Could It Be Both? Understanding AuDHD (Autism + ADHD)

"I always thought I had ADHD... until someone suggested autism."

Or maybe it was the other way around.

This is a story we're hearing more and more, and for good reason.

For decades, doctors believed someone couldn't have both autism and ADHD. If you were diagnosed with one, the other was often overlooked.

Today, we know that isn't true.

In fact, researchers now estimate that around 1 in 5 people with ADHD also meet criteria for autism, while approximately 25–32% of autistic people also have ADHD. That's a lot of people walking around wondering why they don't quite fit either diagnosis alone.

Welcome to what many people now call AuDHD.

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Wait... I Thought They Were Opposites?

This is one of the biggest misconceptions.

People often think ADHD means:

• impulsive

• messy

• always late

• easily distracted

While autism means:

• structured

• routine-loving

• detail-oriented

• socially different

So how could someone possibly have both? The answer is surprisingly simple.

They don't cancel each other out. They often compete with each other.

The Tug of War Inside Your Brain

Many people with AuDHD describe feeling like they have two brains pulling in opposite directions.

One part desperately wants:

✔ routines

✔ predictability

✔ familiar environments

✔ knowing exactly what's happening next

While another part craves:

✔ novelty

✔ excitement

✔ spontaneity

✔ new hobbies every two weeks

Imagine spending hours colour-coding your planner...

...only to completely forget it exists tomorrow.

That's not laziness.

For many people, it's what living with both neurodevelopmental conditions feels like.

"I've Never Related to ADHD... But I Don't Feel Fully Autistic Either."

This is incredibly common.

People with AuDHD often describe feeling like they sit somewhere between both worlds.

They might:

• love routine but struggle to stick to it

• crave social connection but become exhausted by it

• hyperfocus for hours while forgetting to eat

• constantly lose everyday items despite being incredibly intelligent

• have intense interests that change frequently

• appear organised at work but completely overwhelmed at home.

  Many spend years wondering: "Why does everyone else seem to find life easier?"

Why Are So Many Adults Being Diagnosed Now?

One reason might surprise you. Until 2013, psychiatrists weren't actually allowed to diagnose ADHD and autism together under the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). If you met criteria for both, clinicians were often expected to choose one diagnosis.

That means thousands of adults grew up being diagnosed with ADHD while their autistic traits were missed—or vice versa.

As research has evolved, so has our understanding.

Today, clinicians recognise that both conditions frequently occur together.

One of the Most Fascinating Research Findings

A groundbreaking study involving more than 45,000 autistic individuals found something researchers hadn't appreciated before.

People diagnosed later in life appeared to have different genetic patterns from those diagnosed in early childhood.

Interestingly, later-diagnosed autism showed greater genetic overlap with ADHD than researchers previously realised. Rather than autism being one single condition, scientists are beginning to think there may be several different developmental pathways.

It's an exciting area of research that's changing how we understand neurodiversity.

Even Artificial Intelligence Finds It Difficult

Here's an unexpected finding.

Researchers recently trained machine-learning models to distinguish between:

• ADHD

• autism

• both conditions

• neither

The result?

The algorithms only achieved modest accuracy.

Even advanced computer models struggled to separate the conditions because the overlap is so significant. That's reassuring for anyone who's ever thought,

"If the experts can't even agree... maybe I'm just making it up."

The reality is much more nuanced.

Executive Dysfunction Isn't Just ADHD

Many people associate executive dysfunction exclusively with ADHD.

In reality, executive functioning differences are common in both autism and ADHD.

Executive functioning includes skills like:

• getting started on tasks

• organising information

• planning ahead

• switching between activities

• remembering instructions

• regulating emotions

For someone with AuDHD, these challenges can feel amplified because different traits may interact in unexpected ways.

AuDHD Isn't Just About Challenges

There's another side that often gets overlooked.

Many people with AuDHD describe strengths such as:

✓ remarkable creativity

✓ deep empathy

✓ innovative problem-solving

✓ noticing patterns others miss

✓ intense curiosity

✓ honesty

✓ incredible persistence when something genuinely interests them

✓ the ability to think differently from everyone else

Understanding your brain isn't about finding what's "wrong."

It's about recognising how your brain works best.

Myth vs Fact

❌ Myth:

"You can't have ADHD and autism."

✅ Fact:Current diagnostic guidelines recognise that many people meet criteria for both.

❌ Myth:

"If you weren't diagnosed as a child, you can't really have autism."

✅ Fact:Many adults—particularly women and those who masked well—are only now being identified.

❌ Myth:

"Everyone is a little bit ADHD."

✅ Fact:Everyone experiences distraction occasionally. ADHD is different because symptoms are persistent, began in childhood, and significantly affect daily functioning.

❌ Myth:

"Successful people can't be autistic."

✅ Fact:Many autistic adults have successful careers, relationships and families while still experiencing significant internal challenges.

So... Should You Seek an Assessment?

Reading an article online can't tell you whether you have ADHD, autism or both.

But if you've spent years feeling like you're constantly working harder than everyone else just to keep up...

If routines never quite stick.

If you've always felt "different" without knowing why.

If you've been diagnosed with anxiety multiple times but nothing fully explains your experiences...

It may be worth speaking with a psychiatrist who has experience assessing neurodevelopmental conditions.

A comprehensive assessment isn't about collecting labels.

It's about understanding your brain, recognising your strengths, making sense of lifelong patterns, and accessing supports or treatments that genuinely fit your needs.

The Takeaway

One of the most important things modern research has taught us is this:

Brains don't fit neatly into boxes.

Many people don't have "just ADHD" or "just autism."

They have a unique combination of traits that influences how they think, learn, communicate, work and experience the world.

Understanding that combination can be life-changing, not because it changes who you are, but because it helps explain who you've always been.

Thinking about an assessment?

At Gender Voice Centre, Dr Kalava provides comprehensive adult ADHD assessments and has a strong interest in neurodevelopmental conditions. She also provides informed surgical readiness assessments in line with WPATH Standards of Care.

If you've been wondering whether ADHD, autism, or both, might explain your experiences, reaching out for a professional assessment can be the first step towards understanding yourself with greater clarity and compassion.

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