AuDHD is a descriptive that has emerged in recent years to recognise those who live with both autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
AuDHD is neither intended to be a catch-all term nor a suggestion that some kind of hybrid, singular condition exists. It simply highlights the frequent co-occurrence of these two conditions as fact, with the challenges and characteristics of them remaining both separately affecting and impacting on each other at the same time.
As singular neurodivergent presentations, both autism and ADHD can manifest differently in so many ways from person to person. The combination of them expands this variance potential still more – like going from a palette of 255 colours to 64 million shades, to use an admittedly clumsy analogy.
When someone has both autism and ADHD (ergo, AuDHD if they want to use the term), they can influence each other, like the pull of planets on each other in space. This affects behaviour, attention and social interactions in often unique ways. Clinicians need to carefully assess and understand how the indicators for autism and ADHD overlap or interact in the individual’s lived experience of daily life.
This need to assess and understand isn’t quite the same as the assessment and understanding you find in talking therapy, because clinicians have to reach a judgement at some stage – that’s what diagnosis is, a professional medical judgement after reviewing the evidence – and therapists do not.
Practitioners of talking therapies will instead conduct initial assessments with clients to learn how we might, and if we can, help; we do risk assessments (safeguarding) to protect clients, ourselves and others; we help clients come to terms with clinical diagnoses of neurodivergencies, or any diagnosis for that matter.
None of the above involve making any judgements ourselves as to a client’s essential nature, be it relating to anything medical (physical and mental) or moral (good/bad). We follow our ethical framework. We have to always maintain the skills of active listening without judgement and ongoing observation of body language, regardless of who we are working with and what they present.
Both clinical and talking therapy support strategies for people with auDHD need to address the specific challenges of autism and ADHD together. Above all else, the client’s lived experience is where they will find, with support, what they decide has to be the focus of their engagement with therapeutic services. And note, over the course of, say, twelve sessions, a client’s goals can and often do change.
xph therapy offers integrative counselling, which means working with multiple therapy types, including CBT, psychotherapeutic and person-centred to develop a therapeutic pathway just for you, whatever outcome you’re hoping to achieve. Get in touch in a variety of ways. See the contact page for more info.