ADHD and Autism: Seeking Advice on Comorbidity

My friends also think I’m likely autistic, but because I’m hyper empathetic and very careful with my words (trauma), I didn’t think to consider it previously 😅 I’m only now learning how AFAB people are pushed to mask more and therefore can exhibit these traits and be autistic

Which is annoying because my current therapist and everyone who's ever known me all say it's 100% obvious I have adhd. But my boyfriend supports me in that he also thinks I might be autistic.

I'm also dealing with this issue where I feel like I have both because of the symptoms I experience and how I relate to almost every single autistic person I've ever met (most of my friends have been autistic) but I'm too scared to tell my therapist because my psychiatrist already doesn't want me to be tested for ADHD because he genuinely believes I don't have it because "I seem normal".

Thanks all! Did anyone have any traits that stuck out as signifiers of having both?

Yes I have both! It’s common too, but I have met a few people who appear to have one but not the other. I like having both, for me the biggest obstacles are ableism in society.

ADHD and ASD have a lot of overlap so being able to tell them apart or if you have both can be difficult even for trained professionals and those with one or both conditions. I was diagnosed with both at separate times and questioned if I actually had one or the other for a while, but found that the coping mechanisms and treatments for both were each super helpful for me in there own ways. Find out what diagnosises will help you and the skills that make your life easier and better.

My mom thought I was autistic since she worked with neurodivergent children and I had similar traits but I been evaluated and I don’t have all the symptoms for autism I do have pretty severe ADHD though. You can have both but when I was diagnosed you couldn’t have both. I do have sensory issues but many people with adhd have them.

Thanks so much guys! That’s really helpful ☺️

adhd and autism is a very common comorbidity but it often times goes undiagnosed due to the misconception that you can only have one or the other. i had very similar reactions from my parents and school psychologist when i brought it up to them but when i brought it up to my personal psychiatrist he agreed it was worth looking into and we figured put i do in fact have both. i recommend making a list of symptoms you have for both adhd and for autism, then making a sort of venn diagram with them. i found having a visual to show when i brought it up produced less skeptical reactions from people. i hope this helps <3