AuDHD

Living with AuDHD is like being a unicorn-misunderstood, contradictory, and often invisible to others. You shine with creativity and innovation, but struggle to fit in - always feeling 'too much'. Autism and ADHD pull you in opposite directions, creating a lifetime of contradictions no one else can see. AuDHD isn't listed in diagnostic manuals because until 2013, you couldn't be diagnosed with both conditions - despite a co-occurrence rate of approximately 50-70%. These two neurotypes often clash, like opposing magnets in the brain. ADHD craves novelty; autism resists change. ADHD misses details; autism hyper-focuses on them. ADHD perceives time as 'now or not now'; autism sticks rigidly to schedules. ADHD seeks stimulation; autism is easily overwhelmed. ADHD thrives in chaos; autism needs structure. ADHD says yes; autism says no. Autism makes the rules, ADHD breaks them. If you're exhausted reading this, just imagine what it's like to live it. Leanne Maskell was diagnosed with ADHD at 25, but it took 7 more years to learn she was also autistic. AuDHD: Blooming Differently chronicles her turbulent journey-from a childhood of vulnerability and trauma to a high-achieving model and lawyer, outwardly successful but inwardly struggling. The book exposes the relentless burnout of not understanding your brain and the power of self-awareness in finally thriving. Today, Leanne is a successful author, coach, and National Specialist Coach of the Year. More than just a memoir, this book offers practical insights for AuDHD individuals and those who support them-essential for psychiatrists, educators, and anyone seeking to understand neurodivergence. With lived experience and professional expertise, AuDHD: Blooming Differently is an honest and transformative guide to rewriting the neurodivergent narrative.

The Book That Puts Words to What You Have Always Felt You have always known you were different. You have spent years masking, pushing yourself to fit in, wondering why things that seem effortless for others take so much out of you. Maybe you have heard the words high-functioning, quirky, or too sensitive. Maybe you have been called intelligent but lazy, creative but inconsistent, capable but unreliable. Maybe you were never given the full picture of who you are. For many, discovering AuDHD (Autism and ADHD) feels like a missing puzzle piece finally clicking into place. But what comes next? Understanding yourself fully, beyond clinical checklists and surface-level traits. This book is the guide to the lived experience of AuDHD, validating the struggles, explaining the contradictions, and helping you see yourself clearly, perhaps for the first time. Do you struggle with time blindness, executive dysfunction, and productivity? Do you feel misunderstood in social settings, even when you are trying your best? Do you experience burnout, overwhelm, and the need to withdraw but find it hard to explain why? Have you spent years masking without realising it, trying to meet expectations that never felt natural? You are not alone. And you are not broken. This is not a self-help book. It is a self-recognition book. A deep dive into AuDHD traits beyond stereotypes and surface-level explanations An exploration of the emotional, sensory, and cognitive experiences unique to AuDHDers The impact of masking, burnout, and societal expectations and how to reclaim your energy A neuroaffirming perspective that prioritises self-awareness over fixing Tried and tested strategies to help navigate everyday life Reflective prompts to find yourself in the con If you have been searching for the words to describe your experience, this book may be the reflection you need.

The Book That Puts Words to What You Have Always Felt You have always known you were different. You have spent years masking, pushing yourself to fit in, wondering why things that seem effortless for others take so much out of you. Maybe you have heard the words high-functioning, quirky, or too sensitive. Maybe you have been called intelligent but lazy, creative but inconsistent, capable but unreliable. Maybe you were never given the full picture of who you are. For many, discovering AuDHD (Autism and ADHD) feels like a missing puzzle piece finally clicking into place. But what comes next? Understanding yourself fully, beyond clinical checklists and surface-level traits. This book is the guide to the lived experience of AuDHD, validating the struggles, explaining the contradictions, and helping you see yourself clearly, perhaps for the first time. Do you struggle with time blindness, executive dysfunction, and productivity? Do you feel misunderstood in social settings, even when you are trying your best? Do you experience burnout, overwhelm, and the need to withdraw but find it hard to explain why? Have you spent years masking without realising it, trying to meet expectations that never felt natural? You are not alone. And you are not broken. This is not a self-help book. It is a self-recognition book. A deep dive into AuDHD traits beyond stereotypes and surface-level explanations An exploration of the emotional, sensory, and cognitive experiences unique to AuDHDers The impact of masking, burnout, and societal expectations and how to reclaim your energy A neuroaffirming perspective that prioritises self-awareness over fixing Tried and tested strategies to help navigate everyday life Reflective prompts to find yourself in the con If you have been searching for the words to describe your experience, this book may be the reflection you need.

Autism and ADHD often co-occur and present differently in females than the standard diagnostic criteria, which is mostly based on the observation of young white males. Women frequently go undiagnosed until adulthood, if they ever receive a diagnosis at all. This book relates recent research with the personal struggles of one woman who was diagnosed with Autism in her late thirties and then ADHD in her early forties. She found her way to diagnosis through a common route, studying psychology. Many Autistic people study psychology only to find out later that they were searching for ways to understand the socially complex world around them. Feeling like an alien having been dropped off at birth and desperate to fit in, they study those around them in an attempt to learn the ways of these humans. Secretly, they long for the mothership to come back and beam them up and away to their home planet. A sanctuary where individuals no longer have to endure the relentless struggle of barely passing as human and facing constant ridicule. They learn from a very early age to put on a mask so that they do not make others uncomfortable. They mimic other girls or characters to try to fit in. Usually, they can sneak by until a major life change, like high school, college, entering the workforce, or having their first child. Then all the rules, masks, and rituals fail them. They burn out or shut down. Some may drop out of school, quit, or are fired over and over, not understanding what they are doing wrong. Living in a world that was not built for them takes its toll. You may find solace, connection, or education in these pages. Whether you are reading for yourself or to better understand a loved one, there is something for you here.

Autism and ADHD often co-occur and present differently in females than the standard diagnostic criteria, which is mostly based on the observation of young white males. Women frequently go undiagnosed until adulthood, if they ever receive a diagnosis at all. This book relates recent research with the personal struggles of one woman who was diagnosed with Autism in her late thirties and then ADHD in her early forties. She found her way to diagnosis through a common route, studying psychology. Many Autistic people study psychology only to find out later that they were searching for ways to understand the socially complex world around them. Feeling like an alien having been dropped off at birth and desperate to fit in, they study those around them in an attempt to learn the ways of these humans. Secretly, they long for the mothership to come back and beam them up and away to their home planet. A sanctuary where individuals no longer have to endure the relentless struggle of barely passing as human and facing constant ridicule. They learn from a very early age to put on a mask so that they do not make others uncomfortable. They mimic other girls or characters to try to fit in. Usually, they can sneak by until a major life change, like high school, college, entering the workforce, or having their first child. Then all the rules, masks, and rituals fail them. They burn out or shut down. Some may drop out of school, quit, or are fired over and over, not understanding what they are doing wrong. Living in a world that was not built for them takes its toll. You may find solace, connection, or education in these pages. Whether you are reading for yourself or to better understand a loved one, there is something for you here.