If you or a loved one is showing signs of both autism and ADHD, it can be confusing to understand which is present. Does this sound like you? Well, you’re not alone.
In fact, studies have shown that nearly half (45%) of people with autism also have ADHD. A co-occurrence of these conditions is known as AuDHD. While not yet recognised in a formal clinical setting, having a name can help us begin to understand it.
In this blog, we’ll look into what AuDHD means, how AuDHD symptoms present, and how it’s diagnosed and treated.
What Is AuDHD?
AuDHD is a term used to describe a condition where a person is diagnosed with both autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
As neurodevelopmental conditions, autism and ADHD affect a person’s brain development, particularly when it comes to social interaction, communication, and behaviour. As such, while both are individual conditions, there is a lot of overlap between how they both present.
Understanding how they cross over, as well as how they work as individual conditions, is crucial to ensuring you get the best support possible.
Does AuDHD Present Differently?
Yes, AuDHD does present differently from a diagnosis of autism or ADHD on its own, as the symptoms of each create a unique pattern of behaviours.
It’s common for a dual diagnosis like AuDHD to cause a lot of internal struggle, as the symptoms of the conditions often contradict each other. For example, a person with autism might crave routine and structure, but ADHD can make it difficult to follow through with it.
It’s important to understand the differences as well as the similarities, as AuDHD is a complex condition which balances two separate conditions.
Autism Traits
Autism is a developmental condition that affects how a person communicates, interacts in social settings, and processes information, according to the NHS.
In day-to-day life, autism can often present in a myriad of different ways, with common traits including:
- Difficulty understanding body language or tone of voice
- Sensitivity to lights, sounds, or textures
- Tendency to take words literally or struggle to understand phrases and idioms
- Feeling overwhelmed in new environments
- Preference for structure and routine
- Dislike of sudden changes to schedules
A person may present all or a few of these autism traits, as it’s a condition that’s unique to the individual. Autism in women can be more subtle, and the social traits may be disguised – this is known as ‘masking’.
ADHD Traits
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition which affects executive functions, emotional regulation, and attention.
Living with ADHD can impact everything from work life to home and social life, including traits such as:
- Difficulty focusing for long periods of time
- Hyperfocusing on certain meaningful or stimulating activities
- Feeling restless or having a constant need for activity
- Struggles with planning, organising, or finishing tasks
- Finding it hard to regulate emotions
- Interrupting others when they’re speaking
- Experiencing mood swings
While you can’t develop ADHD as an adult if you didn’t have it as a child, the symptoms can become more subtle with age, making them harder to notice or diagnose.
Can You Have ADHD and autism together?
Yes, you can have ADHD and autism together. In fact, a co-occurrence of the two conditions is actually quite common.
In the UK, approximately 21% of children with ADHD are also autistic, according to Autistica. When it comes to adults, this figure is even greater, with three in 10 adults with autism also having ADHD.
5 Common AuDHD Traits
1. Experiencing Sensory Overload
As AuDHD traits cause heightened sensitivity and difficulties concentrating, it’s common for people with this condition to experience sensory overload.
Sensory overload happens when the brain receives more information than it’s able to process, leading to anxiety, irritability, and a sense of panic. As such, social interaction or work can feel overwhelming.
Once triggered, sensory overload symptoms can last anywhere from 5 minutes to a couple of hours. Typically, symptoms start to wear off after the trigger is removed or the environment quietens down.
2. Struggling with Emotions
AuDHD affects a person’s ability to regulate emotions, as well as understand what emotions they are feeling in a specific moment.
People with AuDHD experience an underactive prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for rational thought, and an overactive amygdala, which processes emotions. The result is rapid mood swings, intense emotions, and finding it hard to think before responding.
Known as Alexithymia, it can be difficult for people with AuDHD to actually name the feelings they are experiencing until they’ve reached a peak as well. This can make it hard to understand how others are feeling, too.
3. Feeling Mental Fatigue
Symptoms of AuDHD can be incredibly taxing for the person living with them. As such, it’s quite common for people with the condition to experience mental fatigue.
In fact, a study found that 62% of people with ADHD also meet the criteria for fatigue. What’s more, data from the UK Government suggests that 80% of people with autism experience mental fatigue and burnout, too.
Mental fatigue is more than just feeling tired after not sleeping too well. It’s a constant feeling of mental and physical exhaustion, leaving people too tired to think properly, even after a decent night’s sleep.
4. Acting Impulsively
It’s common for impulse control to be a challenge for people with AuDHD, leading to difficulties with emotional and verbal responses.
In the day-to-day, this can present as interrupting others during conversations and seemingly random emotional outbursts. However, for those with AuDHD, these impulses are hard to ignore due to neurobiological differences in the brain.
Both autism and ADHD impact a person’s executive functions, which act as the ‘brakes’ in the brain. As such, when a thought pops into their head, it can be a challenge to wait for the right or most appropriate time to act on it.
A common misconception is that people with AuDHD are rude – this isn’t the case at all. It’s simply a neurobiological difference in how the brain works.
5. Finding Social Interaction Hard
Another common AuDHD trait is finding social interaction, particularly social cues, to be a challenge.
Multiple symptoms of AuDHD play a part in this. For example, difficulties reading body language and facial expressions, missing social cues, and interrupting others can be misconstrued as rude or even talking too much.
For people living with these symptoms every day, social interaction can often feel too overwhelming, leading to them distancing themselves from those around them.
How is AuDHD Diagnosed?
As AuDHD is not yet formally recognised as a clinical condition in the same way as autism and ADHD, diagnosing AuDHD can be a bit of a lengthy process.
Typically, you’ll be assessed for each individual condition first to see how they impact you. From there, the diagnosing clinician can look at how the two interact with each other to gain a better understanding of any AuDHD traits.
To get an accurate diagnosis, there are a few steps to diagnosing autism and ADHD, including:
- Initial screening and questionnaire
- Background information gathering from friends and family
- Clinical interview with a specialist clinician
- Psychological testing
- Diagnostic decision using DSM-5
After this, you’ll receive your diagnosis by email. You’ll also have a feedback appointment to discuss any questions or concerns with a professional.
Is AuDHD an Official Diagnosis?
As of now, AuDHD is not an official diagnosis in the UK, nor is it included in commonly used diagnostic manuals like the ICD-11.
Instead, the NHS uses separate pathways to provide individual diagnoses for autism and ADHD. From there, some people find they prefer to refer to their diagnosis informally as AuDHD, tying the two conditions together.
How to Manage AuDHD
While there is no treatment for AuDHD, there are ways to manage it to make symptoms easier to deal with on a day-to-day basis.
- Get a Diagnosis: Receiving a diagnosis provides clarity, which can help the symptoms feel less overwhelming. Plus, with a diagnosis, you can access crucial support in the workplace, school, or everyday life.
- Try Therapy: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is commonly used to manage AuDHD traits. With a professional, you can work on understanding how the condition presents for you, as well as bespoke ways to manage it.
- Create Structure in the Day: While following a routine can be difficult with ADHD, creating a structure that works for you can remedy this. Set time aside to focus, including time for you to rest as well.
- Invest in Sensory Tools: There are plenty of tools you can use to make focusing that bit easier – noise-cancelling earphones, fidget spinners, textured rings or calendar reminders.
If you have a formal diagnosis for autism and ADHD, speak to your GP. They will be able to offer support or even provide therapy.
Neuroaffinity Provides Professional Diagnosis for Autism and ADHD
Here at Neuroaffinity, we provide professional diagnoses for autism and ADHD testing from a team of trained professionals.
With us, you can skip the lengthy wait times, getting you the answers and reassurance you need that bit faster. As a CQC-qualified team with years of experience between us, you can trust you’re getting the best care with an accurate diagnosis.
Get in touch with us today to discuss your options for adhd and autism testing. You can reach us on 0776 856 5162 or send an email to enquiries@neuroaffinity.co.uk.
Talhah Malik
Dr Talhah Malik is a Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist specialising in ADHD and autism. He leads secure inpatient services, provides medico-legal assessments, and is passionate about evidence-based, person-centred care.
