Understanding Autism and ADHD Symptoms in Adults

Why Understanding Adult Presentation Matters for Families and Professionals

Recognizing how autism and ADHD appear in adults is essential for everyone involved. For autistic adults and those with ADHD, a formal diagnosis can be a life-changing event. It provides an explanation for lifelong struggles and opens the door to effective support strategies and improved mental health.

Without a proper understanding, professionals may misinterpret behaviors, leading to incorrect diagnoses or ineffective support. Families can also benefit by learning how to best support their loved one, strengthening relationships and reducing misunderstandings.

Understanding the correct diagnostic criteria helps ensure that everyone gets the help they need.

Reasons an adult might seek an evaluation include:

• Difficulties with work or maintaining relationships.
  
  
• A feeling of "failure to launch" in life.
  
  
• Learning about the conditions and seeing personal similarities.
  
  

Common Symptoms in Adults with Autism

When we think about autism symptoms, it's important to look beyond childhood stereotypes. In adults, the signs of autistic spectrum disorder can be subtle but have a significant impact on quality of life.

The core characteristics fall into two main categories: challenges with social communication and the presence of repetitive patterns of behavior or interests.

Autistic people often experience the world differently, which can include heightened sensory reactivity. Let's take a closer look at what these symptoms can look like in everyday adult life, from social interactions to personal routines.

Social Interaction Challenges and Communication Differences

One of the most common signs of autism in adults involves difficulties with social interaction and social communication. This isn't about being "antisocial," but rather about differences in how you process social information. For example, the natural back-and-forth of a conversation may not feel intuitive.

Understanding or using non-verbal cues like body language, facial expressions, or tone of voice can also be a challenge. You might find it hard to maintain eye contact during conversations, not because you're disinterested, but because it feels uncomfortable or distracting. These autism signs can make navigating social situations feel like you're trying to follow a script everyone else already knows.

Common challenges include:

• Difficulty interpreting what others are thinking or feeling.
  
  
• Trouble recognizing sarcasm or figures of speech.
  
  
• Finding it hard to adjust your behavior for different social contexts.
  
  
• A limited interest in forming close relationships despite wanting connection.
  
  

Emotional Regulation and Sensory Sensitivities

Living with autism spectrum disorder often involves a unique experience with emotions and senses. Challenges with emotional regulation can mean you feel emotions very intensely and may have difficulty managing them. This can sometimes be confused with mood disorders, but the root cause is different.

Additionally, many autistic individuals have distinct sensory issues. This is known as sensory reactivity, where you might be over-sensitive or under-sensitive to your environment. Everyday sounds, lights, or textures that others don't notice could feel overwhelming or fascinating to you.

This could mean you avoid crowded places because of the noise or prefer certain clothing because of how it feels on your skin. These sensory experiences are a core part of autism and can influence repetitive behaviors, which are often a way to self-soothe in a world that feels too intense.

Patterns of Behavior, Routines, and Interests

A key feature of autistic spectrum disorder is a preference for sameness and routine. You might find comfort in taking the same route to work, eating the same meals, or following a strict daily schedule. Unexpected changes can cause significant distress. This is not just being "picky" it's a way of making a chaotic world feel more predictable and safe.

Repetitive behaviours are also common autism symptoms. These can be movements like hand-flapping or pacing, or they might involve speech, like repeating certain phrases. Many autistic people also have highly focused and intense interests.

These passions can be on any topic and are pursued with a level of intensity that is far greater than a typical hobby. While these interests can be a great source of joy and expertise, they may sometimes interfere with other aspects of life, like work or sleep problems.

Common Symptoms in Adults with ADHD

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in adults is more than just having a lot of energy. The signs of ADHD fall into three main categories: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. These symptoms can create significant challenges in work, relationships, and daily life, often affecting mental health.

Unlike the childhood version, adult ADHD may look less disruptive on the outside and feel more like internal restlessness or a constant struggle to stay on top of cognitive tasks. Let's explore the core ADHD symptoms, including difficulties with focus, organization, and controlling impulses.

Inattention, Distractibility, and Forgetfulness

One of the hallmark symptoms of inattention in adults with ADHD is a persistent difficulty sustaining focus. You might find your mind wandering during meetings or conversations, even when you're trying to listen. This isn't a lack of interest but a challenge with attention deficit that can affect daily functioning.

This distractibility can make it hard to complete tasks, as you may be pulled away by external sounds or internal thoughts. Forgetfulness is another common struggle. You might frequently misplace your keys, forget appointments, or have trouble remembering instructions you were just given.

Common signs of inattention include:

• Making careless mistakes at work.
  
  
• Struggling to organize tasks and activities.
  
  
• Avoiding tasks that require sustained mental effort.
  
  
• Appearing not to listen when spoken to directly.
  
  

Hyperactivity, Impulsivity, and Difficulty with Organization

While hyperactivity in children often means running and climbing, in adults, it presents more subtly. You might feel a constant sense of internal restlessness, fidget in your seat, or talk excessively. This aspect of hyperactivity disorder can be exhausting and make it difficult to relax.

Impulsivity can also have negative effects on your life. It might show up as making hasty decisions without thinking through the consequences, interrupting others frequently, or having trouble waiting your turn. This isn't intentional rudeness but rather a struggle with self-control that is a core part of the condition.

Difficulty with organization is another major challenge. You may find it hard to keep your workspace tidy, manage your time effectively, or follow through on long-term projects. These difficulties stem from executive function challenges associated with ADHD.

Executive Function Challenges in Daily Life

Executive function refers to the set of mental skills that help you get things done. These include planning, organizing, starting tasks, managing time, and regulating emotions. For adults with ADHD, these skills are often impaired, which can significantly disrupt daily functioning.

You may know exactly what you need to do but find it nearly impossible to start. Procrastination is a common struggle, not out of laziness, but because initiating cognitive tasks feels overwhelming. Managing deadlines, juggling multiple responsibilities, and staying organized can feel like a constant uphill battle.

These challenges can impact your career, relationships, and overall mental health. Fortunately, therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and specific coaching can help you develop strategies to manage these executive function deficits and improve your daily life.

Overlapping Symptoms Between Autism and ADHD

Figuring out whether you have autism or ADHD can be tricky because many symptoms look alike. Both conditions can affect executive function, social skills, and emotional regulation. These overlapping symptoms can make it difficult for individuals and even professionals to get a clear picture without a thorough evaluation.

This symptom overlap is one reason why a diagnosis of ADHD or an autism spectrum diagnosis in adulthood requires careful consideration. Understanding these shared traits is the first step to untangling the two conditions and finding out what's really going on. The following sections will provide examples of these shared challenges.

Shared Traits and Behaviors in Adult Diagnosis

When seeking an adult autism or ADHD diagnosis, you'll likely notice several shared traits. Both conditions can make social situations challenging, though for different reasons. An autistic person might struggle to read social cues, while a person with ADHD might get distracted or interrupt others.

Executive function difficulties are another major area of overlapping symptoms. Both autistic adults and adults with ADHD can have trouble with organization, time management, and starting tasks. Emotional dysregulation is also common in both, leading to intense emotional responses that can be hard to manage.

Here are some examples of overlapping behaviors:

• "Not listening when spoken to": In ADHD, this may be due to inattention. In autism, it could be related to difficulty with eye contact or processing social information.
  
  
• Social awkwardness: This can stem from impulsivity in ADHD or from not understanding social rules in autism.
  
  
• Distractibility: For someone with ADHD, this could be daydreaming. For an autistic person, it might be a heightened sensitivity to a sound or light.
  
  

Examples of Overlapping Challenges in Work and Social Settings

In the workplace, the overlap between autism and ADHD can create similar struggles. An employee with either condition might have difficulty meeting deadlines. This could be due to the executive function challenges of ADHD, like poor time management, or due to an autistic individual's need for rigid processes, which can be disrupted by unexpected changes.

Social interaction at work or in personal relationships can also be tricky. Autistic individuals may find small talk confusing, while people with ADHD may dominate conversations or seem inattentive. In both cases, the result can be social misunderstandings and difficulty forming connections, which can impact quality of life.

These shared challenges highlight why a "one-size-fits-all" approach to support doesn't work. Understanding the root cause of the behavior, whether it’s related to autism, ADHD, or both—is key to finding strategies that genuinely help.

Navigating Ambiguity When Symptoms Are Similar

When symptoms are so similar, how can you navigate the ambiguity? The most important step is to seek a formal diagnosis from a qualified health care professional. A thorough evaluation goes beyond a simple checklist of behaviors and explores the "why" behind your challenges.

The diagnostic criteria for each condition are distinct, and a professional can help untangle them. This process often involves a detailed clinical interview, a review of your developmental history, and questionnaires. The goal is to understand if a behavior stems from inattentiveness (ADHD) or a difference in social processing (autism), for example.

Don't try to self-diagnose based on online information alone. While it can be a helpful starting point, the complexity of these conditions requires professional expertise. A clear diagnosis is the foundation for getting the right support and making sense of your experiences.

Distinguishing Autism from ADHD in Adults

Despite the symptom overlap, there are key differences that help distinguish the autism spectrum from an ADHD diagnosis. A professional assessment focuses on the core diagnostic criteria that are unique to each of these mental health disorders. While both can cause social difficulties, the underlying reasons are very different.

Understanding these distinctions is crucial for an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment plan. The following sections will break down the key differences in cognitive patterns and explain how professionals use diagnostic criteria to tell the autistic spectrum disorder apart from ADHD.

Key Differences in Cognitive and Emotional Patterns

The core differences between autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder often lie in cognitive and emotional patterns. The social challenges in autism stem from a fundamental difficulty in understanding and navigating the unwritten rules of social interaction. In contrast, social difficulties in ADHD are often due to symptoms like impulsivity, inattention, or emotional dysregulation.

Another key distinction is the presence of restricted and repetitive interests. This is a hallmark of the autism spectrum but not a core feature of ADHD. An autistic person may have a deep, narrow, and long-lasting interest in a specific topic. Someone with ADHD is more likely to have many different interests that they cycle through quickly.

Key differences include:

• Social Motivation: Autistic individuals may struggle with the "how" of socializing, while those with ADHD may struggle due to inattention or impulsivity.
  
  
• Focus: An autistic person can "hyperfocus" on a topic of interest for long periods. ADHD focus is often inconsistent and easily disrupted unless the task is highly stimulating.
  
  
• Need for Sameness: A strong preference for routine and distress over small changes is characteristic of autism, not ADHD.
  
  

Professional Assessment and Diagnostic Criteria

Getting an accurate ASD diagnosis or ADHD diagnosis in adulthood requires a comprehensive professional assessment. There is no single blood test or scan; instead, mental health professionals use a combination of tools and a systematic review of your history. The process is guided by the diagnostic criteria set by the American Psychiatric Association.

For an autism diagnosis, clinicians may use tools like the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 (ADOS-2), which involves a structured interview and observation of social skills. They will also take a detailed developmental history to look for signs present in early childhood.

For an ADHD diagnosis, the focus is on identifying a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that impacts functioning. A professional will work to rule out other conditions that could explain your symptoms. This careful process ensures you receive the correct diagnosis and the most appropriate support.

Living with Both Autism and ADHD as an Adult

What happens when you have both? It is common for autism and ADHD to be co-occurring conditions, sometimes referred to as "AuDHD." Living with both presents a unique set of challenges, as the symptoms of each condition can interact in complex ways. For example, the impulsivity of ADHD might clash with the autistic need for routine and predictability, creating internal conflict and stress. Studies show that autistic adults who also have more ADHD symptoms tend to experience greater difficulties in their daily lives.

Getting a dual diagnosis can be incredibly validating. It provides a complete picture of why you experience the world the way you do and is the first step toward building effective support strategies. Understanding how these conditions intersect is key to improving your overall quality of life and well-being.

Unique Challenges and Support Strategies for Co-occurring Conditions

Adults with co-occurring autism and ADHD face a unique blend of challenges. You might struggle with the executive function deficits of ADHD while also navigating the sensory sensitivities and social communication differences of autism. This combination can feel contradictory and make it harder to find strategies that work for both aspects of your neurotype.

Effective support strategies often involve a multi-faceted approach. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be adapted to address the specific needs of autistic individuals. Coaching that focuses on executive function skills can help with organization and time management. Psychoeducation for you and your family is also vital for understanding these co-occurring conditions.

When it comes to medication, treatments for ADHD, like stimulants, may be used. However, prescribers should start with low doses and proceed slowly, as autistic individuals can be more sensitive to side effects. The goal of any intervention should be to improve quality of life and support your unique health conditions.

Conclusion

Understanding the symptoms of Autism and ADHD in adults is vital for parents, families, and professionals alike. By recognizing the unique challenges faced by individuals with these conditions, we can cultivate a more supportive environment that fosters growth and understanding. Awareness of common symptoms and patterns can lead to better advocacy, timely interventions, and improved quality of life for those affected. If you’re seeking further insights or strategies tailored to your specific needs, don’t hesitate to reach out for a consultation with our experts. Together, we can navigate the complexities of Autism and ADHD and enhance the support systems in place for adults facing these challenges.

At Divine Steps ABA, we’re committed to helping individuals and families to better understand and manage Autism and ADHD. Whether you're a parent, educator, or professional, our team offers personalized ABA therapy in Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina to support lifelong growth. 

Take the next step toward clarity, confidence, and compassionate care. Contact us today!

Frequently Asked Questions

SOURCE:



https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cognitive-behavioral-therapy/about/pac-20384610

https://www.autistica.org.uk/what-is-autism/adhd-and-autism

https://www.additudemag.com/adult-autism-symptoms-adhd/?srsltid=AfmBOore02dFzvyfr8EdjHr4sgxTVw-qULZdHcW3k9ogmH10NW3XvP3v

https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/apa-blogs/when-autism-and-adhd-occur-together

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/autism/signs/adults/