What Is AuDHD? Understanding Life With Both Autism and ADHD

What Does AuDHD Mean?

AuDHD is a term used by the neurodivergent community to describe having both autism and ADHD. It is not a formal clinical diagnosis — you would receive separate diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder — but the term captures the unique experience of living with both conditions simultaneously.

And it is far more common than most people realise. Research suggests that up to 50-70% of autistic people also meet the criteria for ADHD, and around 20-50% of people with ADHD meet the criteria for autism. The genetic overlap between the two conditions is estimated at up to 72%.

The Internal Tug-of-War

The most distinctive feature of AuDHD is the internal conflict between two sets of neurological needs that often pull in opposite directions.

Your ADHD brain craves: novelty, stimulation, spontaneity, variety, and change.

Your autistic brain craves: routine, predictability, sameness, deep focus, and structure.

This creates a constant push-pull. You might desperately want to stick to a routine (autism) but find yourself unable to maintain it (ADHD). You might crave new experiences (ADHD) but feel overwhelmed and destabilised when your routine changes (autism). You might start an exciting new project with intense focus (ADHD hyperfocus meets autistic special interest) only to abandon it when the novelty wears off.

Living with this tug-of-war is exhausting. But understanding it is the first step toward working with both parts of your brain rather than feeling torn apart by them.

Shared Traits

Autism and ADHD share several overlapping traits, which is one reason they so frequently co-occur:

• Executive dysfunction — difficulty with planning, organising, starting and finishing tasks
• Sensory differences — heightened or reduced sensitivity to sound, light, texture, temperature
• Emotional intensity — strong emotional reactions, difficulty with emotional regulation
• Rejection sensitivity — intense pain in response to perceived criticism or rejection
• Hyperfocus / special interests — deep, intense engagement with specific topics or activities
• Sleep difficulties — trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or maintaining a regular sleep pattern
• Social challenges — difficulty reading social cues, masking to fit in, social exhaustion
• Interoception differences — difficulty noticing hunger, thirst, fatigue, or pain until they become extreme

Where They Clash

While the shared traits overlap, some characteristics are directly contradictory:

| Autism | ADHD | |--------|------| | Prefers routine and predictability | Craves novelty and change | | Tendency toward rigid thinking | Tendency toward scattered thinking | | Deep focus on specific interests | Rapidly shifting interests | | Sensory avoidance (overwhelm) | Sensory seeking (under-stimulation) | | Preference for detailed planning | Resistance to planning |

These clashes can make it incredibly difficult to find strategies that work. A rigid planner might satisfy the autistic need for structure but feel suffocating to the ADHD brain. Spontaneous plans might excite the ADHD brain but trigger autistic anxiety.

The Strengths

AuDHD is not only about challenges. When the two conditions complement each other, remarkable things happen:

• ADHD impulsivity can break autistic rigidity — helping you try new things you might otherwise avoid
• Autistic structure can anchor ADHD chaos — providing frameworks that keep scattered energy productive
• Combined hyperfocus is extraordinary — when both conditions lock onto the same interest, the depth of focus and creativity can be exceptional
• Pattern recognition meets creative thinking — autistic detail orientation combined with ADHD divergent thinking is a powerful combination
• Resilience — navigating the world with two neurodevelopmental conditions builds genuine strength

Getting Support in the UK

If you think you might be AuDHD, here are your options in the UK:

For ADHD assessment:

• Ask your GP for a referral to an ADHD specialist
• Use the Right to Choose pathway — this allows you to request an NHS-funded assessment through a private provider like Psychiatry-UK, often with shorter waiting times
• Self-refer to some services (varies by area)

For autism assessment:

• Request a referral through your GP
• Waiting times are typically longer than for ADHD (often 2-3 years in many areas)
• Private assessment is an option if you can afford it

Important: Until 2013, it was not possible to receive both an autism and ADHD diagnosis simultaneously. The DSM-5 changed this, but some older professionals may still be unfamiliar with the overlap. Advocate for yourself if you feel both conditions are present.

How Mentoring Can Help

AuDHD presents unique challenges that standard ADHD or autism support may not fully address. I work with clients who have both conditions, and our sessions focus on:

• Finding strategies that satisfy both the need for structure and the need for flexibility
• Managing sensory overwhelm and under-stimulation
• Building routines with enough variety to keep the ADHD brain engaged
• Understanding your unique profile and working with it rather than against it

If you are navigating life with AuDHD — whether formally diagnosed or self-identified — book a free consultation. I would love to help you find an approach that honours both parts of who you are.