AuDHD: Blooming Differently

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.