Do I have AuDHD? Let's Talk About the Overlap Between Autism and ADHD

Have you recently discovered that your struggles with prioritizing tasks or your tendency to leave kitchen cabinets open are due to your ADHD? Is it a relief to know that your executive functioning difficulties don’t actually mean something is terribly “wrong” with you, and that you’re in good ADHDer company? 

Perhaps your curiosity is piqued as you’ve done your online research, and you’ve read that ADHD and autism have a high rate of occurring simultaneously. Maybe you’ve seen the term “AuDHD” floating around online, and now you’re wondering… Am I autistic too? 

My hope is that an ADHD or autism diagnosis provides clarity, comfort, and relief as you discover that your way of relating to and processing the world isn’t “wrong,” as society’s systems to serve neurotypical individuals might have you believe. ADHD and autism are not diseases, and autistic people and ADHDers don’t need to be “fixed.”

ADHD and autism are neurodevelopmental conditions, meaning they start early in childhood and have strong genetic components. Autistic people and ADHDers have a range of traits that allow them to think and process information differently than neurotypical individuals. ADHD and autism both impact sensory processing, executive functioning, and attention processes.  

The scientific literature estimates that between 30% and 80% of autistic children meet the criteria for ADHD and between 20% and 50% of ADHD children have significant autistic traits.

While autism and ADHD both show signs in childhood, many people live well into adulthood before discovering they are autistic or an ADHDer. This can be due to masking until living without specific support becomes unmanageable.

What is AuDHD?

AuDHD is the abbreviation for being autistic and an ADHDer at the same time. Prior to 2013, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) did not allow for the simultaneous diagnosis of autism and ADHD, despite there being significant overlap in the traits. Now the two can be simultaneously diagnosed, which offers many a complete picture of their neurobiological experience. 

I highly recommend checking out this diagram by Dr. Neff, a neurodivergent clinician and leader in the field, which illustrates the overlap and differences between ADHD and autism. As with neurotypical folks, there is diversity among the neurodiverse —- so these observations may or may not resonate with your personal experience. My hope is that raising awareness around ADHD and autism will bring clarity and perspective to any experiences you may be navigating in your life.

Dr. Neff champions advocacy and education for clinicians, and community support for neurodivergent people. Her website is a wonderful resource for learning about neurodiversity, including ADHD and autism. 

Common Ways that ADHD and Autism Overlap

You may recognize these neurodivergent experiences in yourself if you’re autistic or an ADHDer:

  • Executive functioning and/or task switching difficulties

  • Difficulties with impulse control and emotion regulation

  • Social communication differences and social difficulties

  • Intense or passionate focus on something you find interesting

  • Sensory processing differences, including sensory overload 

  • Poor interoception awareness (interoception is the ability to check in with internal signals or bodily cues like hunger or thirst, pain, or emotions)

  • Stimming (ADHDer may fidget to help them focus, autistic person may stim to self-soothe)

  • Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria 

  • “Time-blindness” or perceiving time differently 

Ways That ADHD and Autism Are Different 

While ADHD and autism share some similarities, there are also key differences between the two experiences.

With ADHDers, you may see more:

  • Hyperactivity (especially in boys) 

  • Struggles with regulating attention (especially with mundane tasks)

  • Difficulties with impulse control

  • “Not having a filter” due to impulsivity during conversations (as opposed to not understanding social norms, which is more the case with autism)

  • Desire for novelty 

  • Hyperfocus (becoming powerfully focused on passions)

  • Inhibition 

  • Restlessness, difficulty with sitting still

With Autism, you may see more:

  • Desire for clear, direct language

  • Difficulties with neurotypical social interactions and communication, such as shifting contexts or picking up on social cues or body language

  • Differences in nonverbal communication (use of eye contact, facial expressions, gestures) 

  • Desire for familiarity (e.g. food preferences, schedule)

  • Low tolerance for change

  • Desire to stick to a strict routine as a form of self-regulation

  • Repetitive stimming behaviors, which offer comfort

  • Special interests, often with a self-soothing or self-regulating function

If you are autistic and an ADHDer, your autism might bring some organization, structure and routine into your life. This can be a blessing in many ways, but may also delay diagnosis if the ADHD traits are being counterbalanced by the autistic traits.

Sometimes ADHD and autistic traits balance each other out, while other times, they can cause distress or identity confusion. For example, if you have ADHD, you may value novelty, while if you have autism, you may value the familiar. Having both autism and ADHD may cause you to feel like you’re fighting against yourself, wanting multiple things, despite their seeming opposite or misaligned. 

ADHD Hyperfixation and Autism Special Interests

Having the words “deficit” and “disorder” in ADHD’s nomenclature isn’t exactly true or kind. If you have ADHD, you don’t have a deficiency or lack of attention… What you actually have is difficulty controlling your attention, especially when a task is not urgent, interesting, or novel. When something does grab your attention, however, you may find you lose yourself in it entirely, becoming fixated on it and losing all sense of time.

If you’re an ADHDer, you are probably familiar with the experience of ADHD hyperfixation or hyperfocus. You might work for hours on a project, completely engrossed in it and “in the zone” for an extended period of time. ADHDers tend to be “time blind,” meaning they don’t perceive time passing.

ADHD hyperfixation or hyperfocus differs slightly from autism special interests. An ADHD hyperfixation is more easily changeable. An autistic individual will want to learn everything they possibly can about their special interest, and special interest(s) and identity are often closely woven together. 

Therapy for ADHDers and Autistic People

When working with clients, we strive to make therapy ADHD and autistic-friendly. We love to learn about your special interests as a way to get to know your inner world. It’s important to us that you feel seen, and we welcome neurodivergent communication styles.

We can also work together to unpack any internalized ableism and process any trauma that may stem from your neurodivergent experiences.

Learning to Thrive With AuDHD

Do you think you are an ADHDer with autism or vice versa? If you’re seeking a safe space to discuss any difficulties you’re facing or gain more information about ADHD or autism, our therapists would be happy to speak with you and schedule an appointment. 

We offer individual and couples counseling and specialize in adult ADHD. If you were diagnosed with autism or ADHD later in life, you may be facing unique challenges and looking to develop skills to best work with your neurodivergent brain. 

At California Integrative Counseling Center, we celebrate neurodiversity and look forward to helping you find ways to work with your brain, not against it.  Please feel free to schedule a free 20-minute consultation call and we will get in contact to see if our services are a good fit for you.

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Karla Schlags