A Living Contradiction: The AuDHD Experience

Introduction

• AuDHD: A term for individuals with both autism and ADHD.
• Estimates suggest 40-70% of autistic individuals also have ADHD.
• Co-diagnosis wasn't recognized until the DSM-5 in 2013.

Living with AuDHD

Contradictory Traits

• Individuals feel like a "living contradiction," wanting order but struggling to maintain it.
• ADHD and autism traits often clash, e.g., desire for schedules vs. feeling constrained by them.
• ADHD traits: hyperfocus, impulsivity, novelty-seeking.
• Autism traits: adherence to routines, special interests, stimming.

Personal Experiences

• Samantha (Australia): Feels she can't meet her high standards.
• Kaz: Finds life harder due to societal ableism rather than personal traits.
• Dan (Australia): Experiences conflict between ADHD and autism traits leading to burnout.
• Chris (United Kingdom): Finds productivity in the flexibility allowed by balancing both conditions.

Challenges and Insights

• Heather (Wisconsin): Son’s social challenges exacerbated by rejection sensitive dysphoria.
• An ADDitude Reader: Describes the exhausting clash between logical autism and impulsive ADHD.
• Sharyn (Australia): Manages conflicting desires by supporting one trait with the other.

Coping Strategies and Reflections

• Late Diagnoses: Recognition of neurodivergence aids self-understanding and acceptance.
• Medication: Mixed experiences with ADHD medication affecting autistic traits.
• Support Needs: Desire for support without infantilization.

Benefits of AuDHD

• Hyperfocus, ease in talking to new people, empathy, and love of menial tasks.
• Balance between creativity and systematic thinking.

Reflections on Society and Self-Understanding

• CJ (Australia): Struggles with self-acceptance due to late diagnosis.
• Kellie: Views ADHD traits as protective against autism-related depression.
• Sandy (Massachusetts): Feels conflicted by rule-following autism and impulsive ADHD.

Conclusion: Next Steps and Resources

• Self-Test: Autism in Adults
• Further Reading: Articles on ADHD and Autism symptoms in adults.
• Resources: Free eBook on Autism in Adults.

Support ADDitude Magazine: Encourages readers to support their mission to provide ADHD education.

References

1. Hours, C., Recasens, C., & Baleyte, J. M. (2022). Frontiers in Psychiatry.
2. Rong, Y., Yang, C-J, Jin Y, Wang Y. (2021). Res Autism Spectr Disord.

Note: These notes provide a high-level overview of the complex experiences described by individuals living with AuDHD and highlight the personal and societal challenges they face.