How auADHD shows up at work

The monotony of routine feels stifling, but you can’t function without it. You’re impulsive, yet plan and overthink things to an extreme degree. You crave stimulation but you’re easily overstimulated – and never quite know where the tipping point is.

Life can be somewhat challenging when you’re autistic and you also have ADHD. Often, you feel like a walking contradiction; swinging between the classic traits of both conditions, but sometimes not quite fitting into either.

Yet, auADHD – the colloquial term for autism and ADHD – is a common co-morbidity. It wasn’t until 2013 that official dual-diagnosis was approved in the DSM-5, yet it’s thought that between 50% and 70% of those who are autistic also have ADHD. Of course, this could well be an underestimate, considering the historical overlooking of women when diagnosing neurodivergence.

“One of the most interesting aspects of AuDHD is that a person's autistic and ADHD needs can sometimes appear to pull in opposite directions,” says therapist and Counselling Directory member Belinda Sidhu.

“The autistic part of someone may find predictability, structure and routine regulating because knowing what is going to happen reduces uncertainty. At the same time, the ADHD brain may seek novelty, stimulation and variety to stay engaged. Someone might meticulously plan their week and then feel trapped by the very schedule they created.”

Often, there’s an invisible extra workload. It might be a .exe programme running in the background, determining the socially acceptable things to say or do. Or, Sidhu says, an employee may appear confident and capable while internally managing sensory overwhelm, executive functioning difficulties.

“This is known as 'masking', and doing it for prolonged periods can be exhausting. Someone may therefore perform extremely well at work but arrive home completely depleted,” she explains.

“At work, someone might be highly creative, deeply focused and excellent at problem-solving, particularly when they're interested in what they're doing, while finding seemingly straightforward tasks such as prioritising, switching between projects or managing competing demands much harder.”

But, Sidhu explains, seemingly opposing traits or needs can coexist. “The challenge is often learning to recognise which need is asking for attention at a particular moment rather than trying to force yourself into one fixed way of functioning.”

Autism and ADHD share some similarities, including stimming behaviours, differences in learning style, inattention and sensory sensitivities. But despite this overlap, research suggests they are distinct neurodevelopmental conditions with unique profiles. Ultimately, auDHD shows up differently from person to person.

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ADHD is mainly linked to differences in dopamine regulation and brain circuits involved in attention and behaviour. Meanwhile, autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) involves differences in brain connectivity, sensory processing and social understanding. What they have in common is how strongly the environment can affect them. Stress, overstimulation, social exclusion and rigid societal expectations, as well as systems that expect everyone to behave and function in the same way, can make both more difficult to manage.

With relatively minimal effort, employers can remove many of these barriers, making life easier for people with auADHD while also benefitting from their strengths. Employees who feel understood, accepted and valued are more likely to be engaged, productive and able to perform at their best.

“Employers can help by asking neurodivergent employees what enables them to work at their best rather than assuming everyone needs the same thing,” says Sidhu. “Often relatively small adjustments to communication, environment or working patterns can remove a considerable amount of unnecessary stress.”

ADHD ‘rage’: How to manage emotional dysregulation at work

The dichotomies of auADHD can be frustrating as hell, but rather than trying to eliminate the contradictions – which can be impossible – it can help to find a comfortable balance between structure and flexibility. “For example, you might create consistent anchors in your working day,” says Sidhu.

“This could look like a predictable morning routine and protected focus periods, or regular breaks while varying where you work, the order of less time-sensitive tasks or how you approach a project. Externalising organisation through calendars, white boards, post-its can also reduce the amount of information the brain is trying to hold at once.”

It's equally important to understand your own nervous system. “Notice what drains you, what overstimulates you and what helps you to regulate,” advises Sidhu. “A quiet workspace, noise cancelling headphones, movement breaks, clearer written instructions, flexible working or recovery time after highly social periods can make an enormous difference.”

Another important thing is to find validation. That might mean speaking to friends about your experiences, or reading Reddit posts about the ways auADHD shows up for others. It’s also about recognising that feelings of low confidence or self-worth are often the result of existing in a world with narrow expectations of how people should think, behave, and communicate – although with wider understanding of conditions like autism and ADHD and different ways of being, this is gradually changing.

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