AuDHD: The Convergence of ADHD and Autism

AuDHD describes the combination of autism and ADHD occurring together, something far more common than most people realise given the genetic overlap between the two. It's a distinct experience, not just autism plus ADHD side by side. Autism tends to favour routine and predictability, while ADHD drives novelty-seeking and impulsivity, and the two can mask each other in ways that make identification harder and self-understanding more confusing.

This guide unpacks what AuDHD actually looks like day to day, including sensory sensitivities, social exhaustion, demand avoidance, and burnout, and why so many AuDHD adults and teenagers go unidentified for years. The goal is to offer language for an experience that often doesn't fit neatly into either diagnosis alone.

This guide is designed to be read alongside your work with your therapist, not instead of it.