What does AuDHD mean?

AuDHD is a community term used to describe the lived experience of being both autistic and ADHD. It is not a separate diagnosis in the DSM-5-TR or ICD-11; clinically, a person may receive separate ADHD and autism diagnoses.

Is AuDHD just ADHD plus autism?

No. AuDHD is not simply ADHD added to autism. The combined experience can involve overlapping neurobiology, competing regulatory needs, and mutual masking, where ADHD traits may hide autistic traits and autistic coping strategies may hide ADHD traits.

Why can AuDHD feel contradictory?

AuDHD can feel contradictory because ADHD and autism may create different regulatory pulls in the same nervous system. One part may seek novelty, movement, or stimulation while another may need predictability, stillness, or reduced sensory input.

What does state before label mean?

State before label means that the physiological state of the nervous system determines which capacities are available in a given moment. Instead of asking whether a behavior is caused by ADHD or autism, the more useful question may be: what state is my nervous system in, and what does this state block access to?

What is the SNIP Framework?

The SNIP Framework maps Sensory and Neurological Information Processing across five domains: Sensory and Emotional Processing, Cognitive and Temporal Regulation, Motor and Energy Rhythms, Social and Communication Styles, and Executive Function and Systems Thinking.

Is this article a substitute for diagnosis or therapy?

No. This article is psychoeducational and does not replace clinical assessment, diagnosis, therapy, medical treatment, or individualized professional advice.

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Your Nervous System Doesn't Have a Tuner: Understanding AuDHD Beyond the Label

Jul 10
13 min read

This article is psychoeducational and does not replace clinical assessment, diagnosis, therapy, or medical advice.

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Your Nervous System Doesn't Have a Tuner: Understanding AuDHD Beyond the Label

This article is psychoeducational and does not replace clinical assessment, diagnosis, therapy, or medical advice.

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This article is psychoeducational and does not replace clinical assessment, diagnosis, therapy, or medical advice.

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