AuDHD: when autism and ADHD happen together

When autism and ADHD occur together, it’s known as AuDHD. People seek an assessment for all kinds of reasons. For younger children, it’s often a parent or carer who notices something and starts asking questions. 

If you’re an older teen or young adult, it’s often a major life transition, like starting high school or stepping into adulthood, that prompts the question: ‘Why does this feel so much harder for me than it seems to be for everyone else?’

What can also happen is that people come in for a diagnosis based on one set of traits – autism or ADHD – and what emerges is a wonderful complexity of overlapping and interacting traits and behaviours that together form AuDHD.

Let’s break down what AuDHD is, what it can feel like day-to-day, how to get a diagnosis and where to find support.

What is AuDHD?

AuDHD is a community term. It’s used to describe someone who is both autistic and has ADHD, and how these two conditions interact. The traits and behaviours of each can influence, amplify and clash with each other, creating an experience that’s often more complex and intense than either condition alone.

If you’re AuDHD, you’re likely to have a particular set of strengths, differences and difficulties across areas like: 

• how you communicate and connect with others

• how you manage attention and focus

• how you experience the world through your senses

• how you regulate your emotions

• how your body moves and needs to move

• the things you’re deeply, intensely interested in.

One thing worth noting: being AuDHD doesn’t mean you switch between autism mode and ADHD mode, depending on the day. Both sets of traits are actually present at the same time, always interacting. Sometimes one amplifies the other. Sometimes they pull in opposite directions. Sometimes the complex combination means higher support needs.

How common is AuDHD? 

You might be thinking that AuDHD seems to be everywhere right now, and you’re kind of right. 

About one per cent of Australians have a diagnosis of autism, and around four per cent have a diagnosis of ADHD. Research suggests that if you have either one of these conditions, there’s somewhere between a 40 and 70 per cent chance you have the other. A study from 2025 also found that a childhood diagnosis of autism is one of the strongest predictors of an ADHD diagnosis later in life. 

The actual number of people with AuDHD is likely much higher than is generally thought. Most research has focused on children, rather than on adults, which means the data doesn’t tell the whole story. And a lot of people have simply been overlooked. There are a few reasons why:

• The rules didn’t allow it. Until 2013, clinicians weren’t allowed to diagnose autism and ADHD at the same time. But that year, the diagnostic guidelines changed in two key ways: autism was consolidated into a single diagnosis with three levels of support needs; and, for the first time, a dual diagnosis became possible. If you were assessed before 2013, there’s a real chance you met the criteria for both, but only got one diagnosis, or neither.

• The traits can look similar. Even now, the traits of each condition can be mistaken for the other (something called diagnostic overshadowing), which means both can go unidentified.

• Gender bias in diagnosis. Female-presenting people are typically more likely to get an ADHD diagnosis first, with an autism diagnosis following an average of 2.5 years later, if at all. This is because autistic traits in women and girls are frequently overlooked.

Only connecting the dots now? That makes sense! The system genuinely wasn’t built to find everyone. 

What does AuDHD feel like? 

If you have AuDHD, you might find your experience feels more intense, harder to manage, and less easy for others to understand than if you had either autism or ADHD alone. Here’s what that can look like day-to-day. 

Constant brain battles

One of the biggest overlaps between autism and ADHD is executive dysfunction – which means having difficulties with planning, starting tasks, sustaining attention, managing time and regulating emotions. If you have ADHD, this probably sounds familiar. But it’s not often understood as an autistic experience. 

When you have AuDHD, there are often constant brain battles going on. While the ADHD part of you might crave novelty, get bored quickly, or need things to feel exciting or urgent to get you started, the autistic part of you might need consistency, predictability and a clear process before you begin. When the two are in conflict, this can lead to analysis paralysis, decision fatigue, perfectionism or procrastination. 

Things feel more intense

AuDHD tends to turn up the volume. You might experience:

• complicated sensory sensations

• intense stimming and racing thoughts

• periods of distress that feel stronger, last longer and happen more often

• the need for more rest and recovery

• a lower tolerance for overwhelm than other people.

Socialising takes more energy

Navigating friendships and social situations can feel genuinely hard when you’re AuDHD. Your autistic communication style might not always match the way most people around you interact. Knowing when to join in, when to hold back, or how to read the room can take real effort that others seem to manage without thinking. 

Add in Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD) – an intense emotional response to feeling criticised, left out, or like you’ve got something wrong socially – and friendships and relationships can feel even more complicated than they already are. 

Masking is exhausting

‘Masking’ means hiding or suppressing your traits to ‘fit in’. It’s common in autism, and AuDHD people also report masking, often for the same reasons. The problem is that masking is exhausting, and the more complex your experience, the more energy it takes. 

Burnout is real

Executive dysfunction, more intense sensory and emotional experiences, social communication differences, and masking are each a significant load on their own. Combined, they’re a heavy burden to carry. This can lead to AuDHD burnout, which can look like: 

• increased irritability

• low energy levels

• not caring about usual interests

• minimising contact with others

• feelings of overwhelm and stress.

It’s not surprising that neurodivergent people are at greater risk of burnout. One study found that only 26 per cent of surveyed neurodivergent teens said they were happy at school. It’s a reminder of just how much the everyday environment can wear you down if you’re already working harder than most people just to get through the day. 

Here’s a quick reference to help you work out what might be autism, ADHD or both. 

What are the strengths of AuDHD?

AuDHD comes with real challenges, but it also comes with real strengths worth celebrating:

• Your strong sense of justice. Many neurodivergent people have a strong moral compass and deep commitment to fairness (think Greta Thunberg). Consider channelling these strengths into a youth justice movement, or building skills in advocacy and assertive communication.

• Your interests run deep. Your skills in going deep on things you care about can be genuinely valuable at school, at work and in life. Think about where your interests and strengths overlap, and how you can set up your study or work environment to make the most of them. 

• You can make anything more interesting. Your need for novelty and excitement means you’re wired to find creative ways to engage with the boring stuff. Try gamifying your life. Give yourself rewards for meeting challenges, create side quests to give your distractions boundaries, and reframe the tasks you’ve been avoiding as bosses to defeat. 

• Your experience is valuable to others. Being AuDHD gives you insights that not everyone has. Sharing your experiences with others through peer mentoring programs like iCan Network can be meaningful for you and for someone earlier in their journey.  

Research has found that for AuDHD adults, simply being aware of an accurate diagnosis wasn’t linked to better quality-of-life outcomes, but that liking themselves as an AuDHD individual certainly was. 

When people get the right support, at any age, outcomes for mental health, wellbeing and learning improve significantly. If you’ve been diagnosed later in life, it’s not too late to access the support you need.

How can I get an AuDHD diagnosis in Australia?

Autism and ADHD are each assessed separately, following their own sets of guidelines. Follow the links to learn more about the autism diagnosis process and the ADHD diagnosis process. 

• If you’re a younger teenager (13–16), assessment usually involves a paediatrician working alongside a psychologist, occupational therapist and/or speech therapist.

• If you’re an older teen or young adult (16+), ADHD assessment is typically done by a psychiatrist and/or psychologist. Autism assessment is typically done by a psychologist. 

The most important thing is that whoever you see for your assessment is highly trained, experienced, and skilled in identifying neurodevelopmental conditions. Check out this directory for finding a neuroaffirming practitioner in your area.

Wait times can be long and costs can vary significantly. From early 2027, select GPs in NSW will be able to offer free ADHD assessments and prescribe ADHD medication, which should help. It’s worth asking your GP whether they’re part of this new service. 

If you are still at school, your school counsellor can help with part of the assessment. They may also have a list of free or low-cost options, such as university clinics or other community services that offer assessments. 

If you’re at university or TAFE, student services might also be a great place to get this information. If you’re working, you can still access youth mental health services that provide information and support for people seeking neurodevelopmental assessment and assistance. 

How can I live well with AuDHD?

Support for AuDHD draws on what works for both autism and ADHD, ideally from a team of clinicians who understand how the two interact, not just how one or the other operates in isolation. 

• For ADHD, that typically means a combination of medication, prescribed by a psychiatrist or paediatrician, and cognitive behavioural therapy. Getting practical support from an occupational therapist is often beneficial to help with aspects of executive functioning, like time management and routine-building skills. 

• For autism, support usually takes a multidisciplinary approach that combines psychology, speech therapy and occupational therapy working together to build functional capacity across all aspects of your life. 

Making sure you have access to a combination of support from a team of experienced clinicians who understand the complexities of AuDHD will give you the tools to live well, increase your self-efficacy, build your self-advocacy skills and reduce your risk of burnout. 

Beyond clinical support, here are some practical things that can make a real difference day-to-day:

• Pace yourself. Sandwich the really hard tasks between easy and enjoyable ones. One acts as a motivator to start, and the other is a sweet reward for actually doing the thing.

• Make regulation strategies mobile. Choose tools (physical, internal, psychological) that can be used anywhere, anytime.

• Protect your ‘yes’ and ‘no’. Say ‘yes’ to those things that matter to you, energise you and help with momentum. Say ‘no’ when you need to prioritise regulation, rest and recovery. 

• Sleep, hydrate, eat, repeat. Think of yourself as a cute little plant that you need to keep alive. Make sure to eat regularly, drink plenty of water and get rest. Self-care doesn’t fix everything, but it definitely makes the hard stuff easier to manage. 

When should I reach out for support?

If you have a general feeling of overwhelm, or if reading this article has left you recognising the signs of burnout in your own life, that’s worth paying attention to. AuDHD burnout often requires a more structured and targeted approach to tip the balance back towards living a more strengths-based life. 

Getting a diagnosis, or realising you’ve been overlooked or misdiagnosed, can also bring up complicated feelings of grief and anger. That’s completely valid. You might be feeling this because:

• you’re only now realising how different things could have been if you’d had support earlier 

• you’ve been trying your best for years and still struggling, and now you understand why

• you fell through the cracks because of the diagnostic practices of a decade ago 

• doctors or other health professionals didn’t understand the complexities of AuDHD

• others might not understand how much AuDHD can affect your day-to-day life.

When it comes to getting support, you deserve to understand yourself. And you deserve support that actually fits who you are. Some good places to start include:

• your GP, school counsellor or current therapy team

• this directory for finding neuroaffirming practitioners in your area

• specific organisations like Yellow Ladybugs, Reframing Autism, ADHD Australia and the ADHD Foundation 

• ReachOut PeerChat for free, anonymous chats with peer workers who are trained to listen, to support you, and to chat with you about your options

• chatting to a trusted friend or family member about your experiences.

Frequently asked questions about AuDHD