WTF is AuDHD? – Details, episodes & analysis

Disclaimer: we are not medical professionals and this episode is brought to you by Ellie and Paige's personal lived experiences.

From a late ADHD diagnosis, to realising we're autistic too, this episode explores our diagnosis journeys to autism - both of which have been very different! We explore how we came to realise we might be autistic, share stories of being denied by medical professionals and emphasise the importance of following your gut. This chat starts to highlight why high masking women end up being missed and why it's important to explore masking and camouflaging in the context of an autism diagnosis.

Helpful links:

https://embrace-autism.com/autism-tests/ - examples of screeners

https://beehyve.health/ - ADHD hub in New Zealand

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DISCLAIMER: This episode is based on our personal experiences of being diagnosed with ADHD in New Zealand, with a focus on the private healthcare route. We're not medical professionals, and this isn't a comprehensive guide—so please do your own research and seek advice from qualified experts. In next week's episode, we'll cover more about the public healthcare options available in NZ, including options for University students.

In this episode, we (AuDHD sisters Ellie and Paige) chat about how and why we came to explore whether we had ADHD. We touch on our genetics, the difference in our traits, how the assessment process worked and share some of our favourite neurodivergent creators (check out who we're following on Instagram!). Next week we will cover how we came to our Autism diagnoses.

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Helpful links:

https://www.adhd.org.nz/

https://acfbfund.org.nz/

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Trigger warning: light mentions of alcohol and substance use.

This week, we continue the conversation regarding life before our ADHD and Autism diagnoses. We chat about life after leaving school, what our relationships were like, how we coped in the workplace and how & why our mental health was severely impacted. This episode leads up to the point before diagnosis which we will cover in next week’s episode.

Feel free to submit feedback on social media about topics you'd like to hear about!

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In this episode of WTF is AuDHD?, we go back to our childhoods and observe what we were like as AuDHD kids before diagnosis. Despite being made by the same parents and brought up in the same household, our childhood experiences and behaviours were vastly different. Now in hindsight, we know there was evidence of AuDHD that was missed. This chat starts to highlight the idea that the same condition can manifest completely differently and the stereotypes you've been taught aren't always true for everyone!

Feel free to submit feedback on social media about topics you'd like to hear about!

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Welcome to the first episode of WTF is AuDHD?, hosted by Ellie and Paige—late-diagnosed sisters navigating life with the unique combination of ADHD and Autism. Ironically, we won’t dive fully into the burning question, 'What exactly is AuDHD?' just yet—it’s a big one! Instead, let's start by telling you who we are, why we started this podcast, and how it might resonate with you.

Feel free to submit feedback on social media about topics you'd like to hear about!

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Hi! We’re Ellie and Paige and we’re sisters with AuDHD (that’s the combo of autism and ADHD).

We were both diagnosed later in life, and we want to share our experiences living with undiagnosed neurodivergence and how our lives changed after diagnosis, in the hopes that it might help others.

This podcast will explore the vast manifestations of neurodivergence and show that even sisters with the same condition can look completely different. 

Episode one drops Tuesday 21st Jan with new episodes dropping every Tuesday!

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In this episode of WTF is AuDHD? we explore what Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is. We explain the three levels of autism, and touch on popular theories such as neural pruning, nervous system links and we discuss how autistic brains process differently to neurotypical people. This is from the perspective of two white cis-women born who are reasonably privileged and we appreciate this may not relate to everyone. Remember, if you’ve met one autistic person, you’ve met one autistic person! Deeper conversations about autism will be explored in future episodes, with the aim of eventually getting other autistic people on as guests.

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In today’s episode, we kick things off with an open conversation about the menstrual cycle and an introduction to PMDD, as Paige shares her experience with a new medication designed to manage its symptoms. Then, we dive into ADHD—what it is, common misconceptions, and why neurodiversity plays a crucial role in the world.

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In this episode we finally get to the whole point of this podcast - what is like to be the unique neuro-type of AuDHD? Having only been 12 years since you could diagnose autism and ADHD simultaneously, there’s not a huge amount of research on the combination. We share our perspective on our AuDHD experience, with the aim of adding to the research pool of lived experiences. We mention conditions it can be misdiagnosed as, and touch on the friendship side of things again. Next week we’ll chat more about the contradictions of living with both ADHD and autism.

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In this episode, we dive deep into masking—the conscious and unconscious ways that neurodivergent people camouflage their traits to fit into a neurotypical world. We explore what masking is, why we do it, how it impacts mental health, and the long-term cost of constantly suppressing our true selves. We also share personal experiences of masking and briefly discuss the journey toward unmasking and self-acceptance. Next week we will dive deeper on the unmasking side of things.

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