

Alexithymia: Difficulty identifying and expressing emotions verbally. Individuals with alexithymia may struggle to understand their own emotions and have difficulty describing them to others.

Aphantasia: The inability to visualize mentally. People with aphantasia cannot create mental images of objects, places, or people.

Bujo or Bullet journal: A method, usually in the form of a notebook, that combines a calendar, to-do list, budget, journal, and other management tools. It can be very practical and useful, especially for people with ADHD. You can find many tutorials on YouTube.

Coué method: A method based on autosuggestion and self-hypnosis, developed by the French psychologist and pharmacist Émile Coué de la Châtaigneraie. It uses the repetition of self-fulfilling prophecies, which is supposed to lead the subject to adhere to the positive ideas that he imposes on himself and thus improve his psychological or physical well-being. It is intended to be both preventive and curative.

EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique): An emotional variant of acupuncture that is practiced without needles. You tap on certain acupuncture points with your fingers while saying phrases related to your problem.

HIP: High Intellectual Potential determined by an IQ test

Ho’oponopono : This ancient Hawaiian practice allows you to better understand what is happening in your life, namely that everything is a consequence of memories and unconscious programs. Ho’oponopono helps us to clear our erroneous memories and unconscious programs and to develop our inner peace.

Hypercontrol: The tendency to want to control everything. In general, it is a sign of a lack of internal control and deep suffering.

Invisible Handicap: A disability that is not physically apparent. Examples include learning disabilities, mental health conditions, and chronic pain.

IQ: Intelligence quotient measured by tests of the ratio of mental age to real age (see WAIS-IV)

Mind-mapping / Tree thinking: It is a consequence of the multitude of neuronal connections in the brain. Thought sometimes unfolds in several directions, sometimes at the same time, and each idea is divided into sub-ideas, by association of ideas or analogies. It is said to be network thinking.

OCD, obsessive-compulsive disorder or obsessive neurosis:A psychiatric disorder related to anxiety disorders and neuroses. Obsessive-compulsive disorder manifests itself with disabling symptoms associating obsessions, compulsions and compulsive rituals.

Palilalia: Involuntary repetition of words or phrases. This can be a symptom of various neurological conditions, such as Tourette’s syndrome or aphasia.

Prosopagnosia: Difficulty recognizing faces. This can be caused by damage to the brain areas responsible for facial recognition.

Telephonophobia: Fear of using the telephone. This can be caused by social anxiety, fear of judgement, or technical difficulties.

Ritalin/Concerta:Treatment composed of methylphenidate molecules. This drug is a powerful psychostimulant. It regulates the pathological hyperactivity of people with ADHD and treats attention deficits by improving the activity of certain parts of the brain that are dysfunctional. In addition to improving attention span and concentration, Ritalin reduces impulsive behavior.

WAIS-IV: Reference adult intelligence test that allows to determine the person’s intelligence quotient (IQ) as well as a detailed mapping of their intellectual abilities. The WAIS-IV gives the scores of the four main categories of cognitive intelligence:

    • Verbal comprehension index;
    • Perceptual reasoning index;
    • Working memory index;
    • Processing speed index.

Willis-Ekbom disease: Also known as restless legs syndrome, it is a neurological disorder characterized by an irresistible urge to move the legs in certain immobile situations, such as at night. The condition, which is not well known, affects between 5 and 10% of the population.