If you’ve ever felt like ADHD explained a lot, but not everything, or like autism answered some questions but left others hanging, you’re not alone.
Personally, I was well into adulthood before I finally realized I had AuDHD. In graduate school, I remember finding our training in ADHD and autism (and assessments for these two diagnoses) so confusing. As we talked about how an ADHD or autistic person may approach things I remember thinking, “How is that any different than any of us?” Because I, like many neurodivergent folks, assumed I was neurotypical - a socially awkward, scattered, deeply empathetic, speed-talking, misfitting neurotypical. Growing up, I often felt like everyone else had been given a secret guide or even attended some sort of society-wide meeting where the norms were explained - and I’d missed it. While everyone else seemed to just know how to belong or what to say, I had to riddle it out in real time as I went.
When I finally learned about AuDHD, co-occurring ADHD and autism, everything started to make sense.
This article is the first in a series that will break down what AuDHD means, how it shows up, the myths that surround it, the unique strengths that come with it, and what to know if you’re exploring diagnosis or strategies to better work with your particular brain. My hope is that each piece offers language, validation, and next steps for anyone who has ever wondered if this label might fit them or someone they care about.
What is AuDHD?
AuDHD isn’t new, it’s just being recognized and talked about more. It’s a term the neurodivergent community created to describe people who meet criteria for both autism and ADHD.
And that is far more common than most people realize.
Recent meta-analyses paint the picture clearly:
- A 2020 review by Hossain et al. found that between 25.7% and 65% of autistic people also meet criteria for ADHD.
- Meanwhile, a 2019 meta-analysis by Lai et al. reported that about 28% of people with ADHD also meet criteria for autism.
In other words:
- Roughly 1 in 4 to 2 in 3 autistic folks also have ADHD.
- And about 1 in 3 ADHDers may also be autistic.
For so many, ADHD or autism alone didn’t tell the full story of their experience and that’s why the term AuDHD emerged.
How do AuDHD Traits Show Up?
Every AuDHD person will have their own combination of traits, but we can talk about some common patterns that show up for AuDHDers. It isn’t quite as simple as just listing all of the traits of ADHD and Autism side by side. ADHD and autism can interact and often create a blend that feels unique to each person.
AuDHD traits can show up across many areas of life: in how someone relates to others, how they move through daily routines, and how they focus and process information.
Let’s explore some common traits of ADHD and Autism, and how they often overlap.
Socially
ADHD traits: Missing cues from distraction or impulsively blurting out thoughts.
Autism traits: Needing to decode social rules, analyzing tone or facial expressions.
AuDHD blend: Talking at length about special interests, info-dumping, interrupting, swapping stories, and sometimes masking so well it becomes exhausting.
Behaviorally & Nonverbally
ADHD traits: Seeking novelty, restlessness, fidgeting, spontaneous shifts.
Autism traits: Stimming, craving sameness, comfort in rituals or repetitive behaviors.
AuDHD blend: Craving both structure and spontaneity; bouncing between routines and impulsivity.
Focus & Attention
ADHD traits: Distractibility, difficulty sustaining focus unless deeply interested.
Autism traits: “Monotropism”, which is deep, single-track hyperfocus.
AuDHD blend: Alternating between scattered energy and laser focus, with passions that feel like lifelines.
Routines & Organization
ADHD traits: Struggling with organization, missing details, loving novelty and new ideas.
Autism traits: Careful planning, thriving on predictability.
AuDHD blend: Loving to plan but struggling to follow through, craving routines but still feeling trapped by them.
Why Naming This Overlap Matters
When people finally have a word for their experience, they often feel a shift they didn’t know they needed. I know I did. Naming AuDHD allows people to recognize that what they have lived with is not a personal failing or a string of bad habits. It is a brain difference with a real context and community behind it.
For some, the name creates permission to stop forcing themselves to meet every neurotypical expectation. For others, it opens the door to resources that better fit our needs. This was especially helpful for me as an AuDHD business owner and parent. There are many strategies I would share with neurotypical clients that would definitely not work for myself and many of the AuDHD clients I see. And that’s okay, because we have our own strategies and ways of working.
Families, therapists, teachers, and workplaces can also respond more thoughtfully when they understand the concept of AuDHD. It helps explain why a person might crave structure yet resist it, or why they can appear highly capable in one area and overwhelmed in another.
Most of all, the name makes it easier to find belonging. Many people go their entire lives thinking no one else works the way they do. Learning that there is a shared term, and a shared experience, can feel like someone finally turned on the light in a very dark room.
Defining AuDHD: It’s Just the Beginning
This is just the starting point.
Now that you have a sense of what AuDHD means and how it can show up, the next post in our AuDHD series will explore the myths and misconceptions that keep so many AuDHD folks unseen, even by professionals.
Thank you for reading. If you are looking for neurodivergent-affirming assessment, therapy, or community, please feel free to check out our resources and schedule a free 15 minute consultation to connect.
