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Autism and ADHD: What are the differences? It’s a question many people ask, especially those navigating a new understanding of neurodivergent traits in themselves or loved ones. While both ADHD and autism can overlap in behaviours and experiences, they are distinct neurodevelopmental profiles with unique characteristics.
In this blog, we’ll unpack the similarities and differences between autism and ADHD, how each presents in adults, and what support looks like in a compassionate, affirming counselling space.
Both autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are lifelong neurodevelopmental differences that lead to variances when compared to neurotypicals (NTs). They are more commonly assessed in childhood, but today many people aren’t being assessed until adulthood, especially women and gender-diverse individuals. While they can co-occur, their core features differ.
Autism primarily leads to differences in social interaction preferences, emotional reciprocity, and sensory processing. Often, autistic individuals can have strong attention to detail, need predictability, and find specific sensory intensive environments overwhelming.
ADHD, on the other hand, leads to a neurotype where a person craves more or less stimulation than your average person. In either case, this makes an individual crave stimulus that intrigues it. Should intrigue not be present, maintaining consistent attention can be difficult. Should intrigue be present, hyperfocus may occur leading to other sensory cues being missed. ADHD individuals can also have rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), a trait that encourages hypersensitivities to perceived rejection and/or disappointments in themselves.
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A fair portion of autistic individuals (individual research sources vary) are also ADHD. The overlap is fairly significant, but understanding how they differ is essential for tailored support, especially in therapy and when receiving coaching. Autistic individuals who are also ADHD can also present with an unrecognized neurodivergent trait referred to as pathological demand avoidance (PDA). This is characterized by someone having an intensive stress response to environmental demands.
It’s common to mix up autism and ADHD because of shared traits, like executive functioning challenges and emotional regulation struggles. Here are some core differences:
Autism: Individuals often find non-verbal social cues confusing due to their lack of clarity and forthcomingness and may prefer structured or solitary interactions in response. Autistic individuals tend to report a preference for direct, honest, forthcoming and transparent communication. If an autistic person is in an unsafe or unfamiliar environment, they may also uplay or downplay certain traits in order to receive some form of social benefit (also known as masking).
ADHD: Due to possessing a nervous system that carves more or less stimulation, ADHD individuals can have challenges navigating conversations that are not intriguing. In addition, an ADHD individual may process social information quickly leading to them interruption (often without intent to do so) or needing additional time to process and respond. Individual behaviour depends on what ADHD type a person is (inattentive, hyperactive or combination).
Autism: Autistic individuals can have a preference for deep conversations, especially around a topic of interest. Autistic individuals can also present as hypersensitive or hyposensitive to emotions, leading to either a more stoic tone of voice and body language, or a more emotionally intensive communication style.
ADHD: Depending on an individual’s ADHD type, they can present as a quick talker with a tendency to share a lot of details very quickly, or a slow talker that needs additional time to process and may require repetition in order to remember the direction of a conversation.
Autism:An autistic individual tends to focus heavily on details around a select few topics, often referred to as “special interests”. An autistic individual tends to participate in these special interests regularly, as they often bring comfort and satisfaction.
ADHD: An ADHD individual tends to either focus a great deal on a particular point of interest, or struggle to maintain attention on that same interest. An ADHD individual often reports that maintaining focus on a point of interest is inconsistent, leading to them being able to hyperfocus on some days and not being able to sustain attention on others. Various factors can contribute to this shift in focus, including energy levels, the level of stimulation an interest brings and environmental distractions.
On the Blog: Understanding the Benefits of Autism Assessments
Autism:An autistic individual tends to have specific hypersensitivities and/or hyposensitivities to various forms of stimulus, leading to autistic individuals presenting quite differently in this area. Certain sites, smells, tastes, textures and feelings can all generate either very sensitive, or very numbing effects. An autistic individual can also present with many hypersensitivities and/or hyposensitivities, or few.
ADHD:An ADHD individual can either crave stimulation, or withdraw from it, leading to differences in how they prefer their sensory exposure. An ADHD individual that is more hyperactive may prefer a more cluttered space with a high degree of visual differences for example, while an ADHD individual that is more inattentive may prefer a more cluttered free space. Individual preferences vary heavily from one ADHD individual to another.
Many adults do not know they are neurodivergent because they’ve developed unconscious coping strategies that can mask struggles in specific areas or weren’t recognized due to gender biases in modern diagnostic criteria. Self-identification can be a valid first step and can lead to future professional assessment.
If you resonate with traits described above, working with a mental health professional who understands neurodivergence can be a helpful asset. At Unique Peace Counselling, we offer affirming support for individuals navigating life as autistic, ADHD, or both.
We prioritize a client-centred approach that respects self-assesment and focuses on empowerment, not “fixing” traits. Therapy is a space for building self-awareness, self-advocacy, and strategies that align with your neurotype.
Understanding neurological differences and how they relate to your sense of self and your environment is incredibly important. Working with a professional that understands these connections and can bring them to your attention can make a big difference in the outcomes of therapy.
At Unique Peace Counselling, we specialize in supporting neurodivergent adults in Ontario through compassion, curiosity, and care. We offer phone and virtual sessions to meet you where you are.
Life isn’t one-size-fits-all, and neither is your nervous system. If you’re navigating questions about autism, ADHD, or simply seeking support from professionals who understand neurodivergence, we’re here to help. Our team at Unique Peace Counselling works with you to develop emotional tools, enhance daily functioning, and cultivate a more authentic and aligned lived experience.
Ready to begin your journey? Contact us today and take that first step toward feeling more understood.
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Kalon Roy, RP